A custom PlayStation 5 Pro built entirely inside a cardboard box has successfully operated for a full year, defying initial skepticism from online communities regarding dust and overheating. [1] [2]
The Origin of the Cardboard Build
The unusual setup began when a pawn shop owner known on Reddit as bayareapyro purchased the internal hardware of a deshelled PlayStation 5 Pro for $100. The original buyer had reportedly removed the vital electronics and returned the empty plastic shell to a Walmart store for a full refund. Without access to official replacement cases on the market, the purchaser placed the naked motherboard and processor inside a cardboard shoebox. [1] [2]
Cooling and Dust Management
While online users initially predicted the console would quickly fail from trapped heat and dust accumulation, the owner reported the exact opposite after 12 months of daily use, which included running strenuous applications like the PSVR2 headset. Because the factory casing and built-in fan were missing, the board would overheat within 30 minutes during demanding titles without airflow, prompting the user to point an external room fan at the setup. Furthermore, the owner noted that the lack of a closed shell prevented dust from caking onto internal vents and radiators. [1] [2]
Sources
- Redditors Said This Deshelled PlayStation 5 Pro Would Die From Dust, But The Cardboard Box Build Survived A Full Year — 2026-10-05T10:58:09+00:00
- PS5 Pro spent a year in a cardboard box — 2026-10-05T18:24:47+03:00
Featured image: File:PlayStation 5 Pro no disc drive.jpg by BeatEmUps / CC BY 3.0. Licensed image; cropped or resized for display.