Sony prepares new portable PlayStation with AMD processor to run native games

Strong rumors indicate that Sony is designing an unprecedented mobile device for the gaming universe, bringing cutting-edge hardware under the hood. The proposal of the new device is to combine a very high quality look with energy efficiency, seeking to recover the brand’s prestige in the competitive pocket console sector.

The technical details were leaked through a reliable technology market source, who had access to confidential reports involving chipmaker AMD. Even with the Japanese giant’s absolute silence on the matter, the clues indicate that the novelty should hit the shelves along with the future generation of tabletop video games, predicted by experts for the period between 2027 and 2028.

The mobile gaming market is going through a notable period of growth, driven by the significant sales of the Nintendo Switch and the popularization of handheld PCs. The PlayStation owner’s definitive return to this format would deliver a robust option for the community, leaving behind the mandatory constant internet connection required by the current PlayStation Portal.

How the portable electronic brain of the future will work

The device’s processing unit will be manufactured in the modern 3 nanometer standard, incorporating the AMD Zen 6 architecture. The chip will have half a dozen cores in total, with four of them dedicated to maximum performance and two configured strictly to save battery during simple tasks.

This clever arrangement ensures a perfect harmony between firepower and time away from the socket. While the most complex titles draw all the capacity of the main cores, menu navigation and background downloads are the responsibility of the lower consumption units.

The design of this processor follows the global trend of maximizing efficiency in battery-dependent gadgets. Large hardware companies today focus intensely on managing energy expenditure to prolong users’ entertainment sessions.

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The firepower to generate next-generation graphics

To deal with the visual part, the equipment will feature an exclusive graphics card based on the AMD Radeon RDNA 5 architecture. This vital component has 16 computational units, working at dynamic speeds that range between 1.6 GHz and 2.0 GHz, depending on the weight of each title played.

The hardware will also offer real compatibility with ray tracing, the famous technology that calculates the path of light and generates ultra-realistic reflections. The presence of this tool drastically improves the aesthetic quality of the works developed for the ecosystem.

• Exclusive processing to simulate lights and shadows
• Chip speed adjustable according to software demand
• Direct integration with artificial intelligence improvement systems
• Structure designed to prevent overheating and save load

The combination of all these attributes forms a machine prepared to run immense virtual worlds. The expectation is that the graphic quality of the small screen will be very close to what players are already used to seeing on the large TVs in the living room.

Reading speed and RAM capacity

The system will be equipped with an impressive 24 GB of LPDDR5X unified RAM, running at 7,500 MT/s on a 128-bit bus. This massive amount of memory ensures fast navigation between different screens and drastically speeds up loading of detailed scenarios.

Sony will also implement PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution technology, its own image-focused artificial intelligence system. The feature can stretch resolution and improve graphics clarity without stressing the main chip, ensuring a smooth frame rate.

Storage will be provided by an ultra-fast SSD, although exact file transfer numbers have not yet been revealed. This type of disc eliminates the old loading screens and allows the player to jump from one level to another almost instantly.

This robust infrastructure takes a huge burden off the shoulders of partner studios. With such high specifications, developers will find it easy to convert current blockbusters to the pocket format, applying only specific optimizations.

Strategies to extend battery life

Task management is divided in real time between the four high-performance cores and the two more basic ones. The smaller units take care of all the vital functions of the console’s software, preventing energy from being wasted on trivial processes.

Separating these functions generates a notable increase in the time the device can stay on. Programmers are given clear guidelines to focus heavy processing power only on scenes that are truly machine-intensive.

Initial bench tests show that the system runs smoothly, even when the graphics are set to maximum. The transition of tasks between the different cores occurs in milliseconds, making the process completely invisible to whoever has the control in their hands.

How artificial intelligence transforms the visual experience on the small screen

The upscaling technology inherits advances originally created for the PS5 Pro. The algorithm recreates image details instantly, displaying a crystal clear look from a much lower base resolution, which saves system resources.

Real-time lighting calculation completely changes the atmosphere of games. Art directors can add reflective surfaces, such as glass and puddles, without fear of slowing down or crashing the device.

Learn more: Leak reveals specifications of PlayStation’s new portable console with 3nm chip

Combining these two technological fronts results in a visual spectacle that is rare on smaller screens. Audiences will enjoy textures and effects that, until recently, were only possible on expensive computers or robust desktop consoles.

Possibility of integration with televisions and monitors

Although the internal SSD model is not fully confirmed, the market is betting on the standard NVMe format. It is very likely that the manufacturer will sell versions with different storage sizes, creating more affordable and other premium options.

The design includes compatibility with an external base to connect the device directly to the television. When connected to this dock, the device deactivates the battery limiters and starts using 100% of its processing capacity.

This hybrid nature changes the way consumers interact with their daily games. It becomes possible to start an epic quest during a bus ride and finish it from the comfort of your couch, using a large screen.

The fight for dominance in the portable console market

The pocket device segment has exploded recently with the launch of powerful hardware by several companies. Equipment such as the Steam Deck, from Valve, and the ROG Ally, from Asus, showed that gamers are willing to invest heavily to have mobility without losing quality.

Sony’s strategy is based on security and optimizing its own operating system. Unlike solutions that depend on the cloud, this new hardware runs files directly in internal memory, eliminating the frustration of delays caused by poor internet.

The main target of this endeavor is the millions of users who already have active accounts on the PlayStation Network. The ease of downloading and playing titles that have already been purchased previously appears to be the product’s biggest selling point.

Differentiators of the new hardware compared to rivals

While much of the competition suffers from Windows bottlenecks, the Japanese machine offers a tailored ecosystem. Titles are programmed specifically for that set of tiles, eliminating the memory waste generated by a traditional PC operating system.

Choosing low consumption components should place the device at the top of the battery life ranking. Being able to play for several hours at a time without needing an outlet solves the main flaw pointed out by current portable PC owners.

The native application of artificial intelligence to refine graphics establishes a considerable technical advantage. The clarity achieved on the compact screen raises the industry standard, making the small size of the display not a problem for immersion.

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When the new video game should be officially released

The unofficial documents suggest that the launch will take place simultaneously with the arrival of the PlayStation 6. Behind the scenes, the engineering teams would already be carrying out practical tests with the device’s functional units.

The company follows its traditional playbook of completely ignoring any speculation about products in development. However, the wealth of technical details that have recently been leaked makes it almost impossible to deny that the project is underway.

The new console carries the responsibility of succeeding the PS Vita, discontinued in 2019, and reclaiming the glory of the original PSP, which sold more than 80 million units. The current market context proves that there is a huge demand for a premium device that runs large franchises natively and offline.