Sony prepares to officially release its long-awaited “portable console” before the end of the year: PlayStation Portal will come with a price tag of $199.99. This portable device wants to redefine the concept of gaming on the go, offering smooth streaming of PS5 games over Wi-Fi and a host of state-of-the-art features. But more than a product in its own right, this novelty will support the PS5, which will remain necessary for streaming games.
PlayStation Portal, Sony will launch it by 2023: here is the price
The focus of the PlayStation Portal will be one eight-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1080p at 60 fps, which promises an immersive and sharp viewing experience. According to Sony, the device will allow gamers to seamlessly switch between the game on your PS5 and PlayStation Portal, thanks to the connection in remotely via Wi-Fi.
Hideaki Nishino, senior vice president of platform experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment, explained that “PlayStation Portal will remotely connect to your PS5 via Wi-Fi, so you can quickly switch between playing on your PS5 and your PlayStation Portal. PlayStation Portal can play supported games installed on your PS5 console and use the Dualsense controller.”
An accessory for remote gaming
PlayStation Portal next to the LCD screen with two similar structures controller DualSense PS5, on each side of the portable device. This design choice not only makes the device ergonomic and easy to use, it also offers unexperience similar to that of playing with a DualSense controller dedicated to the PS5.
In addition to the ability to stream games, the PlayStation Portal comes with multimedia capabilities. The home screen reflects the look of the PS5 and features a dedicated section for i multimedia content. But the WiFi connection will be needed: at the moment there does not seem to be the possibility of downloading episodes of TV series or videos to watch them even offline.
We emphasize again that the PlayStation Portal it won’t work with Sony’s upcoming cloud streaming service for PS5 games. The company specified that games that require streaming through the subscription PS Plus Premium are not compatible with your device. As a result, the PlayStation Portal is primarily designed for streaming PS5 games already installed on your console.
For optimal performance, Sony recommends one Internet connection of at least 15 Mbps. However, the device is capable of working with a connection of at least 5 Mbps.
The first tests in the USA
IGN had the opportunity to test the PlayStation Portal in advance and in a video (which you can find here), where Bo Moore said he have not detected any latency in the use of the portable device. This will be a crucial part of the experience, as game streaming over Wi-Fi networks still doesn’t represent a flawless experience for many.
The PlayStation portable does not have Bluetooth connectivity, therefore you won’t have the option to connect wireless headphones or Sony’s Pulse 3D headphones. Instead, it makes use of wireless technology PlayStation Link, a new standard exclusive to PlayStation devices. PlayStation Link was designed to ensure low-latency, lossless audio, e Sony is also launching wireless headphones and earphones compatibili con PlayStation Link.
You can use these new headphones or earphones with a PS5 via a USB adapter or via a 3.5mm audio jack. And the standard PlayStation Link will be too made available for use by third party manufacturers.
IGN reports that the PlayStation Portal battery capacity has not yet been determined, therefore the exact lifespan of this portable device is still unknown. It seems that it may have an autonomy similar to that of the DualSense, around seven to nine hours.
These so far are the details about it PlayStation Portal, which could arrive around the month of November for a price of $199.99. Not a real “portable console”, but an accessory to play even away from our PS5. We will keep you posted.