Key Takeaways
1. A leak suggests Sony will introduce an OLED version of the PlayStation Portal, priced at $199, later this year.
2. The Portal OLED is aimed at streaming enthusiasts as a mid-cycle display improvement.
3. Details about Sony’s upcoming handheld, “Project Canis,” indicate it will feature AMD’s next-gen RDNA 5 architecture with 16 compute units for power efficiency.
4. Sony has modified PS5 development kits to include a “Low Power Mode” to support the handheld’s limited hardware capabilities.
5. The Portal OLED is expected to be announced this year, while the new handheld is anticipated to launch around the same time as the PlayStation 6.
A recent leak has strengthened an earlier rumor about Sony introducing OLED technology to the PlayStation Portal, which is currently priced at $199 on Amazon. Well-known hardware leaker Kepler_L2, who has a solid track record, has claimed that Sony is set to unveil an OLED version of the PlayStation Portal sometime this year. Following a recent software update that enabled cloud streaming for the device, the new leaks regarding the Portal make much more sense now.
Mid-Cycle Upgrade Insights
The Portal OLED will mostly serve as a mid-cycle display improvement aimed at streaming enthusiasts. Additionally, more technical information has emerged about Sony’s long-anticipated native gaming handheld, often called “Project Canis.” Leaked details suggest that this upcoming device will feature AMD’s next-gen RDNA 5 (or UDNA) architecture. While some earlier leaks pointed to a higher compute unit (CU) count of up to 20, the internal targets seem to have settled on a configuration of 16 CUs. This choice is likely influenced by the need for power-to-performance efficiency; with a typical Thermal Design Power (TDP) limit of 15 W for portable devices, a 20 CU GPU would face diminishing returns due to memory bandwidth and thermal limits—resulting in no significant speed boost compared to the 16 CU model.
Hardware Support and Development Kits
In order to support this hardware, Sony has reportedly modified its PlayStation 5 development kits to include a required “Low Power Mode” or “Power Saver Mode.” This change means that the current PS5 game library can be adjusted to run natively on the handheld’s more limited hardware capabilities. The likely inclusion of LPDDR5X-9600 memory suggests a strong focus on fast data transfer to make up for the limited memory bus typical in mobile processors. Although the handheld is anticipated to launch around the same time as the PlayStation 6, the Portal OLED is expected to be announced this year, provided the leaks are accurate. We will just have to be patient for any official announcements from Sony, no matter what.
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