Sony PlayStation Portal Black Friday Deal: Rare Discount
▼ Summary
– The PlayStation Portal received its first major discount for Black Friday, dropping to around $178.99 at major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.
– Sony has improved the PlayStation Portal with a recent update enabling cloud streaming for PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers, allowing access to select games without a PS5.
– The device features an eight-inch 1080p display integrated into a split DualSense controller, supporting haptic feedback and adaptive triggers for compatible games.
– Performance depends heavily on Wi-Fi quality, and connecting the PS5 to ethernet is recommended for optimal streaming from the console.
– A notable limitation is that the PlayStation Portal only supports specific Sony wireless audio devices, though it includes a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired headphones.
Finding a significant price reduction on the Sony PlayStation Portal is an unusual event, making this Black Friday discount particularly noteworthy for gamers. Major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy have slashed the price to approximately $178.99, representing a solid $21 saving. This handheld streaming device, designed to work with your PlayStation 5 over Wi-Fi, is seeing its first major price cut since launch. Shoppers can also find substantial savings on the PlayStation 5 itself, with up to $100 off across all console configurations, including the high-performance PlayStation 5 Pro.
When the PlayStation Portal first arrived in 2023, it received a mixed reception from critics. Reviewers noted that while the device had its imperfections, it offered an enjoyable experience for users with a robust and speedy internet connection. Sony has been actively refining the Portal’s functionality through software updates. A particularly significant recent addition enables cloud streaming for PlayStation Plus Premium members. This allows subscribers to stream a curated list of PS5 titles, such as Astro Bot and Resident Evil 4, directly from the cloud, eliminating the need to be tethered to a local console. Furthermore, players can stream compatible games from their personal library without requiring their PS5 to be powered on.
The hardware design cleverly integrates a high-definition eight-inch 1080p LCD screen between the two halves of a standard DualSense controller. This layout preserves the full suite of advanced DualSense haptic feedback, including immersive adaptive triggers and precise motion controls, for games that support these features. It’s an ideal solution for continuing your PS5 gaming sessions in different rooms around your home. It is crucial to understand that the quality of your gameplay is entirely dependent on your home network’s Wi-Fi performance. For the best possible experience when streaming directly from your console, a wired ethernet connection for your PS5 is highly recommended.
Despite the improvements, the PlayStation Portal does come with some distinct limitations. Its audio connectivity is a primary example, as it only offers native wireless support for Sony’s own Pulse Explore earbuds and Pulse Elite headset. This means you cannot pair it with standard Bluetooth headphones you may already own. However, the device does include a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, providing a straightforward way to use any wired headphones for private listening.
(Source: The Verge)
