Yesterday my fan noise was so loud I downloaded a decibel meter for my phone and left it next to my PS4, it was getting over 70 decibels! That is loud enough to spoil your enjoyment of the game. So this morning I tried a couple of things, first rebuilt my PS4 Database and then took the lid off and gave the fan a good dust. I put the PS4 back under the TV with the lid off. It's much quieter now, maybe the database rebuild did it, but leaving the top off to allow for better air circulation no doubt helps. I'll try it with the lid on later and see what happens. If you don't know how to rebuild your database, it's very straightforward and only takes 10 mins, here's a vid:
Interesting read. With so many updates to games and system going on, it's easy to see how the database can become fragmented. Glad it seems to have worked for you and the process looks pretty simple. It's probably something that'll need doing again over time. Keep us posted!
How could a database rebuild fix fan noise??? Maybe you just put your PS4 in a place with better air circulation. That's it. Fans spin like crazy just because this game is very hardware demanding and poorly optimized.
I don't know why it would work, but there are comments I read on other sites that a database rebuild can sometimes fix fan noise, maybe something to do with the Unreal Engine, I don't know. All I know is that I did the two things and up til now the fan hasn't sped up. Apart from that, are you aiming to become the most disagreeable, negative poster about TSW2 on the site? You're doing a pretty good job of it if you are.
Don't worry. I just uninstalled it. If this is a sort of TSW appreciation group, where everything is good, everything fine, well, I take note. I played TSW2020 a lot, I spent a lot of money on this game giving credit to a company that brought a different game to the console world. I was excited about the new game, hoping for a fix of old flaws (2 years of practicing on a new engine and a new platform are not enough?). And here we are, a game with even worse performances than TSW2020. That's a fact. If you all think this game is good, well, good for you, but you don't know anything about videogames. Bye.
How long have you had the PS4 ? Which model do you have ? If you've never taken apart the PS4, it's something that should be done every few months. Need to clean the heat sync , remove old thermal paste using rubbing alcohol , and replace with some new paste. I done this and sometimes I can't even tell the systems on because it's so silent. Before it was like a Boeing 747 taking off . Any questions about the process , Just ask.
I often take the lid off and get rid of the dust but haven't replaced the thermal paste yet. Maybe I'll try this soon.
** Which PS4 Have You Got ? ** Taking the lid off will do nothing , a complete teardown of the system will improve significantly , and keep your system running much longer . This is what it looks in the heat sync , completely blocked.
This is an issue on old PS4 too. Nothing to do with the game. Dust buildup over time will cause the fans to work harder in cooling. You will void your warranty if your PS4 was bought recently by opening up the shell.
That's not correct. I do not playing TSW on PS4 but lots of other demanding games. I have the first revision of it with the louder fan. Taking of the top lid to give the fan more room to breath reduces the overall noise massively. The air intake design is just a mess on the playstations. With the lid off its about 50-70% quiter now. I dont care about running it opened yet as there is the next playstation gen around the corner and hopefully that will be quiter without the need to remove the housings.
Rebuilding the database is kind of a reindex which means the internal hard disk can be more efficient when loading in data and memory swapping. Hard drives with platters (Not SSD) generate additional heat like other components which can add to the overall internal temp in the PS4. The fans are triggered by internal thermostats that spin according to the ambient temp inside. So it is possible that doing a DB rebuild allowed your hard drive to "work less" thus generating less heat and not adding to the overall internal temp. There are a lot variables here that drive heat build-up, but every little thing can help sometimes. Air intake and exhaust are probably the most important factor you can control by putting your console in a well ventilated area. As for credentials, I have been a Network Admin for well over 20 years, I also build and repair PC's as well. I'm enjoying the game quite a bit and yes sometimes my fans get loud, but not loud enough to cause a bad experience.
I cleaned out my 2015 PS4 recently for the first time. Wasn't mega dirty considering I'd not previously done anything before apart from keep the area as dust free as possible and hoover the vents a couple of times a week. TSW and Red Dead were making it take off but since I cleaned it both games are quiet and TSW2 is the same. Worth doing. Not really difficult either as there are some good guides on youtube
I agree, I'm a z/os mainframe tech and we constantly need to run reorgs on databases to reduce bad response times, badly fragmented datasets will have a detrimental effect on processor throughput and can cause performance issues. I'm not an expert in whatever file structure PS4 runs on, but it makes perfect sense to me that a database rebuild can only improve things.
...very nice overview, thanks for taking the time to post this info. I do wonder what exactly is optimized/reindexed, etc in a database rebuild on the PS4... might have to look that up, not that Sony would share the specifics on that.
When I play Train Sim World 2: Collector’s Edition, it makes that same noise. It doesn’t with other games (e.g. Rocket League, Gran Turismo Sport, etc.) Do you know how to fix this in any other suggestion?
Cleaning the console (fan blades, vents and even the inside of the top lid) is the only way you can reduce noise and even then it won't be by much, it depends on how hard the game works the CPU and GPU. I clean my PS4 inside and out once every couple of months and TSW 2 still makes my PS4 sound like a jet engine at times.
You’d be better off buying a PS5. If money is an issue, put away some cash each month. Alternatively look out for Amazon’s pay 5 monthly payments option. Works out at roughly £80 per monthly. Once you make the jump from PS4 to PS5, you’ll be blown away by how much better it looks. Stuttering is less too.