What’s the Latest? After waiting in vain for a Microsoft portable console, a resourceful modder took matters into their own hands. Redherring32 has successfully built the world’s first portable Xbox using the original console’s components, documenting the entire process through a series of posts on X.
Hardware enthusiast Redherring32 repurposed the internals of a genuine Xbox motherboard and compactly integrated them into a handheld device.
This project goes beyond software emulation or imitation PC handhelds, requiring genuine hardware expertise and custom PCBs for realization. The result is a well-crafted portable Xbox with a sleek design reminiscent of the original console.
I built a portable Xbox.
This isn’t a PC handheld, it isn’t emulation, this is a real motherboard from a real Xbox. It has a 9″ 480p display, pure digital video/audio, 100W USB C charge and play, and I’m currently adding WiFi 6 for wireless Xbox Live functionality.Yes, really. pic.twitter.com/yK7p0vPqUn
– Redherring32 (@redherring32) October 18, 2024
The portable console boasts a 9-inch 480p display, 100-watt USB-C charging, a lithium-ion battery, and a fully functional integrated Xbox controller.
However, achieving this feat was no easy task. Redherring32 had to meticulously reverse engineer and redesign multiple PCBs from scratch, as well as find a way to condense the bulky Xbox motherboard into a portable size. Only specific motherboard models were compatible, making the process a challenging four-month endeavor.
“I had to research Xbox motherboard trimming completely from scratch, a task that took me a bit over 4 months. Nobody had ever tried it before,” Redherring32 shared. He also mentioned that the project involved 12 custom PCBs he personally designed.
Next on the agenda for Redherring32 is adding Wi-Fi 6 support for wireless Xbox Live multiplayer functionality on the go.
If you’re inspired to follow in these footsteps, Redherring32 has made the entire design open source, providing a detailed guide, schematics, and PCB source files. But be warned, assembling one of these devices presents a significant technical challenge.
Notably, Xbox chief Phil Spencer has long hinted at Microsoft’s interest in a portable Xbox. He has previously praised handheld gaming devices like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, expressing a desire for a similar offering from Xbox.
“I think we should have a handheld, too,” Spencer stated in an interview with IGN.
Despite these hints, Microsoft has yet to make significant progress on a portable Xbox. With the popularity of handheld gaming rising, Redherring32’s creation stands as a testament to innovation in the absence of an official Microsoft handheld.
