Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Guides

PlayStation Portal: release date, price, specs, and more

By

After being teased under the code name Project Q, we now have a clear picture of just what Sony’s latest hardware will be. Officially called the PlayStation Portal, this curious device has many gamers a bit confused about what it is, what it can do, and who it is for. Is it a new handheld, a streaming device, or something in-between? With all the information finally available, we are here to clear up any confusion about what this latest piece of PlayStation hardware really is.

Price

The PlayStation Portal will retail for $200 at launch.

Recommended Videos

Release date

You can expect the PlayStation Portal to arrive later this year, on November 15, 2023.

Specs

Astro's Playroom booting up on the PlayStation Portal.
Sony

The most important thing to know about the PlayStation Portal is what it really is. This is not a dedicated handheld like the PSP or Vita that you can play games on natively, but instead can only be used as a companion to your PlayStation 5. This device is only intended to stream games from your main console to the screen via Wi-Fi for remote play. Games cannot be played locally on the device, meaning it cannot function without connecting to your PS5. However, you do not need to be on the same network as your PS5. As long as your PS5 is in rest mode and connected to Wi-Fi, you can connect to it through another Wi-Fi network to play, provided the connection is strong enough.

The PlayStation Portal will have all the same controller functionality as a DualSense controller, such as the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, with an 8-inch LCD screen in the center, much to the disappointment of OLED fans. This screen can push up to 1080p visuals at 60 frames per second (fps), though those numbers could vary depending on your individual internet speeds and Wi-Fi connection.

The battery life is reportedly the same as the DualSense controllers, which can range from as low as 4 or 5 hours in games that use all the features to potentially as long as 12.

the PlayStation Portal has no Bluetooth functionality, meaning you will either need to purchase one of Sony’s new Pulse Elite or Pulse Explore headphones to use a wireless option. It does have a regular 3.5mm headphone jack if you use wired headphones.

One other limitation is that you cannot play any games via cloud streaming. Any game you want to play on the Portal needs to already be installed on your PS5 before you can remote play with it.

Preorder

A PlayStation Portal boots up.
Sony

As of now, Sony is only allowing preorders for the PlayStation Portal through its own official storefront. There is only a single white model available and supplies are limited to one device per order.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox loves writing, games, and complaining about not having time to write and play games. He knows the names of more…
The best games on PlayStation Plus, Extra, and Premium
A person plays Crash Bandicoot using a PS5 DualSense controller.

PlayStation Plus has undergone several iterations and changes since its introduction. Originally, the service wasn't required for online play at all and rewarded subscribers with extra discounts and free monthly games. Once the PlayStation 4 generation began, it was required for online play, but still offered those same benefits.

Now, PS Plus is divided into three different tiers of subscriptions. The basic tier, PS Plus Essential, still gets three games per month added, while the Extra and Premium tiers will have a varying number of games added to their catalogs. With hundreds of games already and more coming and going all the time, even the most dedicated gamer won't be able to play everything on offer. To help you get the most bang for your buck and so that no hidden gems fly under your radar, here are all the best games to play on PS Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium right now.
Best PS Plus Essential games
As is usually the case, everyone with the lowest tier of PS Plus gets three games this month, two with PlayStation 5 versions and one with a PS4 version. Here's what you can play this month:

Read more
PlayStation State of Play returns this week, will feature 14 PS5 games
Three colorful PS5s float together in a line.

PlayStation will kick off the summer of digital video game reveal streams this week with a State of Play broadcast. The stream will take place at 3 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 30.

State of Play is one of Sony's primary livestream presentation formats. It tends to be slightly shorter than the company's flagship stream, the PlayStation Showcase. This State of Play is a significant one, though, as Sony's slate of first-party games for 2024 is entirely unknown at this stage. This stream should shed some light on what's coming later this year.

Read more
Grand Theft Auto 5 and 11 more games are leaving PS Plus in June
Trevor, Michael, and Franklin are all holding guns in GTA 5 promotional art.

PlayStation Plus users will be losing out on 12 games in June, and one of them is a must-play if you're a fan of open-world action adventures from 2013.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is widely considered to be one of the most iconic games all time, and it's definitely the best Grand Theft Auto game. It's also easy to play on nearly any platform (minus Nintendo Switch, of course). It even received a next-gen upgrade for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2022. That said, if you have a PlayStation Plus subscription and wanted to play it at some point -- or just wanted to get a session or two in before Grand Theft Auto 6 -- you'll have until June 12 to do so.

Read more