We have known for quite some time that Sony may be preparing to launch a next-generation PlayStation 6 handheld system alongside the flagship home console, to possibly deliver a cheaper entry-point in the next generation of consoles. As the home system has yet to be formally announced by Sony, we do not know whether the portable system is indeed in active development or whether the leaked specifications are real. However, with a new hardware leak related to the AMD Zen 6 architecture, we have received the very first indication that previous leaks could indeed be correct.
As reported by Guru3D, a recent Linux kernel patch suggests that the AMD Zen 6 architecture will feature a third CPU core type: a low-power core designed to enhance efficiency in background and idle workloads. This marks the first time these low-power cores are mentioned in an official capacity rather than in unverified leaks.
As such, this is significant for the PlayStation 6 handheld, as it validates the leaked specifications and the claim that it will easily outperform handheld competitors like the Xbox ROG Ally X and even the base PlayStation 5 when running games optimized for the handheld form factor.
Leaked PlayStation 6 Handheld Specifications
| Component | Leaked Specification |
| CPU | AMD Zen 6 (6 Cores total: 4 Zen 6c, 2 Zen 6 LP) |
| GPU | AMD RDNA 5 (16 Compute Units) |
| RAM | 24GB LPDDR5X (Estimate) |
| Storage | M.2 NVMe SSD + MicroSD Express |
As the current generation has highlighted how the Xbox Series S, with its lower specs, RAM especially, can be a limiting factor for developers, many are wondering whether this potential PlayStation 6 handheld will also be a limiting factor for next-gen console gaming. As the RAM difference between the portable and home console is said to be less than 30%, this shouldn't be the case, so the system could rightly be PlayStation's way to "provide game experiences that suit increasingly diverse lifestyles," as SIE President Hideaki Nishino said last week in a special interview with Famitsu.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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