Sony has peeled back the curtain on its new handheld device, the PlayStation Portal, even further, creating a buzz in the gaming community as it unveils an extension to its flagship console rather than a standalone handheld.
With the power to bring PlayStation 5 gaming directly to its 8-inch 1080p LCD screen, this device opens up a brand new dimension of flexibility for PS5 owners - but it does come with its own set of caveats.
Set to launch on November 15, this $199.99 handheld will be available in select markets, including the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Additional markets such as Canada and Japan will join the fray when pre-orders open on September 29. It's worth noting that this device isn't competing with a more popular model like the Nintendo Switch, which retails at $350, or the upstarts like Valve' Steam Deck starting from $500. In fact, it's more like an accessory to the PS5 rather than a standalone handheld console. Its performance relies on streaming games from a PS5 over Wi-Fi, which makes owning a PS5 a prerequisite for using the PlayStation Portal.
Design-wise, the PlayStation Portal seems like a novel experiment in ergonomics. Imagine taking a DualSense controller, snapping it in half, and attaching each end to a tablet - that's essentially what Sony's new device looks like, for better or for worse. It even incorporates the celebrated features of the DualSense controller, such as haptic feedback as well as its adaptive triggers, although it's missing the touchpad. For those who can't help but judge a book by its cover, the device does have the aesthetic charm, complete with light piping vertically across each grip.
