This topic was written by Sultan Al-Qahtani – Sony developed the PlayStation Portal device to support users with the remote play experience of PS5 games in a distinctive device with a small screen, which comes with a design worth trying.
Sony competes in the gaming device market with the PlayStation Portal portable device to support users with a remote gaming experience. Although this feature is already available in smartphones or tablets, Sony has presented the PlayStation Portal with a design and specifications that may prompt you to purchase this version of portable gaming devices.
the design
Sony offers the PlayStation Portal with an 8-inch LCD screen and the highest display quality, which is a large screen size for a better experience in playing games, but with this larger screen size, OLED technology was the best choice for this category of devices.
But in practical experience, you will notice the bright and strong colors produced by the screen, without experiencing any shadows on the screen, with performance at the level expected from Sony when moving in games.
Practical experience also confirms that the screen provides a good display in the corners, and the efficiency of the display in the corners can be observed when tilting the device, as the user will not experience any loss of colors or details. You will also enjoy a clear and more vibrant display compared to the experience of playing games on the phone, while playing games is characterized by Remote play on tablets has a larger screen area, but remote play on tablets requires a controller to play games.
So the PlayStation Portal will support you with a large screen and built-in controllers at the same time, with which you will not need to purchase a separate game console.
With this design, you can also choose the best mode for playing games and moving more freely, unlike playing games remotely on tablet devices, which requires installing the device flat or on a stand, so the user is restricted in movement when playing games.
The side gaming controllers come with a DualSense design with a screen in the middle. This design also supports the user with an intuitive experience of use, with the features that the DualSense is famous for, such as vibration response, design, triggers, and also resistance.
On the other hand, the design of this version does not include the touchpad on the controllers, but a quick tap on the screen will be a good default alternative for the user. The PlayStation Portal controllers also offer the features of the distinctive general design of the DualSense unit in the buttons, without the additional features, but in general it offers PlayStation Portal The design expected in a portable device for remote gaming.
The device weighs approximately 530 grams, so it features a light design that provides a good experience in playing games for long periods. Also, with this light weight, the device comes with an elegant, polished design of the highest quality.
the battery
The battery is also among the positive features in this version. Unlike the DualSense units, which are famous for their short battery life, the PlayStation Portal has a good battery life, and Sony indicated in its announcement that the device supports a charging life ranging between 7 to 9 hours.
In a practical test of the charging life of the device’s battery while switching between Final Fantasy VII Remake and Spider-Man 2 games continuously with the highest screen brightness, and adjusting the audio level at 50%, the device lasted a charging life of up to 4.5 hours, and when comparing the Sony device to the Nintendo Switch version OLED, the latter comes with approximately the same charging life, while PlayStation Portal outperforms the Steam Deck, which supports only two hours of operation.
You can also get additional life by charging the Portal battery if you turn off some features such as vibrations and responsiveness in game play buttons. Battery life can also be increased by lowering the brightness.
Design based on remote play only
Sony developed the PlayStation Portal device with the main goal of supporting users with a device that supports playing PS5 games remotely, so it mainly needs a PS5 device to play games. Also, other than playing games remotely, you will not get more features in this version.
The device does not offer the feature of running streaming services such as Netflix or YouTube, similar to Nintendo devices, nor will it support you in playing games when moving, given that Portal relies mainly on connecting to the PS5 and navigating between your device’s menus only.
Acoustics
Portal lacks support for Bluetooth connectivity, so if you want to listen to games in particular, you will need to connect a wired headset or headset, or one of the wired or wireless Sony headphones compatible with PlayStation Link, but Sony headphones add a high additional cost to the gaming device, so It was expected to support Bluetooth technology in the gaming device to reduce the cost.
On the other hand, the built-in speakers in the Portal gaming device do not provide optimal performance, as the speakers come with poor performance, with a limited range in audio, and the speakers come with a stereo system that appears when playing games, but the audio experience was not ideal in the device.
Device setup and performance
The Portal device comes with a very smooth experience in adjusting the settings. You only need to initially set the PS5 in “Remote Play” mode, then turn on the Portal device and adjust the Wi-Fi connection setting, then you can wait for the download to start and update the device, and when finished, restart Turn on the device.
When you restart, you will have to follow the steps for pairing with PlayStation 5, which are quick steps that do not need to be performed more than once.
You also need to put the PS5 device in sleep mode, and not turn off the device completely, or the connection with the portable gaming device will be lost, and connecting to the PS5 device takes a few minutes, to get a gaming experience on a bright, small screen.
In the practical experience of playing Spider-Man 2, you will notice that the text appears at a good size on the device’s distinctive 8-inch screen, which provides a good display of texts, even at a small size.
You can also enjoy a unique experience playing games on the device. With the smaller size of the screen, you can fight battles in the game more efficiently, and you can also change your sitting position smoothly without having to adhere to a specific position.
In order to get the optimal performance in playing your games remotely, you will definitely need a good connection to WiFi networks, as the device’s performance is mainly based on the quality of the connection.
On the other hand, when you reach a stage characterized by a fast pace of running games, you will notice a decrease in the frame rate for a short period. Also, in the experience of running the game Final Fantasy VII Remake, it was noted that the display quality decreased in levels with a fast pace in the game.
You may also experience slow connection performance when you start downloading games, due to the wireless connection with the PS5 device, so you will not get the expected bandwidth and you will notice disconnections at times, but mainly you need a strong, stable connection and wide WiFi network coverage to operate the device. PlayStation Portal in any room in your home for the best performance, and Sony recommends a connection speed of 15 Mbps for best performance or 5 Mbps as a minimum. Also, the Portal device will not currently support connections via networks in external locations that require a registration page at the beginning, as well. When operating on sites that do not require a registration page, the device will take a long time to pair.
Do you need to buy PlayStation Portal?
Sony offers a distinctive experience for playing your favorite games on the PlayStation Portal device that is superior to smartphones. The device also comes with a smooth experience in setup, with a distinctive experience in playing PS5 games without the need to be restricted to a specific location, and also with an enjoyable experience of moving more freely in any of the… Rooms with good WiFi coverage.
On the other hand, it will not be the ideal device for you without purchasing a PlayStation 5, which is a prerequisite for operating the Portal device. It will also not support you in communicating on sites that require login to connect to external WiFi networks. Also, do not expect more features in running streaming services, as the device is limited to running… PS5 games remotely, and the device does not support Bluetooth technology.
0.00
Sony developed the PlayStation Portal device with a design that is based on connecting to the PS5 device for a distinctive experience for playing games remotely.
8.0/10
Positives
- The best device to play PS5 games remotely
- Good battery life
- Elegant and light design
- It offers the same premium experience as the DualSense unit
Negatives
- Does not support Bluetooth technology
- Requires pairing with PS5 only
- Requires good WiFi coverage
- It does not support other streaming services
