Sony unveiled Project Q earlier this year as a surprise new product. It appeared to be a massive monitor combined with a DualSense controller from a PlayStation 5. That portable evolved into the PlayStation Portal, a $200 gaming device that will be available by the end of this year. We at BreezyScroll have already had the opportunity to experiment with it. Sony has also provided additional information on its website.
What is Sony’s PlayStation Portal for PS5?
The handheld, which should be able to play all PlayStation 5 games over Wi-Fi, sports an 8-inch HD LCD screen and a controller with all of the DualSense features seen on the PS5. The analog sticks are slightly smaller, but the arrangement remains the same.
Streaming handhelds are becoming increasingly popular, including Android devices like Logitech’s G Cloud and the Razer Edge, as well as PC gaming-related devices such as the Steam Deck and Asus’ ROG Ally. The Portal, on the other hand, is designed to be a second screen and a local play alternative for the PS5, not a cloud-streaming or standalone device. There are also cloud-friendly alternatives, such as the Backbone One gaming controller, which has a PlayStation alliance and works with phones to play PS5 games wirelessly via streaming. However, devices such as the Backbone One lack the haptics found in DualSense controllers and the PlayStation Portal.
Sony’s PlayStation Portal: Price
Sony has released a slew of expensive PlayStation 5 accessories this year. The PlayStation VR 2, a $550 VR headgear that is attached to the PS5 through a wire, appears to be the polar opposite of what the Portal provides. Sony now offers the DualSense Edge, a $200 customizable professional controller. Sony also introduced new wireless headphones.
The Portal is less expensive than a Steam Deck, yet it costs the same as a Nintendo Switch Lite. It is less expensive than some tablets. It costs significantly less than the $550 PlayStation VR 2, making it a potentially more accessible gaming device. And, while it isn’t VR, it accomplishes something similar: it expands your PS5 gaming experience onto another display.
Release date
Sony is still being tight-lipped about the Portal release date, but it will be in 2023. We’re approaching the holiday buying season, so everything hinges on how widely available Sony intends to make the Portal.
Features and display of PlayStation Portal
Based on BreezyScroll’s hands-on experience with the Portal, you should have modest hopes for how versatile this quasi-handheld device will be. PlayStation Portal isn’t a stand-alone system, and it doesn’t appear to have any other means of streaming PlayStation games via the cloud like some cloud-streaming tablets and phone apps do.
The Portal’s 8-inch display is LCD rather than OLED. That’s hardly surprising at this price. While the top-tier Nintendo Switch model features an OLED display, the popular Steam Deck just has a 720p LCD screen. The Portal has a 3.5mm headset jack. If you want to use wireless audio, you’ll have to use Sony’s own Pulse models.
Battery life
According to Sony, the battery life may be comparable to that of its controllers, which can last for seven to nine hours. That should be sufficient for most people, but it also means you’ll need to charge it after a long day of gaming. However, it is unclear how long the device will truly last.
PlayStation Portal: How do I pre-order?
We don’t know because Sony hasn’t yet developed a Portal preorder mechanism. However, when the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR 2 were released, Sony had extremely stringent ordering mechanisms in place. Prepare for a similar approach with the Portal.