Sony is gearing up to shake up the gaming scene with its upcoming portable gaming marvel, the PlayStation Portal remote player, set to hit the market later this year. This slick handheld gem is all about delivering the full PS5 gaming experience on the go, letting you stream your favorite PS5 games over Wi-Fi. And the best part? It’s not going to break the bank, with a price tag of just $199.99.
The key attraction of the PlayStation Portal is its capability to seamlessly connect to your PS5 over Wi-Fi. This means you can effortlessly switch between your PS5 and the Portal, without missing a beat. Hideaki Nishino, the brain behind this innovation and senior vice president of platform experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment, emphasizes that the Portal will play games that are already installed on your PS5, utilizing the trusty DualSense controller we’ve all come to love.
Key features of the PlayStation Portal
What catches the eye right away are the controllers on either side of the Portal, reminiscent of the acclaimed PS5 DualSense controllers. With adaptive triggers and haptic feedback in tow, playing PS5 games on the Portal will feel just like the real deal with a dedicated DualSense controller. The icing on the cake is that the Portal isn’t just about gaming—it can handle media too. The home screen boasts a special section for media, effectively mimicking your PS5’s setup. However, one caveat is that local play won’t be an option, so make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi.
Now, here’s the twist: while the $199.99 price point seems like a steal, the Portal won’t be your ticket to Sony’s cloud streaming for PS5 games. According to Sony, games that require PS5 streaming via a PS Plus Premium membership won’t be compatible. So, what’s the deal? The PlayStation Portal is tailored for streaming PS5 games you’ve got snugly nestled in your own PS5 library. It’s all about that remote play goodness. To ensure a smooth experience, a steady internet connection of at least 5Mbps is the minimum requirement, while Sony recommends 15Mbps for a top-notch gameplay session.
Intriguingly, early tests conducted by IGN indicate that latency won’t be an issue when gaming on the PlayStation Portal. Even though streaming games over Wi-Fi networks can sometimes feel like a rollercoaster ride, Sony seems to have tamed the beast here.
One minor setback is the absence of Bluetooth connectivity, ruling out the possibility of pairing up with wireless headphones or Sony’s Pulse 3D headset. Instead, the Portal relies on PlayStation Link wireless technology—a spanking-new proprietary standard created for PlayStation devices. This technology aims to bring you lag-free, high-quality audio.
And guess what? Sony is on the brink of releasing wireless headsets and earbuds that support PlayStation Link. You can hook these up to your PS5 through a USB adapter, and with rumors floating around about a slim PS5 model, chances are, PlayStation Link might just become an integral part of future consoles.
Oh, and let’s not forget that the Portal has your back when it comes to audio. It boasts a trusty 3.5mm headphone jack for all your wired audio needs.
As for battery life, there’s still a bit of mystery surrounding it. IGN reports that the Portal’s battery size hasn’t been locked in yet, leaving us all on tenterhooks. However, word on the street from CNET suggests that Sony is aiming for a battery life similar to that of the DualSense controller—somewhere in the ballpark of seven to nine hours.
Previously known as Project Q, the PlayStation Portal was officially unveiled in May, accompanied by whispers of a November release date. While Sony is keeping us in suspense about the exact launch date, what we do know is that it comes with a modest price tag of $199.99. Get ready to embrace a new dimension of gaming freedom with the PlayStation Portal!
The recent moves from the company seem to be quite exciting, as Sony and Microsoft signed a binding pact to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation.
Featured image credit: PlayStation
