The PlayStation Portal Remote Player is an unexpected addition to the PS5’s hardware lineup. Not only does it have the honor of inheriting the PSP initials – however unintentionally – but it also has the distinction of being one of the weirdest console accessories in a while. When it was first announced, reactions ranged from excitement to wondering who asked for the PlayStation Portal in the first place. In theory, it’s a strange, niche, and somewhat puzzling member of the larger PS5 family. In practice, it’s an incredible piece of hardware that slots perfectly into something I didn’t know I wanted out of my PS5.
To begin with, the PlayStation Portal is a graciously packaged device that comes with very little in the ways of frills. Out of the box, users will get access to the Portal itself, a charging cable, an instruction manual, and that’s it. Setup genuinely takes a few minutes, tops, and then players are good to go with the device. It’s a welcome break from a lot of the finicky elements of higher-end console accessories or modifications – things are simply and intuitive, which is nice from a product that is attempting to bring those qualities to remote streaming in the home.
What Is PlayStation Portal? (PS5 Handheld Accessory Explained)
The PlayStation Portal is described as a “remote player,” but it’s difficult to understand what that might mean. Here’s a comprehensive guide.
A Lot Of Bang For A Lot Of Buck
Let’s not dance around the fact that the PlayStation Portal is kind of pricey for what it is. Retailing for $199.99 USD, it’s a little under half the price of an entry level Steam Deck model, the latter of which obviously goes a lot further in terms of what you’re getting out of it. That said, it’s still $200 cheaper and offers a similar level of portability around the house, so it’s dependent on exactly what someone is looking for, and the comparisons between the two aren’t as cut-and-dry as they appear as a result.
What you do get out of the PlayStation Portal is a lot of nice features. Seamless remote play with a PlayStation 5 is possible with a good connection, and the range of the Portal completely covered a medium-sized condo apartment. Most importantly, with the privacy of a bathroom door between the Portal and its PS5 partner, the connection went uninterrupted.
Probably the best part of the PlayStation Portal is its controller elements, which mimic the DualSense perfectly and feel like authentic versions of arguably the best controller in modern gaming. Responsiveness of the buttons and of the shoulder triggers feel like they’re where they should be, and it doesn’t feel like you’re losing anything by switching from the DualSense to the Portal when you go portable. The screen could definitely be better – it isn’t on par with any decent television, and it can feel a little small depending on the game – but it’s still crisp enough for a remote player that the sacrifice to go somewhere else with it balances out.
Battery life is solid – we got about 7 hours on average putting it through the paces of Baldur’s Gate 3 – and because it’s not running the hardware itself, performance is equivalent to that of the PlayStation 5. That means the PlayStation Portal is a powerhouse, or rather, a mirror of a powerhouse. With a few extra hoops to jump through, you do end up with a pseudo-Switch with better on-screen performance.
Is The PlayStation Portal Worth It?
That’s the biggest question, isn’t it? It really depends on what you’re aiming for with your PlayStation Portal purchase. It performs exceptionally well as a device, with no latent connection issues or latency/input lag between the controller and the PS5 that’s hosting it. The screen is serviceable and the controller is excellent, while battery life goes a long way, far more than you’ll need in most cases since it has to be within range of a PlayStation 5 to function in the first place.
All of that said, it’s not like anyone needs to be able to play the PlayStation 5 away from where the console is housed. It’s a luxury and one that doesn’t necessarily slot perfectly into many people’s gaming setups – owning a Switch or a Steam Deck might make a Portal unnecessary, for instance, while tried-and-true console gamers likely won’t find much need for portability anyways. For those who are interested, though, the Portal is a truly phenomenal piece of hardware that scratches an itch I personally didn’t know I had for my PS5. For a decent MSRP, it’s well worth a look.
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Screen Rant was provided with a PlayStation Portal for the purpose of this review.
