The open-source hardware and software community has reason to celebrate, especially those who enjoy tinkering with their consoles to get the most out of them, going far beyond what Sony offers out of the box. In recent weeks, the project known as PS5 Linux has taken a giant leap forward by expanding its compatibility, allowing it to The PlayStation 5 Slim model can also run this operating system Based on open-source code. This advance is no small feat, since until recently users of the more compact version of the machine were left watching from the sidelines as the original models were the only ones that could boast of this feature.
This achievement comes from well-known developers in the scene, such as Andy Nguyen, who have worked hard to bring the Linux loader to version 2.2. Thanks to this effort, the console now behaves like a personal computer, taking full advantage of the power hidden under the hood. However, for all of this to run smoothly, it is necessary to meet some very specific requirements, since The system relies on specific vulnerabilities. which are only present in certain versions of the Japanese brand's official software.
New horizons with firmware 7.61
One of the most important details of this update is that it focuses on PlayStation 5 firmware 7.61. According to various community reports, this support is specific to that version, meaning that if you have a console with an earlier firmware that you want to use for this purpose, You will need to manually update to version 7.61 for the exploit to be effective. It's curious that the range has been so limited, but this is because it takes advantage of a security flaw that Sony already fixed in later versions, so the most up-to-date consoles or the new PS5 Pro are currently unaffected.
The arrival of this compatibility on the PS5 Slim is a significant milestone in Europe and Spain, where this model has practically cannibalized sales of the original "Phat" model. By allowing this revision of the console to run Linux, it opens the door for many more users to be able to repurpose your hardware for computing tasks or even as an extremely powerful multimedia center. The process, although it still requires some technical knowledge and the use of a USB charger, demonstrates that Sony's x86 architecture remains a treat for open-source software enthusiasts.
PC power inside a console case
When we managed to boot Linux on a PS5 Slim, what we essentially had was a very capable mid-to-high-end PC. The system allowed access to the eight cores of the AMD Zen 2 CPU The RDNA 2 architecture's powerful graphics capabilities, capable of reaching frequencies of up to 2,23 GHz, are not just for showcasing the operating system; they also have very interesting practical applications, such as the ability to transform the console into a workstation with full Bluetooth access, USB connectivity, and, most importantly, 4K video and audio output at 60 frames per second.
Furthermore, thanks to tools like Proton, developed by Valve, it has been confirmed that it is possible to run Windows games directly on the console. This makes the PlayStation 5 a kind of hybrid capable of Turn your PS5 into a Linux PC With amazing performance, very close to what we'd see on a native machine. They've even run emulation tests on previous systems with astonishing results, although it's important to understand that this doesn't replace Sony's official system; in fact, for now there's no dual boot and the console's internal SSD remains untouched, with everything running externally to avoid compromising the original data.
To put the finishing touch on this progress, it's important to remember that using Linux on the console is still in an active development phase and requires external peripherals like a keyboard and mouse to be truly useful. While it's not yet possible to permanently replace the factory software with Linux, the fact that Version 2.2 supports the Blu-ray reader and access to the M.2 SSD This additional information gives us an idea of ​​how advanced the project is. Until new avenues are discovered for the latest firmware versions, owners of a Slim with version 7.61 now have a new toy to squeeze every last bit of performance out of their gaming machine.