PS6 handheld could have a big graphics advantage over rival gaming handhelds

Sam Comrie

Updated:Oct 26, 2026

Mobile tech & hardware 

Sony's potential PlayStation 6 handheld could have a significant advantage over its rivals, with new information suggesting it might be the only gaming handheld to feature a dedicated AMD RDNA 5 chip. The claim comes from Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter, who reportedly discussed the situation in a recent Patreon-exclusive episode of Digital Foundry Direct.

According to Leadbetter, behind-the-scenes conversations suggest Sony has an "exclusive of sorts" on RDNA 5 for its upcoming handheld. That doesn't necessarily mean Sony has signed a traditional exclusivity deal with AMD, though. Instead, the chipmaker is reportedly becoming more selective about which companies it develops semi-custom handheld processors for, with manufacturers needing to commit to sufficiently large production runs to justify the engineering costs.

This would also help explain an earlier claim from leaker Kepler_L2, who suggested AMD wanted a commitment of at least ten million chips before developing dedicated hardware for Microsoft's proposed Xbox handheld. Microsoft reportedly considers that demand too risky, although Windows Central's Jez Corden subsequently disputed that account. If Sony really does have this kind of arrangement with AMD, it could give the company a considerable head start in bringing RDNA 5 graphics to portable gaming.

Rival manufacturers such as Asus, Lenovo, and Valve might have to stick with existing AMD tech or wait for more widely available RDNA 5 APUs before they can offer comparable hardware. It could leave some upcoming Windows-based handhelds relying on older graphics technology for longer than expected. Sony's rumored handheld, reportedly codenamed Canis, has already been linked to an RDNA 5-based GPU.

More importantly, this isn't expected to be another PlayStation Portal-style device that primarily streams games from a PS5. The Canis handheld is reportedly designed to run games natively, potentially giving Sony a handheld that could bring a PS5-style experience on the go. Of course, none of this has been officially confirmed by Sony, and the details surrounding AMD's reported production requirements remain unverified.

But if the rumors prove accurate, Sony's next handheld could have a meaningful graphics advantage over the ROG Xbox Ally and Lenovo Legion Go, at least until rival manufacturers can get their hands on comparable hardware.