Sony may be preparing a major return to the dedicated handheld gaming market with a new PlayStation portable currently rumored under the codename Project Canis.

Recent reports circulating online claim the system could use a custom AMD processor built around Zen 6 CPU technology and RDNA 5 graphics, with a configuration reportedly including six CPU cores, 16 GPU compute units, 24GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 192-bit bus, and a power target of roughly 15–25W.

Another major part of the rumor is PSSR 3.0, a future evolution of PlayStation's AI-assisted image reconstruction technology. Reports suggest the handheld could render games at lower internal resolutions and use PSSR to reconstruct them to a higher-quality 1080p output, potentially helping Sony deliver stronger performance while keeping power consumption suitable for a portable device.

Perhaps the most interesting possibility for PlayStation players is native PS4 and PS5 compatibility. Earlier Project Canis reports have suggested that Sony's handheld would run games locally rather than functioning primarily as a Remote Play device like PlayStation Portal. Backward compatibility with PS4 and PS5 has been part of those earlier rumors, although the exact extent of compatibility remains unknown.

Reports have also mentioned a possible late-2027 launch window, potentially around Sony's next-generation PlayStation hardware. However, Sony has not announced Project Canis, confirmed these specifications, or provided an official release date.

⚠️ Important clarification

Some recent articles attributed the newest 24GB/Zen 6/RDNA 5 specification list to hardware insider Kepler_L2. That attribution has since been disputed. Kepler_L2 reportedly stated that he had not provided new Canis specifications for months, and Digital Foundry reportedly acknowledged an error regarding the attribution. Therefore, the newest specification list should not be treated as a newly confirmed Kepler_L2 leak.

For now, Project Canis remains an unannounced and rumored device. Still, if Sony ultimately releases a true standalone handheld capable of locally running PlayStation games, it would represent a very different approach from PlayStation Portal and Sony's most significant move into dedicated portable PlayStation hardware in years.

GoldenGames Nexus will continue following Project Canis as more reliable information becomes available.

Sources for your website

PlayStation Universe – PS6 Handheld Specs Report

IBTimes UK – Project Canis / PSSR 3.0 Report