PlayStation Portal: features, price, where to buy
PlayStation Portal, a new portable accessory that turns your PlayStation 5 into a portable gadget, is here! Read on to find out about its characteristics, functions and price.
What is PlayStation Portal?
The PlayStation Portal is here! With this portable player, you can enjoy your PS5 console anywhere you have a Wi-Fi connection. Essentially, the new gadget is a mixture of a portable small screen and a DualSense controller. It delivers a quality gaming experience with powerful haptic feedback and adaptive triggers that create a feeling of immersion in supported games.
The PlayStation Portal streams your entire PS5 interface on a 8-inch LCD HD screen and has the features and the buttons of a standart DualSense controller. Plus, you enjoy its smooth 60fps performance at 1080p resolution for high-quality graphics.
Which devices are compatible with PS Portal?
The release of the new gadget comes several months after the price increase for PlayStation Plus subscription packages, and the lack of PS4 support may also disappoint their owners. Yes, the PlayStation Portal can be connected only to PlayStation5 consoles for Remote Play, and PlayStation 4 consoles are not supported. The PS5 console's Media tab apps are not supported, which is also a bit frustrating.
With your PlayStation Portal, you can use wired headsets or earbuds compatible with a 3.5mm audio input jack and wireless PlayStation Link-supported audio devices.
How does the PlayStation Portal work?
The PlayStation Portal is based on Remote Play technology, used to connect PS to an external devices such as smartphones, tablets or computers, and it can be used outside the home as long as it is connected to a Wi-Fi network. The condition for the Portal to work is that the main console must be turned on at all times. In addition, Sony has confirmed that the new portal will be able to handle cloud gaming in the future, although this has not yet been implemented at the moment.
Where can I buy PlayStation Portal and how much does it cost?
PlayStation Portal was launched on November 15, 2023, and its recommended price is $199.99, that makes it one of the cheapest handhelds on the market. Of course, if you have already invested at least $400 for the PS5. At the same time, a full-fledged standalone Nintendo Switch handheld console will cost you $350 and does not require a base device.
If you go to the US official PlayStation website and want to order it here, you will find that it is not currently available. The same result awaits you on Amazon, Gamestop and Target. It's also somewhat frustrating and you'll have to try looking on other marketplaces or wait.