![PS Portal](https://images.pushsquare.com/4f90c25143776/ps-portal.900x.jpg)
The PlayStation Portal is almost upon us, sort of marking the return to the handheld gaming market for Sony. We were lucky enough to get our hands on a unit on the run-up to its November 15th release date to take our PlayStation 5 experience on the go. However, before we turn on this new device for the first time, we're here to walk you through the unboxing experience, and our initial impressions on that design.
Sony has kept things relatively simple here, with an interior cardboard box sliding out of its printed sleeve, and within that is your Portal with a wrapping around it, along with some instructions and a double-ended USB-C charging cable.
The first thing you'll be struck by with the Portal is its size. With a 8-inch LCD screen, the Portal has DualSense grips either side, entirely keeping the form and feel of the PS5 controller. Put this thing side by side with other handheld devices, it really shows how big it is β it's even a similar size to the Steam Deck. You can see some video comparison in our unboxing over on the Push Square YouTube channel.
Minus the touchpad, you can find all the buttons and features you would with a regular DualSense here with the mute and home button reallocated to the top left and right of the screen. Along the top of the screen are your speakers, and just slighty behind that the power, pairing, and volume buttons. Tucked behind the screen is your USB charging slot and the 3.5mm audio jack.
When considering the form-factor, the Portal can look a little odd at times, but more important than the look is the feel. Devices like the Nintendo Switch and even the Backbone One can be pretty uncomfortable after any serious amount of time. From our limited experience, the Portal will likely go down as one of the most comfortable handheld devices on the market.
For now, we can only comment on the design and feel of the console in-hand, so keep an eye on the site for our full review closer to the Portal's launch. Suffice to say, though, we were pleasantly surprised by the build quality and size of the Portal, and we can't wait to see it in action.
Are you thinking of picking up the PS Portal? Let us know down in the comments below.
Comments 101
Gagging to hear how it performs. Iβm day one and excited doesnβt begin to describe how I feel πππ»
Iβm first!!! I got the first comment! Now thatβs also really comfortable
I've pre-ordered it. I hope it delivers.
@LordVile
That awkward moment when you realise yours wasn't the 1st comment it was actually the 2nd one π
Is strange that Sony in 2011 was ahead of the curb in releasing the Vita with a beautiful OLED screen, now 2023 they are using cheap outdated LCD panels while Valve and Nintendo are now using OLED
From a collectors standpoint, I wouldn't mind having one of these but I'm struggling to come up with a use case in my current gaming lifestyle. I think I'm passing on this unless fomo gets me and i shelf a sealed box for a couple decades.
I have mostly avoided sealed box collecting or things I don't play but it might end up bugging me if this and psvr2 are added to the very short list of playstation hardware I don't have in the collection.
Fingers crossed it actually delivers a flawless remote play experience.
Then again, it is the legacy of Jim Ryan.
Love it!! Canβt wait for mine. My game time is about to increase substantially πππ
So bigger than a Steam Deck with far less functionality.
hmmmm, nope.
Pass.
@Tecinthebrain next year... PS portal oled for Β£250
@LordVile To ensure posting the first comment, do a very quick and short post, and then edit it.
@Rioichi go for it bro. I never thought about how comfy itβll be as I just thought well every handheld is uncomfortable but the dual sense halved is inspired
Gonna sell the switch lite I have sitting in a cupboard and get one. Will be good for bed or laying on the couch:)
I want to if you login to you ps+ account into it, or you just remote onto whichever PS5 is on your network.
IF you login to your account first then there's no reason you couldn't use the PS+ streaming on it instead of remoting to your PS5 first.
SONY will really be missing a trick not to align this product with the new streaming service, it just seems perfect for each other.
Praying for a better remote app. Looks like I have one of these as a gift so hoping itβs better than trying to remote play with my phone.
I would get, if I could use PSPlay on it, not the native remote play, it's garbage compared to PSPlay!
@Kelrics90 The far less functionality is reflected in the price difference between the two (although I still think portal is a little overpriced)
Looking forward to using it excessively over the next couple of weeks. If it does not live up to my standards, it is going back for a refund. Simple. Fingers crossed.
I might pick one up just because it feels like it might become a bit of a collector's item. Also for those nights when I just feel like gaming in bed or something.
Beggars belief that this thing doesn't even have an OLED screen, the Vita had one a decade ago ffs (and an actual console to go with it)
What a miss, what a fail.
Wish they would have made this an actual console, because it's pretty much useless to me the way it is.
I'd rather just spend the money on a new retro gaming handheld.
@Tecinthebrain Nintendo has not had oled the whole time. This I would call a test run for Sony. If this sells really well like it looks to do Iβm sure they will upgrade in year or so. The screen will be fine for now. If I can play baldurs gate 3 anywhere there is Wi-Fi the screen wonβt bother me at all. Sure oled will look better. But just being able to play my ps5 games pretty much anywhere is big enough deal for me. Just my opinion.
Sony handheld accessory*, and yes i want one even when the internet infrastructure in my country is trash but let's call it for what it is so people interested can actually enjoy what they are buying.
I hope they'll let us know if you can use it as a 2nd controller on the TV as well with the display off. At least that would add another perk to its meager feature set if you're in need of a spare controller.
I am sure there is a crowd, albeit a small one, I am sure there is a crowd.
It is not for me though. I have a Switch, and I rarely, if ever, play it in handheld mode.
I really love the idea of this and might eventually get oneβ¦.. I just donβt really need another deviceβ¦.i have OG Switch, OLED Switch, Steam Deck, Ps5, Series Xβ¦.. Vita, 3dsxl, WiiUβ¦. Someone mentioned βhardware fatigueβ¦.β Fitting for me.
I do wonder how many people will buy this expecting it to be essentially like a Switch . . .a device that plays your PS5 games, while not realising it's a remote play device.
I know it sounds crazy, but the vast majority of people are a bit ignorant when it comes to this kind of stuff. I remember once I had the cable guy turn up to install the cable and we got talking about consoles and I asked what console he had and he said a PS4. I asked if it was the base PS4 or the Pro and he hadn't a clue, he just said it's the one with the black shiny bit on the top . . . and this is a cable guy who should be relatively clued up about tech.
That's one ugly MF, I don't get it. Sony used to be so great in design it could almost rival apple. Love my XM5 headphones. But this... anyway I will buy it cause I want to play on my bed
Preordered, canβt wait to get my Armored Core on while my lady watches the British baking slog π₯³
The drama when you eventually drop it and it will break. It doesn't look sturdy in the least.
@LordVile Late by 1 minute lol
I have a question I'm not sure ant one can answer yet but I'll ask any way . Does any one know if the usb c port is capable of doing more than just charging? I'm curious if one could plug a USB C USB into and run an os on it possible giving this thing the ability to run emulators on it
@TrickyDicky99
I know what you mean, I have wondered to myself how many poor children are going to get end up with one of these for Christmas when they don't even have a PS5 to be able to use it?
All because their uneducated parents don't have a clue what they're actually buying.
(just to confirm, when I say poor, I don't mean that they aren't very well off, I just mean they've received an expensive present thats currently useless to them)
@Otherbarry Don't bet on it!!!
Three more days. I am so excited.
@ear_wig Same here
First!!!
Damn it!
@Ninerguy1608
Thanks for that input! It is true, I think, that the potential success of this device night spawn iterative improvements in the coming years.
My 'use case' begs for it to be able to play the games offline, but if everyone loves it and they push a small deck-like upgrade, I might be tempted. As for now, I will wait and see what happens.
it will fail just like steamdeck.
this handheld has absolute no inovative hardware, maybe beside haptic feedback.
it looks dull, it is big, and you think you might be acting cool bringing this on public transport, but you actualy look like a nerd ass, asking for attention.
absolute no love put into this by sony, a device anyone can think of, they did not even care and trow in a LCD screen for profit.
ansolute nonsense product
save your money for ps5 games, because no game develop company spend alot of money on such poor device
Sometimes thereβs a problem that new technology solves, other times thereβs new technology that needs a problem to solve. This is the latter. A device for playing your PS5 as long as your not that far away from your PS5 with a stable internet connection.
@MrGawain
Sorry but thats incorrect.
You don't need to be near your PS5 at all. As long as you have stable WiFi at each end, in theory you could use it on the other side of the world
@TrickyDicky99
You make up a ridiculous assertion based on a single piece of anecdotal evidence. If you believe it fully, then yeah, your fear might be warranted.
Preordered mine the first day I could and can't wait to get my hands on it. My only annoyance for a Β£200 accessory is the lack of a case. Having the hard shell with the dulesence edge is a real plus.
Steam deck and the switch didn't have OLED at release they had to ensure it sold well first. If this does well potentially there will be an OLED version but it is a bit of a niche product.
@JAMes-BroWWWn "I've pre-ordered it. I hope it delivers." .. Modern delivery services are incredibly efficient nowadays I wouldn't worry.
@PALversusNTSC Steamdeck failed? They've sold millions and are releasing an OLED model shortly with a steam deck 2 planned. Every one who uses it loves it and many people say it's the best console they own. It's incredibly popular. Where are you hearing it's failed?
I hope this fails. New steam deck just got announced and is miles better than this.
@Sequel
It wasn't me that said it and I agree that to say it's failed is maybe a bit harsh. It's a pretty expensive and niche product.
But on the flip side it currently sits just short of 3.5 million worldwide sale so it's hardly setting the world alight either is it.
I know it's not quite the same but if the PS5 or Nintendo switch had only sold that amount after almost 2 years on the market then they would be seen as a failure so I can kind of see both sides of the argument.
@Member_the_game 3.5 million for such a niche product,and in preorders mind you. I honestly thought this would sell around only 2 million preorders by now. This in my opinion ,already made its cash back. Will probably reach 15 million lifetime. Not bad at all ,for something thats not even a 100% dedicated handheld.
@Member_the_game eh, the further away you are, the greater the latency, so you'd have a pretty bad experience playing from the other side of the world if the software allows you (β of a second minimum, for a signal to travel 20,000km, β of a second for a round trip)
(Imagine trying to play a game with a maximum frame rate of 10fps but with frequent drops and hitches)
@hulkie
No don't worry I completely agree.
I was just playing devil's advocate and pointing out that when PS5 and Switch are knocking out 15 - 20 million units more or less every year, then by comparison that may make it look like a failure in the eyes of some people
@theheadofabroom
Hence why in said "in theory"
In truth though, until it actually releases nobody knows how well it will work in the real world.
I'm genuinely interested to find out though
I'm on the fence on getting this next month or save up a bit more and get me a steam deck as the LCD model has dropped to Β£350. My only concern is spending ages with every game messing around with the settings to make the games look fine and run good.
@Member_the_game sure, and my answer was about the limits, in theory. Realistically in real-world scenarios you'd be looking at about 1fps
@UltimateOtaku91 Iβve only ever been a console gamer and it took an age for me to get the courage to jump onto the Steam Deck but Iβm so glad I did. Majority of Verified games are fine βout of the boxβ as it were and Playable ones generally perform well with little to no tweaking. There are also plenty of sites with suggested performance tweaks which are easy to follow. Iβm a complete PC phobe in that regard but am very happy with my SD. If you do jump in consider middle model and large SD card.
@Exerion76
One major selling point for me is that you won't need to purchase any games for it thus reducing the overall expense.
It will simply play my already existing PS5 games
@Ico1977 So games that are Verified on steam can be played without any tweaking? And yeah I been watching videos on YouTube all morning and they have definitely persuaded me to get one, from what I saw I think it's best to get the 256GB model as the higher one has some anti glare screen which makes the screen look a bit duller. Then if I like it I will pick up the OLED next year.
@Kelrics90 youβre comparing a hand held PC to a remote play Playstation 5 accessory??? Ok. π₯΄π₯΄π€¦ββοΈπ€¦ββοΈ
@UltimateOtaku91 yep thatβs pretty much it with verified but Iβve played a number of playable and theyβre fine. Think oled version is limited edition and only N America but Iβm not sure. I went for the middle model a was very happy with it. I generally play with power cord plugged in in bed or on sofa. Also waiting to see how Portal stacks up as my Remote Play experience is awful even when in same room as router and PS5. Best of luck!
Thirst! As soon as this arrives... I can finally get FF16 concluded.
@Member_the_game
I mean itβs just typical that, but when I wrote it there wasnβt any other comment there, so Iβm sure pushsquare delayed my message deliberately just so I wouldnβt be first, this is all a conspiracy, be aware your messages may now get delayed as part of a nefarious scheme which has not yet been unveiled, that only happens when they capture you and tell you exactly what theyβre doing so as to help you stop them. I tried just writing Iβm first but apparently thatβs too short, I got a message to the effect of βis that all youβve got? Weaklingβ or something like that, I forget.
Also how is it my comment got 7 likes and yours 60, I mean you were commenting on my comment, how is that even fair? Is this what democracy is all about. Iβm off to have a tantrum now.
@LordVile
Apparently I canβt even like my own comments, I mean all I want is some more likes that the guy who beat me to it, by cheating I might add, my wifi is so fast it knocks random passerbys over, now beat that. Harumph.
@LordVile
Happens to the best of us my friend don't worry about it π
@PALversusNTSC. Valve has sold multiple millions of the Steam Deck and just introduced a new model with an OLED screen and fifty percent longer battery life. So the idea that it failed is just wrong.
@Member_the_game
Yup, stable connection and affected by latency caused by distance.
In reality it probably wonβt be useable outside your own home, especially in countries without 5G everywhere.
If this wasn't a pointless streaming accessory I would buy it immediately but seeing as I already own Steam Deck and ofc Switch I have no need for it. This being said if you get enjoyment from this then go for it. It may not be for me personally but I acknowledge there are people who would enjoy using something like this.
@PALversusNTSC Lol Steam Deck hasn't failed dude far from it. In fact a new OLED model has just been announced. I won't be buying it myself as I already own the 512GB model and I can tell you Steam Deck is so much better than this.
@Luigia Genuine question, why are you so excited about this? It's a very limited add on to play games you already own for a system you already own. I'm really struggling to see any appeal in this myself.
For people that are interested in this, is there a stand/dock or storage case coming out for it? It's definitely not something I'd want to just leave lying around.
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
@PSPortalRules Never expected them to. It's their loss not mine. They don't even know how to advertise their products properly even if they did make one.
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
@__jamiie Iβve two young children and a wife and never have chance to play my PS5 games on the TV. Playing on the couch whilst the wife watches TV and allows us to talk is perfect
Removed - flaming/arguing
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
@PSPortalRules You need to chill. Sending me psn messages because I don't like your little doa console. It ain't that serious dude.
@Luigia Fair enough, I hope you enjoy it.
Removed - flaming/arguing; user is banned
@PSPortalRules You know damn well what I'm talking about.
@RedRiot193 I don't send messages to people. Are you alright?
@__jamiie thanks Jamiie and I hope you get and enjoy more PS5 remotely ππ»
@PSPortalRules Sure, keep it up.
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
@LordVile I'm gagging from that weird '90s flex, like the commenter who was actually first.
I think peripheral is more fitting than handheld tbh.
Everyone please remember, Sony never supports anything other than their main console for very long. They e dropped support for everything else rather quickly so don't waste your money!
Out of all the products that I wouldn't want, this is probably near the top.
In the days of ROG Ally, Legion GO, SteamDeck OLED and others, Sony come up with this.
@Czar_Khastik ow that's gotta hurt π lol π
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
@UltimateOtaku91 Even lots of unverified games work just fine. It all just works so well.
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
@RobynAlecksys this doesn't need supporting as long as your PS5 works this will π
@Luigia glad someone is
I had one pre-ordered just to have it secured but then cancelled it as it's not for me. Going to wait and see how it is before deciding to get one later on or not if Sony makes an OLED.
It looks like it could have made the perfect proper handheld for Sony or even be made into their own Switch. Had it been one of those then I'd have bought it in a heartbeat.
My AOS Pad do better this.
Kind of tempted to get one of these so I can play a game while the misses is watching rubbish on the tv, but then I will be expected to use that thing any time we both want to use the tv (That I should add, I paid for) so why did I spend 2 grand on a 4k hdr tv again?!?
I was thinking of getting one of these but instead will spend the money on an OLED SteamDeck.
Interested to see how these work though.
Iβm last! After all these years!
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...