PlayStation Portal review: A cool handheld for PS5 owners, but its features are limited

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Following the success of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, Sony has re-entered the handheld market with its own portable gaming device: the PlayStation Portal. Designed to stream PS5 games from your console, the PlayStation Portal delivers a convenient Remote Play option, but its lack of a few features make it feel like more of an afterthought than a true successor to Sony's previous handheld systems.

The PlayStation Portal is purely a Remote Play streaming device, so it doesn't play games locally via cartridges, discs, or built-in storage like the Switch or Steam Deck. This means that it relies on an internet connection and a PS5 console in order to work, and your experience will depend on how strong your Wi-Fi is. However, if you have a stable connection, the Portal delivers seamless gameplay that can make it feel as if you're sitting on your coach in front of your console even if you're miles from your PS5.

But a Remote Play device can only do so much. I've used the PlayStation Portal for a few days now and I can only see it appealing to a niche audience of PS5 owners who prioritize convenience and comfort. There are a ton of other ways to remotely stream games from your PS5, and the Portal doesn't do anything special that your phone or laptop can't already do.

The PlayStation Portal streams games from your PS5 using Sony's Remote Play feature

Setting up the PlayStation Portal is straightforward. You just need to follow the instructions that appear on the screen to enable Remote Play with your PS5, and the Portal will then automatically connect to that system whenever you boot it up and pair with Wi-Fi.

Once connected, you get remote access to your PS5 using the Portal's screen and controls. This means you can play any games you have installed on your console right through the handheld. Just note that if you have any physical versions of games, you'll need to have that disc in your PS5 in order for the Portal to stream it. 

The PS5's lineup of games is great, so being able to unlock mobile play for blockbuster exclusives like Horizon Forbidden West, Returnal, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on such a nice handheld screen and gamepad is a cool experience. To get the most out of the Portal, we recommend a PlayStation Plus membership with either an Extra or Premium plan, as these tiers let you access a big catalog of games that you can download to your PlayStation 5, similarly to Xbox Game Pass.

However, it's important to note that the PlayStation Portal does not support cloud game streaming with a PlayStation Plus membership. Though you can stream some PlayStation Plus games from the cloud to a PS5 console or PC without actually downloading and installing them, all games played through the PlayStation Portal must be installed on your PS5's hard drive. In other words, you can't "double stream" games. 

To be fair, this is a restriction of Sony's Remote Play feature no matter what device you run it on. Still, it's unfortunate that the Portal couldn't circumvent this. Being able to sign up for PlayStation Plus and stream PS5 games without needing to actually own a PS5 would have made the PlayStation Portal really stand out. As such, this seems like a missed opportunity. 

Games run smoothly but there can be lag depending on your connection

All games that you play on the Portal are still technically running on your actual PS5 console; a video feed of your gameplay is simply being streamed to the handheld. With that in mind, the Portal works best when you're still within the vicinity of your PS5 at home playing on your couch or bed. That's when your Wi-Fi connection is the strongest with minimal input lag. However, I've been able to travel with the Portal and connect to my PS5 back home with mostly positive results, even from thousands of miles away. 

I recently visited South Korea and I was able to connect the Portal with local Wi-Fi to my PS5 back in the US. However, I experienced a tiny amount of input lag, which made playing some games tricky, especially ones that required quick reactions like Call of Duty. When your Wi-Fi isn't up to par, it's best to play slower-paced games, such as turn-based strategy or puzzle titles. 

If you're away from home, you also need to be mindful about whether your Wi-Fi requires an additional step to connect by accessing a browser. There are hotels, restaurants, and airlines that require this. The Portal can't access a web browser so it won't pair with Wi-Fi connections that need one to authenticate. 

The PlayStation Portal is surprisingly comfortable to hold

The PlayStation Portal has a typical handheld console design with a built-in screen that's sandwiched between two controller grips. The controller is modeled after the PS5's DualSense gamepad, but is a little smaller. It also features haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, which add an extra layer of immersion when playing games such as God of War Ragnarok and Resident Evil Village.

However, the standard DualSense controller's touchpad is weirdly implemented on the Portal. You have to tap the Portal's screen in order to emulate the touchpad. The Portal should've taken the Steam Deck's approach with back buttons, or just used a rear touchpad like Sony previously did on its PlayStation Vita.

Touchpad caveat aside, the Portal is much lighter than other handhelds, like the Steam Deck, and it feels comfortable to hold. This is because your fingers can actually wrap around the device's grips, and the handheld doesn't have as many internal components weighing it down. However, its fixed controller grips don't offer the same degree of flexibility as something like the Nintendo Switch and its detachable Joy-Cons.

For its built-in display, the Portal uses an 8-inch LCD screen with a 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate, which is actually bigger than the 7-inch screens used on both the Switch OLED and Steam Deck. This gives you a larger canvas to play games on with sharp details and crisp colors that really help to show off the PS5's impressive graphics. 

But while the Portal's design gets the job done, I do wish Sony took the opportunity to be more creative here. The build is straightforward, but unimaginative. With the grips included, the Portal is virtually the same size as the Steam Deck. Having the grips fold inwards toward the screen could've been a cool way to minimize its form factor, especially for portability and traveling.

When it comes to battery life, the Portal lasts around 4-5 hours on a full charge, which is decent but not impressive. On the plus side, unlike the Switch or Steam Deck, playing a graphically intensive game like Final Fantasy XVI shouldn't affect the Portal's battery life more than any other game since the streaming nature of the handheld means that its hardware isn't actually being used more intensely. 

The Portal is the best way to remote play your PS5, but it's not the only one

The PlayStation Portal isn't the only way to stream your PS5 games via Remote Play. You can do the same exact thing with the PlayStation App on your smartphone or computer. Remote Play is a free feature built-in for all PS5 owners and doesn't require any additional subscriptions. 

Remote Play functions exactly the same on other devices as it does on the PlayStation Portal. So, what's the point of this dedicated device then? It really has to do with your lifestyle and gaming habits.

As someone who multitasks and switches between different devices, I hate having to exit the PlayStation App on my phone in order to answer a text or scroll through social media. Doing so is such an inconvenience. Plus, streaming games on your phone drains battery, so you have to be mindful of your playtime if you don't want to run out of juice for calls and internet.

The Portal completely does away with these worries. I can effectively put it down for a moment and turn away to do something else on my laptop or phone without having to switch between any apps. This is by far my favorite perk of having a separate handheld like the Portal, and it fits my habits perfectly. 

Of course, the built-in controller grips also add a premium feel to the Portal that's missing from a typical phone. And the DualSense design includes some features that aren't present with third-party controller grips like the Backbone One. Sure, you can simply pair a DualSense controller with a laptop or phone, but the Portal offers a convenient all-in-one solution that feels great to use. 

The Portal also has a charming user interface. When it boots up, there's a literal magic portal displayed on screen that acts like your entryway into a new world. Once you activate Remote Play, the portal widens in a Dr. Strange-like manner and then shows your PS5 interface on screen.

The lack of Bluetooth is a glaring and frustrating issue

One of the Portal's most restrictive problems is that it doesn't support Bluetooth. This means that you can't connect popular wireless headphones. Instead, the Portal uses PlayStation Link, which is a proprietary wireless technology. Products with PlayStation Link support include the new PlayStation Pulse Elite Headset and Pulse Explore Earbuds. 

I spent some time with the latter and they do indeed sound great. Music, audio effects, and voices come through with excellent detail and really help immerse you in your gameplay experience. Additionally, the earbuds have noise rejection technology that does a great job of drawing out background noise and making your voice sound clear.

However, preventing the use of typical Bluetooth headphones is frustrating as this means you'll need to buy a brand-new accessory to get wireless playback rather than simply using a pair of Bluetooth headphone you likely already have. Furthermore, the Pulse Explore Earbuds are expensive at $200, which is the same price as the Portal itself! Fortunately, there is a standard 3.5mm headphone jack behind the Portal's screen that can be used with any pair of wired headphones.

Should you buy the PlayStation Portal?

The PlayStation Portal is a cool device, but it's hard to fully recommend unless you're a PS5 owner with very specific gaming habits. For all intents and purposes, the device doesn't do anything new that you can't already do with the PS5's Remote Play feature on a smartphone or computer. Most people don't need to drop $200 to have a dedicated handheld that does the same thing.

With that in mind, it's convenience and all-in-one controller quality that really sell the PlayStation Portal. If you're watching a movie on your computer or browsing social media on your phone, then you can't simultaneously have Remote Play pulled up. But with the PlayStation Portal, you can use it as your dedicated gaming handheld and free up your other devices. The built-in DualSense controller and large screen also provide a great experience that best a lot of smartphone/controller combos that you can put together.

That said, Sony could've put a bit more time and effort into the Portal's design to make it stand out more. It's just a screen edged between two ends of a DualSense controller, after all. An upgraded version that addresses the mediocre battery life and lack of Bluetooth would be much appreciated too. And cloud gaming support with PlayStation Plus could make the device appealing to more buyers if it's ever supported.

Ultimately, the PlayStation Portal isn't an essential item by any means, but it's a well-built handheld for PS5 owners who want to remote play their games on a dedicated screen. It's a fun way to stream PS5 games around the house or even while traveling, but it doesn't completely fulfill its potential.