Sony's newest PS5 handheld has plenty of pros and cons for specific types of players. Let's talk. Subscribe for more: / gameranxtv ▼▼ Watch more 'Before You Buy': bit.ly/2kfdxI6
@@NickRoxx100it’s not even close to the “exact same thing”. This is an actual controller and backbones are not. The sticks on a back bone are atrocious. Literally worse feeling then joycon. Additionally this is cheaper. 200$ all in vs a backbone for 100$ and u need a really good (expensive) smart phone to get close to this level of functionality so thats another 800-1K. Not everyone has a top of the line cellphone. U are so off base it’s kind funny 😂
I've seen plenty of positive reviews 😮 sold out, better streaming device than ur phone since its built for that and only that. Also I don't like to drain my phone battery to 0% in one hour 🙃 In Finland we basically get 5G unlimited to our phones for a cheap price a month so I'm gonna share from phone if WiFi is not available 😊 looking forward to this.
@mechanicalmonk2020 Jacob R also does a good job at that, and even how it was truly made with no self repair in mind. I would say the only true downfall for this device is that it does not offer a way to access a web browser so you can log into wi-fi's that require a portal sign in thus ruining the portable factor. At this point in time it's more a glorified Wii U lol. Also from Jacob R's video apparently if a game decides to start downloading an update that will also ruin your connection lol.
@@BTMaverick707terrible part is that it does have Bluetooth. Just not optimized / or running the proper standard so Sony can sell you on their expensive headset specifically made for the portal lol.
I love my portal, I got 3 kids that take up the tv, and when theyre in bed my wife watches. You absolutely nailed that this is for people that still want to game and not leave the room. Ive been able to finish Spiderman 2 with it...first time i finished a game in a long time.
@@dr.sivavignesh664depends on how much room he has available as well. You get a monitor and you need to set that up somewhere which then leads to getting a stand / desk. Maybe it's a small apartment or he just likes his couch better lol.
OP I just want to point out that at least you recognize that they (the Wii U GamePad and PS Portal) both have two completely different functions and intended uses, instead of the majority who are directly comparing the two as if they both function the same.
I have used this every single day since it came out for hours every day, it’s the only way I’ve played PS5 since it came out. I live with my dad as I chose to live with him in the last years of his life to appreciate my time with him, and we watch TV/movies together every night, and because of this I am able to play while spending time with him so, for me, it’s amazing. Totally understand those who don’t care for it, but for some of us out there it’s perfect.
What games do you play? I ask because I stream GOW from my ps4 to the backbone and it lags. I want to plan my upgrade but am not willing to pay 200 bucks if most current games are lagging.
So you're able to not actually watch tv with him and sit there playing games instead of actually TRULY spending time with him? Hahha, sounds like my grump parents who just ignore each other for hours on end on each of their tablets.
Two things real quick: first is don’t ever feel like the intro is getting annoying or old. It’s become a welcoming sound of trustable knowledge. Second. I don’t care if you guys are months late. You have become the staple and only voice to listen to for reviews. Love how you even will critique each other. And just know you guys are THEE staple for gaming reviews and info. Keep it up
The PlayStation portal is something I didn't know I needed until I used it. I've been gaming way more since I've gotten it. There's something about laying in bed and playing my PS5 in my hands. Absolutely awesome.
personally love remote play, when i’m traveling, sitting at a coffee shop, hanging out on campus, remote play is a gem. was stoked about this but not being able to throw it in my bag is a bit of a negative to me. i throw my ipad in my bag and play that way and it’s perfect. might just stick with that
I got a kit off Amazon that included a screen protector, plastic cover for the system, and a carrying case, and it survived a month in my rucksack just fine.
I just wish we had a real handheld portable PlayStation console. Even if it was mainly for backwards compatibility with PS2, PS3 games with rempte play for PS5 and some original games of it's own
It’s for me. Here’s my use case: I’m a dad of 2 young ones. There’s often a fight for screen time. Also, I don’t want to disappear to plays games by myself. I don’t have the patients to make remote play work. So the idea of a system that just works, has me excited.
This is definitely for a narrow audience but I think it is going to really hit the spot for certain people. I've been enjoying getting in some extra play time while my wife can watch whatever show she wants
My partner wants to buy one, but is worried about delay, does the handheld unit feel the same as playing on the tv. He would like to get one purely so if im watching tv he can still game and not feel like hes taking over the tv.
I opted for the backbone (with my iPhone 15 pro) given the infrequency of playing remotely, but having that option available to me. Does the job. But if you’re going to be playing for long sessions and money isn’t too much of an object I can understand there’s an audience for this.
Only problem ( as of now) with playing remotely is the portal does not have a web browser or option available to pull up some type of browser, so if a wi-fi signal ( hotel, fast food, airplane, etc) requires a portal sign in then you can't play remotely. Like this video stated ( which is probably also why Sony didn't release a carrying case for the device also) it's more for at home play or if you are visiting someone else who has a wifi signal you just need to input a password for.
@@TheCommanderTacoOh wow I knew bout no web browser but didn't think about not being able to connect on guest WiFis as most of them require web access like you mentioned. With no Bluetooth on top = no go for me 😢
Bro the backbone is better in my opinion you can play more games on ps remote play and even on your Xbox and steam and it only cost me 70 dollars on Black Friday I think the reason it’s sold out is because a lot of parents bought it and thought you didn’t need a ps5 I know jimmy is gonna be mad this Christmas 😂 😡
if someone wants to buy the playstation portal, by all means do it then. but i’m having a hard time understanding the point and innovation in this thing. 1) if i want to play games on my console when i can directly play on it, i fire up the free app on my phone or laptop and boom i’m in. AND i still have the comfort of the dualsense. and honestly, if someone needed a viable, high quality to play their ps5 is the tv is being used by something else, i’m sure they found a solution long before this handheld (“handheld”?) was released. it’s a little frustrating cause sony put all this effort into this device when they could have made a true, stand alone handheld
Listen. If you are like me, a dad gamer, that just wants to play on the go, this thing is a major W. Case and point, just got back from a true field test. I had the device across state on a family trip. Our cabin had reliable WiFi (500 Mbps) My PS5 on my home network is direct plugged into my upstairs router so we are good network wise (1G). We had a little lag initially, which is to be expected, I was on the other side of my state. I connected after a couple of minutes and every time afterwards, I was just fine. I played Spider Man 2, Hogwarts Legacy, and 2k with no issues.
Thank you for the honest review Jake, I would buy this on a heartbeat if it were a portable console but I have never been a fan of remote play. Great review guys, keep it up!
@@hubbabubba5177 I own PS5 and I'll purchase a steamdeck soon. The one MAJOR drawback is having to purchase all the games later or at least some. PS5 games i usually own on a disc which is only for PS5 use. It's an additional cost on top of having to buy a handheld. So I can see why not a lot would want to do that.
I have a sick family member at home and I want to spend as much time with her as possible. The Playstation Portal allows me to play my PS5 games, mainly MLB The Show, while lying next to my loved one. Otherwise, if I wanted to play we would be in separate rooms. So yes, I'm so glad to have the Playstation Portal. For the most part, my streaming has been excellent with the PS5 connected directly to my AX11000 router and 500mbps internet speeds. Everyone has their use case for this device.
I know a lot of people don’t love this thing, but it’s amazing for someone who works long hours and just wants to go home, lay down and game. From what I’ve seen is that the people who don’t like this thing aren’t the right audience. I love it.
@@theramennoodler7950 exactly if you already have a decent phone and already have controllers this device is very much a if you got cash to burn device it fills a hole that sony already had a solution to which just makes me laugh
The biggest gripe I've heard that you hadn't mentioned was the lack of Web browser on this device. The hiccup being public Wifi sites that require you to sign in or agree to their terms. This absolutely killed it for me because my interest in this device stems from constant work out of town and nights in hotel rooms. Without being able to sign into hotel wifi through a browser this device is all but useless in my ideal situation 😮💨.
@@Cani-Gulah who's traveling with a massive PS5? The point of this is being able to game without needing it. I don't have room in my work vehicle for the huge ps5 and possibly a monitor.
I think you nailed it for who this geared towards. People like me who don’t always have access to the tv. I would love this instead of having to watch home alone again, which I’ve probably watched 30 times over the past week.
I said this on another video from someone else, and the comments went nuts saying they "deserve it" and it's good because that means cheap used Portals for sale... Super cool to see the community here isn't so spiteful and mean over nothing
If this was more of a handheld console, this would be an immediate buy. The use case for me is just not there yet. If I was fighting over a tv with children or my wife I could see myself getting this. Right now it’s just not for me, I’m okay with that though. I hope they do a second iteration eventually when it becomes a need for me in the future
I agree completely. If they had made this a truly portable console, even for $300, it would be an immediate buy. This is cool for what it does, it just could have been so much more. Instead of competing with the switch or steamdeck, it only competes with your phone/backbone.
@@jthrock2491 I hope this is them testing the water to see if this is still something the general public really cares about. It’d be cool to have a seamless transition for remote play, and also have full cross play from console to handheld. The thing that killed the vita was lack of support and lack of cross play. If I could seamlessly play uncharted, last of us and infamous on my ps3 and play it on my vita it would’ve been incredible. Instead they made dedicated games and then failed to continue to release them after launch.
Well sony isn't going to make a ps vita 2 and it's a bad idea. Cope harder for the ps portal because you want sony to waste more resources to separate SKUs to sabotage their consoles and there is a reason why the vita is a failure. Deal with it kid hahaha
I love mine. I play while the kids watch their stuff and even pulled it out the other day when my controller died and got to keep playing. I know there are things that could make it even better, but it does what I need right now.
I can appreciate your POV and it not being for you, but you nailed it right on the head for who benefits most from this. I’ve had one a couple weeks and it’s incredible. No more moving the console around from room to room if I want to play and someone is using the TV. I can just fire up my Portal and get to gaming.
Dubious market to break into... Nintendo has their branded market niche with the Switch, but mobile phones are becoming increasingly capable of doing games with PS4 graphics atm.
Essentially, if the product good enough you can have enough to buy both! I mean Apple has iPhone 15 pro and pro max iPhone 15 and 15 plus and always sell Same with the tablets... iPad 12.9 pro iPad 11 inch pro iPad Air iPad 9th gen iPad mini All do the same thing and Apple still sell
@@Beer_Wolf Mobile gaming ISN'T A THING NOR A LEGIT MARKET. DIFFERENT CUSTOMER BASE! Also most Mobile games look worse than PS2 Titles. So that ps4 graphics crap can be thrown in the trash. Also no mobile developer will invest into "ps4 level graphics". Don't lump mobile hardware with gaming hardware.
So if the stick drift happens here the whole device needs to be replaced?? Stick drift is still an issue with PS5 controllers and this is build on the same platform
I have a Steam Deck and having a handheld with a toddler running around is SO NICE bc I just can’t sit at my gaming pc when she’s awake. So I can see how this would be useful to many people. I will always suggest steam deck over any other handheld but I guess if this is just a remote play situation then that’s neat. Steam Deck has gyro which is so cool for aiming in FPS games.
Yeah, I have a Steam Deck and I love using it for remote play. Honestly, I'm obsessed with the dual sense controller tech, so for a second, I was tempted, but there's really no point for me when I have my Steam Deck. But if they make a second one that can store games locally, I'd be very interested in getting it.
Plus the gyro can activate only when you’re touching the stick which makes a huge difference! So you can shift around on the couch or whatever without aiming all over the place. Love it
I love that he's always playing the Steam Deck or this or whatever by the most random things you would never play by in real life. Over a trashcan? Leaning against a dumpster? In a random alley? So funny.
For people / familys that share a single TV (or any amount of TV's where they can't always play when they want) - this is who this is for. If you're fortunate enough to sit in your room and play uninterrupted by yourself, remember that you're fortunate and not everyone is.
My problem is my wife and daughter want to be using the PS5 when they're on the TV, so this thing is useless for me. I'd just have to get a 2nd PS5 or something. Got a Steam Deck OLED instead, and it's amazing.
This is for people that they know will spend the two hundred bucks because of the logo on the back of it. Half of the people in here glorifying this thing would be talking shit about it if it had a round logo with an X on the back of it. 🤣
That would be true if the remote play worked with no issues, not the case. Might as well use your tablet or phone and you don't have to spend 200$. So this thing is just for people who don't know better.
@blickedxb this was very eloquently said, thank you! I dont get why xbox gets the hate they get, for things that others do worse. Could you imagine if xbox didn't have day 1 game pass releases, then one day just stopped giving you monthly free games, then raised the price of the online membership which they force you to pay in order to play online multiplayer even though none of their first party game has online multiplayer? People would have a field day
That looks cool, definately getting one, sometimes my kids are using the tv, this gives me a chance to go to the next room and catch up with my games 👍🏼👌🏻
Guys- I don’t even play games too often but as a gamer dad, this thing is AWESOME. Sure there’s limitations (that’s why it’s only $199) but feels great, plays great and the screen is honestly solid for 1080
Bought one as I didn't want to hog the TV all the time, and I absolutely love it! I went from playing an hour or so a week to picking this thing up multiple times a day. It lets me squeeze in a few mini sessions a day in between chores, I only play it home, so I've had no issues with latency. (I've been able to play Cyberpunk and GTAO with friends and had zero issues with latency :D) About three weeks in, unfortunately the left analog stick stopped responding, so now I need to send it back to get a replacement which might take 3 weeks as they are low on stock :/ Still highly recommend, just the comfort of gaming from different parts of the house in a handheld format and not having to hog the TV makes it worth it for me. If you want to game but "Can't find the time" with work and chores, this is worth every penny!
@@Mr.Beefy69 I have a 1 Gig line connected by lan to the console at home. But, I also paired it with my friend's console which had 200 something mbps and was able to use it fine. I did notice a little lag occasionally once in 15 mins or so for really fast scenes.
Since linking my PS5 to my router using an ethernet cable, my experience playing the portal at home has been pretty smooth. We have one TV in the household. (no, I'm not tight it's just weird as I live with the gf and we don't have kids). I love how the Mrs can watch her shows whilst I play FC24 on the couch using the portal and still remain social. I've used Sony remote play on the ipad and the haptic were poor, the portal resolves that issue with a built in dual sense.
As a casual gamer and dad, I love mine. Dont get me wrong, I love playing on my actual gaming monitor but it isnt always practical with a little one. Especially not being able to wear noise cancelling headphones and only focus in on a game until everyone is in bed. Youre exactly right about know what you are getting into when purchasing the portal. I can still play fps and anything else just fine. The pro gamer/streamers probably wont buy into this because it seems Playstation made this for those who love gaming for fun (not necessarily people whose whole livelihood is streaming, no offense to them) on top of making it easier to play games that were dropping $60 on. Its not necessarily made for people who crank on their systems settings and totally immerse themselves to have the best K/D ratio. I do look forward to eventually picking up some ear buds but those have a lot of versatility. Great video overall! Im also curious as to why they chose to not use BT. Youre probably right about the ecosystem idea.
This isn't just an accessory for gaming parents! My wife has a disability that makes her sensitive to flashing lights and loud noises, so this is a perfect way to accommodate for that when we are both on the couch and she needs a break from big screen TV. I've only been playing my PS5 on the Portal since it came out and I love it! Just finished Lies of P with no issues too. The Portal is still a niche accessory but I thought people should know about another use case for it.
This device (console? handheld? whatever) isn’t for me, but I do hope it sells well enough for Sony and PlayStation to consider really getting back into the handheld market. I LOVED my PSP as a kid, and there is absolutely a market for something similar waited to be tapped. The Vita was before it’s time, if it had released even a couple of years later where wireless connections and data plans were more prevalent I think it would’ve succeeded. As someone who travels a lot, I’ve seriously considered the Steam Deck or other competitors, but I haven’t pulled the trigger on one yet. I may do it soon, but I’m waiting on the day Sony announces a fully functional PSP equivalent. Maybe in 2025
I use mine every day. Its fantastic. I have 3 kids, and one tv. Now I can chill with my kids and game. And its so much better than a backbone, and its only $200. That's not expensive at all.
@@Ryan-tn4gk and it's miles better than a clunky phone and clip. Better, bigger screen. Dedicated device. frees up my phone for calls. Doesn't eat up the battery.
With all niche use-cases considered, I was very close to pulling the trigger on this, but my biggest issue was not being able to cloud stream games with ps plus premium. If my PS4 & switch can do it, there’s no reason this can’t- even with required access to a PS5.
I would love to get one but cloud gaming/streaming games isnt where it needs to be yet for consistent connection speeds you have to be in a certain spot in your home or wherever I wish technology would get to that point already
As someone who has a bad experience with it in the past, it’s waaaay better now. I think trying remote play using something lower cost of entry (backbones are on sale rn) and figuring out your home network is worth it. I use my ISP router with a wired extension for my master bedroom, and it works beautifully anywhere at home and even on 5G networks (laggier, but almost no shuttering and full 1080p)
I agree it has gotten better but it’s still not good enough for a consistent experience across all game types. I’ll stick with my Wii U 😉 JK I don’t have one of those
I really hope this is successful so the next version comes with more features like streaming directly from PS Plus or better yet, Sony decides to make a new standalone portable device again. Because If it doesn't sell well, we may never get another portable device.
This thing is pretty dope especially for older games in my opinion would’ve been a home run if it at least had oled , better wifi and better latency for shooters but who knows maybe we will get a PS Portal Pro haha
Thanks for a good video! I have 3 questions: 1) Why not just use your phone/tablet and PS5 controller? Is performance better on the Portal? 2) Does it only work on your home network? So no traveling with it at all? 3) Do you need an insane mesh router to get a good performance? We have really fast wifi (which I don’t believe matters if it’s only local?) but our router is very standard and no mesh
1) idk. I don't know how it could be much better unless it has dedicated decompression hardware. You are getting a bigger screen than a phone. Possibly more battery life, and it leaves your phone free for other things. 2) In the video he says he also tried playing using his home console from his office via (fast) internet. So I presume that is also possible? The portal would need to connect to a good WiFi signal. So I doubt a WiFi hotspot from a phone would have the bandwidth, and would maybe introduce too much latency? Plus it would eat a lot of data. 3) Fast WiFi (6) would matter for local streaming (preferably in the same room with line of sight) . Fast internet wouldn't matter so much if you are playing local.
My brother in law got one and besides input being delayed during online games, it looks and runs single player games really well with no input lag. Gta v ran good with the graphics all the way up.
For me this would scratch the itch, like you said, to just do something in a Like a Dragon type game. Something turn based that doesn't require a lot of attention. I'm intrigued, but still very much on the fence.
i got a busy house so i dont get much gaming-on-tv unless it's late at night. i would only play COD or BF since it was late and i didnt want to do long missions in a RPG. Now i can use the portal when the tv is in use and be able to play wtv game i like. So now i get best of both worlds. less intense RPGs during the day/afternoon on the portal (and i dont have to worry about input lag) and then if i want, twitch shooters at night on the TV.
Honestly, I don’t see the point as I already use remote play on an iPad. It’s fine if you don’t have access to other remote play devices, but my iPad already serves that function for me.
@@juice6521 Some of you must be living somewhere crazy. 200 bucks is almost nothing, it's an absolute bargain for a device like this. You want a device that is able to play games locally, yet that would probably cost more than a ps5 itself. Just look at the steamdeck. But at a third of that it's too expensive? Just how? Also a new TV for 200 bucks, best of luck buying the shittiest tv thats probably not even 1080p and still has a shitty panel, latency af and what not.
I don't need it, I'll never need it. Why would I play my PS5 on a 1080 p streaming device when I have a 4K TV as most of PS5 owners do. Personally I see no point of this device but well each to their own
It really is a great device for parents I'm a new dad and I can literally feed my child while my wife watches her shows and play cod with friends and Ive only had dips when my PS5 isn't hardwired to the router. Ever since I hardwired it it's smooth as hell I was at my parents house yesterday and they live 3 hours away took it 3 minutes to connect to my PS5 over my parents WiFi and I let my dad play the new mortal Kombat with no lag it's pretty awesome
Yup its insane. I often use it between my home (Oslo) and my university (Trondheim) which is an hour by plane. Even tried it while at JFK and was really impressed!
If I could use it for media apps and to stream games directly, I would be somewhat interested. But as it is now, it's an easy pass. Apparently there's a lot of Dad gamers that this works for though, so I'm glad it exists for them.
I’m the gamer dad with family that takes over tv, but the Steam Deck with Chiaki serves this purpose for me already. This device does look nice and premium, but I wish it had some sort of direct connection to the PS5.
Ooh, I never even thought about that. I'm interested in it but was going to wait a bit to see longer term reviews. That's now the top of the list of things I'll be searching for. Good catch!
I have to say it. I admit. I didn't like your personality at first. I followed Gameranx because I'm a fan of Falcon. But you have really grown on me, Jake. Keep the great content coming!
few weeks into this, and I'm remote playing all over the world, at my friends, my relatives, travels, public places with no problem, it's way better than backbone, I throw it away lol
I’ve sank 15+ hours into my backlog of Assassins Creed games and Hogwarts Legacy this past week on the Portal and am having an absolute blast. This thing was absolutely made for RPGs and playing offline modes in sports games like FUT and 2K MyCareer. For your big screen story games like Last of Us and God of War, do that on your TV, but New Game+ on this thing is next level. I forget I’m not playing a game natively half the time.
Awesome video and I definitely learned a lot. Maybe someone can answer some of my remaining questions: 1) can you access other apps like Netflix or TH-cam? 2) we only have 1 ps5, if I were to turn the console on and log in and then my boyfriend were to log in as well, would I be able to play on the portal with my account while my boyfriend plays on the tv with his??? 3) Can you play online games? Like GTA V?
Love it, the into, the consistency. I’m all for trying new things and keeping things fresh but this intro in your voice (coming from a viewers perspective) lets me know I’m about to hear an opinion from someone who has gained my trust over years and not wasting my time, giving something of value. It’s weird to say and think about and I’m sure it makes ya feel weird with it being your own voice and such but literally it’s like a bell in my head, (the viewer), that my time isn’t going to be wasted, the type of info I’m getting, and from a perspective I respect. Keep it up man! Love the innovation in the channel and the face cam shots but don’t dump that into! It should be immortalized in gaming content history. God bless brotha!
I just use my Steam Deck as my remote play for console games. Sure, it has a little bit of leg work to setup. But it's worth it just to have all options available to you.
@@laser1373You can't, nor can you get haptic feedback or adaptive triggers. It's limited to 2-3 hours battery life and an 800p 7" display. You have to use a third party app that has imprecise analog stick inputs. It's better used for playing games on Steam rather than PlayStation Remote Play.
@@laser1373 I don't have a Steam Deck, but there's a 3rd party android app called PSPlay that lets you use Remote Play with any controller you want. I've used it to stream PS4 games on my Retroid Pocket 3+ and using a no-name, $25 gamepad with my phone.
One day when the internet infrastructure is better then maybe streaming will be more practical. This one isn't for me personally right now but I can see the appeal especially for older gamers who share a TV with the fam.
I would totally buy a stand-alone handheld from Sony, but as someone who has a very nice TV to game with, this just didn't interest me enough to spend $200
@@jonnX20 Why not just your phone with a Backbone/Kishi/GameSir then? Cheaper and probably a better screen... Since most phones sport a 90-120hz OLEDs these days. Way better portability and better WiFi module for higher speeds on phones aswell. Plus you actually got Bluetooth working....
@@dorayaki5494 because it's a dedicated device that's only a 100 bucks more than a backbone with haptic feedback and a much bigger screen that looks great. It's better than using your phone and a backbone in a million ways I've had mine since the 20th and I use it all the time
@@dorayaki5494 honestly play however you want but being able to have my phone free plus all the perks of a bigger screen and the PS5 remote all in one thing it's great. But just like he said in the video its not for everyone but for me it's great I have a baby and a wife this lets me play my games and multitask and not have to wait for the TV to be free or to move my PS5 into my bedroom
While I wouldn't use this to play big AAA games it would be very chill for smaller in-between games. My biggest issue with it is the price. That's just not worth $200 for me.
Sony has a very specific audience for this, and $200 is actually not that bad. It's cheaper than other pc hand held or a second phone/tablet just for remote play purposes.
I've been playing Ghost of Tsushima, Lords of the Fallen, Demon's Souls, Remnant II, Trepang2, and Star Ocean Second Story R on mine. I've seen others playing Final Fantasy 16 and Spider Man 2. Why wouldn't you play AAA games on it? They look and play fantastic on the 1080p display in the Portal. Low-fi games may have better experiences on handhelds than on TVs, but AAA games look great on the display the Portal has. I'm hoping the Switch 2 has this model of IPS screen as the vividness of colors is the same as OLED.
I love mine. Even though I have access to a tv whenever I want, sometimes you just wanna lay down and play something while you’re listening to a basketball game or football game in the background
I'm a Self-Employed Designer and I'm always working 12hrs a day it seems. This has been the best $200 I've spent on a gaming device. While I do have the SteamDeck and I can already play my PS5 remotely with it, it is not the same thing as holding actual controllers. I also have a Backbone and those who try to compare it, just stop lol, it is absolutely not the same thing. I've never realized people were so into bluetooth headphones, all my gaming headphones have been wired and I have zero issues with that. Anyhow, the Portal has brought me back the joy of gaming. I also think that everyone's experience will be different in terms of streaming, I've had zero issues with it and it just runs smooth. I've already clocked in 50hrs on Call of Duty and I don't feel any latency issues, I've actually gotten pretty decent even after not playing it for years. if you have $200 to spare, Id recommend it, worth every penny unlike the PSVR2 paper weight I bought haha! (side note, it does work via mobile network, went on a trip over the holiday weekend and I was playing Call of Duty with no issues).
I have liked the idea of the Portal since it was announced/leaked. Although I would really want to try it out before buying. In my personal case, my PS5 is tethered to my sim racing rig to play GT7. Because of this, I almost never play anything else on my PS5 other than that. So I would use the portal to play other PS5 games in it without moving my PS5 to another TV. That being said, I am very sensitive to any sort of lag in my displays. I just bought a TV that I ended up hating because it has awful smearing that feels like seeing the same object in two places at once. I can’t game on it. Streaming has an associated lag with it that is unavoidable. Before the portal released I was hoping for a direct wifi connection to the PS5 as an option for playing in your own home, that would greatly reduce latency. That is what the Wii U gamepad uses and I never felt annoyed by it, although I never really played split second decision games on it. So hopefully I can get my hands on one before deciding to spend $200 on something like that
Smearing is not caused by lag, but use of a VA panel, officially called ghosting. VA panels have a much higher contrast than IPS, but at the cost of ghosting. Whereas IPS do not have ghosting, but instead have grey blacks. In terms of image quality, VA is much better as you can get deep blacks and bright whites that are nearly indistinguishable from OLED. But you have to pay top dollar for the most expensive high refresh rate VA panels to have the ghosting effect reduced. Input delay is not a problem with the Portal. Only those who have poor WiFi setups are having issues. As long as you create a separate SSID for the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, connect the Portal to the 5 GHz band, and connect the PS5 to Ethernet, then you have only 1-3ms network latency. Everyone complaining that network latency is worse with the Portal than the Wii U handheld has simply never bothered to configure their WiFi correctly, or perhaps have a cheap WiFi router. Latency for the Portal in total is around 39-78 ms. Unplugging HDMI out gets you closer to 39 ms.. Which is nearly identical to the latency on the Wii U handheld which came at around 39 ms.
You can use your Sony pulse headphones wirelessly with the portal,tried the other day and worked great so you really don't need the new headphones that are coming out if you don't want too
I have several devices that can remote play and the Portal beats them all. As shown in this video it’s the speed/simplicity of how it connects to the PS5 - I just wake it + press the PS button and it connects.
Since the PS Vita was abandoned within a week by Sony, I’ll never buy anything else from them aside from their consoles. Hell I haven’t even gotten the PS5.
Same. I'm glad there's more competition, and handheld stuff is booming. I love my steam deck and don't have a need for anything else. But having the Ally, the Switch, and now this thing, good stuff. But like you said, don't trust Sony after how they treated the Vita.
The big problem with this is existing options. A Backbone or similar can already do it, but I guess what they are lacking is a controller that feels like DualSense; and PS5 games are made for a TV, whereas phone screens are just not big enough. The other option is remote play via a tablet/laptop using a DualSense controller; this option is my preferred but obviously you aren't in handheld mode; if you already have a high end laptop/tablet with an amazing screen, then this option to me seems much better than Portal. Portal makes sense if you want a big screen as a handheld, niche. But it still interest me because a large screen on a handheld is great for my living situation.
None of these are as good as owning a Portal with official PlayStation Remote Play support, full DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and a 1080p 8" display with OLED-like color vividness. The Backbone is uncomfortable to hold with an adult hand as there's no grip and sticks are in an awkward location. It also doesn't support PlayStation Remote Play, so you need a third party app which has imprecise analog stick mapping. Using the DualSense controller with a laptop is incredibly uncomfortable. The point of a handheld is that you can play games from any angle and carry it anywhere. I can lay on my back on the sofa or bed, or use it from the toilet.
I will Always prefer purpose-built hardware over using my phone/tablet. both for comfort/ease of use as well as privacy. I think $200 is a fair price for the hardware, for those of us with a use-case for it. the main issue/complaint i see about it is people's expectations, or what they wish it was. it fills the need it was made for, and honestly that's what i want from my hardware. i'm tired of everything needing to have a thousand functions. that's how we got wifi connected microwaves haha
Never thought I would get one as I did not like that it was not a standalone device. I got the 30th anniversary edition and ended up loving it and having more gaming time as I could just easily sit anywhere at home and play. I don't have to turn on the tv and worry about the baby waking up. Love having the option to just easily take it and start playing.
As a dad, this is great for playing games that are less than kiddo appropriate. Also, you can use other users on the portal, but it's a convoluted process. Lag can be a bit of an issue (really good internet connection is mandatory) but works well just around my home, when I'm hiding from kiddos. I use this mostly for side scrollers or top-down games, or games like Cyberpunk where quick reflexes/careful aiming isn't required.
Jake, this is why I listen to you. I am the same way. I'm good with having the games installed not streamed. I have solid internet and I'm okay without having it. It's not for me. All solid points 👏🏿
Yeah, this is for us, dad gamers and others with people around the house. I'm also getting one. The Bluetooth thing may be annoying, but the reason for that is latency, I'm sure in less then a year there will be Bluetooth compatible earphones, not that it matters for the ones that really care about audio (cause wired connections are the best for that)
You have no idea how great of a device this is for Dad Gamers, kids are on the TV while I'm on the couch enjoying BG3
You could've just remote play with any monitor dude.
I mean you could just use your phone with a back bone and do the same exact thing for a fraction of the price
100% agree
You’re an adult, buy them a small tv to play their games
@@NickRoxx100it’s not even close to the “exact same thing”. This is an actual controller and backbones are not. The sticks on a back bone are atrocious. Literally worse feeling then joycon. Additionally this is cheaper. 200$ all in vs a backbone for 100$ and u need a really good (expensive) smart phone to get close to this level of functionality so thats another 800-1K. Not everyone has a top of the line cellphone. U are so off base it’s kind funny 😂
One of the few people I’ve seen actually review the device for what it was meant for and not what it’s not. Good on you!
I've seen plenty of positive reviews 😮 sold out, better streaming device than ur phone since its built for that and only that. Also I don't like to drain my phone battery to 0% in one hour 🙃 In Finland we basically get 5G unlimited to our phones for a cheap price a month so I'm gonna share from phone if WiFi is not available 😊 looking forward to this.
Wulff Den's ENTIRE review takes into account what the device was meant to be (and how miserably it fails at that).
You mean for what it is lacking... from Bluetooth, Web browser, PS streaming
@mechanicalmonk2020 Jacob R also does a good job at that, and even how it was truly made with no self repair in mind.
I would say the only true downfall for this device is that it does not offer a way to access a web browser so you can log into wi-fi's that require a portal sign in thus ruining the portable factor. At this point in time it's more a glorified Wii U lol.
Also from Jacob R's video apparently if a game decides to start downloading an update that will also ruin your connection lol.
@@BTMaverick707terrible part is that it does have Bluetooth. Just not optimized / or running the proper standard so Sony can sell you on their expensive headset specifically made for the portal lol.
I love my portal, I got 3 kids that take up the tv, and when theyre in bed my wife watches. You absolutely nailed that this is for people that still want to game and not leave the room. Ive been able to finish Spiderman 2 with it...first time i finished a game in a long time.
You're a simp if you can't take control of your tv and give your kids tablets. This is $200+ , backbones are free.
Calm down there guy some people are good dads
Why not get a monitor for 200?
@@dr.sivavignesh664depends on how much room he has available as well. You get a monitor and you need to set that up somewhere which then leads to getting a stand / desk. Maybe it's a small apartment or he just likes his couch better lol.
@vandalg282 how old are you? You sound like a pre teen 😅. People live different lives and find value for their situation.
One of the very few channels that I come to for the Before You Buys. Always solid reviews.
I would have bought this in a heartbeat if this had a direct connection to the ps5 like the Wii U gamepad. The latency is a killer for me
yeah exactly the same for me, latency is such a bummer
Yep, not going to deal with the latency.
@@NickDM111 Don't Ask Questions, Just Consume Product and Then Get Excited for Next Products
nOPE, I NOTICE IT TOO MUCH IN NON COMP TYPE FPS GAMES
@@NickDM111
OP I just want to point out that at least you recognize that they (the Wii U GamePad and PS Portal) both have two completely different functions and intended uses, instead of the majority who are directly comparing the two as if they both function the same.
I have used this every single day since it came out for hours every day, it’s the only way I’ve played PS5 since it came out. I live with my dad as I chose to live with him in the last years of his life to appreciate my time with him, and we watch TV/movies together every night, and because of this I am able to play while spending time with him so, for me, it’s amazing. Totally understand those who don’t care for it, but for some of us out there it’s perfect.
Cheers to you and your dad, enjoy!
you're the biggest chad on this comment section
What games do you play? I ask because I stream GOW from my ps4 to the backbone and it lags.
I want to plan my upgrade but am not willing to pay 200 bucks if most current games are lagging.
So you're able to not actually watch tv with him and sit there playing games instead of actually TRULY spending time with him? Hahha, sounds like my grump parents who just ignore each other for hours on end on each of their tablets.
@jonny-b4954 not everyone has to be like you Johnny.
Two things real quick: first is don’t ever feel like the intro is getting annoying or old. It’s become a welcoming sound of trustable knowledge. Second. I don’t care if you guys are months late. You have become the staple and only voice to listen to for reviews. Love how you even will critique each other. And just know you guys are THEE staple for gaming reviews and info. Keep it up
The PlayStation portal is something I didn't know I needed until I used it. I've been gaming way more since I've gotten it. There's something about laying in bed and playing my PS5 in my hands. Absolutely awesome.
You could've done that already dude?
with so many devices like your smartphone to stream and play ps5.. this portal thing is unnecessary
I've been doing this since 2014. In those 9 years Sony has not improved the core technology AT ALL. The portal was their one chance
Just to add this is not the same as playing on your ipad/phone using a backbone. It feels totally different. It's not the same experience.
@@Dopamine9481 you don't need a backbone...
personally love remote play, when i’m traveling, sitting at a coffee shop, hanging out on campus, remote play is a gem. was stoked about this but not being able to throw it in my bag is a bit of a negative to me. i throw my ipad in my bag and play that way and it’s perfect. might just stick with that
It's probably the same as having a controller plus Ipad in your bag
I got a kit off Amazon that included a screen protector, plastic cover for the system, and a carrying case, and it survived a month in my rucksack just fine.
I just wish we had a real handheld portable PlayStation console. Even if it was mainly for backwards compatibility with PS2, PS3 games with rempte play for PS5 and some original games of it's own
Steam deck….
@@justin505k now make it play the PS2 ultimate Spider-Man, web of shadows and the inFamous games
It was called the Vita and it was glorious.
There was the psp (playstation portable) and the ps vita
There's steam deck and a few other PC hanheld devices if you don't mind a longer wait for PS exclusive games.
It’s for me. Here’s my use case: I’m a dad of 2 young ones. There’s often a fight for screen time. Also, I don’t want to disappear to plays games by myself. I don’t have the patients to make remote play work. So the idea of a system that just works, has me excited.
Patience *
@@charliebags69I bet this comment was the highlight of your day.
@@charliebags69I wasn’t Russian
@@JackJackson955I deserved it
Hear me out, just buy a TV for $100? Or a second monitor of any kind?
7:20 I love how Jake is playing literally by a dumpster, like some dude taking a last sip of soda before throwing away the bottle
I'm a dad and super stoked about it. Perfect for playing around the house while the kids are playing. Remote Play has always been awesome for me.
I love it as my console is in the room and sometimes i like to sit out in the living room and talk to my wife while she watches her shows
Exactly why I've bought it! How are you getting on with it now? Are the speakers ok?
This is definitely for a narrow audience but I think it is going to really hit the spot for certain people. I've been enjoying getting in some extra play time while my wife can watch whatever show she wants
simp.
Same here! it have become my "go-to" device.
by narrow you mean anyone who wants to play ps5 on the go?
Buy another tv
@@iHeartOiSkanks lol, I’m sure living rooms look really nice with 2 TVs with 2 seperate pieces of furniture and maybe a second set of sofas lol
My brother owns a PS5 & I'm a carer for my mum so its been so handy for me to pick up & play for an hour here & there
hope your mum gets better!
My partner wants to buy one, but is worried about delay, does the handheld unit feel the same as playing on the tv. He would like to get one purely so if im watching tv he can still game and not feel like hes taking over the tv.
Just tell him to buy a PC monitor
@JonCollinsMedia stay butthurt towards the ps portal selling well Nintendo switch fanboy 😂
I opted for the backbone (with my iPhone 15 pro) given the infrequency of playing remotely, but having that option available to me. Does the job. But if you’re going to be playing for long sessions and money isn’t too much of an object I can understand there’s an audience for this.
Only problem ( as of now) with playing remotely is the portal does not have a web browser or option available to pull up some type of browser, so if a wi-fi signal ( hotel, fast food, airplane, etc) requires a portal sign in then you can't play remotely. Like this video stated ( which is probably also why Sony didn't release a carrying case for the device also) it's more for at home play or if you are visiting someone else who has a wifi signal you just need to input a password for.
@@TheCommanderTacoOh wow I knew bout no web browser but didn't think about not being able to connect on guest WiFis as most of them require web access like you mentioned. With no Bluetooth on top = no go for me 😢
@@TheCommanderTacouse your phone as a hotspot
Bro the backbone is better in my opinion you can play more games on ps remote play and even on your Xbox and steam and it only cost me 70 dollars on Black Friday I think the reason it’s sold out is because a lot of parents bought it and thought you didn’t need a ps5 I know jimmy is gonna be mad this Christmas 😂 😡
Steam decks are top tier tho
It's for the bathroom.
😂😂😂
Men of culture assemble 😂
I can confirm this
Omg good idea
if someone wants to buy the playstation portal, by all means do it then. but i’m having a hard time understanding the point and innovation in this thing. 1) if i want to play games on my console when i can directly play on it, i fire up the free app on my phone or laptop and boom i’m in. AND i still have the comfort of the dualsense. and honestly, if someone needed a viable, high quality to play their ps5 is the tv is being used by something else, i’m sure they found a solution long before this handheld (“handheld”?) was released. it’s a little frustrating cause sony put all this effort into this device when they could have made a true, stand alone handheld
I played a majority of SpiderMan 2 using remote play. Remote play has gotten a lot better from when it started
Listen. If you are like me, a dad gamer, that just wants to play on the go, this thing is a major W. Case and point, just got back from a true field test. I had the device across state on a family trip. Our cabin had reliable WiFi (500 Mbps) My PS5 on my home network is direct plugged into my upstairs router so we are good network wise (1G). We had a little lag initially, which is to be expected, I was on the other side of my state. I connected after a couple of minutes and every time afterwards, I was just fine. I played Spider Man 2, Hogwarts Legacy, and 2k with no issues.
Why not get a Steam Deck or gaming laptop?
Thank you for the honest review Jake, I would buy this on a heartbeat if it were a portable console but I have never been a fan of remote play. Great review guys, keep it up!
Genuinely curious, why haven't you picked up a steam deck?
@@hubbabubba5177reason I haven’t is because of the limited amount games accessible to it, waiting for more games to be optimized for it.
@@hubbabubba5177 I own PS5 and I'll purchase a steamdeck soon. The one MAJOR drawback is having to purchase all the games later or at least some. PS5 games i usually own on a disc which is only for PS5 use. It's an additional cost on top of having to buy a handheld. So I can see why not a lot would want to do that.
@@hubbabubba5177the steam deck is more expensive. Does it have latency on it?
Stay butthurt Nintendo switch fanboy 🤣
RIP all the parents buying this for Xmas for kids that don't have a PS5
Lol Christmas ruined!
I have a sick family member at home and I want to spend as much time with her as possible. The Playstation Portal allows me to play my PS5 games, mainly MLB The Show, while lying next to my loved one. Otherwise, if I wanted to play we would be in separate rooms.
So yes, I'm so glad to have the Playstation Portal. For the most part, my streaming has been excellent with the PS5 connected directly to my AX11000 router and 500mbps internet speeds.
Everyone has their use case for this device.
It is the best of reasons...
A product is a tool and if it helps in what essentially matters in life, it serves its best purpose...
I know a lot of people don’t love this thing, but it’s amazing for someone who works long hours and just wants to go home, lay down and game.
From what I’ve seen is that the people who don’t like this thing aren’t the right audience. I love it.
Spot on. The people that don't like it, want a steam deck. Which is fine, just... get a steam deck instead and stop bitching
Not always they want a steam deck I see zero point in paying $200 to simply do remote play app with paired PS5 controller and it doesn't cost me $200
@@laser1373 Right, if you have already have a good phone, then you already have a superior experience, add a controller and boom superior ps portal.
@@theramennoodler7950 exactly if you already have a decent phone and already have controllers this device is very much a if you got cash to burn device it fills a hole that sony already had a solution to which just makes me laugh
reason ppl hate this is because this one is literally a controller with a screen on top :V
This is great for parents. I’ve been able to play my games while my kids are watching cartoons. I really enjoy this product.
👆🏻
How did you buy it? Resale?
The biggest gripe I've heard that you hadn't mentioned was the lack of Web browser on this device. The hiccup being public Wifi sites that require you to sign in or agree to their terms. This absolutely killed it for me because my interest in this device stems from constant work out of town and nights in hotel rooms. Without being able to sign into hotel wifi through a browser this device is all but useless in my ideal situation 😮💨.
May not be ideal but you can sign in with your phone and share that network to the portal.
Maybe not ideal but you can use spoofing if you have a laptop.
I mean, if you're already traveling with a whole ps5 anyway, you dont need this device
@@Cani-Gulah who's traveling with a massive PS5? The point of this is being able to game without needing it. I don't have room in my work vehicle for the huge ps5 and possibly a monitor.
@@Gavtoocold its remote play only. You would need to drag a console around to play it
I think you nailed it for who this geared towards. People like me who don’t always have access to the tv. I would love this instead of having to watch home alone again, which I’ve probably watched 30 times over the past week.
Why not just get a steam deck?....
@@silvafox07maybe because it's 200-300$ more?
@dirkdiggler7253 might as well. I mean, if you're on a strict budget, just use your phone . I use my Fold and it's decent
I feel bad for the parents that will buy this thinking it's a full fledged console.
As a parent I'll buy it for me, but thank you for being so considerate
they need to watch our videos
Consumers aren't as uninformed as one might think.
@@airdrighmor1439oh you would be surprised 😂
I said this on another video from someone else, and the comments went nuts saying they "deserve it" and it's good because that means cheap used Portals for sale... Super cool to see the community here isn't so spiteful and mean over nothing
If this was more of a handheld console, this would be an immediate buy. The use case for me is just not there yet. If I was fighting over a tv with children or my wife I could see myself getting this. Right now it’s just not for me, I’m okay with that though. I hope they do a second iteration eventually when it becomes a need for me in the future
I agree completely. If they had made this a truly portable console, even for $300, it would be an immediate buy. This is cool for what it does, it just could have been so much more. Instead of competing with the switch or steamdeck, it only competes with your phone/backbone.
@@jthrock2491 I hope this is them testing the water to see if this is still something the general public really cares about. It’d be cool to have a seamless transition for remote play, and also have full cross play from console to handheld. The thing that killed the vita was lack of support and lack of cross play. If I could seamlessly play uncharted, last of us and infamous on my ps3 and play it on my vita it would’ve been incredible. Instead they made dedicated games and then failed to continue to release them after launch.
@@jthrock2491300 wouldnt work maybe 400 500 dollars for s solid portable system
Agreed! I have more than one tv don’t need this…. I need a independent portable PS when the kids play. at this point I’ll just buy another ps5
Well sony isn't going to make a ps vita 2 and it's a bad idea. Cope harder for the ps portal because you want sony to waste more resources to separate SKUs to sabotage their consoles and there is a reason why the vita is a failure. Deal with it kid hahaha
I love mine. I play while the kids watch their stuff and even pulled it out the other day when my controller died and got to keep playing. I know there are things that could make it even better, but it does what I need right now.
👍🏼
I can appreciate your POV and it not being for you, but you nailed it right on the head for who benefits most from this. I’ve had one a couple weeks and it’s incredible. No more moving the console around from room to room if I want to play and someone is using the TV. I can just fire up my Portal and get to gaming.
Wonder if the Portal is PlayStation testing the market on handhelds again and come back with a stand alone
I highly doubt it Playstation didn't like they had to split the team on handheld and home consoles but that's up in the air on that
Dubious market to break into... Nintendo has their branded market niche with the Switch, but mobile phones are becoming increasingly capable of doing games with PS4 graphics atm.
Essentially, if the product good enough you can have enough to buy both! I mean Apple has
iPhone 15 pro and pro max
iPhone 15 and 15 plus and always sell
Same with the tablets...
iPad 12.9 pro
iPad 11 inch pro
iPad Air
iPad 9th gen
iPad mini
All do the same thing and Apple still sell
Doubtful seeing as this isn't a handheld but a streaming device. This would be the dumbest way of testing that out
@@Beer_Wolf Mobile gaming ISN'T A THING NOR A LEGIT MARKET. DIFFERENT CUSTOMER BASE! Also most Mobile games look worse than PS2 Titles. So that ps4 graphics crap can be thrown in the trash. Also no mobile developer will invest into "ps4 level graphics". Don't lump mobile hardware with gaming hardware.
So if the stick drift happens here the whole device needs to be replaced?? Stick drift is still an issue with PS5 controllers and this is build on the same platform
I have a Steam Deck and having a handheld with a toddler running around is SO NICE bc I just can’t sit at my gaming pc when she’s awake. So I can see how this would be useful to many people. I will always suggest steam deck over any other handheld but I guess if this is just a remote play situation then that’s neat. Steam Deck has gyro which is so cool for aiming in FPS games.
Yeah, I have a Steam Deck and I love using it for remote play. Honestly, I'm obsessed with the dual sense controller tech, so for a second, I was tempted, but there's really no point for me when I have my Steam Deck. But if they make a second one that can store games locally, I'd be very interested in getting it.
Plus the gyro can activate only when you’re touching the stick which makes a huge difference! So you can shift around on the couch or whatever without aiming all over the place. Love it
Dad gamer here: my girls are constantly taking the Portal so they can play in their room
I love that he's always playing the Steam Deck or this or whatever by the most random things you would never play by in real life. Over a trashcan? Leaning against a dumpster? In a random alley? So funny.
For people / familys that share a single TV (or any amount of TV's where they can't always play when they want) - this is who this is for.
If you're fortunate enough to sit in your room and play uninterrupted by yourself, remember that you're fortunate and not everyone is.
My problem is my wife and daughter want to be using the PS5 when they're on the TV, so this thing is useless for me. I'd just have to get a 2nd PS5 or something. Got a Steam Deck OLED instead, and it's amazing.
This is for people that they know will spend the two hundred bucks because of the logo on the back of it. Half of the people in here glorifying this thing would be talking shit about it if it had a round logo with an X on the back of it. 🤣
That would be true if the remote play worked with no issues, not the case. Might as well use your tablet or phone and you don't have to spend 200$.
So this thing is just for people who don't know better.
if you have a ps5 and the disposable income for a remote play device, you're very very fortunate
@blickedxb this was very eloquently said, thank you! I dont get why xbox gets the hate they get, for things that others do worse. Could you imagine if xbox didn't have day 1 game pass releases, then one day just stopped giving you monthly free games, then raised the price of the online membership which they force you to pay in order to play online multiplayer even though none of their first party game has online multiplayer? People would have a field day
That looks cool, definately getting one, sometimes my kids are using the tv, this gives me a chance to go to the next room and catch up with my games 👍🏼👌🏻
Guys- I don’t even play games too often but as a gamer dad, this thing is AWESOME. Sure there’s limitations (that’s why it’s only $199) but feels great, plays great and the screen is honestly solid for 1080
Bought one as I didn't want to hog the TV all the time, and I absolutely love it!
I went from playing an hour or so a week to picking this thing up multiple times a day. It lets me squeeze in a few mini sessions a day in between chores, I only play it home, so I've had no issues with latency. (I've been able to play Cyberpunk and GTAO with friends and had zero issues with latency :D)
About three weeks in, unfortunately the left analog stick stopped responding, so now I need to send it back to get a replacement which might take 3 weeks as they are low on stock :/
Still highly recommend, just the comfort of gaming from different parts of the house in a handheld format and not having to hog the TV makes it worth it for me.
If you want to game but "Can't find the time" with work and chores, this is worth every penny!
What's your internet speed?
@@Mr.Beefy69 I have a 1 Gig line connected by lan to the console at home. But, I also paired it with my friend's console which had 200 something mbps and was able to use it fine. I did notice a little lag occasionally once in 15 mins or so for really fast scenes.
Since linking my PS5 to my router using an ethernet cable, my experience playing the portal at home has been pretty smooth.
We have one TV in the household. (no, I'm not tight it's just weird as I live with the gf and we don't have kids).
I love how the Mrs can watch her shows whilst I play FC24 on the couch using the portal and still remain social.
I've used Sony remote play on the ipad and the haptic were poor, the portal resolves that issue with a built in dual sense.
As a casual gamer and dad, I love mine. Dont get me wrong, I love playing on my actual gaming monitor but it isnt always practical with a little one. Especially not being able to wear noise cancelling headphones and only focus in on a game until everyone is in bed. Youre exactly right about know what you are getting into when purchasing the portal. I can still play fps and anything else just fine. The pro gamer/streamers probably wont buy into this because it seems Playstation made this for those who love gaming for fun (not necessarily people whose whole livelihood is streaming, no offense to them) on top of making it easier to play games that were dropping $60 on. Its not necessarily made for people who crank on their systems settings and totally immerse themselves to have the best K/D ratio. I do look forward to eventually picking up some ear buds but those have a lot of versatility.
Great video overall! Im also curious as to why they chose to not use BT. Youre probably right about the ecosystem idea.
I forgot to add it'll be interesting to see what updates they roll out to enhance the portal in the future!
This isn't just an accessory for gaming parents! My wife has a disability that makes her sensitive to flashing lights and loud noises, so this is a perfect way to accommodate for that when we are both on the couch and she needs a break from big screen TV. I've only been playing my PS5 on the Portal since it came out and I love it! Just finished Lies of P with no issues too. The Portal is still a niche accessory but I thought people should know about another use case for it.
Gameranx is such a great channel I love the vids
thanks!
@@gameranxTV your welcome keep up the amazing work
For a work around for the headphones, if your still in your home you can still use your headphones in the ps5 and get sound. Heard of another video.
This device (console? handheld? whatever) isn’t for me, but I do hope it sells well enough for Sony and PlayStation to consider really getting back into the handheld market. I LOVED my PSP as a kid, and there is absolutely a market for something similar waited to be tapped. The Vita was before it’s time, if it had released even a couple of years later where wireless connections and data plans were more prevalent I think it would’ve succeeded. As someone who travels a lot, I’ve seriously considered the Steam Deck or other competitors, but I haven’t pulled the trigger on one yet. I may do it soon, but I’m waiting on the day Sony announces a fully functional PSP equivalent. Maybe in 2025
TLDR
@@undrwrldsk8fred if you can’t read just say that homie
It just did sell well. The Nintendo switch fanboys are crying hard about it hahahaha
Last or first I still wait for your Before you buy videos before buying anything game-related. Love gameranx!
I use mine every day. Its fantastic. I have 3 kids, and one tv. Now I can chill with my kids and game. And its so much better than a backbone, and its only $200. That's not expensive at all.
You live in the suburbs don't you
Well you say it's not expensive but you can literally do the same with a dual sense you have and a $10 phone clip. So it's definitely expensive
It's expensive for what you are getting
@@Ryan-tn4gk and it's miles better than a clunky phone and clip. Better, bigger screen. Dedicated device. frees up my phone for calls. Doesn't eat up the battery.
@@SilenKillGamer nah, just old and know the value of money. $200 was a lot 20 years ago. It doesn't buy much today.
I wonder how many grandparents will buy this for their grandkids for Christmas that don’t have a PS5, not knowing you actually need both smh
With all niche use-cases considered, I was very close to pulling the trigger on this, but my biggest issue was not being able to cloud stream games with ps plus premium. If my PS4 & switch can do it, there’s no reason this can’t- even with required access to a PS5.
It's coming in a future system update
@mmstick is that officially confirmed? It does sound great
@@mmstickis that officially confirmed? It does sound great
75$ for a ps5 controller and most 100$ monitors have subpar specks I'd say the price seems fair?
Tbf just got mine today so i guess time will tell
From what I understand, this is $200 that is easily spent for fathers who want to be present but also want to play the video games that they bought.
I would love to get one but cloud gaming/streaming games isnt where it needs to be yet for consistent connection speeds you have to be in a certain spot in your home or wherever I wish technology would get to that point already
As someone who has a bad experience with it in the past, it’s waaaay better now. I think trying remote play using something lower cost of entry (backbones are on sale rn) and figuring out your home network is worth it.
I use my ISP router with a wired extension for my master bedroom, and it works beautifully anywhere at home and even on 5G networks (laggier, but almost no shuttering and full 1080p)
@@Rynn21 That’s what I heard, even with good WiFi, streaming is still a downgrade.
I agree it has gotten better but it’s still not good enough for a consistent experience across all game types. I’ll stick with my Wii U 😉 JK I don’t have one of those
I really hope this is successful so the next version comes with more features like streaming directly from PS Plus or better yet, Sony decides to make a new standalone portable device again. Because If it doesn't sell well, we may never get another portable device.
This thing is pretty dope especially for older games in my opinion would’ve been a home run if it at least had oled , better wifi and better latency for shooters but who knows maybe we will get a PS Portal Pro haha
PsPP
I’m an old gamer and this product is not for us. It’s garbage.
Honestly the time and money invested in this could of been towards a PS Vita 2.
Thanks for a good video! I have 3 questions:
1) Why not just use your phone/tablet and PS5 controller? Is performance better on the Portal?
2) Does it only work on your home network? So no traveling with it at all?
3) Do you need an insane mesh router to get a good performance? We have really fast wifi (which I don’t believe matters if it’s only local?) but our router is very standard and no mesh
1) idk. I don't know how it could be much better unless it has dedicated decompression hardware. You are getting a bigger screen than a phone. Possibly more battery life, and it leaves your phone free for other things.
2) In the video he says he also tried playing using his home console from his office via (fast) internet. So I presume that is also possible? The portal would need to connect to a good WiFi signal. So I doubt a WiFi hotspot from a phone would have the bandwidth, and would maybe introduce too much latency? Plus it would eat a lot of data.
3) Fast WiFi (6) would matter for local streaming (preferably in the same room with line of sight) . Fast internet wouldn't matter so much if you are playing local.
@@CorporateZombi appreciate your reply! Those are some good points
My brother in law got one and besides input being delayed during online games, it looks and runs single player games really well with no input lag. Gta v ran good with the graphics all the way up.
For me this would scratch the itch, like you said, to just do something in a Like a Dragon type game. Something turn based that doesn't require a lot of attention. I'm intrigued, but still very much on the fence.
i got a busy house so i dont get much gaming-on-tv unless it's late at night. i would only play COD or BF since it was late and i didnt want to do long missions in a RPG. Now i can use the portal when the tv is in use and be able to play wtv game i like. So now i get best of both worlds. less intense RPGs during the day/afternoon on the portal (and i dont have to worry about input lag) and then if i want, twitch shooters at night on the TV.
I think the benefits of it are in general, understated. I think more people would like it if they tried it.
But is it worth the price for what it does though? Sure, if you have it then it's great...but you could literally just buy another TV for that price.
Honestly, I don’t see the point as I already use remote play on an iPad. It’s fine if you don’t have access to other remote play devices, but my iPad already serves that function for me.
@@juice6521 Some of you must be living somewhere crazy. 200 bucks is almost nothing, it's an absolute bargain for a device like this. You want a device that is able to play games locally, yet that would probably cost more than a ps5 itself. Just look at the steamdeck. But at a third of that it's too expensive? Just how? Also a new TV for 200 bucks, best of luck buying the shittiest tv thats probably not even 1080p and still has a shitty panel, latency af and what not.
@@manuelhv19Or just buy a tablet and do exactly what the PSP does plus much more. It's a pretty pointless device tbh.
I don't need it, I'll never need it. Why would I play my PS5 on a 1080 p streaming device when I have a 4K TV as most of PS5 owners do. Personally I see no point of this device but well each to their own
I just figured out if you use the cord that comes with it you can plug it in to a controller and the portal and use both
I actually get to play more of my games now that I have the portal.
I think $200 is a reasonable price for what it does. Now, the only challenge will be to find one lol This is taking me back to the early PS5 days 😅
It really is a great device for parents I'm a new dad and I can literally feed my child while my wife watches her shows and play cod with friends and Ive only had dips when my PS5 isn't hardwired to the router. Ever since I hardwired it it's smooth as hell I was at my parents house yesterday and they live 3 hours away took it 3 minutes to connect to my PS5 over my parents WiFi and I let my dad play the new mortal Kombat with no lag it's pretty awesome
Yup its insane. I often use it between my home (Oslo) and my university (Trondheim) which is an hour by plane. Even tried it while at JFK and was really impressed!
👍🏼
If I could use it for media apps and to stream games directly, I would be somewhat interested. But as it is now, it's an easy pass. Apparently there's a lot of Dad gamers that this works for though, so I'm glad it exists for them.
I’m the gamer dad with family that takes over tv, but the Steam Deck with Chiaki serves this purpose for me already. This device does look nice and premium, but I wish it had some sort of direct connection to the PS5.
There is a pile of poison ivy in your back yard. 9:35
The biggest design flaw in this thing is the analog sticks. What happens when one gets stick drift?…
Ooh, I never even thought about that. I'm interested in it but was going to wait a bit to see longer term reviews.
That's now the top of the list of things I'll be searching for. Good catch!
You saw a different controller in half and glue it on. Duh.
I guess the same things that happens when Switch Lite has a stick drift
It's only 200 bucks. Buy a new one.
This was my biggest concern day one. I'm surprised more people aren't talking about this as it's the biggest potential problem this device has.
I have to say it. I admit. I didn't like your personality at first. I followed Gameranx because I'm a fan of Falcon. But you have really grown on me, Jake. Keep the great content coming!
few weeks into this, and I'm remote playing all over the world, at my friends, my relatives, travels, public places with no problem, it's way better than backbone, I throw it away lol
I’ve sank 15+ hours into my backlog of Assassins Creed games and Hogwarts Legacy this past week on the Portal and am having an absolute blast. This thing was absolutely made for RPGs and playing offline modes in sports games like FUT and 2K MyCareer. For your big screen story games like Last of Us and God of War, do that on your TV, but New Game+ on this thing is next level. I forget I’m not playing a game natively half the time.
Awesome video and I definitely learned a lot. Maybe someone can answer some of my remaining questions:
1) can you access other apps like Netflix or TH-cam?
2) we only have 1 ps5, if I were to turn the console on and log in and then my boyfriend were to log in as well, would I be able to play on the portal with my account while my boyfriend plays on the tv with his???
3) Can you play online games? Like GTA V?
I actually love the idea of this with the thought that I can play my PlayStation and watch football on my big screen together.
Love it, the into, the consistency. I’m all for trying new things and keeping things fresh but this intro in your voice (coming from a viewers perspective) lets me know I’m about to hear an opinion from someone who has gained my trust over years and not wasting my time, giving something of value. It’s weird to say and think about and I’m sure it makes ya feel weird with it being your own voice and such but literally it’s like a bell in my head, (the viewer), that my time isn’t going to be wasted, the type of info I’m getting, and from a perspective I respect. Keep it up man! Love the innovation in the channel and the face cam shots but don’t dump that into! It should be immortalized in gaming content history. God bless brotha!
Such a great, objective roundup - summaries that balance the capabilities and drawbacks of the Portal. Really great watch.
Get off his NUTS 🌰
@@drwalka10 Great one 👍
I just use my Steam Deck as my remote play for console games. Sure, it has a little bit of leg work to setup. But it's worth it just to have all options available to you.
You can get the PlayStation remote play app running on a steam deck?
@@laser1373 Sure you can. I don't see any reason why it can't.
@@laser1373You can't, nor can you get haptic feedback or adaptive triggers. It's limited to 2-3 hours battery life and an 800p 7" display. You have to use a third party app that has imprecise analog stick inputs. It's better used for playing games on Steam rather than PlayStation Remote Play.
@@laser1373 I don't have a Steam Deck, but there's a 3rd party android app called PSPlay that lets you use Remote Play with any controller you want. I've used it to stream PS4 games on my Retroid Pocket 3+ and using a no-name, $25 gamepad with my phone.
One day when the internet infrastructure is better then maybe streaming will be more practical. This one isn't for me personally right now but I can see the appeal especially for older gamers who share a TV with the fam.
Nice to see Jake this time around! Awesome video!
I would totally buy a stand-alone handheld from Sony, but as someone who has a very nice TV to game with, this just didn't interest me enough to spend $200
👍🏼
One of the dumbest oversights for this is, sony refusing to have a built in web browser.
They've essentially cancelled out public wifi sign ins
Use your hotspot on your phone which is generally faster than most public wifi lol
This system was trash to begin with.
@@jonnX20 Why not just your phone with a Backbone/Kishi/GameSir then? Cheaper and probably a better screen... Since most phones sport a 90-120hz OLEDs these days. Way better portability and better WiFi module for higher speeds on phones aswell. Plus you actually got Bluetooth working....
@@dorayaki5494 because it's a dedicated device that's only a 100 bucks more than a backbone with haptic feedback and a much bigger screen that looks great. It's better than using your phone and a backbone in a million ways I've had mine since the 20th and I use it all the time
@@dorayaki5494 honestly play however you want but being able to have my phone free plus all the perks of a bigger screen and the PS5 remote all in one thing it's great. But just like he said in the video its not for everyone but for me it's great I have a baby and a wife this lets me play my games and multitask and not have to wait for the TV to be free or to move my PS5 into my bedroom
While I wouldn't use this to play big AAA games it would be very chill for smaller in-between games. My biggest issue with it is the price. That's just not worth $200 for me.
Mw3 is a blast on the portal
Sony has a very specific audience for this, and $200 is actually not that bad. It's cheaper than other pc hand held or a second phone/tablet just for remote play purposes.
I've been playing Ghost of Tsushima, Lords of the Fallen, Demon's Souls, Remnant II, Trepang2, and Star Ocean Second Story R on mine. I've seen others playing Final Fantasy 16 and Spider Man 2. Why wouldn't you play AAA games on it? They look and play fantastic on the 1080p display in the Portal. Low-fi games may have better experiences on handhelds than on TVs, but AAA games look great on the display the Portal has. I'm hoping the Switch 2 has this model of IPS screen as the vividness of colors is the same as OLED.
@@mmstick is the portal an ips LCD? Or is it an LED ips ? Is there a way to find out ? I’m sure it’s not just an ordinary LCD for how good it looks .
I love mine. Even though I have access to a tv whenever I want, sometimes you just wanna lay down and play something while you’re listening to a basketball game or football game in the background
I'm a Self-Employed Designer and I'm always working 12hrs a day it seems. This has been the best $200 I've spent on a gaming device. While I do have the SteamDeck and I can already play my PS5 remotely with it, it is not the same thing as holding actual controllers. I also have a Backbone and those who try to compare it, just stop lol, it is absolutely not the same thing. I've never realized people were so into bluetooth headphones, all my gaming headphones have been wired and I have zero issues with that. Anyhow, the Portal has brought me back the joy of gaming. I also think that everyone's experience will be different in terms of streaming, I've had zero issues with it and it just runs smooth. I've already clocked in 50hrs on Call of Duty and I don't feel any latency issues, I've actually gotten pretty decent even after not playing it for years. if you have $200 to spare, Id recommend it, worth every penny unlike the PSVR2 paper weight I bought haha! (side note, it does work via mobile network, went on a trip over the holiday weekend and I was playing Call of Duty with no issues).
I have liked the idea of the Portal since it was announced/leaked. Although I would really want to try it out before buying.
In my personal case, my PS5 is tethered to my sim racing rig to play GT7.
Because of this, I almost never play anything else on my PS5 other than that. So I would use the portal to play other PS5 games in it without moving my PS5 to another TV.
That being said, I am very sensitive to any sort of lag in my displays. I just bought a TV that I ended up hating because it has awful smearing that feels like seeing the same object in two places at once. I can’t game on it.
Streaming has an associated lag with it that is unavoidable. Before the portal released I was hoping for a direct wifi connection to the PS5 as an option for playing in your own home, that would greatly reduce latency. That is what the Wii U gamepad uses and I never felt annoyed by it, although I never really played split second decision games on it.
So hopefully I can get my hands on one before deciding to spend $200 on something like that
Have you tried changing the settings on the tv’s display settings like clear action, full array or even turning down the backlight?
@@TheFounderYosh Yep, I spent days playing around with modes and settings. It is just an awful TV
You can try on your phone right now. Experience will be the same either way.
Smearing is not caused by lag, but use of a VA panel, officially called ghosting. VA panels have a much higher contrast than IPS, but at the cost of ghosting. Whereas IPS do not have ghosting, but instead have grey blacks. In terms of image quality, VA is much better as you can get deep blacks and bright whites that are nearly indistinguishable from OLED. But you have to pay top dollar for the most expensive high refresh rate VA panels to have the ghosting effect reduced.
Input delay is not a problem with the Portal. Only those who have poor WiFi setups are having issues. As long as you create a separate SSID for the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, connect the Portal to the 5 GHz band, and connect the PS5 to Ethernet, then you have only 1-3ms network latency. Everyone complaining that network latency is worse with the Portal than the Wii U handheld has simply never bothered to configure their WiFi correctly, or perhaps have a cheap WiFi router. Latency for the Portal in total is around 39-78 ms. Unplugging HDMI out gets you closer to 39 ms.. Which is nearly identical to the latency on the Wii U handheld which came at around 39 ms.
You can use your Sony pulse headphones wirelessly with the portal,tried the other day and worked great so you really don't need the new headphones that are coming out if you don't want too
It has no Bluetooth, huge omission imo, too many flaws with this product
I would've wanted Bluetooth also but with my pulse headphones I can still get wireless capability without buying another set of headphones
Is the pulse connected to the ps5 or the portal itself ?
I have several devices that can remote play and the Portal beats them all. As shown in this video it’s the speed/simplicity of how it connects to the PS5 - I just wake it + press the PS button and it connects.
👍🏼
Since the PS Vita was abandoned within a week by Sony, I’ll never buy anything else from them aside from their consoles. Hell I haven’t even gotten the PS5.
Same. I'm glad there's more competition, and handheld stuff is booming. I love my steam deck and don't have a need for anything else. But having the Ally, the Switch, and now this thing, good stuff. But like you said, don't trust Sony after how they treated the Vita.
This would be fantastic if this can play with the PS4. I have limited time and space that I share with my family so this could’ve been awesome.
I wouldn't buy this even if I had the money to spare, but I wouldn't dare to miss Gameranx's review.
Ditto. It's astounding how bad of an idea this was. People have been begging for a new handheld from Sony, and this isn't it.
@@iyeetsecurity922 I wish Sony did a handheld with Asus ROG or Steam Deck power, I'd absolutely get it.
@@iyeetsecurity922 imagine all the kids asking for this on Christmas and realizing they need a ps5 to use it, basically a $200 paperweight.
The big problem with this is existing options. A Backbone or similar can already do it, but I guess what they are lacking is a controller that feels like DualSense; and PS5 games are made for a TV, whereas phone screens are just not big enough. The other option is remote play via a tablet/laptop using a DualSense controller; this option is my preferred but obviously you aren't in handheld mode; if you already have a high end laptop/tablet with an amazing screen, then this option to me seems much better than Portal.
Portal makes sense if you want a big screen as a handheld, niche. But it still interest me because a large screen on a handheld is great for my living situation.
or if you have a nice laptop BUT aren't using windows/mac, like me.
None of these are as good as owning a Portal with official PlayStation Remote Play support, full DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and a 1080p 8" display with OLED-like color vividness. The Backbone is uncomfortable to hold with an adult hand as there's no grip and sticks are in an awkward location. It also doesn't support PlayStation Remote Play, so you need a third party app which has imprecise analog stick mapping. Using the DualSense controller with a laptop is incredibly uncomfortable. The point of a handheld is that you can play games from any angle and carry it anywhere. I can lay on my back on the sofa or bed, or use it from the toilet.
I agree man I use my iPad with my controller works just fine
Or any other handheld that has chiaki or remote play. Chiaki4deck is my go to for it
I will Always prefer purpose-built hardware over using my phone/tablet. both for comfort/ease of use as well as privacy. I think $200 is a fair price for the hardware, for those of us with a use-case for it.
the main issue/complaint i see about it is people's expectations, or what they wish it was. it fills the need it was made for, and honestly that's what i want from my hardware. i'm tired of everything needing to have a thousand functions. that's how we got wifi connected microwaves haha
Never thought I would get one as I did not like that it was not a standalone device. I got the 30th anniversary edition and ended up loving it and having more gaming time as I could just easily sit anywhere at home and play. I don't have to turn on the tv and worry about the baby waking up. Love having the option to just easily take it and start playing.
No Bluetooth and direct streaming or connection to PS5. So it is "Before you will not buy" this time.
As a dad, this is great for playing games that are less than kiddo appropriate. Also, you can use other users on the portal, but it's a convoluted process. Lag can be a bit of an issue (really good internet connection is mandatory) but works well just around my home, when I'm hiding from kiddos.
I use this mostly for side scrollers or top-down games, or games like Cyberpunk where quick reflexes/careful aiming isn't required.
As always the playing locations do not disappoint. By the bins was probably the best.
the ear buds being $200 is ridiculous
Jake, this is why I listen to you. I am the same way. I'm good with having the games installed not streamed. I have solid internet and I'm okay without having it. It's not for me. All solid points 👏🏿
Yeah, this is for us, dad gamers and others with people around the house. I'm also getting one. The Bluetooth thing may be annoying, but the reason for that is latency, I'm sure in less then a year there will be Bluetooth compatible earphones, not that it matters for the ones that really care about audio (cause wired connections are the best for that)
Buy a retroid pocket 3+ instead for cheaper and same functionality in streaming.
@@Starwarsgeek-98no, dork
@@TheBass16 go ahead and spend 500 bucks on a gimped tablet its your money.
@@Starwarsgeek-98it’s only 200, big guy. If you can’t afford it maybe that’s a you problem