A modder just squeezed a real Sega Saturn into a portable CD player shell

Chinese modder TZMWX (known online as TZMWXdiyer) has unveiled the CDX2, a fully functional portable Sega Saturn built using genuine console hardware. The project, which was revealed in a series of posts on social media, reimagines Sega's 32-bit console as a handheld device that closely resembles a portable CD player from the mid-90s.

This is not an emulation handheld or an FPGA recreation like the upcoming Analogue 3D. The CDX2 uses original Sega Saturn components that have been heavily modified to fit inside a compact housing. The result is a device that plays original optical discs on a small LCD screen, running on battery power, without the need for a television or external power brick.

The technical breakdown

The engineering required to shrink a Sega Saturn is significant. The original console, released in Japan in 1994, was notorious for its complex internal architecture. It utilized dual Hitachi SH-2 processors, a Motorola 68000 for sound, and two custom video display processors (VDP1 and VDP2). This complexity usually makes the Saturn a nightmare to modify compared to the cleaner internal designs of the PlayStation 1 or Nintendo 64.

According to TZMWX, the CDX2 features a Saturn motherboard that has been "folded in half" to reduce its footprint. While the specific methodology likely involves cutting the board and rewiring traces (a process known in the modding community as a "trim"), the outcome is a PCB small enough to fit into a handheld enclosure. To further reduce thickness, the modder replaced the original bulky CD drive with a Sony KSM-900 drive mechanism, a slimmer laser assembly often found in later CD audio hardware.

A spiritual successor to the CDX

The name "CDX2" is a deliberate nod to the Sega CDX (known as the Multi-Mega in Europe), a specialized console released in 1994 that combined a Sega Genesis and Sega CD into a portable-sized unit. The original CDX could run on AA batteries and function as a portable CD player, though it still required a wall outlet to play games. TZMWX's project realizes the dream of a truly portable successor that Sega never manufactured.

The casing itself is a hybrid creation. The modder combined a custom-fabricated bottom shell with the top cover of a Sanyo CD player. This gives the device an authentic 90s consumer electronics aesthetic that 3D-printed shells often lack. A prototype was reportedly completed in December 2025, with recent revisions adding functional power switches, volume wheels, and a modular top cover.

Modern conveniences included

While the processing hardware is vintage, the CDX2 includes several modern necessities. It is powered by a Panasonic 21700 battery, a high-capacity lithium-ion cell commonly used in electric vehicles and high-end flashlights. This provides the voltage necessary to drive the Saturn's power-hungry chips and the mechanical CD drive.

Crucially, the system includes a built-in memory card and integrated EXRAM support (1MB to 4MB). This is a massive quality-of-life feature for Saturn enthusiasts. Many of the system's best titles, particularly Capcom's arcade fighting games like X-Men vs. Street Fighter and Vampire Savior, required the 4MB RAM expansion cartridge to function. By hardwiring this support directly into the unit, the CDX2 ensures compatibility with the system's entire library without needing a cartridge protruding from the back.

The device currently exists as a custom "one-off" project rather than a mass-production prototype. It represents the extreme end of the console modding spectrum, where the goal is preserving the original hardware experience while pushing the physical limits of the silicon.