Sony’s PlayStation Portal may not be the most impressive handheld we’ve ever tested, but it’s good enough that it’s proven difficult to get ahold of. The single-purpose device has consistently sold out whenever it becomes available, though, today, you have another shot at landing the elusive remote player. Right now, it’s available at Best Buy for its full retail price of $199.99.
In case you need a refresher, Sony’s new handheld device features an eight-inch touchscreen LCD, which you can use to stream PlayStation 5 games via Remote Play over Wi-Fi. It’s a fun, portable device that delivers a nice all-in-one experience, as opposed to a phone, an iPad, or a mobile controller like the Backbone One or Razer Kishi. Unlike the latter devices, the Portal supports the full range of DualSense haptics, which means you can take advantage of tilt controls and more immersive features (ahem, adaptive triggers).
Nevertheless, the add-on does come with a few shortcomings. For one, you can only use the device with Sony’s proprietary Link audio devices, specifically the Pulse Explore earbuds and Pulse Elite headset. Its sole reliance on Wi-Fi 5 also effectively renders it unusable if you have poor connectivity, at least in our testing. Thankfully, we found plugging your PS5 into ethernet helps, allowing you to play the AAA single-player games the PlayStation brand is known for. Just steer clear of games with a lot of latency, like fighters and online shooters.
