PS Portal is Just an Unneeded $200 Wasted Potential

Why does PS Portal feel wrong?

Why PS Portal Feels Unnecessary?
Why PS Portal Feels Unnecessary?

Handheld gaming devices have a rich history of making gaming more accessible and eliminating the need for TV. They put the entire gaming world in the palm of your hands.

While it came into existence through Milton Bradley’s Microvision, Nintendo truly popularized handheld gaming consoles with its Game Boy. Nintendo is dominating the market with Valve Cooperation’s Steam Deck and many other handheld gaming devices joining the race.

Key Takeaways

  • Sony developed a hybrid gaming accessory called PS Portal that also allowed players to play PS5 games portably.
  • This low-priced PS Portal had many shortcomings that made me question whether this device was needed.

On the other hand, Sony also saw the days when great handheld consoles like the PSP were produced. However, the PS Vita’s failure eventually killed them. To try their luck one last time, Sony released their PS Portal in the race for handheld consoles.

PS5 in Your Hands

Three years after the release of PlayStation 5, Sony introduced another handheld console, PS Portal. Unlike Sony’s previous handhelds, it is not an independent gaming entity but is a sidekick for PS5. 

Much like “abxylute” and “Google Stadia,” PS Portal is a PS5 accessory designed to stream games from PS5. It requires a stable and high-speed internet connection for a seamless gaming experience.

PS Portal. Via PlayStation
PS Portal. Via PlayStation

Its design is a stretched DualSense controller with an 8-inch screen fitted between it, which, in my opinion, looks fire. Moreover, its analogs are smaller than the original DualSense, but its haptics give the same feel. However, with a price bracket of $200, I sensed something shady. 

PS Portal doesn’t work without Wi-Fi or play media off local storage. It doesn’t stream media that doesn’t beam directly from your PS5. Moreover, it only supports one user’s login at a time, meaning you must log out and back in if you share your Portal with anyone.

Such problems can be ignored, yet the most infuriating part of owning a PS Portal is that it lacks Bluetooth. Thankfully, it does have a 3.5mm jack, but if you wish to use wireless earphones, you would have to buy additional Pulse Explore earbuds, which cost another $200. This lack shows that PS Portal is nothing more than a half-baked PlayStation accessory.

Buy a PS Backbone Instead

Do you think this additional expense is worth it just for portably playing PS5 games? I don’t think so. 

While you are already paying $450 for a PS5, which is already in its second half of life, spending another $400 on it seems useless. In fact, I would suggest every PlayStation user buy a PS Backbone instead.

PS BackboneVia PlayStation
PS Backbone Via PlayStation

No, this is not a sudden product endorsement, but I genuinely feel Backbone is a more viable game-streaming option. All you need is a good mobile phone to operate PS Remote Play.

Not only is it cheaper than the PS Portal, but it also allows you to connect wireless earphones via mobile Bluetooth. Moreover, its functionality is the same as that of the PS Portal, except for the immersive haptics of a DualSense controller.

PS Portal Wasn’t Needed

It could have been more like a Steam Deck or a new and highly powered version of PS Vita. Still, we know what happened to PS Vita. Considering the high development costs, you cannot drop a home video game and a handheld console together in a market. 

One is always bound to go. Sony has already tried it with PS4/Vita, and Vita died so PS4 could live. So yeah, Portal is the best thing that Sony could do, and unfortunately, it sucks.

Nonetheless, I believe PS Portal is not something to fulfill that I already wasn’t missing out on. This hybrid model only makes PS5 underpowered, making it look like a docking station.

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