Some Thoughts on the PlayStation Portal

[@joogled1839]

i personally think this is… a waste of money and resources for both the customer and sony themselves. i wish they had allocated said resources into a real, powerhouse, natively playing, beautiful handheld system.

[@justaadhdgamerwesley6244]

Its E-Waste

[@TeamBelmont91]

It's literally a Wii U gamepad but worse.

[@joogled1839]

@@yahs-soldr1275 and at a high price tag to boot. they learned nothing from the psvr2.

[@Veniks]

But that would remove the game production resources from the PS5. Games are getting more and more expensive to make. Sony prefers to fully focus on the PS5, and I can understand that. Nintendo also figured out that problem, and they came with the Switch as a solution, but had to sacrifice power to do this. I recently got the Portal and I really love it. It so nice to easily pick up and play my PS5 games everywhere in my house. Or just on the couch when the TV is in use by someone else.

[@MithosDagon]

Sony is not capable of managing releases for a PS5, VR2 and a handheld. So a handheld will not happen. People say they want a handheld until one comes out and it fails like the Vita because Sony couldn’t keep up with the PC handhelds or Switch with software output

[@OSW]

0:58 "You're a genius, you watch Retro Game Corps" 😂 i love Russ's personality peeking out during the informational advice

[@OSW]

p.s. "I've done a hundred of these" consider making a gigantic 4+ hour themed compilation video covering a ton of these in one vid, it'd be pretty fun!

[@OSW]

​@jabron.destoroyahyo! I got the 405m (and the Steamdeck). 405m is a little powerhouse I'd recommend esp. if it's on sale! Any catching your eye?

[@rhystlemania8009]

What bar is the PS Portal?

[@terrycrist3]

I’m the target user for this thing (3 other people want my TV), but I just can’t see why I would pay $200 for this over remote play on my iPad. All they had to do was make it less laggy than remote play by directly connecting to the console (like the Wii U) but without that it’s just not worth it.

[@NoradNoxtus]

or give us an oled atleeast you know, it looks super outdated now with the switch and steamdeck being the other big handhelds

[@TheIndulgers]

True. DF found that best case there is an additional 5 frames (80ms) or latency on top of system latency. That is REALLY bad. People don't even like frame gen because of 10-20ms of extra latency.

[@p.c.n.b.6112]

The fact that this product was sold out, shows for me that they knew exactly what they were doing, I will never buy this stuff, but totaly get it. They figure it out that people with money and kids, that don´t play their stuff because of lack of time, were going to buy it, because it is going to take less time to set this thing up then the other ways of remote play available, and they were right. That being said, I think their audience was specifically people who already owned the PlayStation 5, have the money to buy an expensive accessory and still don't do remote play in other ways, simply because they don't know the less official ways of doing it, or because they think is going to take longer than an official product to do so, i think you were not the target because you probably already know how to do it anyway, witch makes you smart buyer, I don't think they want that.😂 (Portal users I'm sorry for the end, It's supposed to be funny, no hate please!)

[@bern9642]

@@p.c.n.b.6112 sold out is not very informative. I'm sure Sony did their research and made sure they didn't make more than the anticipated demand. Sold out can be 10,000 units shipped or 1 million unit ships and I doubt it shipped a million units.

[@TreBouncee]

@@NoradNoxtusYou think with an OLED it would have been 200$?

[@Alasdair91]

As evidenced in your video, my worry is that it lags a lot. The footage of Horizon FW was very jittery as well as Gran Turismo. It’s not good enough. Why they didn’t make it have a special connection with the PS5 (like the WiiU did) is beyond me…

[@paulanderson2963]

It's literally a Wii U gamepad so yes 100% an accessory. When you don't know history you just end up repeating other people's mistakes.

[@mmstick]

The Wii U gamepad was not a mistake. Unfortunately, this is not a Wii U. The best part of the Wii U was that it functioned as a separate display, which was perfect for designing multiplayer games. One player gets a private screen hidden to the view of the players on the TV. The only issue with the Wii U was true complete lack of adoption because the console wasn't powerful enough.

[@Lucifronz]

@@mmstick It was a good idea, but everything about the Wii U was, in fact, a mistake. Including its implementation of said gamepad. For one, it only came with the system, you couldn't buy another, so replacing it was a *nightmare.* Second, you couldn't pair two to the same system even just to use as a screen-less controller or for more basic menu implementation. Third, many games over-relied on the screen. Not third-party games, but first-party. Star Fox Zero was a nightmare on the platform because of it.

[@mmstick]

@@LucifronzThis is irrelevant. Neither here nor there.

[@edogawakonan8930]

I never thought i will ever say this... Logitech G Cloud is actually quite a good value for your money... comparing to this

[@conchobar]

I found it hilarious how everyone crapped on the Logitech G Cloud assuming the Playstation Portal would come with some magic sauce. Now that the Portal is in the wild, the G Cloud is obviously a pretty nice device. Yet, this is one of the only reviewers that even discussed the two devices comparatively in any detail.

[@dnice4145]

People have been mostly critical of the portal since its announcement, what are you even talking about.

[@frosted_cupkate]

I don't own a PS5, but still found this a really good, thorough video. Also, while it's a small (yet rare) thing these days, thank you for not joining the trend of doing clickbait titles/thumbnails.

[@SnooZeGamezZz]

I think if the PS5 was the only platform I was looking to play remotely I'd be all over this device. But since I wanted a device that streams PlayStation/Xbox and PC, I opted for the G Cloud. Been pretty happy with it

[@TheLuckster]

@@I_Vented Steam does have remote play type streaming? You can play from any device that has Steam as long as its connected to your account, Steam Deck does it out of the box basically

[@kerempet]

@@I_Ventedi thought u can use chiaki on steam deck for ps5 streaming?

[@evshrug]

You can cloud stream a significant portion of your Steam library by using NVIDIA GeForce Go. Yes, it plays over the internet rather than Local Area Network, but NVIDIA did the heavy lifting of creating optimal network conditions for the server, and the server plays like a really high end PC (I don’t even have a Windows PC). If you do just want local streaming, and you have a PC more powerful than a Steam Deck, then the “Moonlight” streaming app is your answer. If you’re trying to remote stream FROM a Steam Deck… why are you doing that? 😂 Just take the Steam Deck handheld with you!

[@Lucifronz]

You have to have more money than sense and a disinterest in every other platform to even consider buying this, I feel. It just doesn't make sense for anyone who can't blow money whenever they like. $200 is a lot of money. I don't fault people for wanting it if they can afford it, I just think Sony's gotten greedy and stupid. They could have expanded its features, included the PS4, maybe offered some form of streaming TV streaming to the device and upped the value a bit, but as predicted, they did the bare minimum and it's just not worth the asking price.

[@ameliamiller450]

My biggest problem with the portal is actually its size. It doesn't fit in any of my purses and so it becomes a chore to take with me. There are other options that fit in even my small purses and even if it's not as deluxe that convenience is my primary concern.

[@fafski1199]

6:00 "I haven't had issues when it comes to streaming", as he's playing HFW inside, that's doing nothing but show that it's suffering from lag and tons of stuttering.

[@tktyga77]

This sure got me thinking about the Wii U, makes me wish more game kinds had the kind of ability to function between a handheld & a console by mode like PlayStation Portal could have

[@figureviews]

if you use 10% brain juice, you would understand why you are wrong

[@ReeksofChees3]

or more like the Steam Deck with Steam Cloud syncing your saves

[@brandon_nope]

the funny thing is Nintendo nailed it with virtually nonexistent latency in 2012

[@ReeksofChees3]

@@brandon_nope all the way up until more 5ghz wifi devices became more of a thing, sadly. I’ve been noticing more screen latency (not input lag), stutters and a little screen tearing recently

[@Josuh]

@@brandon_nopeNot to mention how comfortable that thing was to hold, the gamepad deserved better

[@grahamjl766]

I think your nontech friends keep very grounded. It's refreshing to see a tech tuber understand what a normal person may want and not just dismiss anything that doesn't push 1.21 gigawatts. The echo chamber in this space is real.

[@spitfyre1085]

Great point. I always try to keep in mind that I am not the target customer for every piece of tech that exists.

[@MithosDagon]

Facts. I have a Steam Deck OLED, ROG Ally, Switch OLED, backbone, etc. and I still want to get one of these because I do a lot of remote play and it has dual sense built in. Not everyone wants a handheld that can do everything. Then there are the people that just want a basic device that does one thing.

[@Playerz714]

Ehhh even then its all reliant on your wifi

[@Lucifronz]

This is _not_ what a "normal person" would want and the issues with this device are beyond just what "gigawatts" it "pushes". The price is absurd. $150 would be pushing it, but it would at least make sense given the high cost of the PS5 controller (which is also overpriced and stocked with useless features no one actually gives a shit about; if you think I'm wrong about that, ask Nintendo how their HD Rumble feature is going because no one even remembered that was a thing on the Switch). There are *two things* gamers want. Games and a good way to play them. You can only milk them to a certain extent on those two before they get tired of spending money. Some will still blow their cash, but not enough to ensure the portal survives. Mark my fucking words, this will be considered a failure a decade from now.

[@grahamjl766]

@@Lucifronz Apple is a pretty big rip off and they seem to do well. There is value in an ecosystem and things just working seamlessly together. And it's really hard to say Sony is failing when the product literally cannot stay on the shelves.

[@GoldenBoy64x]

Great video as always! You should consider at the end of the year doing a "Handheld of the Year" kind of video with various types of categories and rewards and ending it with the MVP reward!

[@DaComebakKid]

Most Valuable Portable...love it

[@karyotesnyan7265]

Top 5 or 10 handhelds of the year sounds like a great video idea as well

[@bamb0ostick]

Spoiler alert: It's the Steam Deck OLED

[@mase2393]

He did that last year I believe, so maybe we'll get another one this year

[@BunnyRabbit.]

The Portal will win this years handheld no doubt

[@WrackPharmd]

This is a great review. Yes, it’s a niche product and most people won’t ever need it. But also as a dad of three, the Portal comes in clutch. The haptics really do elevate it over streaming to a phone or tablet. Cheers!

[@iStillHaveAVCR]

bro! thank you for this review. i cannot wait to catch up!!!

[@ircha]

I'm getting mine soon, so excited! 😁

[@DaPohli]

It just seems like a very singular use case - for dads, who get little time in front of their TV but still haven't traded in their PS5. Super niche with crazy shortcomings such as no BT Audio.

[@tafb94force29]

Yeah definitely a niche accessory. But aren't most accessory devices niche. Like the psvr2 or different color console covers?

[@docescogaming]

💯 why I’m getting it for Chrisrmas

[@mmstick]

It's not about the lack of access to a TV. It's about the flexibility to bring your games anywhere you want in a convenient handheld device. I live alone with my wife, but I don't always want to play games on the TV. Maybe I want to play from bed or the toilet, especially in winter. Or perhaps certain types of games look and play better on a handheld. Such as indie games.

[@mmstick]

It's worth mentioning tips for improving input latency with remote play on the PS5. To get the best input latency, you need to unplug the HDMI cable or change video/screen settings before switching to remote play. If the console outputs to a TV, it will cause significant input delay to your remote play connection. Hopefully this can be fixed by a firmware update. You must also configure your router to split the 2.4 and 5G signals into two SSIDs, as the 5GHz signal is low latency (1-3 ms). Most routers combine them together, which will cause sporadic stuttering. Games should be set to prefer performance over quality. You may also need to manually disable 120 Hz and HDR, as well as lower screen resolution to 1080p. The more resources the PlayStation has to spare for remote play, the better the latency. These are the difference between "only useful for single player games", and "perfect for online competitive play".

[@DKN808]

For PS Remote on my iPhone 15 PM (wifi6) and Backbone, I put in a LAN cable to my PS5 and not let it run on wifi. That seems to make a big difference eliminating latency both at home and via remote travelling.

[@SimonTam-omgitslink]

Hey Russ, just want to say that I appreciate you recognizing that there are a lot of similar reviews out there already and so instead you focus on your own personal thoughts and opinions. It's refreshing to jump right into it rather than watching the same regurgitated review of a device when I've already watched a lot of other reviews. Your thoughts and opinions are what we come to watch your videos for in the first place!

[@Hypn0s2]

One big limitation people have been complaining about is trying to use it on public wifi that requires a browser to sign your life away before using their free wifi. It doesn't have a browser. Paid hotspots will also be an issue, like on planes and such.Also need a browser for that.

[@moganpradeep]

Hey Russ!, Thanks for this video. I do own a PS Portal on purpose for playing indie games. I never liked playing those types of games (for example Gris, Dordogne, Oxenfree, Somerville, binding of Isaac etc...) on the big screen and i was dreaming of playing them on a portable devise. I have tried remote play through my phone or tablet but i never liked the experience... This accessory is a dream come true for me and i love the feel and experience that i get from.

[@Allyouknow5820]

Except for indies, a SteamDeck would've been the best device ? You'd have all the indies before they even come to consoles, it's still in your Steam library so on any PC also. And you're not buying what is essentially an overpriced paperweight.

[@Rakiell]

That's my issue too. This portal is only decent for people who already own PS5s. I don't own one, so I have no incentive to buy a portal. It just seems like a worse vita. And I loved the Vita. For now, I will stick to my PC and Steam deck. @@Allyouknow5820

[@NeoTechni]

I wish I could contact someone involved with making it to give suggestions: -add PS4 support, since it's Android-based and the Android app supported PS4 -add multiple user support, I handed it to my wife to use since I was using the TV but since it's a single-user device it was useless to her The lack of bluetooth and HDMI-out via USB-C is extremely annoying

[@MacenW]

This is part of a reason to get a PS5 so why would they make it work for PS4?

[@mmstick]

It would be better to have a PlayStation TV stick so you don't have to plug in the Portal. As you're going to need a separate DualSense controller either way.

[@deuxforever13]

I totally agree, the Portal just works for me. Its my ps5 backlog killer.

[@adminnimda8632]

That was the line that sold me on the idea. Once these start being resold or go on a good enough sale I would consider this.

[@Diego-oy6en]

This, no way I'm paying 200 but on sale I will consider it

[@nickspeck]

This is absolutely a niche device. I get why for some people it will be incredible and I get why for others it would be a complete waste of $200. If it would work well on my network I would consider it for sure. There is a lot to be said about the convenience of being able to lay in bed with my wife and have a conversation while still playing games. It's why my Switch Lite gets so much love. My upload speeds are never above 10mbps, though, which makes it a bad use case for me. D/L speeds are perfectly acceptable, but when it's uploading at speeds 25-30 times slower than my download, it'll never be a good experience. For me it would be a great device, and it would get a lot of love, but not until I have better Internet service.

[@vdgcampos]

If you're using it within your local network, the quality of your internet service shouldn't matter at all, just the quality of your WiFi coverage in your home.

[@nickspeck]

@@vdgcampos I have a mesh system that provides coverage all over my house with no dead zones or any other issues. Do you know if game streaming has issues with mesh systems? I've tried in the past and it's always been a latency nightmare. Previous efforts were made via Remote Play on a Galaxy S21 with a PS4 controller and a mounting clip that held the phone. Console hardwired, so it should have optimal speeds. It was frustrating enough that I didn't continue trying.

[@Necrohermit]

@@nickspeckyou probably have a poor mesh system. Invest in a better mesh or router system and problem solved.

[@mmstick]

@@nickspeck I've never had a good connection with retail products marketed as mesh networks. You're almost always better off getting a single great access point (ie: Huawei AX3) instead of multiple okay access points. Especially if they are linked wirelessly, since the back and forth communication between mesh devices uses the same airwaves. If I had a house with multiple floors, I'd just get one good 802.11ac router per floor, and bridge them together with Ethernet. Most routers have convenient settings pages for bridging multiple devices of the same model. But either way, remote play requires an unsaturated 802.11ac (5 GHz) connection. You need to make sure to configure your network to split the 2.4G and 5G signals into two separate access points. Something like "MyNetwork" and "MyNetwork_2.4G". There's also one quirk with remote play on the PS5. You may need to physically unplug the HDMI cable to get near zero latency. If the PS5 detects a TV, it will attempt to render a 4K HDR screen to it.

[@jayjayhooksch1]

​@@nickspeckagreed, it's probably a hardware issue rather than an upload speed issue. If you haven't upgraded your router in the past few years, that'll do it. 10mbps should be enough headway that as long as your console is connected via ethernet, you can have a decent experience streaming to a handheld device.

[@TheEmuLads]

Finally, someone recognizes my genius. Thank you very much Russ

[@why0gilliams]

Well, you made the one point that I've been talking about all the time. This device is for us dads! YES! Finally. I'm SO stoked about the Swedish release (whenever that is) because I will be able to play wherever in my house because of all the kids. And besides that I can barely wrap my head around bringing just this device to my mums instead of the entire PS5. And yes I know I could already do all this with other devices but this one feels more premium and just.. better! Great review and great video! /Your fellow dad Jono in Sweden! ^_^

[@Ravenlock]

As always, really appreciate the time and thought you put into this. I don't think I'm going to pay the asking price for one, but if somebody handed me one? I'd absolutely use it. Like you, I've got a backlog of PS5 games (or cross-gen games that I can access on it digitally) that I'd love to have an easier way to stream, inside and outside the house. Not that I can't do it with other devices, but it'd be nice to have a fit-to-purpose solution that just did that really well. .....just not for hundreds of dollars. Maybe when it's half off, someday.

[@SadSackGaming]

Fans of Sony have been asking for a new handheld for years, that they chose a hamstrung streaming device as the handheld is just confusing. That Microsoft has been smart enough to not go down this route is nice because this is a very niche accessory that offers very slight convenience over just using a device and controller. Hell, I kinda wonder if the fire tablet that is on sale right now can stream PS because that sounds like a sane idea. I won’t tell anyone what to buy, but a device that can only stream games from your PS5, not 4 and won’t stream any streaming services is friggin weird.

[@Red_Sutter]

Noticed gaming Reddit defending this thing to the death, which is usually a big indication that’s it not quite a sure-buy

[@jeremyf1901]

Will this get hacked eventually?

[@alexisobj0643]

No purpose when it doesn’t have memory

[@IntentionalTech]

Thanks for giving this such a balanced review and thinking carefully about who it’s aimed at! Dads like me are loving this thing.

[@ninetendopesaitama2107]

You spelled biased wrong. ;) ☮️

[@jimmyhazard]

It just makes no sense that they didn't include PS+ streaming at minimum.

[@hotfuzz4416]

Or you could be a dad and kick your kids off the TV or get a cheap TV for your kids. Lol Use those dad powers xD come on

[@MuhammadKharismawan]

@@hotfuzz4416 not everybody want to sit in front of the couch just to game. i know my bro would prefer lounging on his bed with this on and just switch it off whenever he wants.

[@hotfuzz4416]

@@MuhammadKharismawan and this $200 LCD screen with half controllers glued to it is the best option you can run with? Or just trying to make excuses to spend $200+. The fact that Sony is trying to sell some shitty earbuds (same cost as the portal)with a shitty monitor is amazing and depressing at the same time.

[@LuccaRPG]

Wifi 5, no cloud gaming, no bluetooth, and 200 bucks? If it came down to two useless accessories, the Playstation Portal or Nintendo's Power Glove, I'd take the power glove. Least I'd look pretty rad. ;)

[@ninetendopesaitama2107]

Power glove looks rad :D. ☮️

[@KaossPuzzles]

I don’t even have a PS5, but I really enjoyed your review Russ. It’s so refreshing to see someone put out honest reviews that really cover the flaws as well as the positives

[@delt35]

I don’t comment a lot but I’ve really been enjoying your videos and wanted to let you know. This video in particular - the reason why I absolutely love the ps portal is b/c it gives me the ps5 controllers (and it’s haptic feedback) in a portable form and as you mentioned as your own biggest benefit, I have two kids and it allows me to be in the same room as them which makes all the difference. I have a 4090 super PC that I built that could play these games top notch but it puts me in the basement and therefore isolated from the fam. That alone, being with my kids is worth the price of admission. Keep up the great vids.

[@ordinaryalan]

Unfortunately you can’t take this to Starbucks because the device doesn’t have a web browser to accept terms and conditions for places like that to connect to their network.

[@fantasytky28]

U can. With phone hotspot on

[@mmstick]

You don't have a 5G phone to create a mobile hotspot with?

[@ordinaryalan]

@@mmstick Sure I do. But that kinda defeats the whole point of going to Starbucks specifically. *shrug*

[@mmstick]

@@ordinaryalan An unlimited data plan is cheaper than buying coffee at Starbucks. And it won't cause loitering violations should you stay too long.

[@newhappiness4410]

The fact that scalpers are scooping this up just proves it’s going to be popular

[@iStillHaveAVCR]

i was already sold and got solder when you said “phone hotspot”. 🤤 dang i want this!!

[@kevin1337ninja]

I love my Logitech G Cloud and mostly use it for my PS5 so I'm very tempted to get the official offering with better controls. One TV with a wife and two kids means I never get to play the PS5 at a normal time. Streaming is fantastic

[@jayjayhooksch1]

I find with my two kids (8 and 5) that it doesn't matter whether I try to play handheld or on the tv; whichever way I'm playing, whichever system I'm playing, they want in on it. We have two xbox's, a switch, a pocket flip and a 3ds xl but they are only interested in whichever one I'm currently using lol So single player games are just kind of out of the question for me during "normal" hours.

[@cobaltplasma]

Appreciate your insights on this device, not a home run, maybe a single off of a bunt. I wonder if it was designed for Asian urban centers, places with super fast connections everywhere.

[@magicth]

This is the most real look at the device. An understanding of those folks it is designed for and for those it would feel like a complete waste. Very similar experience to my own and I have to say I love this thing. My friends ask “do you recommend it?” And to them I say “eh not really.” Because I know them and their use cases very well, and even though I love it, I know it’s not for everyone.

[@DavidFilskov]

Looks good! - but they could've angled the screen up a bit - like on a laptop - so that you shouldn't tilt your wrists up to correct the viewing angle.

[@carlthewinner]

I play my PlayStation 5 linke I do my Steam Deck now. I really like it. :)

[@TheColdOne]

I bought one around launch, but ONLY because my wife was also interested after I explained the use-cases to her. If it were just me, I feel like I couldn't justify the cost. But having it for a bit now, I am really liking being able to easily get to a few games that I've been meaning to play for a long time, but I have trouble getting around to on the TV. Not only that, but I HAVE played via Remote Play sporadically in the past on my phone or tablet or Steam Deck, but none of them felt comfortable (or "right") enough to keep doing it regularly. The Portal makes it comfortable enough to where it's actually regularly picked up by either of us (mostly me) on an (almost) daily basis.

[@hali_moto]

They made a device that only does something that can already be done by many other devices and it is baffling. The only thing unique about it is the proprietary wireless audio which just makes it worse. This could have been an cool device.

[@fafski1199]

Yep, they are basically asking for another for $200, if you want the privilege of using wireless earbuds with the Portal. Of course you can only use those expensive earbuds/headphones/speakers that are made by Sony. Sony really is fast catching up to Apple, when it comes to ensnaring you in their ecosystem and then shoehorning you into further buying several other of their proprietary products. Of course, all of which of are only compatible with their own products.

[@CptMunta]

Its kinda mean but: - If we can run custom firmware - We can run Moonlight on it - If it ends up like Vita TV approx 99 bucks to clear it off shelves Then it would be perfect for me. 😁 In the meantime am glad the people that find the current usecase for this have this product.

[@codylester9081]

I might could see this thing at $150, but at $200 it’s a no go. And the lack of WiFi 6/7 is absolutely unacceptable at that price point

[@ninetendopesaitama2107]

It's an overpriced joke and this review is just an ad. You can even see the stutter and freezes in the video. Not mentioned once. ☮️

[@heyjeySigma]

@@ninetendopesaitama2107 i wouldnt point fingers at Russell and call this vid an ad... he reviews EVERY handhelds out there... good or bad. You must be new at this channel huh.

[@CompressionPolice]

How this project wasn't cut at its inception is beyond me. How anyone at Sony or their investors thought this was a good investment of time and resources is upsetting.

[@MithosDagon]

It probably took next to no resources, and they don’t have to develop games for it. And considering how it is a hot item, looks like it was a good idea for them

[@kyledoesntgetit5602]

It wasn't cut because a room full of beancounters way smarter than you or me ran market analyses and focus groups to determine the market viability of this product. Looks like they guessed right considering it's sold out everywhere in the US and going on eBay for 50% or higher markups.

[@leualemax]

it's sold out.

[@adamhonan7744]

The decline of human intelligence

[@RandomPlaceHolderName]

@@MithosDagon It also doesn't need to make money. All it needs to do is deter PS owners from buying a Switch or Switch 2.

[@qquack1950]

How are u managing to stream this away from home, when I try to to do ps remote play my wifi is so shit it never works lol

[@MacenW]

"is this an out of season april fools joke?" Love you Russ, hope they sent this to you

[@PDot585]

The G Cloud also has TV out through a new update. So u can stream to another TV in another room in house or another location!

[@MJosephJr]

I would imagine the Steam Deck OLED and Chiaki would look absolutely stunning, and run more reliably with Wi-Fi 6E.

[@saesang352]

If the steam deck was 1080p and PS Remote play supported like 90FPS i think it'd be amazing. Unfortunately it looks kind of muddy even with the oled. Local installed games is the way to go.

[@michaelemery21286]

The only draw backs of the steam deck OLED in this instance are; smaller screen, lower resolution screen, doesn’t have all the dualsense capabilities built-in (so emulating things like the touch pad can be difficult) and it only works when you’re on the same local network.

[@cocobos]

Man, you're selling it. Makes me wanna get one.

[@susanjones4854]

Russ, I've been watching you for a long time and I don't comment often, but this review definitely makes me want to speak up. I'm a huge Sony fan and have considered the portal since hearing of it. Having a kid and sharing the tv can be tough. This would've been my go to, hands down. However, I did get the Steam deck (based off your reviews actually). This is a very niche device. I know your not a person to play favorites with your reviews, but I noticed you intentionally tried not to mention the steam deck in regards to being the catch-all to the small nuances you encountered. I believe people with kids, sharing a tv as well as some military will be the more dedicated buyers. I myself started playing my ps5 so much more once I had remote access. Love your work. Please keep up the great work. 🖤🖤🖤 P.S..... Really surprised you did a review on an accessory. 😉

[@tomlion0116]

Hey Russ! I would like to watch a video about the PSP. Never had it as a child but as an adult I bought one, put CFW on it and it became my most used device for NES, GBA PS1 and PSP games. Since I bought it my Switch and PS4 collect dust. To this day it is a great device for retro gaming!

[@JohanMGO]

Not to shit on your parade if you already know how good a fun hacked PSP is, what would a point of a video 😅. Btw I love my hacked vita

[@sertiana2512]

Yeah. The thing is, there are tons of well-made videos about PSP homebrew, it would be redundant if Russ make a video about it.

[@juanrubio6132]

Thank you, your reviews in my option are the best especially because you compare the device to other options. Other reviewers rarely do this.The PSPLAY app looks better than the official remote play from Sony. The reduce lag is noticeable. How can they create this device without even trying to improve the app.

[@Luckysquirrel1256]

Any chance you would ever do a Chiaki video guide? I know other guides exist, but your format is really great!

[@Trustyfilms]

I've been a huge PlayStation fan since pretty much the beginning. I'm also a huge handheld fanatic but can safely say that this product focuses on the opposite of what I would want something like this to be and would sooner buy a secondhand PS Vita. Every choice they have made with this device completely baffles me.

[@dudubenabou]

I do this exactly (remote play from outside my house) with my XBOX series X. exactly as you shared when my living room TV is busy. I do it with Backbone, iPad with xbox controller, the Retroid pocket flip-my favorite device. I am waiting for something like the Retroid pocket flip with a bigger screen and stronger internals 😁 Keep up the good work.

[@RandomPlaceHolderName]

I like the aggressive price and the large screen. Those were my two main gripes with the G Cloud and hopefully the Portal can affect the streaming handheld scene a bit.

[@colinmartin9797]

One thing you forgot that severely, severely limits its streaming ability (to the point it would be a deal breaker if I had a ps5) is that it lacks a browser, so you cannot log into practically any public wifi. At all. None. If it uses a web browser access for their EULA, like my university, every airport, every Starbucks, most hotels and motels, hospitals, restaurants, you literally can't sign the portal into their wifi, making it a complete paperweight at worse or wildly unreliable at best if traveling. That, and being forced to drop $150 or $200 on headphones that in all honestly will sound substantially worse than my high end TWS earbuds or headphones (they have LDAC and guess who made and owns the rights to that codec? Goddamn SONY.) The issue here is that they made a product that has deliberate design decisions made to limit users (guessing the browser is to prevent jailbreaking) or to pigeonhole people into buying more products (the headphones) and for that, the portal just come across as yet another transparently anticonsumer piece of e-waste.

[@iMazyoda]

Even though you didn't say to, I'm going to pause, grab a drink and snack and settle in for 23 minutes of enjoyable goodness as always!

[@kennethd4958]

It's funny I actually am the opposite... I got a Backbone and I actually use it more than my dedicated handhelds (Odin Lite etc) with my iPhone 15 Pro Max and a Samsung S20 FE (I got for $50). But this might all change once I get my Odin 2 and SteamDeck. As for the PS Portal... I was going to grab one for my son for Christmas but they are sold out everywhere. I, myself, don't particularly see the value in the Portal but my son would use it a lot.

[@wibawabo6978]

I wish i was as rich as you lad

[@Cesar06290]

I got the ROG Ally for this use case + emulation. I’ve been pondering the portal - because it wouldn’t feel as third party as you say + maybe the latency is better? Was the experience on portal substantially better than chiaki on Ally? If latency exists on both / feels the same - I suppose I’d stick with that!

[@maldjulio]

As someone who has a ROG/Chiaki and tried out the Portal, I don't think it's worth it. In fact, video quality seemed better to me with a maxed out bitrate and hardware decoding on ROG/Chiaki.

[@todoroki4418]

I have both screen is much bigger and crisper on the portal and the controls are miles better. Battery also lasts longer and its lighter to use comfortably in bed. I only use the ally for dedicated pc games.

[@RobadobaChannel]

I think the true testament to the value of this device is the fact that he had to tell a 5 minute story and give a really specific use-case scenario as to why this is a justifiable purchase.

[@skycloud4802]

That regular casual people know of the Portal and not the Steam Deck is rather sad for them. The power of marketing triumphs over all things.

[@tafb94force29]

I am a casual gamer. I just don't need the additional capabilities of the steam deck though. Nothing against it. Dedicated portal has been great for me. The steam deck is also 2 to 3 times the price of this right I think 😮

[@skycloud4802]

@@tafb94force29 that's fine. You were aware, and you made a choice. I'm talking more about the casuals that don't even know about handhelds because of poor awareness, like Russ was saying near the end of his video. People that don't really know or understand about handhelds, and instead ask questions about the Portal simply because it has a lot of Sony marketing hype around it.

[@BernardoOne]

What really killed it for me is the insanely low bitrate. A device exclusively designed around remote play... and your only option is a extremely compressed image? Insane

[@MickeyCapperfm]

Something worth noting is that right now, most major retailers have holiday return policies, meaning if you get this now, you can return it open-box to Best Buy in mid-January. I’m hoping that the Odin 2 will be a satisfying way to stream my ps5, but I got a portal on a whim to try out during that holiday return window and I have to say, it’s been really awesome! Like it’s a major bummer that it does just this one thing and it would be so much better if they just opened up access to android on it, so you could add some simple emulators and stream Xbox too, but it is so much better than taking my phone out of the case, uttung it into the backbone, turning off my notifications, opening up the remote play app and then finally connecting and barely being able to read anything because my phone screen is too small for games designed for a tv. The portal is ready to stream between the moment I pick it up and the time I sit down to play it. Like I said, still planning to return it in January, but grateful for it now!

[@charlesm.hernandez264]

Best item for me. I am a new dad and I want to game in a mobile way at home. This is 10/10 for my situation.

[@ThisisCitrus]

As he shows in the video, you could have done it already for a fraction of the price on your mobile phone.

[@DavyDave1313]

Well said - an accessory. That’s exactly what this is it doesn’t evolve my gameplay in any way - merely extends it. Which is something I can already do with my phone and the backbone peripheral.

[@notfunny3397]

I really don't understand why they couldn't fit a 8 gen 2 or 7+gen2 or really any good SOC on it. It would be amazing for Android games then, maybe Linux as well. It would cost more obviously but it would be a fully fledged consoled then. Even if it was 400usd, even though I think Sony could probably negotiate a really good deal with Qualcomm and get it out for 270 ish USD. Since it's replacing another SOC and they don't have to up the cooling, just underclock it. That would make it way more powerful than the switch for example, possibly close to the steam deck, although it can't do windows obviously. Really a missed opportunity

[@XYZ-pz3tf]

And to do what with it? What would be the logic behind it? So the user can install Android games? How does that benefit Sony?

[@XYZ-pz3tf]

The most logical and safest bet, if we are talking about a dedicated handheld, would have been to work with AMD and create a portable PS4, that can both stream PS5 and also play your PS4 digital library.

[@bulletpunch9317]

This is more profitable. Thats all.

[@RandomPlaceHolderName]

@@XYZ-pz3tf The solution you're proposing is insanely expensive by comparison.

[@XYZ-pz3tf]

@@RandomPlaceHolderName by comparinson to what? I said " dedicated handheld". I wouldn't see why they couldn't reach the same price as a steam deck, 399$

[@krisaim]

Hi Russ. As usual a great honest video. I fall into the 5%. I'm pretty sure it's far more than 5% mind. Firstly the price in the scheme of things is a bargain at £199 UK. Why? Well already in a short time has had me kicking up my feet, laying back and playing my games. I've even upgraded to PS Plus Extra. Personally I feel this is what Sony are aiming for. Loads if games in there I've never played and don't have to buy them. I'm a physical games man. I have so many to wade through and already I've finished two games. I guess at heart I prefer gaming on a handheld. Yes I've tried Backbone but after an hour or so of play my hands hurt. I don't want to play on my phone. I certainly won't now I've had Portal. I'd never go back and that speaks volumes. To anyone on the fence, it's simple. Got $199 or £199 and love playing games anywhere in the house or at a friend's while they hog the PS5? This is for you. Thanks Russ.😊

[@Rakiell]

From the outside in, why would I want to buy this if I don't own a ps5? This seems like a lot of extra finances just to be able to stream a few games that are already on PC.

[@milo_andrs]

I love mine, got it day one. Life and day better experience than remote play anywhere. The device is barebones; however, I think it is going to become a seriously good device as they release firmware updates. It works for me whenever I am working from home and got a break, I grab it. So far I haven't had anything but a flawless experience in my house, regardless of the floor or room.

[@stervr2153]

I’m a switch fanboy who recently got a ps5. I love playing the switch handheld so this was right up my alley

[@djorgen]

The ROG Ally was just too small, had too little battery life, and in the end too expensive for what I would use it for. So I returned it. The PS Portal makes much more sense to me. It has a bigger screen, great controller, 4-5 hours battery life, and I can chill in the sofa/bed/wherever and play my whole PS4/PS5 collection, for a fraction of the price of an Ally. I like it!

[@bazanime]

Then you really didnt need a device like the Ally afterall. This niche streaming device is what you needed and that just fine, it good you found your true lane. The Ally and similar devices is a totally different device for a different demographic.

[@djorgen]

@@bazanime Yep for sure. Always hard to know these things before you buy one and get to try it out.

[@28kingofkings]

Sony should have gone with an honest to goodness next Gen PSP handheld. The original PSP changed the gaming experience and made Nintendo step up their game

[@jimmymyers]

Too bad they can't take all these PS4s I see sitting around in stores and shrink them down into a handheld. Give the PS4 a proper last hurrah

[@solkalibri1376]

It is the next gen PSP. It's called Playstation Portal - PSP. Gets?

[@28kingofkings]

@@solkalibri1376 if I remember correctly the original psp was independent of its generation’s PlayStation consoles. The PlayStation portal is dependent on this generation’s PlayStation console

[@fantasytky28]

​@@28kingofkingsand? Living in the past? Its the future we are in

[@dopespillcomics]

I’m interested in the PlayStation Portal.. I did some trophy hunting recently and this would’ve been nice.. There are also games like Persona 5 that I want to play on my PlayStation ( instead of my Switch) but I also prefer to play that game on a handheld.. Thanks for the great review as always!

[@dnice4145]

Love your comics review channel. It's a great device I own it, its worked flawlessly for me. Make sure your ps5 is wired to your router via ethernet.

[@ericasencio9515]

Bro, you nailed it when you said your kids are playing the switch and taking up your tv. When I want to play, they're usually playing switch or watching a movie. Now that I've got a PS portal, they can play switch, or stream Netflix on our PS4 while I play right next to them or in another room. I used to use my laptop to remote play my ps4 and I was considering doing that with my ps5 until this was released. I agree that it should've been cheaper and I hope they released some kind of software update that allows for other functionality such as stream shows/movies, but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE having a dedicated PS5 streaming accessory. I also have an excellent pair or Bluetooth Sony Headphones that can also be wired so that honestly doesn't bother me one bit. Verdict: I love my ps portal!

[@AteTreeWon]

One thing I’ve noticed with the PlayStation portal is that the joysticks on the portal have way less resistance than the actual controller. Big bummer for me.

[@GarydeBrown]

Funny, mine are tighter than my controller, maybe it’s just a one off?

[@Silverjerk]

I’m a bit of a handheld fanatic. I try and pick up anything unique and interesting, and something I believe will add value to my life. I also passed on the Portal, and it’s funny you mentioned it not being a handheld, because that’s exactly why I didn’t buy it. My first thought was “this is just a PS5 accessory.” As another aside, I got my Deck OLED last week, which is getting a lot of love. The irony is that the Deck OLED with something like Chiaki is just a much better experience for most players (that already own a Deck). It feels responsive to me, and has the benefit of the OLED screen. You may miss the trigger functionality, but that’s a small price to pay for me. Long story short, there are already better solutions out there for the technically savvy crowd, and the Portal really feels like a solution for those users that use the PS5 as their main gaming device, don’t have an existing high end handheld already, and just want the ease of use and convenience of an all-in-one solution. But, if you already own a Deck, an Ally, or a Legion Go (or one of the 47 AyaNeo handhelds), there is already a good solution for streaming without some of the limitations of the Portal. Thanks for making my holiday break more joyful, Russ.

[@pentacosttb2565]

Sony saw the success of the Switch, Steam Deck and dozens of othwr handhelds and said "Let's rip off the WiiU Gamepad! That's what people want!" I'm glad Jim Ryan got the boot.

[@arvindhmani06]

Love this refreshing, unbiased, honest take about a device that's been trashed by everyone for reasons that aren't directly applicable to everybody. I don't even own a PS (never did), and the price of this particular one-trick pony did immediately jump out to me considering the ease of finding a PC game at dirt cheap prices & the all-round nature of a device like the Steam Deck. But I am not the customer they are targeting anyway. So that particular opinion is largely irrelevant.

[@ryulanda9399]

I bought it then returned it, got the Deck Oled instead 😂

[@Michael-zn9rn]

Imagine if televisions were sold for $200-280 and fuction online only. No outputs, inputs, apps, television stations and no Bluetooth

[@fantasytky28]

Is tv advertised as so? No. Goosh you people really,

[@AronGKatz]

No matter what everyone says Ross's opinion is the definitive for me

[@MrKlawUK]

agree totally about the audio - playing while wife is watching TV its still too loud. You can work around by using the touch screen volume controls to bring it down a bit more than the buttons themselves allow.

[@xKillZone99]

at first I thought it was cool it works really well when you're at home but playing it outside of your house is absolutely no different than using your phone or steamdeck, I returned mine after a few days.

[@MacenW]

Good man

[@Teremei]

I like this for the fact that I can play current gen games on a handheld with a really nice 8" screen. You can catagorize it as not a handheld, that's fine. But I am now playing every one of my PS4 and PS5 games with this thing, from now on.

[@mattsponholz8350]

Thank you for your insight! I connected hard on your remote play nostalgia. There was a stretch of time in a small apartment after my 2nd kiddo was born that the Nintendo Switch was the only way i could play games that wouldnt wake someone up. When the witcher 3 came to handheld, there were compromises, but the experience was good and i could actually play it! Freedom! 😄

[@AlexTRex3000]

I've been excited about this product from the jump. I play remote play on my iMac computer regularly since my PS5 is hooked up to the family TV. About a month ago I finally got a Nintendo Switch for my daughter and found myself enjoying the luxurious world of gaming on the couch or lying down. This product combines my frequent remote play usage and desire to game comfortably.

[@pedroferreira8623]

Russel, watching this video made me think that you might only like this device because you basically have every handheld and 200 USD isn't that much to you. However that is not the case for most people. And this is not a negative comment, it's just a thought I had. On that note, I would love for you to make a video where you pick which handhelds would you personally buy if you only had a limited budget, and it would be really interesting if you made this for different budgets. Eg: with only 100$/250$/500$/750$/1000$/1500$, which handheld(s) would you pick? It's interesting because it doesn't mean you always pick the same ones, because if you have a bigger bidget, you can pick different handhelds/accessories to play different games, like with the PS portal here.

[@Chilltechvibes]

I agree. This is an accessory and not a handheld. That is exactly how i have always thought of it. I think its fairly priced personally. The steamdeck is just so incredibly priced. I love my portal and steam deck. I just view them completely different.

[@baked7423]

it's kinda weird cuz apparently sony wants it viewed as a sort of console on sales figures which kinda makes sense but is also confusing lol

[@ralex3697]

Quite a big price difference compared to steam deck

[@Otacon1105]

It’s also how it’s marketed, I find it bizarre that people think it’s anything else

[@fafski1199]

@@ralex3697 Hmmm!!.. The portal is £200 here in the UK, while the 64GB LCD Steam Deck is now only £309. £109 more is not exactly a huge price difference or really breaking the bank, especially when you consider all of the bonuses and extras that you get with a Steam Deck. Just gaming wise, you'd not only get access to Remote Play but also gain access to XBox Game Pass, Cloud gaming, Native PC gaming, Android games and Emulation up to the PS3 (Including Nintendo Switch). The Portal is just to expensive for what it offers (which really isn't much), especially when there is a far better and more versatile alternative, that is easily within reach for many.

[@JohnDoe-zg6fn]

The first person that has actually gave this an honest review. I got the portal in launch and I have been using it more than my controller and monitor. I absolutely love it. The only thing that I would like for Sony to add is to be able to watch videos on it. Short of that it is a perfect handheld.

[@terrelllawson1719]

I’m a 41 year old gamer with a big family. I love this. I don’t have to jump of the Tv even though I haven enough to play on, but I also can sit next to my wife and play while we she watches all her holiday movies. This is for the old guys

[@carlthewinner]

I am actually really loving my PlayStation Portal. :) excited to see what you say.

[@Markeplier23]

Good news is that the firmware the portal uses is modified android, so maybe one day we can do some cool homebrew and emulation stuff

[@solkalibri1376]

It has no external memory support. Where would you place your roms for emulation?

[@fafski1199]

Although it does contain a variant of a SD662 SoC that's found in older smartphones (2018-2019), there's only a very small amount of onboard memory and storage. All of which is being reserved for a very basic Android based UI (we are talking just Megabytes in size). With a lack of storage and no spare RAM onboard, it simply means there's no easy way to hack it (ie. turn it into a Emulation or Android device). It might have been slightly easier if their was some spare RAM (if it's even unlockable) and the USB port allowed you to transfer data. Then you could then have simply used a flash drive for storage. However, even the USB port looks like its missing any internal links for data transfer and is likely just restricted to only power for charging purposes. It would require one hell of a hacking job with a lot of modification, tinkering and soldering, to change it into something else. However, knowing the hardware modding community, there's absolutely no doubt that someone will try (and undoubtedly using a lot of unnecessary time, effort and money to do so). However, online game streaming just might just be possible on it, since it does at least have a Wi-fi connection. Although though even there, any results would likely be far from stellar, due to latency issues (it only uses Wi-fi 5)

[@Markeplier23]

@@fafski1199 oh

[@fafski1199]

@@Markeplier23 BTW, it's also pointless to do so, since most peoples smartphone is likely more powerful than the SD662 SoC that's found inside it. Plus it can emulate more systems on it, can play Android or iOS games natively, can access any game Steaming service and can also use Remote Play. Just couple that to a controller and you've basically got something similar that would be even more capable and flexible (and possibly on a OLED display). Either that or just buy one of the cheap Chinese retro handheld for $50-$100 that comes with 1000's of pre-loaded retro games already on it (Some really aren't that bad, TBH)

[@pbidd]

any chance they’ll end up going the Wii U route and using the screen for in-game maps and inventory menus etc? Seems like a missed marketing opportunity to not have a game that utilizes the device this way.

[@ralex3697]

A few updates will make it more interesting, I sometimes have no desire to play on the TV so it is suitable for my purpose

[@metalbass211]

I don't have one yet but I'll probably get one eventually, even though I have a Steam Deck. I'm not likely to spend $200 on a pro controller unless it has a screen on it. I basically consider this a pro controller since I probably won't be taking it anywhere. Second reason I'm going to get it is because I really hope Sony makes an actual handheld and that's not gonna happen if the Portal flops.

[@nefariou5]

I've been playing my ps5 with my STeam Deck for months, so don't really see the appeal of this outside of the ignorant masses that just don't know any better (as Russ detailed himself), and $200 is nuts of a controller with a screen.

[@jenzfc]

We use this all the time, love it deeply.

[@CosmicKangaroo]

I personally have no use for a PlayStation Portal as im using Chiaki on my Steam Deck has been flawless for me, I have played a good amount of Modern Warfare 2019 single player on it and it feels like its installed on the Deck itself.