Sony’s Next Move: A Handheld Console That Plays PS5 Games Natively

Sony might be gearing up to revolutionize the handheld gaming market. According to a new Bloomberg report, Sony is in the early stages of developing a dedicated handheld gaming console—but unlike the recently launched PlayStation Portal, this device will be capable of playing PlayStation 5 games natively, without relying on Remote Play or needing a PS5 console to handle the heavy lifting.

Building on the PlayStation Portal

While the PlayStation Portal served as Sony’s first step back into the handheld space, it fell short of being a true competitor to devices like the Steam Deck or Windows-based gaming handhelds. It’s more of a companion device, tied to the PS5 through Remote Play. However, Sony’s latest project appears to go far beyond that, signaling its intent to return to the handheld gaming market in a meaningful way.

According to Bloomberg, Sony’s new handheld concept will “build on” the Portal but take things a step further by delivering PS5-level gaming on the go. If successful, this device could compete head-to-head with the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and potentially the next-generation Steam Deck 2.

The Challenges of PS5-Level Performance in a Handheld

The idea of packing PS5-quality gaming into a handheld is exciting, but it also presents significant technical hurdles. For a device like this to be viable, Sony would need major advancements in several areas of technology:

Memory and Bandwidth:
High-bandwidth memory is crucial to feed the GPU the data it needs for PS5-level performance. While LPDDR6 modules are expected to address some of these challenges, they’re still not widely available.
Power-Efficient Hardware:
A powerful yet energy-efficient CPU and GPU combo is essential for delivering PS5-quality visuals without overheating or draining the battery too quickly. A combination of Zen 4/Zen 5 CPU cores with RDNA-based graphics could potentially meet these demands, but the required hardware is still years away from being ready for mass production.
Cutting-Edge Manufacturing:
Sony and its chip supplier, AMD, will also need access to TSMC’s most advanced semiconductor nodes. AMD has historically lagged behind by one generation, but with access to TSMC’s N2 node in 2026, the groundwork could be laid for a 2027 release window.
AI-Powered Upscaling:
Leveraging technologies like PSSR (PlayStation Super Resolution) could help maintain visual fidelity while reducing the load on the hardware, making high-performance gaming more feasible in a compact device.

The Software and Developer Conundrum

Hardware is only part of the equation. For Sony’s handheld to succeed, developers would need to adapt their games to run on the device. This could mean creating optimized or scaled-down versions of PS5 titles, which would undoubtedly add complexity to game development pipelines. Studios already juggling development for multiple platforms may find this an unwelcome burden.

Alternatively, Sony could position this handheld as a complementary device to the PlayStation 6, allowing developers to focus on a single platform while offering players two different ways to enjoy their favorite games. This strategy could help sidestep the challenges of fragmented development while creating a unique selling point for the handheld.

PS5 in-stock and Available on Amazon

Competition on the Horizon

Sony isn’t the only one eyeing the handheld gaming market. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, has previously stated that Microsoft is also working on a handheld console, though it’s still “a few years out.” The timing of these launches could reignite the console wars, especially if Sony and Microsoft release their handhelds within weeks of each other.

Adding to the mix is the eventual arrival of the Steam Deck 2. While Valve has confirmed that the next-gen Steam Deck isn’t coming anytime soon, it could still disrupt Sony and Microsoft’s plans when it finally debuts. With Valve’s track record for delivering groundbreaking hardware at competitive prices, a next-gen Steam Deck could overshadow both consoles.

What’s Next for Sony?

While the concept of a PS5-capable handheld is exciting, it’s clear this device is still several years away from becoming a reality. The technological hurdles alone make a launch before 2027 unlikely, and Sony will need to address the challenges of power efficiency, developer support, and market positioning to ensure the device’s success.

That said, if Sony can pull this off, it could redefine handheld gaming, offering players the ability to experience PS5-quality games anytime, anywhere. With competition heating up from Microsoft and Valve, the handheld gaming space is shaping up to be one of the most exciting battlegrounds in the next era of gaming.

For now, gamers will have to wait and see how Sony’s plans unfold. But one thing is clear: the handheld gaming revolution is far from over.

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Jamie Spencer

Jamie has been blogging about tech, making money online and entrepreneurship for the past 12 years. He is the proud owner of hugely successful website makeawebsitehub.com and has helped over 20k people start their own blogs.