Sony's PlayStation Portal remote player to launch this year at $199.99
Sony has revealed the PlayStation Portal, a portable device that lets you stream PS5 games over Wi-Fi. The handheld will be launching later this year.
The PlayStation Portal, formerly known as Project Q, is equipped with an 8-inch LCD panel. The screen supports Full HD resolution (1080p) at 60 fps. The Portal is not a standalone gaming device, you will need a PlayStation 5 to use the handheld. For reference, the PS5 costs $500. So you will need to spend that and $200 for a PlayStation Portal, to play the games that are installed on your PS5. The Portal has two controllers on either side of the screen, the design of which resemble the PS5 DualSense controller's style, and supports adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. You can stream games over your broadband's Wi-Fi network, providing it has a speed of 5 Mbps or more. Sony's announcement article recommends a minimum of 15 Mbps for an optimal experience.
The handheld gaming device has a 3.5 mm headphone jack for audio output. Remember when the PS5 was criticized for not supporting Bluetooth audio devices? Well, the PlayStation Portal does not support Bluetooth at all. Instead, it uses Sony's proprietary PlayStation Link wireless technology. You cannot use your Bluetooth earbuds and other accessories with the handheld.
The company says that PlayStation Link has low latency, supports lossless audio and allows easy switching between multiple PlayStation Link hosts such as PS5. However, it will require a special USB adapter (included with the following products) to be used with the PS5, PC or Mac.
Sony PlayStation Portal price in US, UK, Europe, and Japan
Sony has announced 2 audio accessories that support PlayStation Link. The first is the Pulse Elite, an over-the-ear wireless headset that has a retractable boom mic. It costs 149.99 USD, €149.99, £129.99, and 18,980 YEN. The other wearable is the Pulse Explore, a set of wireless earbuds with dual microphones. The wearable has been priced at $199.99, €219.99, £199.99 and 29,980 YEN. Both audio accessories support lossless audio, and AI-enhanced noise rejection.
The Sony PlayStation Portal will carry a price tag of $199.99, €219.99, £199.99 and 29,980 YEN. It will be available for purchase later this year.
I don't know, the PlayStation Portal seems like a pointless device, unless if someone else is watching the TV, and I want to play a game on the PlayStation. Is that worth $200? The PS Remote Play app can do this. In case you didn't know, you can use Sony's PS Remote Play app on your Android phone or iPhone, iPad, Windows PC or Mac, to stream games from your console over Wi-Fi or a Mobile data connection. The best part is that it is free, which kind of makes the PlayStation Portal seem even less special.
You could buy a Nintendo Switch Lite for $200. The Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, ASUS ROG Ally can run any games natively. The PlayStation Portal cannot do this, nor is it capable of streaming games that are available on PlayStation Plus Premium. It is also not compatible with PS VR2 games, which require the headset.
A successor to the PlayStation Vita that could run games natively would have been a much better idea, and would have been a proper competitor to the Switch and Steam Deck.
