Sony may be preparing to enter the handheld gaming market again, as a new report suggests the PlayStation 5 is getting a low energy mode that strongly hints at portable hardware in development.
According to trusted insider Moore’s Law is Dead, Sony is briefing developers about an upcoming low-power performance profile for both the PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro.
This new “third flag” is designed to reduce power consumption by 20-30%, cutting CPU threads to eight, slashing GPU clocks, reducing memory bandwidth by half, and disabling VR and PSSR features.
While the official purpose is framed as general power efficiency, multiple leakers—including AMD source Kepler L2—believe this is actually preparation for a PS5 handheld system.
The heavy reduction in memory bandwidth lines up with technical limitations of portable consoles, making this an ideal match for future handheld hardware.
Sony used a similar process before launching the PS5 Pro—adding developer SDK support before requiring optimization for the hardware.
This new low energy mode could signal a handheld release within the next 12 to 18 months, potentially alongside or before the PlayStation 6.
For now, the new energy-saving mode is optional for developers, but signs point to something big on the horizon for PlayStation hardware.
Stay tuned for more updates as they develop.
