Reported by 2 outlets
The story so far
AI summary of the reporting below · Updated · How we work
Sony may emerge as the only company to field a dedicated gaming handheld powered by AMD's next-generation RDNA 5 graphics architecture. Speaking on a Digital Foundry Direct podcast, Richard Leadbetter indicated that behind-the-scenes discussions point to Sony securing an effective exclusive for its rumored PlayStation 6 portable console. [1][2]
The arrangement does not appear to stem from a traditional exclusivity contract. Instead, AMD is reportedly demanding massive production volumes before allocating engineering resources toward semi-custom handheld silicon. Earlier claims alleged AMD sought a 10-million-unit minimum order for a proposed Xbox handheld, a commitment Microsoft reportedly deemed too risky, though that account was later disputed. [1][2]
If rival hardware makers cannot meet AMD's manufacturing threshold, competitors like Valve, Asus, and Lenovo may have to rely on older architectures such as RDNA 3.5 or await off-the-shelf parts. Sony's device, reportedly codenamed Canis, is rumored to feature 16 compute units alongside Zen 6 and Zen 6c processor cores to run games natively rather than over cloud streaming. [1][2]
Sony's upcoming PlayStation handheld could be the only portable gaming device equipped with a custom AMD RDNA 5 chip, according to new information from Digital Foundry. Thus, its competitors, including Xbox, may have to make do with older generations of RDNA iGPUs.
via Notebookcheck
Sony's rumored PS6 handheld could be the only portable gaming system with a dedicated, semi-custom RDNA 5 chip, according to comments attributed to Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter. However, the potential advantage may come from AMD's manufacturing policy rather than from any signed agreement preventing Sony’s competitors (such as the Xbox handheld, rumored to launch in late 2027, and Valve's Steam Deck 2) from using its next-generation graphics architecture.
via Wccftech