Sony is expanding its hardware portfolio at the end of the year. A new PlayStation 5 is now being followed by a handheld console – with a crucial catch
It’s only been a few days since Sony announced the launch of the new PlayStation 5 version and the next announcement has already been made: The PlayStation Portal Remote player will also be available from November 15. Sony promises nothing less than “the power of PlayStation in the palm of your hand” with regard to the handheld console, which, however, has a crucial catch.
Handheld for your own four walls
As the name “remote player” suggests, PlayStation Portal is not a console in the traditional sense. Instead, the combination of an eight-inch screen and DualSense controller is intended purely as hardware for remote play. With this function, you can stream games from your PlayStation to other end devices via Wi-Fi and thus play on the move – at least as far as your home Wi-Fi is available.
PlayStation Portal is therefore not a competitor to “real” handheld flagships such as the Switch or the Steam Deck. Instead, it is more of an extension of the home setup, which can become interesting, for example, if the screen on which your PlayStation is connected is also used for other purposes. In this case, according to Sony, you could switch your PlayStation on or put it into sleep mode and play via the remote player while the monitor or TV is being used for something else.
Minimum requirements and limits
There are, however, a few requirements. You need an Internet speed of at least 5 MBit/s to be able to use the remote player. However, if you want to achieve the 60 frames per second and Full HD resolution of the screen permanently, Sony recommends at least 15 MBit/s.
You also need to install titles that you want to play via PlayStation Portal on the console. Games that you would stream on the PlayStation 5 due to a PS Plus Premium membership, for example, are therefore not available. The same applies to VR games and games that require peripherals that go beyond the standard controllers (DualShock 4, DualSense, DualSense Edge).
DualSense features on board
Talking of controllers: Sony hasn’t let its guard down here. The side panels of PlayStation Portal not only look exactly like a DualSense controller. They also have the same functions. On the remote player, for example, you can use the adaptive triggers that were introduced as part of the current console generation. A big leap compared to older Sony devices for mobile gaming such as the Backbone One.
Nevertheless, a purchase should be carefully considered. After all, Sony’s latest creation costs 219.99 euros. If you have the monitor or TV on which you play PlayStation, you can probably save yourself the purchase. PlayStation Portal will not come close to the experience on a large screen in even better resolution. However, if you don’t have a secure gaming space or want to play a quick round in bed in the evening to relax, the remote player could be worth considering
