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Yesterday, finer details on the Sony PlayStation Portal (previously the Project Q) were confirmed as tech outlets got hands-on time with the Sony handheld. The device lets PS5 gamers stream their favorite titles over WiFi to the portable device. It is being marketed as a PlayStation 5 accessory and serves a completely different purpose than a Steam Deck or ROG Ally.
Additionally, Sony is pairing the device exclusively with PlayStation Link technology. This replaces other connectivity mediums like Bluetooth, which is widely used by headphones and other wireless gadgets. Instead, gamers will have to rely only on devices certified to work with this proprietary tech to use the PS Portal.
It is worth noting that the only headphones that support PlayStation Link right now are the newly announced PULSE Explore and PULSE Elite from Sony. This has attracted widespread criticism as the new handheld has been called anti-consumer.
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What is PlayStation Link and how does it work?
Traditional connectivity technologies like 2.4 GHz WiFi and Bluetooth have their set of issues like loss of quality over transmission and high energy requirements. Thus, a more robust solution is to tailor one exclusively for a device. Sony has exactly done this with the new PlayStation Portal.
This isn't the first time a company has paired a product with a proprietary connectivity technology with a product. However, how Sony has designed the support on the Link handheld is problematic.
Until now, every Bluetooth or wireless headphone was compatible with the PS5 console. Since the device has already been out in the market for about two and a half years, almost everyone has invested in high-quality audio devices to go well with the console. However, those interested in the upcoming handheld accessory might have to upgrade their headphones.
To add to this, the PlayStation 5 console also needs a separate USB dongle to be able to use the new Link tech. This adds another $100-150 over the $200 price tag Sony has already set for the PlayStation Portal.
Community reaction to the new PlayStation Portal
Sony fans and tech experts have massively slammed the new PlayStation Portal. Popular tech reviewer Marques Brownlee made a short video calling the handheld console "outwardly anti-consumer." He described the move to be worse than something Apple would do.
Elsewhere, on X (formerly Twitter), multiple fans compared the new Portal handheld to other gaming hardware a similar amount of money can buy. The significant comments centered around the PlayStation Link technology and how the only supported audio devices currently are Sony's $200 Pulse earbuds.
There have also been some comparisons between the PlayStation Portal and the PlayStation Portable gaming console from the 2000s. While the latter was a complete gaming console package, the PS Portal streams games installed on the PS5 over WiFi.
We believe it is still quite early to judge the upcoming handheld accessory to the PlayStation 5. The console accessory doesn't launch until the holiday season. Thus, we should wait until the device hits shelves before drawing conclusions.
