E3 is usually a showcase for the big games and console releases coming over the next year, but there are often some smaller demos and announcements mixed in. E3 2017 is no different, as an interesting new handheld gaming PC called PGS (which somewhat blandly stands for Portable Gaming System) will be demoed at the show.
For a bit of history, the PGS initially started out as a Kickstarter campaign from a company called Portable Solutions in 2016. However, after surpassing its goal, the campaign was abruptly canceled after Portable Solutions caught some criticism from skeptical onlookers. And while that does seem a little suspicious, Portable Systems now says it will indeed have some hardware to show off at E3.
As for hard specs, Portable Systems says the PGS will be powered by Intel's Atom x7 chip with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The device also sports two screens, with a bigger 1080p display on top and a smaller screen on the lower portion. Otherwise, the PGS packs the usual array of buttons you'd expect on a modern game console, along with two joysticks.
Perhaps the most interesting things about the PGS is that it's supposed to dual-boot Windows 10 and Android so it can be used not only to play PC games on the go, but to make calls as well. To accomplish this, Portable Systems claims the PGS will pack a MediaTek Helio processor in addition to its Intel Atom chip.
If the PGS indeed comes to fruition, it definitely looks like an interesting device. You can learn more about what Portable Systems says it's cooking up at the PGS website, where the device is also up for pre-order in Lite and Hardcore editions that vary slightly in specs. However, if you're interested in getting your hands on something like this now, you can also check out the highly portable GPD Win.
In any case, E3 2017 is set to kick off on June 13, so we won't have to wait too much longer to see if Portable Systems can live up to its promises with the PGS.
