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YveltalGriffin, a modderfrom Florida, unveiled his invention at the BitBuilt, a forum dedicated to enthusiasts who repurpose old consoles into new projects. Named after PS Hanami, the laptop was built using original PlayStation 1 hardware, without using emulation.
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YveltalGriffin described the device as “an old laptop that’s seen a lot of hot glue.” It measures approximately 18 centimeters in length and has a built-in battery that lasts about 2.5 hours per charge.
The project uses the original PS1 motherboard
To fit the PS1 hardware into such a compact size, YveltalGriffin cut the console’s motherboard in half, then folded it “like a book,” and reconnected it.
Since it was no longer possible to use CDs, he replaced the disc drive with an optical drive emulator (ODE) called Xstation, which reads PlayStation disc images from an SD card.
Problems with the portable PS1
The laptop also includes a DualShock controller, but it only has vibration capabilities and no analog sticks, which prevents certain games—such as Ape Escape—from running.
Here's a video showing the unit booting up and the internal PicoMemcard+ running in Final Fantasy VII! pic.twitter.com/aumQHZEfVs
— YveltalGriffin (@YveltalGriffin) April 14, 2024
Despite the remarkable technical skill involved, YveltalGriffin points out that the PS Hanami has several flaws. It has no volume controls, its on/off button is flimsy and can turn the device off when touched, and it lacks heat sinks, causing it to get quite hot after some time of use.