Cooling Fan for PS5 Review: cheap extra airflow for the chunky PS5, with a few catches

I’ve been using this generic Cooling Fan for PS5 (3-fan model with blue LED and USB 3.0 passthrough) on my launch PS5 Disc Edition for a bit to see if it actually does something useful, or if it’s just another flashy plastic add-on. I’m not sponsored, I bought it as a low-cost way to keep temps in check because my console sits in a TV unit that doesn’t breathe very well.

First thing: the PS5 already has a decent cooling system. It’s not like the PS4 jet-engine days. So I wasn’t expecting miracles. What I wanted to see was: does this fan lower heat around the back of the console during long gaming sessions, and is the noise acceptable compared to the stock fan? Also, does it fit properly, because one Amazon review even says it doesn’t fit a “standard PS5”, which is a bit worrying.

So I used it for a mix of long sessions on Cyberpunk, Helldivers 2, and some PS5 exclusives, roughly 3–4 hours at a time. I touched the back of the console, checked airflow by hand, and paid attention to noise level versus the default fan. Obviously I don’t have lab sensors at home, so this is basic user-level testing, not a technical benchmark.

Overall, it’s not a miracle fix, but it does add some airflow and a bit of peace of mind if your PS5 is in a tight spot. On the other hand, it’s not as quiet as the description suggests, the fit is a bit particular, and if your console is already well-ventilated, this feels more like optional “extra” rather than something essential.

On value, I think this sits in the “good but situational” category. The price is relatively low compared to what a console repair or cleaning service would cost if your PS5 ever overheated badly. A couple of Amazon reviewers point out that angle: it’s basically cheap insurance for an expensive console. You get three fans, a USB passthrough, and a plug-and-play setup for less than the price of a new game.

That said, you have to be honest about what you really need. If your PS5 is in an open area with plenty of airflow and you’ve never had a heat issue, then this is more of a comfort purchase than a necessity. You’ll add a bit of noise for a small cooling benefit that you might barely notice. In that scenario, your money is probably better spent on a game, an extra controller, or even just a can of compressed air to clean the console once in a while.

If your console lives in a cramped TV cabinet, close to a wall, or you live in a hot room and play long sessions, then the value starts to make more sense. You’re buying a small bump in airflow and a bit of peace of mind. The fact that you don’t lose a USB port thanks to the passthrough also helps the value side, since you’re not sacrificing any functionality to use it.

Considering the average Amazon rating of 3.4/5, the product clearly isn’t perfect. Some people love it, some complain about noise or fit. My own experience lines up with that middle ground: good value if you have a specific airflow problem to solve, less interesting if you don’t. For a budget add-on, I’d say the price matches what you get, as long as you keep your expectations realistic.

The design is pretty straightforward: matte-ish black plastic that tries to blend in with the back of the PS5. It doesn’t look premium, but once it’s clipped on the rear, you don’t exactly stare at it all day. The three fans sit in a row and pull air out from the back vents. There’s a small indicator/LED area that lights up blue when the unit is powered. If you like the PS5’s default blue lighting, it matches fairly well and gives a slightly more “gamer” look, especially in a darker room.

Build-wise, the plastic feels light but not flimsy enough that I’m worried it’ll snap easily. I wouldn’t throw it around, but once it’s attached to the console it feels okay. The clip mechanism grabs onto the console’s top edge and uses the USB plug as a stabilizing point. On my unit, it sits fairly flush and doesn’t sag. Still, it’s obvious this isn’t an official Sony accessory; tolerances are a bit looser and the overall finish is more "generic accessory" than "OEM".

Noise is where things are a bit mixed. The product page and one of the reviews say it’s quiet, but another review flat-out says it’s not that quiet. My experience is somewhere in the middle. At idle or in menus, you can clearly hear a soft whir when the room is quiet. Once you start playing with game audio at normal TV or headset volume, the fan noise fades into the background. It’s not silent, but it’s not outrageously loud either. If you’re very sensitive to extra noise and you play in a very quiet room, it might annoy you. If you’re used to a PC or a PS4-era console, it’ll probably seem fine.

The blue LED is purely cosmetic. I personally don’t care about lighting on a rear accessory, but if your console is on an open shelf and visible from behind or the side, it does look kind of cool. If you hate LEDs, there’s no way to turn it off while keeping the fans running, which might be a downside. Overall, the design is functional: it clips on, it doesn’t get in the way, and it doesn’t make the console look ridiculous, which is about what I was hoping for at this price.

In daily use, the main question for me was: does this thing bug me enough that I want to unplug it, or can I just forget it’s there? After a few days, I mostly forgot about it. The fan starts up when the PS5 powers that USB port, the blue LED comes on, and it just runs. The extra noise level is noticeable if you’re sitting in a quiet room with the PS5 on but not playing anything. As soon as you start a game with normal sound levels, it blends into the background hum.

The only time it feels a bit annoying is if you’re doing something low-volume like browsing menus late at night with the sound turned down. Then you hear that constant small-fan whirr more clearly. It’s not crazy loud, but it’s a tonal noise, so if you’re sensitive to that kind of thing, it might bother you. One Amazon reviewer calling it “reasonably quiet, ish” sums it up well. It’s not a jet engine, but the product page calling it “quiet” is a bit optimistic.

On the practical side, having the extra USB 3.0 port right there is handy. I often have a headset dongle and sometimes a USB drive plugged in, and not losing a port for the fan is nice. You don’t have to juggle ports or unplug something else just to use the cooler. The fact that it’s powered directly from the console also keeps cable mess down; no extra wall adapter or USB cable dangling around.

Comfort-wise, I’d say it’s fine as long as you understand there is a trade-off: slightly cooler exhaust, slightly more noise. If your PS5 already runs quietly in a good spot, you might feel you’re trading away silence for not much gain. If your console is crammed in a TV unit and gets toasty, the small noise increase is probably worth the added airflow and peace of mind.

Durability is always a question mark with these low-cost accessories from lesser-known brands. The plastic on this fan feels light but not paper-thin. The clips haven’t bent or cracked yet, and I’ve removed and reattached it several times to test fit and clean dust. The USB plug feels standard and doesn’t wobble excessively in the port. One Amazon review mentions it feels strong and sturdy, and I broadly agree for this price range. It’s not premium, but it doesn’t feel like a toy either.

The moving parts are obviously the fans, and that’s where long-term durability will show. Small high-RPM fans tend to collect dust and can start making more noise over time. After my testing period, I didn’t notice any change in sound or performance, but that’s still short-term. I’d expect that after a year or two, you may need to blow it out with compressed air to keep noise down. There’s no easy way to open it without risking breaking the clips, so cleaning is basically from the outside.

Because it’s powered via USB and draws limited power, I’m not too worried about it frying anything, but as always with third-party gear, you’re trusting their electronics. I didn’t notice any overheating on the unit itself, and the casing stayed cool to the touch. No random shut-offs, no flickering LED, and no USB disconnects. That’s a good sign, even if it doesn’t guarantee years of flawless use.

Realistically, at this price, I see it as a mid-term accessory: if it gives you a couple of years of extra airflow without dying, that’s fine. If you’re expecting something built like an official dock or a high-end PC cooler, this isn’t that. But for now, build and behavior are acceptable, and I don’t see any obvious weak point other than the usual long-term wear on cheap fans.

On the performance side, I went in with realistic expectations. This thing has three small fans rated around 5500 RPM, powered by a single USB port. It’s not going to magically drop your PS5 temps by 20 degrees. What it does is increase airflow around the exhaust area, which can help a bit if your console is in a tight or semi-enclosed space. In my setup (PS5 in a TV unit with a back opening but not tons of space), I noticed that after long sessions, the air coming out the back felt less hot to the touch compared to running without the fan.

This is obviously a very rough test, but after a few evenings of 3–4 hour sessions, the console casing near the back felt slightly cooler with the fan than without. The internal PS5 fan also seemed to spin up a bit less aggressively in some heavy scenes, though that’s subjective. We’re talking about small gains, not a night-and-day difference. If your PS5 is already in a well-ventilated open area, I honestly doubt you’ll notice much change beyond the psychological comfort of “extra cooling”.

In terms of stability, I had no crashes or thermal warnings with or without the accessory, so I can’t say it “saved” my console from overheating. But one of the Amazon reviews mentions it helps prevent overheating for their husband’s PS5, and I can see that being the case if their console was borderline in a cramped spot. It basically acts like a small exhaust booster, which is useful mainly in bad airflow setups.

One nice point: the USB passthrough stayed stable. I tested a wireless headset dongle and a USB drive through the extra USB 3.0 port and didn’t get disconnects or weird behavior. So at least from a functional standpoint, it doesn’t seem to mess with power delivery or data. In short, performance is decent but not magical: you get some extra airflow, a bit of heat relief in tight spaces, and that’s about it. If you’re expecting PC-style custom cooling levels, this isn’t it.

Out of the box, it’s pretty barebones: you get the cooling fan module itself and that’s about it. No fancy extras, no long manual. It’s a plastic clip-on unit with three small fans, a built-in USB plug that goes into the back of the PS5, and one extra USB 3.0 passthrough port so you don’t lose a port by using it. The brand printed is RTDHO, but in practice it feels like one of those generic accessories that multiple sellers rebrand.

Installation is simple in theory: you slide it onto the top-back of the original PS5 Disc or Digital Edition, line up the USB plug with the rear USB port, and push it in. No tools, no screws. The blue LED lights up when it’s powered, so you know it’s running. The listing is very clear that it’s not for PS5 Slim or PS5 Pro, and that’s important because the dimensions and port positions changed on those models. If you ignore that, it just won’t fit correctly.

In practice, the fit will depend on how precisely you line it up. On my launch PS5 Disc Edition, it clipped on fine and felt reasonably secure, but I can see how if you’re slightly off or have a third-party cover or skin, you might have issues. One Amazon review says it doesn’t fit a “standard PS5”, which to me sounds like either a bad unit or user alignment problems, because on mine it snaps in and doesn’t wobble much.

Functionally, the product pitch is simple: three 5500 RPM fans pulling hot air out the back, a blue LED for looks, and a USB passthrough so you can still plug in something like a headset dongle or external drive. Nothing fancy, but for the price, that’s roughly what I expected. It’s clearly built to be cheap and plug-and-play rather than some high-end cooling dock.