Sony is gearing up to bring a brand new gaming experience into the hands of its loyal users: the PlayStation Portal. Set to launch later this year, this innovative handheld device promises the power of PS5 games right in the palm of your hand.
Priced at a competitive $199.99, the PlayStation Portal boasts an eight-inch LCD screen, showcasing your favorite games in a crystal-clear 1080p resolution at a smooth 60fps. With this device, you’re not confined to your living room anymore. As long as there’s Wi-Fi, you can seamlessly shift your gaming from the PS5 console to the PlayStation Portal. However, bear in mind, the device depends heavily on Wi-Fi, meaning if you’re offline, your gaming spree comes to a halt.
Hideaki Nishino, Senior VP of Platform Experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment, emphasized how the Portal is meant to augment the PS5 experience, allowing gamers to play their installed PS5 games on the go. It even incorporates the feel of the PS5 DualSense controllers – situated prominently on both sides of the device. These controllers come with adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, ensuring that your gaming on the Portal feels almost identical to playing with the standard DualSense controller.
For those who also use their PS5 as a media center, the PlayStation Portal won’t disappoint. While it mirrors your PS5’s interface, there’s a special section dedicated solely to media. One surprising revelation is the PlayStation Portal’s incompatibility with Sony’s cloud streaming for PS5 games, even those available with a PS Plus Premium membership. Instead, the Portal emphasizes the ability to stream games directly installed on your PS5.
Sony aims for a flawless streaming experience. According to IGN’s tech editor, Bo Moore, who had a firsthand experience with the device, he observed no latency while streaming games. This is a reassuring nod to Sony’s commitment to quality, especially since Wi-Fi game streaming isn’t always consistent.
There’s a twist when it comes to audio. While the PlayStation Portal doesn’t come with Bluetooth capabilities, Sony introduces the PlayStation Link wireless technology – a proprietary audio standard tailored for PlayStation devices. The aim? To provide an unparalleled low latency, high-quality audio experience. Concurrently, Sony is releasing new wireless headset and earbuds designed exclusively to support PlayStation Link. It’s also rumored that future PS5 models, including the speculated PS5 “Slim”, might directly integrate this technology, and third-party manufacturers will have access to the PlayStation Link standard as well.
Yet, there’s still a layer of mystery enveloping the PlayStation Portal. As of now, Sony hasn’t released specifics about the device’s battery life. How long will gamers be able to dive into their favorite virtual worlds without needing a recharge? Only time will tell.
Originally christened as Project Q, the PlayStation Portal was introduced to the public in May, stirring excitement with whispers of a November release date. And while the exact release date remains undisclosed, what we do know is that this gaming marvel will come with a $199.99 price tag. So, PlayStation aficionados, prepare for a novel gaming journey later this year!
