A console modder has combined a PS5, Xbox Series X, and Switch 2 into a single mega-system, dubbed the “Ningtendo PXBOX 5.” For as long as companies have been making gaming systems, fans have been taking them apart to see how they tick and modify them to push their capabilities further. While there’s plenty to love about the base PlayStation 5, Series X, and Switch 2, one dedicated fan thought they’d be better together and took it into her own hands to see that through.
It’s an odd time for consoles right now. While fans are largely excited to see what comes next, hardware sales have been falling over the past few years, and plenty of mystery surrounds what the next generation could look like. There’s talk that Sony could release a handheld PS6 and that the next Xbox will be a PC-console hybrid, but these possibilities pale in comparison to the Ningtendo PXBOX 5, a console that truly offers the best of all three worlds.
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The Ningtendo PXBOX 5 is a Functioning PS5-Series X-Switch 2 Hybrid
YouTuber and hardware modder 小宁子 XNZ lamented how having to switch between consoles to play a wider variety of games is inconvenient, so she decided to combine the big three into a single system. While companies like Xbox seem to be moving past console exclusivity, exclusives are still out there, and many gamers must pick and choose which platform or platforms works best for them. XNZ’s answer was to put each console’s internals into a single case, using lost wax casting to build a custom heatsink. The original plan was to CNC this component, but after realizing that would cost over $700, XNZ opted for the more traditional but error-prone casting technique.
The heatsink in question was inspired by the 2013 Apple Mac Pro, lovingly referred to as the “trash can” Mac. This cylindrical computer used a triangular cooling system in the middle of three PCBs, which XNZ thought would help her cool all three consoles simultaneously. It’s similar to the Xbox Series X’s parallel cooling architecture, where a fan at the top draws air from the bottom of the console and splits it into streams to cool all sides of the internals on its way up. Xbox may not use lost wax casting for its heatsinks, but this approach still worked for XNZ after some trial and error.
The Ningtendo PXBOX 5 also had to contend with the Switch 2 being a hybrid console, so it couldn’t attach to the rest of the system the same way as the Series X or PS5 internals. XNZ’s solution was to 3D print a much smaller dock so the Switch 2 could fit inside the larger console and take advantage of the central cooling unit. A spring-loaded mechanism pops the handheld out of the PXBOX 5’s side when taking it out of docked mode, similar to how a toaster pops up toast.
A custom Arduino board connects everything and allows users to toggle the power and switch between platforms at the push of a button. As one might expect, the Ningtendo PXBOX 5 does have some limitations. While all three systems can run simultaneously without drawing too much power, the console can only run one game at a time to avoid overloading the power supply. The Series X and PS5 components also don’t have any disc drives, so outside the Switch 2 part, it’s a digital-only console. That may not be a huge deal, considering how digital-only Xbox Series X and S consoles have outsold disc-drive versions, but it may be a bummer for fans of physical media. Regardless, the Ningtendo PXBOX 5 is undoubtedly impressive, even if NIntendo, Sony, and Xbox won’t likely release an official version anytime soon.
