Sony’s PlayStation Portal handheld is back in stock at multiple retailers

We whitethorn beryllium retired of nan scarcity woods arsenic it pertains to nan PlayStation 5, but immoderate of its accessories tin still beryllium difficult to way down. Take nan PlayStation Portal, for instance, which has been difficult to travel by since it arrived connected nan segment successful mid-November. Thankfully, Sony’s handheld distant subordinate is available erstwhile again astatine Best Buy and Sony’s PlayStation Direct storefront, wherever you tin presently prime it up for its afloat unit value of $199.99.

The Portal isn’t nan Nintendo Switch aliases Steam Deck slayer immoderate thought it mightiness be, but it remains a useful instrumentality for gamers who can’t play connected their superior TV aliases conscionable want nan expertise to bask games passim their home. If you’re not already caught up connected what it is, it’s fundamentally an eight-inch 1080p LCD show that’s sandwiched betwixt 2 halves of a modular DualSense controller, meaning it features adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and each nan perks of Sony’s latest gamepad. Its main (and only) intent is to watercourse games via Remote Play, which requires a PS5 and reliable Wi-Fi network.

We emotion what nan Portal enables, but immoderate funny method choices tin get successful nan measurement of your fun. For example, since wireless audio relies connected Sony’s proprietary Link protocol, you tin only usage the Pulse Explore earbuds and Pulse Elite headset pinch it (sorry, nary Bluetooth earbuds allowed). Thankfully, it has a 3.5mm audio jack for utilizing a brace of wired headphones, assuming you still person a brace lying around.

Additionally, you whitethorn tally into problem if your web capacity isn’t strong. The latency tin make nan acquisition utterly unenjoyable, and we surely wouldn’t urge trying multiplayer games aliases fighting titles wherever precision is paramount. We’ve recovered it overmuch amended erstwhile nan console is connected via ethernet, however, which is almost mandatory for unchangeable gameplay extracurricular nan home. We’re hoping Sony tin yet amended connected these symptom points pinch early package updates, but moreover pinch nan aforementioned caveats, nan Portal remains nan champion all-in-one solution for streaming games via Remote Play.