Rumored PlayStation Handheld: AI Upscaling and Advanced Specs Hint at Powerful Portable Gaming Future

Rumored PlayStation handheld may share a key PS5 Pro feature -- here's what we know

Rumor has it Sony is working on a new PlayStation handheld, and a recent leak indicates it could borrow a key feature straight from the PS5 Pro. Known leaker KeplerL2 revealed interesting details about the allegedly upcoming PS handheld on a NeoGAF forum, stating it'll come equipped with 16GB of DDR5X RAM, a third of the base PS5's memory bandwidth (4MB of L2 cache but with 16 MB of MALL cache) and will be powered by an AMD chip. Interestingly, the insider also claims it will feature AI upscaling tech, which points to the PS5 Pro's PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution). This improves image quality in supported games, offering sharper and more detailed images, similar to Nvidia's DLSS. Moreover, since the base PS5 comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, the alleged PlayStation handheld is looking to be a powerful system, but not unlike other PC gaming consoles with the same spec, such as the Lenovo Legion Go (although, the recent Lenovo Legion Go S already sports 32GB of RAM). Reports of Sony developing a next-gen gaming handheld console have been swirling since last year, suggesting it would be able to play PS5 games natively. With PSSR now tipped to be coming along with its 16GB of DDR5X RAM, the next PlayStation handheld could pull this off -- at a lower resolution, of course. Technically, the PlayStation Portal can run PS5 titles, but that's through cloud-based gaming, and as we've found in our testing, you'll need a strong internet connection to have gameplay run smoothly. There's no official word from Sony about an upcoming PlayStation handheld, and reports on an expected release date are scattered, with some suggesting it could come as soon as 2027 while others believe it will enter mass production in 2028. The Nintendo Switch 2 has recently launched (which is already the company's fastest-selling console) and the ROG Xbox Ally is on its way, so it's only fitting that Sony delivers another take at a portable console -- one that doesn't need to rely on an internet connection. If Sony does jump on the handheld bandwagon, there's some fierce competition to overcome. Notably, the ROG Xbox Ally X, sporting an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, is set to conquer handhelds, and that comes with 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM. A PlayStation handheld equipped with AMD's latest APU (possibly a Z3 Extreme, or similar, considering its expected release date) along with AI upscaling tech to power games could make for a powerful console, but for now, that's all just speculation. It also has the rest of the best gaming handhelds to contend with, such as the Steam Deck OLED. However, if it's anything like the underrated PS Vita (and if Sony gives it the attention it deserves) a new PlayStation handheld could be a win for gamers.

Sony's rumored plan to "downgrade" PS5 performance might actually be genius -- here's why

Worried about those PlayStation performance downgrade rumors? Things aren't quite as grim as they appear. Last week, reports surfaced that Sony is briefing developers on a new "low energy" mode for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro consoles. While these rumors do appear a bit concerning for the future of Sony consoles, they could actually hint at the upcoming PlayStation 6 handheld. As we've previously reported, the PlayStation 6 is rumored to come in a home console and a handheld variant. Thanks to the initial report from Moore's Law is Dead and follow-up comments by veteran AMD leaker KeplerL2, we now know more about the AMD APU that will be powering the rumored PlayStation handheld. And it looks more cutting-edge than expected. But don't just take my word for it. Here are the PS6 handheld specs we know so far. The PlayStation handheld will be powered by an upcoming AMD APU that will have AI upscaling features, with 16GB of DDR5 onboard memory, and 4MB of L2 cache and 16MB of MALL cache on the APU's graphics tile. The unnamed AMD APU will allegedly be based on the gfx13 (RDNA5/UDNA) architecture. "But, Madeline", you ask, "what does that actually mean?" AMD's current-gen Radeon RX 9000 GPUs use RDNA 4 graphics architecture. The PlayStation 6 APU's use of the next generation of AMD architecture aligns well with the console's expected launch date in fall 2027. The AMD APU powering the current gen of PlayStation consoles (PS5 and PS5 Pro) has 4MB of L2 cache, but no MALL cache. So, even with a constrained 16GB of memory bandwidth, the PS6 handheld would have additional graphics power, thanks to the 16MB MALL cache, which can reduce the need for a large memory bandwidth on a GPU. Essentially, it gives the PlayStation handheld more leverage over its lower RAM specs. Based on these initial specs, it does not appear that the PS6 handheld will be powered by AMD's recently updated Ryzen AI Z2 lineup. Instead, this will likely be a next-gen chipset. Earlier reports pegged the PlayStation and Xbox "Gen 10" launch to 2028, though new rumors have moved that timeline up. Currently, the PlayStation 6 console is expected to launch in September 2027. The alleged PlayStation handheld is expected to launch in tandem with the home console. Of course, none of this is confirmed, and we're over two years from the expected launch date, so plans can always change. It wouldn't be the first Sony handheld by far, after all.

The first plausible Sony handheld specs leaks emerge - but how capable can it be?

Quietly in the background, plausible technical specifications for Sony's next generation handheld have come to light. Bearing in mind that we're likely years away from release, the plausibility of these specs has to be questioned but at the same time, the source of the leak - KeplerL2 - has proven to be a highly reliable source for all sorts of AMD information. He was also first to corroborate the PlayStation 5 Pro spec leaks and his information turned out to be very, very close to what we received as final hardware. His Sony handheld specs are unusually detailed for a project so far out, but to be fair, they do lack highly important context: the chip at the heart of the machine is built on AMD's new graphics architecture - known by some as UDNA - but nobody quite knows what it is capable of. Therefore, getting a grip on what this machine is capable of will prove challenging. Based on Kepler's information though, the in-development APU has 16 UDNA compute units and 32 ROPs - similar in configuration terms to the Strix Point processor we'll see this year in the ROG Xbox Ally X and the plethora of Chinese handhelds built on existing versions of the same core processor. There are key differences though - and these could prove crucial. First of all, as mentioned, the Sony handheld's use of the UDNA architecture gives it a generational leap or two over Strix Point, which is using RDNA 3.5. Secondly, memory bandwidth has historically been a defining limiting factor for AMD handhelds - it's one of the key reasons why Steam Deck continues to measure up fairly well against much more modern AMD-based handhelds. According to Kepler's information, Sony attempts to address this with two improvements: faster LPDDR5X memory (9600MT/s vs 8000MT/s) along with an additional memory cache on the processor itself: 16MB of MALL (Memory Access at Last Level) cache. This will deliver one third of existing PS5 bandwidth, but the MALL plus architectural improvements should make a difference. Unfortunately, Sony hasn't chosen to use a 256-bit memory interface - the mystery processor described by Kepler uses the same 128-bit interface as current AMD handhelds - but 16GB of memory is mooted for the handheld. That's the same as Steam Deck, but more pertinently, the same as PlayStation 5. Beyond that, it's suggested that the processor is fabricated on TSMC's 3nm process. That's very expensive for now, but likely to be more affordable for a console manufacturer a few years down the road. If this sounds like an amped version of the Z2 Extreme found within the ROG Xbox Ally X, Kepler begs to differ, suggesting that the new graphics architecture within the handheld has "way way way higher perf/CU". The 3nm process should also offer density and efficiency advantages over Z2 Extreme. Combined with further leaks that development PlayStation 5 hardware is receiving a mode with reduced bandwidth, the implication is that game makers will be able to unify their PS5 game development to support the new handheld and to start work on this sooner rather than later, using existing console dev kits. There is another benefit for this handheld over all others - the UDNA architecture, said to a be a unification of AMD CDNA and RDNA graphics (though Kepler refers to it as just CDNA 5) should, in theory, be the only handheld using Radeon graphics to support AI upscaling, such as FSR4 or Sony's homegrown alternative, PSSR. Assuming a 1080p screen, this could be a highly useful feature to have, especially bearing in mind some of the results we've seen from DLSS on Nintendo Switch 2. Right now, it's extremely difficult to come up with any kind of projected performance level for the handheld, but the mooted "reduced bandwidth" mode for PS5 dev kits would seem to suggest that Sony intends for the handheld to run current generation software, almost certainly at lower resolutions and/or lower frame-rates. This sounds somewhat like Sony's own take on the Series S, the difference being that we'd expect to see the handheld arrive in close proximity to Sony's actual next generation console - the PlayStation 6. You'd imagine that the platform holder would also be looking at the handheld to run variants of PS6 software too. This may sound optimistic but PS6 will be using the same architecture, leaning heavily into machine learning features, which the handheld should support. Where this leaves the competitive landscape remains unclear. Kepler believes that the upcoming Z2 Extreme found within the ROG Xbox Ally X will be AMD's last major handheld processor for some time, with nothing using UDNA on the current roadmap. Meanwhile, reports continue to suggest that Microsoft has left the conversation - it will rely on third party companies to create devices instead, like the Ally X. However, Valve continues to bide its time until an actual generational leap in mobile hardware is available for a potential Steam Deck 2 - and there's no reason it couldn't tap into the same AMD technologies as Sony. Perhaps the UDNA architecture is the way forward? Meanwhile, based on the remarkable efficiency seen on the Switch 2, I wouldn't count out Nvidia in delivering a highly potent PC handheld - assuming x86 to ARM CPU performance is on point. Intel, too, shows promise based on the performance of the Lunar Lake-based chip in the MSI Claw 8 AI+. I'm looking forward to seeing the competitive landscape shift - and the sooner we learn more about UDNA, the better. After all, it's likely to form the basis of the next generation console hardware created by both Microsoft and Sony - and therefore the same technology that Xbox reckons will deliver "the biggest technological leap ever in a generation".

PlayStation Portable details leak: AI upscaling, PS5 memory bandwidth, RAM and more

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. TweakTown may also earn commissions from other affiliate partners at no extra cost to you. A very well-known AMD leaker has provided details on the unannounced PlayStation handheld device, with the leaker saying it will feature AI upscaling. That leaker is KeplerL2, who has a well-known track record of being on the money when it comes to insider information about hardware from major semiconductor companies such as NVIDIA and AMD. Kepler has taken to the NeoGAF forums to provide some rumored specifications for the upcoming PlayStation portable device, with the leaker writing that AMD will power the portable device, and the selected chip will be the only one the company can provide until 2029 as there is "no planned Z3 lineup for AMD's next-gen APUs." Kelper writes, "The next OEM handheld APU lineup (if it happens at all, as AMD seems to be losing interest in this market) will be with their next-next-gen lineup in 2029. The only AMD handheld with AI upscaling anytime soon will be the PlayStation handheld." Presumably, this means the PlayStation handheld will be rocking AMD's latest Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, with the possibility of it being custom-designed for the handheld. The rumored specifications don't stop there, as Kepler writes the PlayStation handheld will feature 16GB of RAM, specifically LPDDR5X, since it's "dirt cheap". Moreover, the leaker says the handheld will have 1/3 of the base PlayStation 5 memory bandwidth, but with more cache and improved memory compression. More specifically, Kepler writes it will feature 4MB of L2 cache, 16MB of MALL cache. As for architecture, Kepler says the PS6 and PlayStation handheld willo be based on a fork of the gfx13, or RDNA5/UDNA architecture.

PlayStation Handheld to Feature AI Upscaling, 16 GB LPDDR5X RAM, and 16 MB MALL to Offset Lower Memory Bandwidth Compared to Base PS5 - Rumor

The yet-to-be-announced PlayStation handheld will feature AI upscaling, and some of its specs will address the lower memory bandwidth compared to the base PlayStation 5. Speaking on the NeoGAF forums, well-known AMD leaker KeplerL2 revealed some additional information about the handheld that's been rumored to be in the works for a while, revealing that the AMD APU that will power the system will be the only one from the company to have AI upscaling in the near future. The leaker also added that the handheld will come with 16 GB LPDDR5X RAM despite launching in a few years, as LPDDR6 is still away, and that it will have 1/3 of the base PlayStation 5 memory bandwidth, although with more cache and improved memory compression. Clarifying the cache the system will feature, the leaker confirmed it will come with 4MB of L2 cache and 16 MB of MALL cache, which the current generation systems don't have. Regarding the architecture of the PlayStation handheld, KeplerL2 reiterated that both the handheld and the PlayStation 6 will be based on a fork of the gfx13 (RDNA5/UDNA) architecture. While the PlayStation handheld has been rumored to be in the works for a while, Sony has provided no indication that such a system exists. Still, last week, it was revealed that the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro will soon get a low energy mode that will reduce performance to save power, which is believed to be a performance profile for this yet-to-be-detected handheld, so it seems increasingly likely that a handheld system is indeed in development. While Sony has yet to confirm if the PlayStation handheld is indeed in the works, Microsoft made part of its plans for the handheld market clear during this year's Xbox Game Showcase with the announcement of the ROG Xbox Ally, a handheld gaming PC coming in a clear Xbox flavor. The company was reportedly also working on a full-blown handheld system, but plans were reportedly halted to focus on improving the Windows 11 handheld gaming performance, which is lagging behind the performance offered by SteamOS.