Since the next-generation PlayStation will also be AMD-based, the leak surrounding the new processor architecture could be highly revealing.

For some time, there have been reports that Sony may be preparing to launch a next-generation PlayStation 6 handheld alongside its flagship home console. Such a device could potentially provide a cheaper entry point into the next-generation console market.

Because Sony has not officially announced the home console yet, it remains unknown whether the handheld is truly in active development or whether its leaked technical specifications are accurate. A new hardware leak related to AMD’s Zen 6 architecture, however, may provide the first sign that previously leaked information could be correct.

A recently published Linux kernel patch suggests that AMD Zen 6 will feature a third CPU-core type: a low-power core designed to improve the efficiency of background and idle workloads.

This is the first time these low-power cores have been mentioned by an official source rather than unverified leaks. That could be significant for the PlayStation 6 handheld, since it supports the leaked specifications and the claim that the device could comfortably outperform handheld competitors, such as the Xbox ROG Ally X, and even the standard PlayStation 5 when running games optimized for the portable format.

The current generation has demonstrated that the lower technical specifications of Xbox Series S, particularly its RAM capacity, can become a limiting factor for developers. Many are therefore wondering whether this possible PlayStation 6 handheld could also limit next-generation console games.

Because the reported RAM difference between the portable system and home console is less than 30 percent, that should not necessarily be the case. The device could reasonably be PlayStation’s approach to delivering gaming experiences that fit increasingly diverse lifestyles, as Sony Interactive Entertainment president Hideaki Nishino explained in a special Famitsu interview last week.

The only major question remaining is the price tag.

Source: WCCFTech, Guru3D