Chinese modders have transformed Sony’s PlayStation 5 into a portable device that resembles a laptop, although it lacks a battery. Called the BBook AI, this creation really grabs attention with its massive 17.3-inch display and its chunky design, reminiscent of those old, hefty gaming laptops. Sure, it tips the scales at over 9 pounds, but visually, it’s quite the showstopper.
The BBook AI Original Edition encases the PS5’s internals in a 3D-printed chassis. The main selling point here is its integrated screen, a sizeable 17.3-inch 4K IPS panel boasting 100% DCI-P3 coverage, though sadly, it only delivers a 60 Hz refresh rate. Kind of a bummer if you’ve been spoiled by smoother displays.
On the side, there’s an HDMI 2.1 port for hooking up an external monitor, but honestly, that kind of defeats the whole point of the setup. And, since it doesn’t have a built-in battery, you’ll need to keep it plugged into a power outlet. This isn’t on the modders, though; with the PS5’s roughly 200W power draw while gaming, a typical 100Wh battery would last a mere 30 minutes.
Now, let’s dive into some specs: the BBook AI sports a configuration identical to the PS5, featuring an eight-core CPU based on Zen 2, a 36 Compute Unit GPU built on RDNA 2 architecture, 16GB of GDDR6 unified memory, and an 825GB PCIe 4.0 storage drive. You’ll find a USB Type-A 10 Gbps port on the laptop’s right side for connectivity. The system runs on PlayStation OS and houses a fully functional PS5, marking the BBook AI as the first PC capable of running games like Astro Bot. It’s clear: your standard gaming laptop won’t do that.
Despite all these features, there’s a catch—the price tag. At $2,750, it’s around 5.5 times the cost of a regular PS5. Also, judging by the pictures, the laptop includes a keyboard, though it’s unclear if it’s membrane or mechanical.
While this device was designed with portability in mind, it’s still a hefty carry when you factor in the adapter, making it nearly twice the weight of a Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 with an RTX 4090 and a 99Wh battery. If you’re looking to save some cash, consider purchasing a portable monitor and a PS5 separately. That combo should set you back between $700 and $1,000, depending on your choice of monitor. In the end, the BBook AI stands as a fun, albeit impractical, DIY project.
