PlayStation Portal is coming to stores. This portable imitation console, which is not really one, has intrigued a lot since its presentation this spring. The first reviews on the machine are arriving. Newspaper.
It’s the surprise of the year, on the PlayStation side. In spring 2023, Sony lifted the veil on a real-fake portable console, called PlayStation Portal. So months later, the device is making its commercial debut. The machine is sold from November 15, for 220 euros. A price that hides a particularity: you absolutely must own a PlayStation 5.
Indeed, the PlayStation Portal is incapable of functioning alone, like a PSP or a PSVita (or even a Switch). It’s actually a sort of remote screen which broadcasts the game launched on the PS5. Don’t count on the ability to play offline or rely on cloud gaming. Despite these restrictions, is the product worth it before you consider purchasing it?
The first reviews on the PlayStation Portal
Two days before the official launch of the machine, the first reports from the press are starting to appear online. This is the case for the four English-language publications Polygon, The Verge, Kotaku and PC Mag. Overview of our colleagues’ impressions of a device which, at first glance, does not seem to do more than an ordinary smartphone using Remote Play.
For Kotaku journalists who had access to the PlayStation Portal, the visual quality of the screen is correct: “ It’s not high-end OLED, but the 8-inch high-definition LED display is crisp and vibrant “. PCMag is less conciliatory: “ The screen works as expected, but the HD resolution is blurrier than most modern mobile devices. »
“ On paper, [l’écran] is not impressive. Compared to the OLED Switch ($349.99), Razer Edge ($399.99), and many current phones, it’s even less impressive », tackle PC Mag. The screen is even considered mediocre. However, given the specificities of the Portal, which does little more than display images transmitted from the PS5, this is a weak point.
Regarding connectivity, Kotaku found the system stable. “ Over several days of testing, I only encountered one connection issue », notes the tester. Polygon warns that, precisely, you must take care to have a high-performance Internet connection and a solid Wi-Fi network “ to have a decent experience with most games. »
Due to its “portable” nature, PlayStation Portal has an autonomy issue. It should be largely suitable in most cases, believes Kotaku: “ I played for about six hours on a single charge and still have a bar of battery life left “. And since it’s a console primarily designed and marketed for home gaming, that’s quite enough.
On the other hand, the technical performance of PlayStation Portal is anecdotal. The reason ? The PlayStation 5 does all the work, which The Verge confirms: “ These specs aren’t anything to write home about, but you have to remember that it’s the PS5 that does all the work “. In this regard, the Portal’s only real job is to have a beautiful screen and good connectivity.
“ These specs aren’t anything to write home about, but you have to remember that it’s the PS5 that does all the work »
The Verge
However, it is important to note the excellent handling we have of the Portal, a point that PC Mag readily acknowledges: “ The controls are, as you would expect, excellent, as the Portal reuses hardware from an already fantastic controller “. It is a continuation of the DualSense controller, designed by the PS5, considered the best controller ever designed by Sony.
Polygon also notes a “good grip”, which easily allows you to “spend as much time with the Portal as with a classic DualSense controller”. Kotaku still noted “slightly shorter” handles, which “takes a little getting used to.” The tester explains that he had to adjust his grip from time to time.
The Verge, however, points out a long-term warning: “ As it is a standard DualSense, its analog sticks may drift after months or years of heavy or prolonged use “. In other words, the Portal certainly recovers the merits of the DualSense design, but it also inherits its problems.
A console to buy? Not sure
Screen, connectivity, handling are undoubtedly the three main criteria that we can remember from the Portal, taking into account its specific characteristics. Is this a relevant purchase? Media opinions are moving forward somewhat in disjointed order. The final answer probably depends on both the depth of your wallet and your passion for PlayStation.
For PC Mag, it’s clearly no: the Portal is a device “ strangely limited » which does not really have its place in 2023. It “ would have made more sense 10 years ago, when the Wii U was out and the concept was comparable », Adds the site, which questions: how can we take this device when any Bluetooth controller and any smartphone?
“ I don’t see a reasonable use case for the Portal that wouldn’t be more economical, and with a better screen, with many other devices. Ultimately, the Portal is just a screen stuck between a controller, and for $200 it should be more than that », slices PC Mag. A very different position from Kotaku, which considers it a plausible purchase.
“ This is a great gift choice under $200 for the gamer in your life who still hogs the TV », Writes the tester, who admits to hoping for improvements in the weeks and months to come. But for the most part, he says he has “ been very impressed with my time with Portal so far. »
The Verge shares a relatively similar opinion, although with one reservation. “This device is primarily aimed at die-hard PlayStation fans who want a simple, dedicated tool for streaming games into their home.” If the TV is busy or playing elsewhere, in the bedroom or bathroom. However, the price is considered excessive.
Polygon, finally, above all imagines the next move. “ Maybe the Portal is a test bed », asks the publication. The journalist believes that this could be a step in the world of portable games, with, why not, a miniaturization like the PS5 to become the heir to the Portal. After all, games and high-end portable consoles are all the rage.
Is the PlayStation Portal then a trial run, a way of testing the waters and gauging the market’s response, at lower cost, with a machine that ultimately accommodates little hardware? Maybe. Polygon in any case puts a damper on this hypothesis. And suggests that it is probably better to keep these 200 euros for the next Portal. If it sees the light of day.
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