Despite Sony releasing some of the best-selling gaming consoles of all time, the company hasn’t had much luck in the handheld market. 2004’s PlayStation Portable reached a visual standard that many thought it wasn’t capable of at the time, but it ended up being overshadowed by the less powerful but more innovative Nintendo DS. Sony gave portable gaming another shot with the PlayStation Vita in 2011 with a simpler physical medium, PS3-level visuals, touchscreen, and motion controls. Despite being a favorite among many, developer support quickly became dead.
For the PlayStation Portal, Sony is taking a radically different approach to mobile gaming. Building on the Remote Play feature first introduced by the PS3, the latest PS5 accessories are designed specifically to stream games from your PS5 console. It doesn’t matter if you’re at home or out of town — you’ll be able to access their console from anywhere in the world as long as the connection speeds are good enough.
What sets the PS Portal apart from using Remote Play through a PC or mobile device is that it features a fully-functional DualSense controller with the same advanced haptics and adaptive triggers. The touchpad is replicated by an 8-inch LCD touchscreen display that features a native resolution of 1080p at a smooth 60Hz. As an added touch, the PS Gateway also features dual internal speakers and a 3.5-inch headphone jack for audio and microphone.
At $200, it’s definitely worth the money for those who live in a house with one TV or are looking to play their favorite PS5 games in bed. When it comes to uses outside of the home, your internet connection speeds will ultimately determine how enjoyable your PS Portal experience is. Regardless, as a remote control device, it’s one of the best portable ways to play PS5 games.
Here are our thoughts on PS Portal after playing daily for a little over a week.
The PlayStation Portal’s excellent controls and lively screen make it a great way to stream your PS5 games away from the TV, but its limited functionality makes it difficult to fully recommend it to casual PlayStation gamers. As with the PS5 at launch, finding the portal in stock may be rare.
Remote Play allows users to stream games from their PS5, and as mentioned earlier, it can be used anywhere. Laptops, desktop computers, smartphones, and tablets have access to this feature. Remote Play can also be used with different controllers as well. This makes PS Portal a bit confusing for many. Why would something have an app that you can use on a device you already own? Well, since PS Portal is only for remote play, it includes some perks that make it the perfect way to use this feature.
Molly Flores/CNN confirmed
The most obvious feature is the PS5’s DualSense controller-based input. It’s all there, including the traditional PS button layout, shoulder buttons and adaptive triggers. There’s also a PlayStation, Share and Start button along with an internal microphone mute switch and the same immersive haptic feedback you’d get on the standard PS5 pad. Instead of using the touchpad, users can tap or swipe the touchscreen depending on the particular game being played. Everything about the controller setup feels just as good as the DualSense controller. This allows for an unparalleled PS5 experience on the go.
Molly Flores/CNN confirmed
Because it doesn’t require the same processing power as a typical laptop, smartphone, or tablet, the PS Gateway has a remarkably long battery life. Sony promises about 7 to 9 hours per charge. It takes about two hours for the PS gateway to boot up after it’s empty, which is fairly standard for modern mobile devices.
But while you can take the Gateway anywhere, you’ll need to be somewhere with a stable Wi-Fi connection to actually use it. According to Sony, the PS Gateway requires Wi-Fi speeds of at least 5Mbps – although 15Mbps is recommended.
Beautiful 8-inch LCD screen and durable internal speakers
Molly Flores/CNN confirmed
Like other Remote Play devices, the PS Portal can stream at up to 1080p resolution at just 60 frames per second. Given that Sony has touted the 4K/120Hz capabilities of its current-gen system, some may consider this a downgrade. However, the 8-inch LCD screen makes the most of these limitations.
Pixel quality is exceptional on PS Portal, and games look great when internet speeds are stable. Whether you’re playing Spider-Man 2 or Gran Turismo 7, these games look amazing on screen. Colors are bold and clear, and black looks great. Brightness is also good enough to operate the screen in bright daylight. Most mobile phones and tablets don’t look as good as PS Portal when streaming PS5 games.
Then there are the internal speakers, which pump out clear sound and just the right amount of volume – if you’re in a quiet enough area, at least. Just keep in mind that many of Sony’s first-party games use spatial audio, which will require Sony’s Pulse Explore headphones or earbuds.
Although playing at home with your PS5 is the ideal way to play on PS Portal, being able to play anywhere around the world via Wi-Fi can be great in ideal situations. During our time using the device, home was the most stable connection. Going to an office space, a friend’s house, or an Airbnb with good enough Wi-Fi is where some of the portability starts to shine (although there are some issues we’ll get into below).
The fact that users can be in an office and play Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is really cool. PS5 games aren’t the only games users can play either – the portal can also play downloadable Playstation, PS2 and PS4 games available on Sony’s latest system. It all adds up to a very strong catalog of games on the go.
Although many of these games can be purchased themselves, the PS Portal is especially great for those who subscribe to PlayStation Premium, giving you instant access to a large library of classic and modern titles. It was great to be able to play games like Wipeout Omega Collection and FantaVision away from my console. You can also use the portal to download games to your PS5 remotely, which is a nice touch.
Molly Flores/CNN confirmed
In addition to internal speakers and a 3.5 headphone jack for audio, Sony offers its own wireless earbuds for the PS Gateway. Priced at $200, the Pulse Explore earbuds deliver lossless audio and ultra-low latency by utilizing the company’s newest wireless protocol, PlayStation Link.
Due to the lack of Bluetooth, there are no other earbuds compatible with the PS Portal at launch. This approach to wireless is understandable since it would likely reduce latency — but it still seems a little anti-consumer. You can’t even use the transmitter-based earbuds through the USB-C charging port. Having to pay an extra $200 just to play games with wireless earbuds makes the Portal and Pulse Explore earbuds combined more expensive than the Nintendo Switch.
PS Gateway does a great job of streaming original games from the PS5’s hard drive if connection speeds are sufficient.
And that’s all there is to it.
One of the most disappointing things about the PS Portal is that users can’t stream games from PlayStation Premium. This means that a large number of PS3 games are not playable on the device. Since the Portal is a streaming-only device, the lack of PS Premium support is shocking. Sony’s cloud gaming is already somewhat lacking compared to what Microsoft offers with Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation Portal would have been a legitimate way to demonstrate the service’s importance. We hope Sony delivers an update to allow the ability to stream games from its premium service, because it feels like a missed opportunity.
The gateway also can’t stream from video apps like YouTube and Netflix. The portable system is based on Android, but it doesn’t make the most of the operating system. Aside from streaming from the PS5, the PS Portal doesn’t have much use. For some people, it may be better to get a cheaper smartphone controller like the Backbone One or Turtle Beach Atom, or pair a DualSense controller with your device. Adaptive triggers are incredibly cool in games but they’re not an integral part of the overall gaming experience. At least smartphones, tablets, and laptops offer a wider range of things you can do.
Molly Flores/CNN confirmed
The most troubling problem with PS Portal is the lack of an internal web browser. It’s one thing to use regular Wi-Fi at home or a friend’s house. You will face the problem of trying to move your PS portal to a hotel or any place that requires a web browser to log in. This means that the mobile device is relatively useless in the hotel.
But then again, Sony never marketed the device as something you could take anywhere. During our time with the Gateway, use at home was usually limited to playing in bed while my partner watched Baddies East. I tried playing over an office connection a little over ten miles from home and the experience wasn’t the smoothest, but it was playable depending on the game. Trying to play on a public Wi-Fi server in a location like Starbucks was a no-no.
A major departure from Sony’s previous ventures into portable gaming, the potential success of PlayStation Portal rests on its sole purpose of streaming original PS5 games. With a focus on Remote Play, it offers a dedicated device that offers a unique and immersive experience for PS5 owners. The use of a full DualSense controller, impressive 8-inch LCD display, and internal speakers contribute to a high-quality gaming experience, setting it apart from alternative platforms like the Nintendo Switch.
The device’s portability shines in environments with stable Wi-Fi connections, allowing users to access their PS5 and play a variety of games remotely. The exceptional pixel quality on the 1080p LCD display enhances the visual appeal of games, making them look stunning even when streaming limitations are taken into account. Extended battery life and the ability to download games remotely add to the device’s practicality.
However, it has some notable drawbacks. The lack of Bluetooth connectivity limits audio options, forcing users to use Sony’s expensive, proprietary Pulse Explore earbuds. The lack of support for streaming services like PS Premium, YouTube, and Netflix, coupled with the inability to connect to Wi-Fi networks through web browser logins, limits the device’s versatility – especially compared to multi-functional alternatives like smartphones or tablets that You can use it with a linkable controller.
Regardless of these shortcomings, PlayStation Portal demonstrates Sony’s commitment to advancing the remote play experience. Future updates that address some of the limitations, such as expanding streaming support and enabling web browser functionality, may be more interesting. As it stands, the Portal offers a compelling option for remote play enthusiasts, but its broader market appeal may be limited by these limitations.
The world of gaming is about to change with the much-anticipated release of the PlayStation Portal. This innovative hand-held device allows gamers to take the power of the PS5 on the go, offering a whole new level of convenience and portability. With its sleek design and impressive capabilities, the PlayStation Portal is set to revolutionize the gaming experience. In this review, we will take a closer look at this game-changing device and explore its features, performance, and overall impact on the gaming industry.