Available from November 15, 2023 in renowned stores, PlayStation Portal quickly sold out in the European and North American markets within a few days of its launch.

PS Portal is not positioned as a competitor to any other portable device, as it is truly an extension of the PlayStation 5 and its purpose is just one: to improve the Remote Play experience of this console in a practical and comfortable way.

When analyzing PlayStation Portal, it is crucial to recognize this purpose of enhancing the Playstation 5 experience wherever you are, because for those exclusively looking for this functionality, the device fully delivers.

About Specifications

The 8-inch LCD screen, although technically touch sensitive, stands out with support for 1080p video at 60 frames per second. Audio is delivered via built-in speakers, with the option to use headphones only compatible with PlayStation devices. It weighs 529 grams and is 30 centimeters wide, providing comfortable arm position for playing from the sofa, office chair or lying down.



Configuring Playstation Portal

Configuring the Portal is extremely easy. You just need to make sure your PlayStation 5 is set up for Remote Play first, then turn on Portal, connect to Wi-Fi, wait for it to download the update, and reboot.

After booting, wait for the update to apply and then follow the directions to sync it with your console. This procedure is only necessary once. Another crucial point is to ensure that the PlayStation 5 is in rest mode, not turned off, so that the PS Portal works correctly.

When you first connect, it may take a few moments for Portal to locate your console, but once it does, the experience is seamless. It's incredible to be able to enjoy games in a conventional way, but on a portable, vibrant and attractive screen.

Sony suggests a Wi-Fi connection of at least 5 Mbps for an optimal experience. However, I recommend, whenever possible, keeping the Playstation 5 connected via cable, instead of relying solely on Wi-Fi, to ensure greater stability in the experience.



About Playstation Portal Design and Ergonomics

With excellent ergonomics, high-quality design, and all the distinctive features of the DualSense controller, including haptic feedback, PlayStation Portal offers a wonderful portable experience. The device does not try to be something it is not; its proposal as a quality remote playback device for the PS5 is very successful.

With its interesting design, which resembles a DualSense controller divided in half with a large smartphone fixed between it, it provides a unique experience, conveying comfort and firmness to the controls.

Furthermore, our Dualsense controller's mechanical memory is automatically transferred to the Playstation Portal, with the controls being extremely similar to the Playstation 5.



Playing my first games

In front of the Playstation 5, the connection was fluid and impressive. With no delay between the TV screen and the PS Portal screen, mirroring is perfect. However, in another room of the house, there was a slight inconsistency in the home network settings, perhaps due to the fact that my Playstation was connected via Wi-Fi and not wired as mentioned above.

Furthermore, the screen, although functional, presents the Touchpad button as a shadow on the screen that, for a moment, I was unable to access quickly, but I believe that in some future update this touch can be improved to be more responsive.



Some limitations, such as the lack of comprehensive Bluetooth support and the inability to stream content from popular services due to DRM restrictions, may impact the experience for some users, which was not the case for me.

The first game I played was Marvel's Spider-Man 2, my only initial concern was that the subtitles were too small to read, but the eight inch screen proved to be large enough to see everything clearly and even the smaller text.

I hadn't yet managed to platinum Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and this was only possible thanks to the PS Portal, which in moments off work allowed me to play and complete the collectibles, as well as areas of the game that I would never have the courage to complete if I had to go to my couch to specifically play this.

I confess that I didn't have much interest in purchasing the Playstation Portal, initially because it didn't require remote access, because I had to face the countless notifications on the cell phone screen while playing, but with the PS Portal nothing interrupts the game.

After purchasing, I could see the true functionality of this equipment, the way you play changes because it gives you a good feeling of enjoying the game, so it instantly became my favorite item to play with, as well as offering me little moments of relief during the day. of work.

It is a tool that enriches the gaming experience, offering players flexibility and comfort in a new dimension. Those who initially, like me, underestimated its usefulness may be surprised by the transformation that this device brings to the world of video games. Love at first play, indeed. The device is a valuable addition to the gaming experience and is certainly inseparable.

Translated na Reviewed by Luisa Rodrigues da Cunha