A new leak suggests Sony is rolling out a “low power” mode for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro to developers, with ongoing rumors about a PlayStation handheld console in the works.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 has been out for a few years now, along with the upgraded PlayStation 5 Pro, and both consoles have been pretty popular for their fast load times and beefy specs. While fans are always on the lookout for software updates and performance boosts, what’s got people talking lately are all the reports and leaks about Sony working on a brand-new handheld PlayStation device.
If you remember the PlayStation Portal, which could stream PS5 games, the latest reports suggest Sony wants to go even further: a full portable PlayStation that can play games natively, no streaming required.
Now, things have heated up even more thanks to a new leak from a well-known insider, Moore’s Law Is Dead. In his latest livestream, he revealed Sony is quietly rolling out a “low power” mode for the PS5 and PS5 Pro, something that might tie directly into all the handheld talk.
Details on PS5 and PS5 Pro’s Low Power Mode
According to Moore’s Law Is Dead, Sony has started briefing developers about a new “low power” mode for both the PlayStation 5 and the PlayStation 5 Pro. This information comes from multiple documents and sources he says he’s seen, although Sony hasn’t said anything officially just yet.
In simple terms, this low power mode is meant to let the PS5 use less electricity while still playing your favorite games. The insider explained, “Sony is briefing their developers and sending out documentation on a new low energy mode for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro… This is a new flag like ‘base’ mode or ‘trinity’ mode.” He also pointed out this isn’t required yet, but it could be made mandatory for developers down the line.
“It limits the PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Pro to eight threads,” he said talking about the low power mode. “It reduces 3D audio processing to 75%. It clocks the GDDR6 to half its speed. Core clocks are reduced around 10 to 20%.”
Here are the specs revealed about the PlayStation 5 Low Power Mode (according to the leak):
- Limits CPU usage to 8 threads
- Cuts 3D audio processing power to 75%
- Clocks down GDDR6 memory to half speed
- Reduces core (CPU/GPU) clocks by about 10–20%
- Sets GPU to the minimum frequency needed for compatibility
- Limits the console to 36 Compute Units
- No PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution), or VR support in this mode
So, how is this connected to the rumored PlayStation handheld? Moore’s Law Is Dead speculates that Sony is setting things up for the future. By getting developers to support this low power mode now, Sony would make it much easier to get PS5 games running on a portable PlayStation device if and when they launch it.
“This could be the beginnings of PlayStation handheld support,” he said. “They’re adding a flag early on where you have a game keep compatibility but it runs at significantly lower power with slightly different specs.”
Of course, it’s worth remembering that none of this is official, so it’s a good idea to take everything with a grain of salt until Sony confirms anything.
What do you think? Would you use a low power mode on your PS5, or are you more interested in what this could mean for a future PlayStation handheld? Let us know in the comments below.
