PS5’s Power Saver Probably Isn’t Tied to a Next-Gen Handheld, But It’s Intriguing All the Same

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We’re sure you’ve read a lot about PS5’s new Power Saver mode.

This feature was included in a recent software update and is part of Sony’s ongoing commitment to sustainability.

Several games have been updated to work with it, such as Demon’s Souls and the remastered version of Days Gone.

Some people think this feature could be a preparation for a potential new handheld gaming device the company is rumored to be developing.

Digital Foundry, a team of tech experts, recently tested whether energy-saving updates could lead to a new handheld gaming device. While they don’t think it’s likely, they find the idea interesting and worth exploring.

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For instance, using the Power Saver profile can cut energy consumption by 50% or even more – that’s a significant saving!

For Demon’s Souls, the game achieves its visual target by simply reducing the frame rate from a smooth 60 frames per second to 30.

Days Gone Remastered still includes both Performance and Quality modes, letting you prioritize smoother gameplay by slightly reducing visual details.

Even with performance settings optimized, the game from Bend Studio sometimes dips below 60 frames per second. However, Digital Foundry points out that these dips still fall within the range of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), meaning a compatible TV can smooth things out.

Okay, so they did a great job cutting down on power usage, but even with the improvements, it’s still using around 100 watts. As a gamer, that’s way too much for a handheld device! To actually be practical – you know, fit in my hands and not need a recharge every five minutes – it really needs to be closer to 15 watts.

Newer computer hardware could definitely reduce the amount of power used, but Digital Foundry points out that making it work well on a portable device would likely require even more adjustments beyond the current power-saving settings.

It’s strange that Sony is asking its developers to revisit older games to support a performance feature that most players likely won’t even need, but that’s what they seem to be doing.

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2025-10-27 15:36