In a surprising twist of innovation, Chinese modders have transformed Sony’s PlayStation 5 into a highly unusual portable gadget, reminiscent of a laptop without the battery. Over on Weibo, you’ll find the BBook AI, sporting a massive 17.3-inch screen and a hefty design that brings back memories of the old, clunky gaming laptops. Weighing more than 9 pounds, it’s definitely an eye-catching piece of tech.
Inside the BBook AI Original Edition, you’ll discover the PS5’s internals tucked into a 3D-printed case. Realistically, the standout feature here is its display—a sprawling 17.3-inch 4K IPS panel with full 100% DCI-P3 coverage, though it’s capped at a mere 60 Hz refresh rate, which might leave some gamers yearning for more.
On the side, there’s an HDMI 2.1 port for hooking up an external monitor, but that kind of takes away from the novelty of this “laptop.” It doesn’t sport a built-in battery, so you’ll need to rely on an AC outlet to keep it going. Unfortunately, given the PS5’s hefty 200W power consumption during games, even a substantial 100Wh battery would only offer a short 30-minute playtime.
Switching gears to the specifics, the BBook AI packs an eight-core CPU based on Zen 2, paired with a 36 Compute Unit RDNA 2 GPU. It also comes with 16GB of unified GDDR6 memory and 825GB of PCIe 4.0 storage, making it essentially identical to the PS5 in performance. All this can be yours for about 19,999 Yuan or roughly $2,750—a price that positions it well above the conventional PS5.
One USB Type-A 10 Gbps port provides connectivity on the right side. But brace yourself for noise—reports say the BBook AI roars at 71.3 dB, likening it to the hum of a sports car engine. On a quirky note, this contraption runs the PlayStation OS, which means you’ll get a chance to experience games like Astro Bot in a way no other PC has managed before.
Think of the BBook AI as more of a concept-driven tribute to portability. While it may appear intriguing, its substantial weight, around twice that of a Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 with an RTX 4090 and a 99Wh battery, might deter real-world use. For most, opting for a portable monitor combined with a standard PS5 is a more practical (and wallet-friendly) solution, costing you anywhere between $700 and $1,000. But for those who love DIY projects and possess an adventurous spirit, the BBook AI is a fascinating endeavor, even if it veers on the impractical side.
