During the PlayStation Showcase event last night, Sony announced the much-rumoured PlayStation Q handheld device. Keep in mind that “Project Q” is currently its codename and the company will give it an official name closer to its launch.
The new Project Q device is a portable gaming device but before you rush out and pre-order one (you can’t yet anyway), there are some details you need to know. Project Q isn’t a standalone portable gaming handheld. In fact, it is a Remote Play-driven piece of tech that relies on your PS5 being connected to the Wi-Fi at the same time.
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Instead of the device powering the games, your PS5 will render them as usual and stream the content to the handheld. At the moment, it seems that Project Q is strictly made for Wi-Fi streaming and won’t support any type of 5G network. Sony’s Remote Play feature already has cellular options as the app is available on mobile.
According to Jim Ryan, the handheld includes an 8-inch 1080p 60fps LCD panel. This panel is attached to a DualSense replica which features all the tech you would find in the controller itself. This includes haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and motion support.
At the moment, Sony hasn’t shared much else about Project Q. The company says it will arrive sometime later this year but we still have loads of questions. What’s the battery life, what Remote Play limitations does it have, what about the display – does it support HDR, touchscreen, what’s the brightness?
At the moment, we just know that Project Q isn’t a PSP 2 or PlayStation Vita successor. Instead, Sony wants to offer a way for users to play their PS5 games at home when not on the couch in front of their TV. How many gamers will this cater for is another question. We’ll have to see how Project Q weighs up when it releases later this year.
If playing games on an 8-inch display instead of your TV isn’t for you then Sony also announced its first official wireless earbuds. The earbuds currently don’t have any official name but the company says they support lossless audio on PS5 and PC.
According to the trailer below, the earbuds will feature a wireless carry case which will charge them up when not in use. Sony hasn’t shared any technical details on the earbuds yet. The earbuds also feature volume up and down buttons on the white plastic flaps. There’s also a sync button in the case and on each earbud.
One big question we have is how will these earbuds connect to the PS5. For those who don’t know, the PS5’s Bluetooth offers a closed connection to the DualSense controller only. Even Sony’s first-party Pulse headset requires a Bluetooth USB dongle plugged into the console. It would be quite funny to have these wireless earbuds come with a Bluetooth USB dongle in order to function.
Sony hasn’t shared much about them apart from the short video below. We don’t know what battery life they will offer or whether or not they will support 3D audio. Sony hasn’t said when these earbuds will launch but they are definitely on my radar.
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