The newly released PlayStation Portal is Sony’s attempt to return to the handheld console market, but it has a significant drawback we don’t want to see.
PlayStation Portal is a slick-looking device but can only stream games from a PS5, which means you need both. On top of that, PlayStation Portal has a few more limitations that are not worth the price tag. On Jan. 15, the DIY Perks YouTube channel shared an invention that might be the ultimate solution to our desires for portable gaming: the PlayStation 5: Tablet Edition.
In the video, the creator of the project, Matt, talked about how PS5 had an internal re-design and now has components small enough to become something entirely new, like a portable gaming tablet. The biggest obstacle in creating such a device was the cooling system, which required a custom-made heatsink and airflow layout due to the irregular and chunky shapes of PS5’s original components.
The end result was a much smaller PS5 with a built-in 4K OLED screen that can be thrown into a backpack to be used whenever and wherever you want, unlike the PlayStation Portal. It’s more portable than the regular PS5 and PS5 Slim, creating a new format of gaming we’ve never seen before.
With Sony’s resources, it shouldn’t be much of an issue to create a tablet-sized console, but as Matt mentioned, there’s a question of how well it might sell. At least right now, it feels like gamers are looking for a handheld device like the Steam Deck to use when on the go or something more stationary like a gaming laptop or regular console to enjoy games from the comfort of their home. Regardless, PlayStation 5: Tablet Edition is an incredible showcase of engineering and creativity from which Sony will hopefully draw inspiration.
