Rejoice, PlayStation Portal fans - Sony's latest handheld can now do more than simply stream games from your PS5. While I'm still not sure why it wasn't a feature from day one, you can now use PS Plus to play games via the cloud independently using an internet connection. The catch? Well, I'm not so sure retailers will feel a need to serve up Black Friday discounts now that the device is inherently better value.
I'm still hopeful that the PlayStation Portal will end up joining this year's Black Friday PS5 deals pile. But, since the device has now earned the right to fight in the best gaming handheld ring alongside other cloud devices, I'd argue it's now better value even at full price. For context, you can grab one for $199 at Amazon right now, and there's even renewed options for $179.99 if you're not bothered by pre-loved tech.
Portal prices have held steady for most of the year and, if anything, you'd have spotted it for much more when it launched last year. As is typical of anything with a PlayStation logo on it these days, the handheld was originally in high demand, but stock has thankfully evened out now that the dust has settled. What I will say is that now that the portable player can do cloud streaming, more players than ever will have eyes on the device, so I'll be keeping an eye on stock to see what happens.
Should you buy a PlayStation Portal for cloud streaming?
Before I even get to my experience streaming PS Plus games using the PlayStation Portal, there are some key things to consider. The first is perhaps obvious, but Sony's device can only stream games from its online service. It would be slightly weird if the system could cheekily tap into Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now, so I get why it sticks with a closed ecosystem. Still, it's a reason to perhaps eye up Android options like the Razer Edge and Logitech G Cloud instead since you'll have access to a suite of Play Store apps.
As for how the Portal actually fairs as a cloud handheld - I am relatively happy the update. You will naturally have to sign up for PS Plus Premium if you aren't currently already, which adds expense to the experience. The feature is also still in Beta, so you'll have to opt in by heading to settings and selecting the newly added Cloud Streaming (Beta) option. Pressing the toggle will give you a new bubble icon that lets you "stream from the Game Catalogue," presenting you with an entire library.
Annoyingly, you'll still need to hop on your phone to re-sign up for PS Plus if your subscription isn't active. Yes, that's what I get for cancelling mine a few weeks ago, but the fact you can't manage any of that using the handheld itself is a pain. Keep in mind you'll need a "Premium" membership to access the cloud segment of Sony's services, so you'll want to keep your phone handy regardless.
Once you're all signed up, you'll be free to jump into whichever game takes your fancy, and loading should be instantaneous. Unfortunately, I immediately hit a snag trying to play Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen, as the gothic outing wouldn't acknowledged the virtual touchpads as faux start and select buttons. I managed to get around this by frustratingly tapping both tabs repeatedly (don't do that), enabling the PS2 emulation to finally start.
After conquering that quirk, I was able to roam play the vampiric romp at 1080p without any noticeable lag or connection issues. I've got a relatively decent Gigabit internet connection at home, so your personal milage may vary, but the same goes for every cloud streaming option out there and even the more expensive Steam Deck OLED using makeshift methods.
As much as the retro console enthusiast in me would love to just play PS2 games and call it a day, I naturally also had to jump into some PS5 releases. Annoyingly, the UI lacks a search function right now, meaning I had to scroll down the list using the touchscreen to find Demon's Souls. The Soulsborne adventure's intro kicked in fairly quickly and free from any artificing, meaning I could experience the usual symptomatic goosebumps.
The actual gameplay really holds up too, but again, that's entirely dependant on your internet connection. I'll also need to sink a few hours into Demon's Souls on the handheld to for a proper latency and feel check, even if everything looks to be working without a hitch.
Considering the cloud feature is still in beta, I'm honestly super impressed with the PS Portal's newfound streaming functionality. The added feature somewhat redeems its $200 price tag in my eyes, and while the loser in me is itching to play PS1 games natively on the handheld, I'm glad Sony finally released the portable from its console-dependant cage. I can see many of you picking one up even if you don't have a PS5, with or without a potential Black Friday discount next week.
Looking for handheld offers? Swing by Black Friday Steam Deck deals and Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals for portable price cuts. Alternatively, check out Black Friday PS5 deals for more Sony released savings.
