PlayStation Portal Black Friday Deals Expected as Xbox, Nintendo Launch Handhelds

The PlayStation Portal has emerged as a standout gaming accessory for 2025, offering a flexible way to enjoy PS5 titles away from the television. Its design encourages shorter, more frequent play sessions, which has personally led me to explore a broader variety of games I might have otherwise overlooked. This shift in habit highlights the device’s ability to integrate gaming more seamlessly into daily life.

This year has brought exciting developments for handheld enthusiasts, with Nintendo launching the Switch 2 and Xbox introducing the ROG Ally X. The former even earned TechRadar’s Gaming Device of the Year award. With these powerful new entrants, Sony has a perfect opportunity to showcase the PlayStation Portal’s strengths: reliability and a much more accessible price. I anticipate attractive Black Friday discounts will make the Portal an even more compelling choice, and I enthusiastically recommend it to any PS5 owner curious about handheld play.

So far in 2025, the Portal has seen only modest price reductions in the US. The Midnight Black model received a symbolic price cut of 99 cents on Amazon, settling at $199, where it has remained since July. The White version has been slightly more promotional, dropping to $195 late last year. UK shoppers saw a better deal, with the price falling to £179 during July and August, but that has been the most significant discount in that region all year.

Originally released in November 2023, the PlayStation Portal has a history of holiday season promotions. As we approach its two-year anniversary, which conveniently aligns with Black Friday 2025, it seems almost certain that the device will be featured in this year’s major sales events.

From a comfort perspective, the PlayStation Portal is the most satisfying handheld I’ve ever used. I’ve always preferred portable gaming for its convenience, and the Portal lets me comfortably play titles like No Man’s Sky or Ghost of Yōtei from the couch while someone else uses the main TV. It’s a fantastic solution for shared living spaces, though I’ll admit a compelling show like Interview With the Vampire has occasionally pulled my attention away from the screen.

While I own a Nintendo Switch 2, I rarely use it in its handheld configuration. The new Joy-Con controllers simply don’t feel as comfortable in my hands for extended periods. As for the high-end Xbox option, its price point is beyond what I’m currently willing to invest in a gaming device. The PlayStation Portal’s significantly lower cost makes it a much more practical purchase for me, and I have no immediate plans to try the competition.

The Portal’s design brilliantly splits a DualSense controller in half, placing each section on either end of the screen. You get the full suite of haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, so it genuinely feels like you’re holding a PS5 controller. In my 25 years of gaming, I can confidently say that no other portable device has matched this ergonomic perfection, apologies to the beloved Game Boy Advance SP.

Owning a PlayStation Portal has encouraged me to dive into games like Blue Prince, Cocoon, and Balatro, experiences I likely wouldn’t have made time for in front of the main TV. Looking forward, I plan to use it for Football Manager 26 and Lumines Arise, as these seem ideally suited for on-the-go play. The beauty of the Portal is that it grants access to nearly the entire library of top-tier PS5 games.

If you’re searching for more ideas to get the most out of your handheld gaming, we have plenty of suggestions to help you on your way.

(Source: techradar)