The PlayStation Portal, Sony's innovative handheld gaming accessory for the PS5, has never been offered at a discount. However, savvy gamers can now snag a Used: Like New condition unit from Amazon Resale (formerly Amazon Warehouse) for just $148 shipped. This represents a significant 26% savings off the original $199 retail price. While a Sony warranty might not be included, Amazon Resale items come with the same reassuring 30-day return policy as new purchases. Given the demand, these units are expected to sell out quickly.
Update: The price has now dropped to $150.23, marking the lowest price seen for a Used: Like New unit.
PlayStation Portal (Used: Like New) for $148
Make sure to select the "Save with Used - Like New" option
The PS Portal is essentially an extended split-pad DualSense controller with an 8-inch 1080p LCD screen integrated into it. It transforms your PS5 into a handheld gaming device by streaming games directly from your console at up to 60fps. It replicates the DualSense's features, including haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and a touchscreen interface that substitutes for the DualSense's touchpad. However, streaming games outside your home requires a very stable and fast internet connection. Remember, the PS Portal is not a standalone device; it needs a PS5 to function.
In a recent development, Sony has expanded the capabilities of the PS Portal beyond requiring a PS5. Now, users can stream games directly from Sony’s PlayStation Now cloud streaming service without a PS5. This update allows Portal owners to connect either to their PS5 or directly to Sony’s cloud servers, providing access to over 120 games, including titles like Ghost of Tsushima, Resident Evil 3 Remake, The Last of Us Part 1 Remastered, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. To utilize this feature, you must subscribe to the highest tier of PlayStation Plus, which is a more cost-effective option at $18 per month compared to purchasing a PS5 and individual games.
It's worth noting that you can achieve similar in-home streaming functionality with the PS Remote Play app on various mobile devices, including other gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck. However, setting it up is more complex, and you'll miss out on some of the DualSense's unique features.
PlayStation Portal Review by Seth Macy
"The PlayStation Portal is the most surprising device I've ever come away from loving after going in loaded with skepticism. It's such a better experience than using your phone with a slap-on controller, and it works so much better than I was anticipating. I really love the freedom it gives me to play my PS5 from anywhere with decent WiFi coverage, especially when the rest of my family was using the TV to (somewhat ironically) play the Switch. Bearing in mind that it’s in no way a stand-alone device and 100% requires a PlayStation 5 to function at all, the biggest things keeping the Portal from being a truly amazing device are its current lack of a way to access WiFi that requires a web browser to log in, and its lack of Bluetooth support for audio. For now, it's a great device that represents the best current solution for PlayStation Remote Play, and if it weren't for those two baffling caveats, I'd call this a must-own device for every PS5 owner who enjoys playing games on handheld – or has to compete for the household TV."
