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Video games have saved Sony in recent years, we can say that. Given the difficulties in many areas (television, audio equipment) and the failure in others (abandonment of Vaio computers, failed strategy in mobile telephony), the PlayStation activity is a financial boost to the great Japanese story, myth in electronics since the middle -20. Century. At $26 billion in 2022, or almost a third of total revenue, the PlayStation universe weighs significantly more than the activity Electronic products and solutions (17 billion), while the latter includes many products and activities recently.
What is the portal?
As the undisputed leader in the console market ahead of Microsoft and Nintendo, Sony needs to show that it is innovative. That’s why he embarked on the portal adventure a few years ago. After the defunct PSP, which was loved by fans but failed to find a place in the ecosystem, Sony is trying the portable console adventure again. Even if I warn you right away, the Portal is not a console, but a PlayStation controller with a (touch) screen that allows you to play the games that run on the PlayStation 5 when you are on the same Wi-Fi connection. network. – Fi (and that it is efficient). Yes, you got it: the PlayStation 5 must be turned on and functioning “normally” for the Portal to be a remote gaming device. We can also easily switch from the classic “PS5 + Controller + TV” combination to the new “PS5 + Portal” offer.
A potentially less fluid experience
It probably depends on the TV the PlayStation is connected to. If it is an old model with average quality (basic Full HD, weak image refresh, no HDR), the experience on the portal may be better than the traditional version. On the other hand, and this is my case, anyone who has a modern TV, 4K, OLED and HDR will be disappointed, especially if they switch from one to the other.
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Because there is one slight latency. Sony recommends a powerful Wi-Fi connection of 15 Mbps (although 5 might be enough for very light gaming), and I have an excellent Wi-Fi 6 router in my modest home. Unfortunately, the portal only supports Wi-Fi 6 routers. Fi 5, which is less efficient. As a result, I did experience some latency while playing Spiderman 2, although, importantly, it wasn’t prohibitive. Although the game was very graphically intensive, it was still smooth enough to be played with pleasure. But obviously my experience with “PS5 + Quality TV + Controller” was better during my gaming sessions. With Portal, I sometimes felt a very slight delay between pressing a key and its action, or a very slight stutter in dynamic scenes.
Excellent finish
What I just wrote will shock more than one person. But the portal has many qualities. The first, obvious option is to allow a teenager to leave the living room TV with their parents while playing remotely on the PS5 (and for some families that’s certainly a great quality).
Another very positive point: the Diploma. The Portal is an excellent DualSense controller with a central screen, small speakers, headphone output and a few control buttons. As always with Sony, the workmanship is impeccable. Due to the lack of computing power, which remains at the level of the PS5, the portal is light (530 grams) despite a certain mass (30 cm wide, 11 cm high). The built-in battery allowed me to play for about 7 hours and it’s easy to charge via USB-C.
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Finally, let’s mention the price of the PlayStation Portal, which still remains very reasonable thanks to the concept chosen by Sony, namely being a screen that broadcasts video games on the PS5. 219€, it’s only three times the size of a normal controller, but you have an 8-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1080p and a clock speed of 60 frames per second. Note that it is currently sold out almost everywhere, so player interest is confirmed!
Three small but minor limitations: only the PS5 catalog is compatible, Bluetooth is missing in favor of the PlayStation Link home system and profile switching is not possible.
Les Tests de Mathieu Sony PlayStation Playstation Portal
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