As the PlayStation 5 continues its life cycle, the first credible information about the next generation of Sony consoles is beginning to emerge. A recent leak, relayed by YouTube channel Moore’s Law Is Dead, hints not only at the broad outlines of the future PS6 home console, but also at the existence of a portable model designed to work autonomously. This dual strategy, still unofficial, suggests a new direction in Sony’s hardware approach.
A leak attributed to internal AMD documents
The leak comes from a confidential source with access to AMD technical documents dated 2023. According to Moore’s Law Is Dead, they have already been mentioned several times in other serious reports. Although not published in their entirety, they apparently make it possible to identify code names linked to the next generation of consoles, and to deduce some of the hardware specifications. As AMD has been supplying chips for PlayStation consoles since the PS4, it’s not surprising that such information would come from its working documents.
Orion for the living room, Canis for portability
The PS6 home console project is codenamed Orion. It would be a high-end machine based on Zen 6 architecture for the processor and RDNA 5 for the graphics. Sony is said to be aiming for around three times the performance of the PS5 in conventional rasterization, with even greater progress in ray tracing. The design would remain monolithic, with no chiplet GPU (a single chip), but optimized for energy consumption.
🗒️ Expert's note
Rasterization is a rendering method used to convert 3D objects into 2D images for on-screen display. It involves projecting geometric shapes (often triangles) into the space of the image, then calculating the color of each pixel according to light, texture and perspective. This technique is widely used in video games, as it delivers high performance at relatively low computing cost.
At the same time, a portable console codenamed Canis is said to be in the works. Unlike the PlayStation Portal, it is said to feature a dedicated chip and allow games to be run locally, notably PS4 and PS5 titles. It would incorporate a Zen 6c processor with a lightweight RDNA 5 GPU, in a thermal envelope suitable for a mobile device. Sony is reportedly considering a hybrid operation: the ability to play optimized games natively, but also to use local or remote streaming to access more demanding games.
Technical specifications
PS6 Orion
- CPU: 8 Zen 6 cores
- GPU: 40 to 48 RDNA 5 CU at over 3GHz
- RAM: GDDR7, 160 or 192-bit bus, 32GT/s
- Memory bandwidth: between 640 and 800GB/s
- Estimated power (compared to PS5): about 3× in rasterization, up to 10× in ray tracing
- Power consumption: 160W
- Backward compatibility: PS4 and PS5
- Target launch date: late 2027 / early 2028
- Estimated price: $499
PS6 Canis (portable)
- CPU: 4 Zen 6c cores
- GPU: 12 to 20 RDNA 5 CU at 1.6 – 2GHz
- RAM: LPDDR5X-7500+, 128-bit bus
- Power consumption: 15W
- Backward compatibility: PS4 and PS5
- Storage: microSD slot and M.2 SSD
- Connectivity: USB-C with video output, touch screen, dual microphones, haptic vibration
- Target launch: at the same time as Orion
- Estimated price: between €399 and €499
Information to be taken with a grain of salt
Several elements lend credibility to this information. The technical architecture is based on logical foundations, consistent with the advances expected between now and 2027. The use of Zen 6 and RDNA 5 is plausible, as is the use of GDDR7 memory, which should be commonplace in the industry by then. The emphasis on backward compatibility with PS4 and PS5 games, already very much present on the current generation, is part of an understandable strategic continuity. What’s more, the reduced power consumption of both devices demonstrates a desire to control energy and thermal costs, in line with recent experiments with a low-power mode for the PS5.
The $499 price tag for the home console seems unrealistic, given the components mentioned. A machine three times as powerful as the PS5, with GDDR7 and a high-frequency RDNA 5 GPU, could hardly reach this price without major compromises. Similarly, the handheld console’s high ambitions are matched by a limited power consumption of 15 watts, which would impose constraints on playtime, cooling and the finesse of locally executed games. Finally, although the number of GPU computing units is lower than that of the PS5 Pro (48 vs. 60), this can be explained by a more efficient architecture. However, these figures should be interpreted with caution until final frequencies, engraving finesse and optimization choices have been confirmed.
These leaks offer a first technical glimpse of the PlayStation 6 project, with a two-format approach that could respond to differentiated uses without fragmenting the ecosystem. Sony seems intent on offering hardware and software continuity with the current generation, while significantly boosting performance and extending game accessibility via a dedicated portable machine. It remains to be seen whether the balance between technical ambitions and economic viability will be achieved. At this stage, no official information has been released, but the broad outlines mentioned give an idea of the framework within which Sony could develop its catalog over the next three years.
