Sony has experimented with handheld gaming in the past and of all its efforts Remote Play feature has been very well received. Now, Sony has launched its $199.99 (roughly Rs. 16,500) PlayStation Portal that will allow you to comfortably stream PS5 Games handheld from your PS5 console while offering the same ergonomics and features as Sony’s excellent DualSense controller.
If you are excited and are planning on adding the PlayStation Portal to your gaming arsenal, here are a few answers that you might be looking for.
The PlayStation Portal has an 8-inch LCD display with 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. This makes the screen larger and sharper than what you’d get on rivals like Valve Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch.
As for the display quality, we will have to wait and watch till the reviews are out. The PlayStation Portal is also significantly lighter in weight as compared to the competition.
PlayStation Portal streams games over Wi-Fi using PS Remote Play. So, proximity to your home Wi-Fi is advisable for a proper experience. If your PS5 is on at home, you will be able to stream your games over a different Wi-Fi connection remotely but latency will be a bigger problem to counteract.
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No, PlayStation Portal is not developed for cloud gaming. It does come with a chip of its own to navigate the interface but all the supported games you play need to be installed on your PlayStation console.
In a way, yes. The PS Portal aims to deliver a more optimized gaming experience by integrating a large-size display and all popular features of the Dual Sense Controller.
Yes, you will be able to stream media over Wi-Fi from your PlayStation console. However, you can not directly play local media files.
How fast should my Wi-Fi be to ensure smooth streaming on the PlayStation Portal? Sony recommends a 15Mbps connection for the best experience. At the very least, a 5Mbps connection is required to get started.
Sony includes a 3.5 mm headphone jack for wired headphones and a built-in speaker as well. The PlayStation Portal doesn’t have Bluetooth, so you won’t be able to pair your regular wireless headphones. It uses the proprietary PlayStation Link for low-latency, lossless audio and Sony will soon launch PlayStation Link-compatible wireless headsets and earbuds.
Sony claims that the battery life should be similar to what you get with the Dual Sense controller. However, exact details will be available once the PlayStation Portal is available for purchase.
Sony has indicated a release timeframe of "later this year" without disclosing precise launch details. In India, we expect the PlayStation Portal to arrive in 2024.