If you have a PS5 at home but constantly have to let other people use the TV, the PlayStation Portal can solve this problem. Someone else can watch movies and shows on the TV while you continue playing on the handheld via Remote Play.
Additionally, using Cloud Streaming on the PlayStation Portal combined with a PS Plus Premium subscription allows you to access your games even if your PS5 is unavailable. You only need a stable internet connection to play it wherever you are. However, this can be expensive, since the subscription costs around $160 per year, while the handheld itself costs almost $250. So it’s a great console if you want more options for playing your favorite games.
PS Portal mirrors PS5 and lacks standard Bluetooth
Before purchasing a PlayStation Portal, keep in mind that you can’t use the handheld and your PS5 at the same time if you’re using Remote Play. The portal simply mirrors what the main console is running, so you can’t use it for a second player, for example. However, despite its smaller screen, it offers acceptable image quality. Paired with responsive controllers, it’s a solid experience for a handheld. So even if you have a dedicated TV, you can use PS Portal to play comfortably.
One downside of the PS Portal is that it doesn’t support standard Bluetooth. This means you can’t use your regular wireless headphones with it. If you want to benefit from audio without using cables, you must purchase PlayStation’s own headsets, which adds additional cost to the product.
So if you want to have access to your PlayStation 5 games in portable mode, this purchase makes sense, even with the added costs. However, if you don’t want to rely on high internet speeds to play properly and don’t mind skipping PlayStation exclusives, other cheaper handheld consoles are a better investment, like the Nintendo Switch.
