Why the PlayStation Portal Actually Makes Sense
2024-09-23 · 5 min read
When Sony announced the PlayStation Portal at $199.99, the internet was predictably dismissive. A handheld that can't play games locally? That requires a PS5 and strong Wi-Fi? The jokes wrote themselves. But six months after launch, it was consistently sold out, and the people who actually bought one quietly agreed: this thing is great for what it is.
The use case is specific but common. You're in a household where the TV connected to your PS5 is shared. Your partner wants to watch something. Your roommate is using the living room. The Portal lets you continue playing your PS5 games on an eight-inch 1080p LCD screen at 60fps anywhere you have decent Wi-Fi.
The hardware itself is well-designed. The DualSense features, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, are fully present since the Portal is essentially a screen bolted to a DualSense controller. At 529 grams, it's lighter than a Nintendo Switch OLED with Joy-Cons attached. The screen is crisp and bright enough for handheld play.
Sony has since expanded the Portal's capabilities with cloud streaming support through PS Plus Premium. This means you can stream select PS5 games without even owning a console, although the experience depends heavily on your internet connection quality. The move positions the Portal as a legitimate standalone device for some users.
The comparison to Nintendo Switch misses the point entirely. The Switch is designed as a portable-first device. The Portal is designed as an extension of your home console. Different products serving different needs. Judging the Portal for not being a Switch is like criticizing a motorcycle for not being a car.
Sony saw a gap in how people actually use their consoles and built a focused product to fill it. No compromises trying to be everything to everyone. Just a really good screen with really good controls that lets you play your PS5 from another room. Sometimes the simplest product idea is the one that works best.
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/accessories/playstation-portal-remote-player/
