A close-up of a damaged PS5 HDMI port.

The HDMI port replacement on a Sony PS5 can be quite a laborious job when done properly. While it might look like a simple swap, the reality inside the console is much more complex.

The Tear Down

To repair the port, the entire console has to be fully disassembled and the motherboard taken out of the housing. This isn’t just a matter of popping off the cover; the device is held together with over 50 different screws that have to be put back in the same spots they were removed from.

 A fully disassembled PS5 on the workbench, showing the complexity of the internal components.

Precision is key here. If a longer screw is installed into a smaller hole during reassembly, it can cause catastrophic damage to the device.

The Heat Factor

PS5 motherboards are very large and have an absolutely massive thermal mass. This means that they require an insane amount of heat to desolder the HDMI port from the motherboard without damaging any of the fragile traces that connect the port to the components.

Once the old port is removed, installing the new one requires precise control of that heat. The solder needs to be heated beyond 183°C, but if you heat it too much, you will cause the plastic in the new HDMI port to melt and deform.

 The new HDMI port installed with factory-quality solder joints.

The Hidden Danger: Oxidation and Liquid Metal

Soldering the new port, however, is not the end of the repair. The PlayStation 5 uses liquid metal between the APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) and its heatsink. Due to prolonged use, the console runs hotter and hotter as oxidation forms between the APU and its heatsink.

 Oxidation buildup on the liquid metal, which can block heat transfer and lead to overheating.

This oxidation is quite difficult to clean as it bonds on a molecular level with the surface of the heatsink. However, if this oxidation is not cleaned off properly, the liquid metal will not adhere to the surface of the APU and heatsink, causing hot spots. This is extremely dangerous; if left untreated, over time this will cause the APU to die.

Symptoms of Overheating:

• The console is unable to withstand prolonged gaming sessions.
• It may feel extremely hot to the touch.
• The console may abruptly shut down.
• Glitching during graphically intense games.

If left unchecked, the PS5 will eventually stop running games entirely or fail to stay powered on, at which point the APU is damaged beyond repair.

The Repairtech Rx Difference

Because of how sensitive PS5s are to overheating, we perform a full internal cleaning of the PS5 with every HDMI port replacement. This involves a full disassembly and cleaning dust off the fans and heatsink fins.

The APU surface fully cleaned of oxidation, prepped for fresh liquid metal.

Then, the layer of oxidation is removed from both the heatsink and the APU, and the liquid metal is re-spread or replaced depending on its condition.

Fresh liquid metal applied to ensure optimal cooling performance.

This ensures that after the broken HDMI port is replaced on your PS5, it will work as well as it did when it was brand new.

Need your PS5 back in the game? Whether you are local to Sudbury or looking for a reliable mail-in expert, Repairtech Rx specializes in advanced microsoldering and data recovery. We treat your console like our own. [https://www.repairtechrx.ca/quoterequest/]