At least one PlayStation 5 that's out in the wild has suffered from overheating problems, and it was unfortunately on display for customers at a Best Buy store. In the lead-up to reviews of the next-gen hardware, it was the Xbox Series X that faced charges of overheating issues, but any problems there were dismissed once people got hands-on with the system. Both consoles have much more powerful components than the last time around, and they've been designed with intricate venting systems in order to keep everything functioning properly. Like PC towers, these new consoles will need air, and it seems that even retailers will have to adjust to that new facet of the next-generation.

Not many next-gen console seekers will likely be heading out to their local Best Buy in the coming weeks. Sony and several retailers have already confirmed that the PlayStation 5 would only be available online on launch day. This, plus the ongoing global pandemic that has many people exclusively shopping online, means that the traditional console display is not the hugely necessary step it once was. Several generations ago, many saw new games and hardware for the first time in their local department store's gaming sections. Nowadays, players will see their favorite online influencers handle hardware weeks ahead of any local store displays.

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As spotted originally by GameRant, Twitter user Xzyliac spotted a PlayStation 5 display at a Best Buy that featured a console suffering from heating issues. Xzyliac commented that the consoles were enclosed in the display units, which is likely a problem for next-gen hardware considering their similarities to PC towers. The display unit evidently also drove home the console's immense size, which has been a common talking point amongst those who have seen the console in person. As the PlayStation 5 was sealed in the display, it was up to a Best Buy employee to power cycle the console, and perhaps leave the door ajar for better airflow.

Neither console maker wants players to start thinking that their hardware will burn itself up Xbox 360 style once they arrive in people's homes. Still, the sheer number of vents on both pieces of hardware suggests that the cooling effort behind each machine's plastic shell is serious business. The fact that Best Buy didn't think of this scenario speaks to what has been a rushed console launch cycle in general, as 2020 has been a year of compromises and strange timetables that continue to unfurl as the months go on. The fact that either console is launching at all this year is still a minor miracle.

So, will the PlayStation 5 have heating problems when it launches to players everywhere? It's possible, but it's not likely. Unlike Best Buy's display cases, consoles are not enclosed in plastic prisons in people's homes, and a TV stand is already designed for hardware that needs to vent heat. While these consoles may need to vent more heat than usual, it will hopefully only be a few unlucky souls that have to place their next-gen purchase in a cardboard coffin and accept a replacement.

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Source: GameRant, Xzyliac/Twitter