Chinese Modders Convert PlayStation 5 into a $2,750 Portable Laptop with 17.3-inch 4K Display

Imagine turning a PlayStation 5 into something that resembles a hefty old-school gaming laptop—well, that’s exactly what some ingenious Chinese modders have managed to achieve. Credit for this creative feat goes to Weibo user VideoCardz, who showed off this portable PlayStation 5, cleverly dubbed the BBook AI. With its significant 17.3-inch screen and a rather robust frame, it’s bound to catch your eye. However, it’s no lightweight at over 9 pounds, and it lacks a battery.

This custom creation, the BBook AI Original Edition, is housed in a 3D-printed shell that snugly fits the PS5’s internal hardware. The highlight of this setup is undeniably its display—a massive 17.3-inch 4K IPS panel that boasts full 100% DCI-P3 coverage, promising vibrant colors. However, the display refreshes only at 60 Hz, which might not be thrilling for gamers seeking ultra-smooth visuals.

One of the side ports features HDMI 2.1, offering the option to connect to an external monitor. Yet, the whole purpose of making it a one-piece, portable device somewhat fades away if you’re tethered to a larger screen. And since it doesn’t come with a built-in battery, it needs to be plugged in constantly to function. The PS5’s power appetite of around 200W during gameplay means even a high-end 100Wh battery would lack stamina, providing just about a half-hour of use.

If we dive into the specs, the BBook AI Original Edition packs the same punch as a standard PS5. It’s powered by an eight-core Zen 2-based CPU and a GPU sporting 36 Compute Units from the RDNA 2 architecture. To support its performance needs, it contains 16GB of unified GDDR6 memory and features 825GB of PCIe 4.0 storage. All this can be yours for just shy of $2,750, which is a stark contrast to the more budget-friendly standard PlayStation 5.

As any tech enthusiast might expect, you’ll find a USB Type-A 10 Gbps port on one side. Be warned, the BBook AI isn’t built for stealth; it reportedly cranks up noise levels to 71.3 dB, equivalent somewhat to hearing a sports car revving. A quirky twist to this device is that it runs on the PlayStation OS, allowing you to play titles like Astro Bot directly on it—something no other “PC” can claim.

While this concept aims to deliver portability, the truth is, it’s quite cumbersome. Together with the adapter, it weighs twice as much as the Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 with an RTX 4090, which also includes a 99Wh battery for real portability. If true mobility or a cost-effective setup is your goal, investing in a portable monitor and a standard PS5 would be a more practical decision. However, as far as DIY projects go, the BBook AI stands out as an innovative though rather indulgent experiment.