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
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.
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'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.
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
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 👍🏼👌🏻
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 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 😂 😡
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
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 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.
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.
I got mines launch day and i absolutely love for when im on the go and going places where i have to wait or visiting family for a few days. Most definitely not ment for multiplayer games more so single player games which is fine with me since i play a lot of single player games.
My thing about this device is that I have a Steam Deck with Chiaki configured so I can remote from outside networks. Sure the Steam deck is twice the price and setting up Chiaki for remote play on a separate network is a whole process, but I get twice the function. For me, I already have this device and more in my Steam Deck.
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)
I have to mention. I got this device and had a mixed bag of usability within my home network I was running google wifi mesh network the original. I upgraded recently to the google next wifi pro with 6E and I know the portal does not have 6E capability. But it is night and day now. It truly feels close to native anywhere around my house. So if you are running a Mesh or a network with the newest tech it will probably run well within your home.
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
I will be honest the price is the main sticking point for me right now. I am one of those people with one tv that doesnt really get to use it a lot, i do work a afternoon shift so that helps, but it still isnt worth 200 for what it is. If the price does drop in the coming months it would be awesome to actually play my ps5 without waiting for an opportunity to use the tv. I do also have a switch so at least i can do some gaming during the day
I was using ps5 remote play with the steam deck oled and it was pretty fun. Played ASTRO playroom using all the gyro and track pad features. It feels like playing a game on minimum hardware requirements. lol but still pretty fun. I see it as a quick session here and there but nothing beats playing natively.
Can you please test if 2 player local co-op can work while the PlayStation portal is at another place like a friends house? Diablo 4 or other couch co-op games
I got this ps portal through target. It was saying I’d be able to get it delivered the weekend of launch then the day came and it changed to nov. 21- Dec 1st. As I was waiting the next week I got an update saying it was coming the next day after the week of launch so they probably resupplying faster than you think. Relief for some people I guess but it’s great for simple movement games (I barely touch it)
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.
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’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.
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 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.
I love how honest these reviews are. I've got children myself but also work away aswell. Using the ps portal away from home is not the best but when at home and trying to get some game time in it works a dream
I use remote play between two different cities in Norway and its pretty good. Have no issues playing COD or Sackboy etc. Just make sure your connections are fast and stable at both ends.
Out of all the accessories of the PS5, including the media remote, pulse headset, (old and new gens) psvr2 and the new earbuds and ps5 slim, this is the most useful accessory to me. I'm looking forward to buying it over in 🇨🇿 Czech Republic since it releases there on the 12.1.24 which is the soonest I can get it since in Israel 🇮🇱 they still didn't release it and I live there
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.
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
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.
I’m a dad gamer and this sounds like the exact device for me. My PS5 is on the main TV in the house. This will free up the TV for wife/kids and still give me a chance to play. 100% will be getting this when I can find it!
This is exactly why I’ve been thinking about picking this up. Just became a dad recently and don’t have much time for the man cave with my pc. Been playing mostly ps5 in the living room when I can. Just easier to help the wife with the baby/ watch my son.
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 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.
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 👏🏿
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.
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.
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 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.
I’ve been waiting for the granx review on this, you guys have the most honest and informative gaming journalism platform out there and I appreciates that about you.
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.
My girlfriend has a switch and we sometimes just play on the couch with the switch in handheld and me playing the playstation on TV. With the Portal, I can do handheld as well and she likes to play on the TV, also in bed or even when I'm at work during lunch break I fire it up and play a quick game. The latency is OK about 99% of the time and only some 1% is stuttering or lower image quality, which is fine to be honest. I knew I had to pre-order one when I could and I'm glad I did.
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?
For some reason playing a backlog of older games (uncharted 1-3, finishing control and some other games) feels like a grind and a “waste of time” when I can play a great current game. I’m really interested to see how getting this will make me want to finish older games I didn’t finish. I know the logic doesn’t make any sense, but it makes sense to me. Lol
Bro you are not alone lol I’m currently playing one my games I’ve had on back catalogue and I’ve bn in and out of it but for some reason playing it on this device is a great time killer
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.
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 remote play on my laptop pretty often. It has a bigger screen and if my controller gets drift, i can plug in a different one. Sure, i can't take it with me to places like Starbucks or whatever, but you can't do that with the portal, either.
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 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
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.
Finally, an honest and objective review. Thanks. I love mine and you hit all the points. Lack of Bluetooth is a bummer but I’m using my pulse wired to it, not really an issue, love em anyways.
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.
Like you, Jake, I’ve never cared much for streaming games. However, I do like this device for some of the reasons you mentioned. I am married and I like that my wife doesn’t have to go use another television in the house when I’m playing a game. I haven’t had the opportunity to use it from another location but thanks for showing that it does work pretty well. I enjoy your videos….keep up the good work.
I might be interested in this. I've been using my Steamdeck to stream games the deck can't normally run from my PC. Opening my game options while still being able to wind down in the hot tub at the end of the day would be great!
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.
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.
Are you able to stream games to it that are physical copies? Basically can I pop in a game to the PS5 and then pull out the Portal to play it in another room and such?
My eye sight ain’t the best so I’m glad they came out with this. I don’t have to get super close to my tv anymore. I can game more relaxed now 🙌🏽 was thinking about backbone but this hits the cake for me! Love that duel sense
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
My friend is an off an on gamer. He switched to the Switch because he can game on the go. Now that he bought the Portal, he went back to playing games he didn't finish like RDR2. He showed me that it works away from home and that's awesome. I would definitely get it if my internet was better. It constantly drops and I get that Wifi lost logo every so often. It would probably be like GTA Online for me. I'm playing then suddenly get kicked out because connection was lost.
The funny thing about this is its running on a Snap Dragon 6 series chip, that chip support Bluetooth 5.x, i wonder could Sony enable Bluetooth via an update later? Interesting product. Good Review.
I just use my iPad with my ps5 controller connected through Bluetooth works exactly the same n saved £200 odd, the vibration and adaptive triggers till work perfect and iPad has 5g so it genuinely is portable
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
What nobody seems to be understanding is that we’re at a point where people expect amazing graphics, high fps, and fast loading. If PlayStation built a dedicated handheld console, they’d probably be looking at something like $600. That directly takes sales away from their $500 console. People can’t seem to grasp how bad of a business move that would be. The Portal made a lot of sense and as somebody who has one, I can say it’s been infinitely better than using a phone for remote play.
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
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.
In all honsty, I think the price is quite steep for what it is. I was hoping for a bit more offline capability, like what the Vita had (had remote play PS4 and offline gaming). Would have been nice if you could install small indie games on it, like up to 20GB... That would be a game changer.
@@mullaoslo It's a streaming device in an essence, your experience depends on your internet connection and even then you will get some washed up resolutions and lag spikes here and there. I think the price is not cheap for what it is but also it's not expensive, It's just right I'd say
I agree to an extent but also understand that it’s a better Backbone. I paid $100 for my backbone so that I could play while my wife watches her shows on our sole TV. With how much more functionality this has than just an attachment to your phone, the price becomes understandable.
I'm optimistic as time goes by it will get updates, be even more stable and snappier, requires less internet speed and become perfect for me to roam around the house to play or take it to a friend's house and play.
Ya know... I'd actually like this thing if I could expand the storage and sideload android apps. Could be fun to play ps1 and psp games on. Just saying.
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 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 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.
![[TH]FFWS SEA Spring 2024 Knockout Stage - Day 16](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jpvPyp7LESA/mqdefault.jpg)
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
My wife and I could not agree more. We've been playing so much switch until this came out. Best idea Sony could have come up with imo
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
I to saw this comment on other sites. Then everyone pointed out the kids would be asking for turns and asking what it is
100% agree
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.
One of the very few channels that I come to for the Before You Buys. Always solid reviews.
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.
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.
Nice to see Jake this time around! Awesome video!
Thanks for this. I've been very curious about the portal.
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
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 👍🏼👌🏻
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?
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.
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!
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
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.
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 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.
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...
I got mines launch day and i absolutely love for when im on the go and going places where i have to wait or visiting family for a few days. Most definitely not ment for multiplayer games more so single player games which is fine with me since i play a lot of single player games.
My thing about this device is that I have a Steam Deck with Chiaki configured so I can remote from outside networks. Sure the Steam deck is twice the price and setting up Chiaki for remote play on a separate network is a whole process, but I get twice the function. For me, I already have this device and more in my Steam Deck.
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 played a majority of SpiderMan 2 using remote play. Remote play has gotten a lot better from when it started
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.
I have to mention. I got this device and had a mixed bag of usability within my home network I was running google wifi mesh network the original. I upgraded recently to the google next wifi pro with 6E and I know the portal does not have 6E capability. But it is night and day now. It truly feels close to native anywhere around my house. So if you are running a Mesh or a network with the newest tech it will probably run well within your home.
Gameranx is such a great channel I love the vids
thanks!
@@gameranxTV your welcome keep up the amazing work
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
10:37
that was slick, Jake. nice.
I will be honest the price is the main sticking point for me right now. I am one of those people with one tv that doesnt really get to use it a lot, i do work a afternoon shift so that helps, but it still isnt worth 200 for what it is. If the price does drop in the coming months it would be awesome to actually play my ps5 without waiting for an opportunity to use the tv. I do also have a switch so at least i can do some gaming during the day
I was using ps5 remote play with the steam deck oled and it was pretty fun. Played ASTRO playroom using all the gyro and track pad features. It feels like playing a game on minimum hardware requirements. lol but still pretty fun. I see it as a quick session here and there but nothing beats playing natively.
Can you please test if 2 player local co-op can work while the PlayStation portal is at another place like a friends house? Diablo 4 or other couch co-op games
I got this ps portal through target. It was saying I’d be able to get it delivered the weekend of launch then the day came and it changed to nov. 21- Dec 1st. As I was waiting the next week I got an update saying it was coming the next day after the week of launch so they probably resupplying faster than you think. Relief for some people I guess but it’s great for simple movement games (I barely touch it)
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.
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’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.
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 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)
Yeah I even have a good router, and wifi is super spotty once it reaches the PS5. Pass.
@@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.
I love this device, one of my favorite purchases this year
Thanks for the honest review
I love how honest these reviews are. I've got children myself but also work away aswell. Using the ps portal away from home is not the best but when at home and trying to get some game time in it works a dream
so glad I never had kids
I use remote play between two different cities in Norway and its pretty good. Have no issues playing COD or Sackboy etc. Just make sure your connections are fast and stable at both ends.
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.
Out of all the accessories of the PS5, including the media remote, pulse headset, (old and new gens) psvr2 and the new earbuds and ps5 slim, this is the most useful accessory to me. I'm looking forward to buying it over in 🇨🇿 Czech Republic since it releases there on the 12.1.24 which is the soonest I can get it since in Israel 🇮🇱 they still didn't release it and I live there
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.
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
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
Definitely lets me catch up on my back catalog of games. And when I get home from work I can play while laying down.
Very nice review. Thanks
I’m a dad gamer and this sounds like the exact device for me. My PS5 is on the main TV in the house. This will free up the TV for wife/kids and still give me a chance to play. 100% will be getting this when I can find it!
This is exactly why I’ve been thinking about picking this up. Just became a dad recently and don’t have much time for the man cave with my pc. Been playing mostly ps5 in the living room when I can. Just easier to help the wife with the baby/ watch my son.
Can't you just stream on a laptop though
@@vayshah I'm not sure. I'm a simpleton when it comes to tech. I doubt my macbook would stream my PS5
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 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
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 👏🏿
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?
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
Feels cool seeing him say the intro
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
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.
I’ve been waiting for the granx review on this, you guys have the most honest and informative gaming journalism platform out there and I appreciates that about you.
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.
My girlfriend has a switch and we sometimes just play on the couch with the switch in handheld and me playing the playstation on TV. With the Portal, I can do handheld as well and she likes to play on the TV, also in bed or even when I'm at work during lunch break I fire it up and play a quick game. The latency is OK about 99% of the time and only some 1% is stuttering or lower image quality, which is fine to be honest. I knew I had to pre-order one when I could and I'm glad I did.
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?
For some reason playing a backlog of older games (uncharted 1-3, finishing control and some other games) feels like a grind and a “waste of time” when I can play a great current game. I’m really interested to see how getting this will make me want to finish older games I didn’t finish. I know the logic doesn’t make any sense, but it makes sense to me. Lol
Bro you are not alone lol I’m currently playing one my games I’ve had on back catalogue and I’ve bn in and out of it but for some reason playing it on this device is a great time killer
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?
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 remote play on my laptop pretty often. It has a bigger screen and if my controller gets drift, i can plug in a different one. Sure, i can't take it with me to places like Starbucks or whatever, but you can't do that with the portal, either.
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 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.
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
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.
Finally, an honest and objective review. Thanks. I love mine and you hit all the points. Lack of Bluetooth is a bummer but I’m using my pulse wired to it, not really an issue, love em anyways.
Have you considered the fact that a ''review'' is inherently subjective?
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.
Like you, Jake, I’ve never cared much for streaming games. However, I do like this device for some of the reasons you mentioned. I am married and I like that my wife doesn’t have to go use another television in the house when I’m playing a game. I haven’t had the opportunity to use it from another location but thanks for showing that it does work pretty well.
I enjoy your videos….keep up the good work.
I might be interested in this. I've been using my Steamdeck to stream games the deck can't normally run from my PC. Opening my game options while still being able to wind down in the hot tub at the end of the day would be great!
Geforce Now exists
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?
@@hypersonic279 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.
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...
Are you able to stream games to it that are physical copies? Basically can I pop in a game to the PS5 and then pull out the Portal to play it in another room and such?
My eye sight ain’t the best so I’m glad they came out with this. I don’t have to get super close to my tv anymore. I can game more relaxed now 🙌🏽 was thinking about backbone but this hits the cake for me! Love that duel sense
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
My friend is an off an on gamer. He switched to the Switch because he can game on the go. Now that he bought the Portal, he went back to playing games he didn't finish like RDR2. He showed me that it works away from home and that's awesome. I would definitely get it if my internet was better. It constantly drops and I get that Wifi lost logo every so often. It would probably be like GTA Online for me. I'm playing then suddenly get kicked out because connection was lost.
It doesn’t work away from home 😂 u need WiFi regardless.
The funny thing about this is its running on a Snap Dragon 6 series chip, that chip support Bluetooth 5.x, i wonder could Sony enable Bluetooth via an update later? Interesting product. Good Review.
I just use my iPad with my ps5 controller connected through Bluetooth works exactly the same n saved £200 odd, the vibration and adaptive triggers till work perfect and iPad has 5g so it genuinely is portable
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 ?
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
What nobody seems to be understanding is that we’re at a point where people expect amazing graphics, high fps, and fast loading. If PlayStation built a dedicated handheld console, they’d probably be looking at something like $600. That directly takes sales away from their $500 console. People can’t seem to grasp how bad of a business move that would be. The Portal made a lot of sense and as somebody who has one, I can say it’s been infinitely better than using a phone for remote play.
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
I’m in Toronto playing games in the east end and my ps5 is literally across the city it works great.
Another great review! But I gotta ask, how come every video you test the steam deck/ portal you’re next to a trash can or port-a-potty 😆
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!
In all honsty, I think the price is quite steep for what it is. I was hoping for a bit more offline capability, like what the Vita had (had remote play PS4 and offline gaming). Would have been nice if you could install small indie games on it, like up to 20GB... That would be a game changer.
That's funny I think it's cheap for what it is 😂 if it had local storage it probably would be as expensive as the ps5 itself
@@mullaoslo It's a streaming device in an essence, your experience depends on your internet connection and even then you will get some washed up resolutions and lag spikes here and there. I think the price is not cheap for what it is but also it's not expensive, It's just right I'd say
I agree to an extent but also understand that it’s a better Backbone. I paid $100 for my backbone so that I could play while my wife watches her shows on our sole TV. With how much more functionality this has than just an attachment to your phone, the price becomes understandable.
@@halfricansaint7727 I paid $15 for a controller plate to hold my phone and it works the same lol.
This is why ppl shouldn't look at this as a portable. You should only be looking at this as am alternate controller.
Can't wait for mine.....need it yesterday 😅
I'm optimistic as time goes by it will get updates, be even more stable and snappier, requires less internet speed and become perfect for me to roam around the house to play or take it to a friend's house and play.
Ya know... I'd actually like this thing if I could expand the storage and sideload android apps. Could be fun to play ps1 and psp games on. Just saying.
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 👍
Last or first I still wait for your Before you buy videos before buying anything game-related. Love gameranx!
I really want one but I have a steam deck with Chiaki and it works great. But man it looks so cool.
No streaming, no bluetooth support, and no web browser. “Play has no limits.”
Maybe in the future it we have it
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 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 with you Jake, nice review 👍
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.
👍🏼
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?
I would get one. But only for what I call secondary games.
Smaller games that I play in between the main game
I hope it comes in more colors in the future. Like cosmic red or camo 😊😊😊