PlayStation 6 details: performance, release date, and portable version

New details about the PlayStation 6 have surfaced online, with insiders referring to it as Project Orion. According to blogger Moore's Law is Dead, the next-generation console will be capable of delivering 4K resolution at 120 frames per second in most games. Performance improvements are expected to be significant: rasterization performance is projected to increase by 2.5 to 3 times compared to the PS5, while ray tracing performance could see a 6 to 12 times boost. This also means roughly double the raw graphics performance over the PS5 Pro, with RT performance potentially three to six times better than the updated version of the current console.

The PS6 is said to feature a GPU based on the RDNA 5 architecture, equipped with 52 to 54 compute units running at up to 3.6 GHz. Theoretical performance could reach 34 to 40 TFLOPS. This leap in power should noticeably narrow the gap between consoles and modern gaming PCs, especially in tasks that heavily utilize ray tracing.

The insider also dismissed rumors of a delay to 2029 due to a memory crisis. According to them, Sony has already secured a contract with TSMC and plans to begin mass production in the second quarter of 2027. While temporary shortages or higher prices at launch are possible, no major delays are anticipated.

In addition to the home console, a portable version of the PlayStation 6 has been mentioned, reportedly based on an AMD Canis APU. It is said to feature four Zen 6c cores, two energy-efficient Zen 6 LP cores for the system, and 16 RDNA 5 compute units, with a power consumption around 15W. The handheld is expected to target 1080p gameplay, and when docked, it could operate with a higher power limit and enhanced ray tracing capabilities.