Chinese modders have taken Sony’s PlayStation 5 and given it a unique spin, transforming it into a portable device that resembles a laptop without the battery. Dubbed the BBook AI, this creation surfaced on Weibo, sporting a hefty 17.3-inch display and a design that’s a throwback to the clunky gaming laptops of yesteryear. While it tips the scales at over 9 pounds, its appearance is definitely a head-turner.
The BBook AI Original Edition’s exterior, crafted with a 3D printer, encases the internal workings of a PS5. What truly sets this custom contraption apart is its expansive screen: a 17.3-inch 4K IPS panel boasting full 100% DCI-P3 color accuracy. However, gamers might be let down by its 60 Hz refresh rate, which is pretty limited in today’s standards.
On the side, you’ll find an HDMI 2.1 port for connecting an external monitor, though this somewhat undercuts the portable design concept. There’s no battery inside, meaning you’ll need to plug it in to get it running. You can chalk it up to the PS5 itself, which guzzles roughly 200 watts during a gaming session. If you attempted to attach a battery, it would last only about 30 minutes with a 100Wh capacity—hardly practical.
This machine sports a USB Type-A 10 Gbps port on its right, facilitating connectivity. One downside reported is the BBook AI’s significant noise level, claimed to hit 71.3 decibels—comparable to a roaring sports car. Just to emphasize, enclosed in this laptop-like casing is a fully operational PlayStation 5 running PlayStation OS, making it the first “PC” capable of playing games like Astro Bot. Can your current gaming laptop claim that accolade?
Under the hood, the BBook AI shares the PS5’s specs, equipped with an eight-core CPU based on Zen 2 architecture and a 36 Compute Unit RDNA 2 GPU. It packs 16GB of non-upgradeable unified memory and offers 825GB of PCIe 4.0 storage (via M.2 2242). However, forking out $2,750 for this machine means you’re paying approximately 5.5 times more than for a regular PS5. Images suggest it includes a keyboard, though it’s unclear whether it’s membrane or mechanical.
The BBook AI aims for portability, but when paired with its adapter, it’s twice the weight of Lenovo’s RTX 4090-powered Legion 9i Gen 8, which includes a larger battery. A cost-effective alternative could be buying a portable monitor for $700 to $1,000 alongside a standard PS5, which together might set you back around the same amount. The BBook AI nonetheless stands as a fascinating DIY venture, even if its practicality is arguable.
