Heads up, gamers: Sony's PlayStation Portal handheld to launch later this year
Make room for another addition to your gadget collection, gamers. Sony's handheld console, previously code-named Project Q, now has a name, and it's set to launch later this year.
In a press release published on Wednesday, Aug. 23, Sony announced that its upcoming console is dubbed PlayStation Portal. True to the tech giant's promise, the device is created to stream games from your PS5 console.
To do that, you must activate your PS5's remote play feature and pair it with the remote play app on your handheld. It is important to note, though, that all these can only be done if you're connected to the Wi-Fi.
"PlayStation Portal is the perfect device for gamers in households where they might need to share their living room TV or simply want to play PS5 games in another room of the house. PlayStation Portal will connect remotely to your PS5 over Wi-F, so you’ll be able to swiftly jump from playing on your PS5 to your PlayStation Portal," says Hideaki Nishino, senior vice president of platform experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment.
The device comes with controllers that have the same design and features as PS5's DualSense controller. This includes haptic feedback or vibrations that simulate the feeling of actually being in the game, as well as adaptive triggers for that extra force or tension you'd usually feel while holding a gear in your games. It also comes with the DualSense's touchpad and 3.5mm jack.
Sony says that the PlayStation Portal provides a "high definition visual experience" through its 8-inch LCD screen that is capable of 1080p resolution at 60fps. This would be highly useful not only for streaming games but also playing other media the same way your PS5 does.
Since the device is designed to mirror your home video game console, The Verge reported that it won't work with Sony's upcoming cloud-streaming feature for PS5.
“Games that must be streamed on PS5 using a PS Plus Premium membership are not compatible,” says Sony. The PlayStation Portal is basically designed just for remote play or to stream games you already installed on your PS5.
Bluetooth is another feature that the device is lacking and because of that, you can't use the device with wireless earphones or headsets. However, the PlayStation Portal is built with Sony's audio technology, called PlayStation Link, which is supported by the brand's upcoming wireless headset and buds.
As for the device's battery life, CNET reported that Sony is planning to make it similar to that of the DualSense, which can last for seven to nine hours.
The PlayStation Portal is set to retail at $199.99 (around P11,360) in late 2023.