PlayStation Portal is a great device for a strangely small audience

It's been more than a decade since PlayStation developed a handheld gaming console. When the new handheld game console was announced in May, Vita addicts cheered from their forgotten graves and celebrated the possibility of playing their favorite PlayStation games on the go.

At first glance, you might think PlayStation Portal is a reincarnation of the Vita. However, this assessment is completely wrong. In fact, it's just a device for playing games via PlayStation's Remote Play feature. Exclusively. that's it. That's all. And he does it very well. However, this is currently the case for many devices. So you're wondering why PlayStation Portal even exists.

For those unfamiliar, Remote Play allows you to connect to your PlayStation 5 via your phone or browser, allowing you to control games you already own on almost any device with an internet connection. Masu. When you put it that way, it sounds like a dream.

The problem with remote play is understanding its limitations. Most games require you to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network for a great gaming experience, as they rely on a strong internet connection. You can connect to remote play across the country in a pinch, for example to browse the in-game shop for limited-time items or play an underrated turn-based strategy game. , otherwise it should be right there.

PlayStation Portal is designed to make your remote play experience as seamless as possible. It has its own 1080p screen and is connected to a DualSense controller split in the middle. In many ways, it appears to mimic the Switch's form factor (though half of the controllers aren't removable). However, unlike the Switch, you can't run games directly on the device. All must be played remotely over WiFi.

When I first sat down to test the PlayStation Portal, my PS5 was in my office, which is connected to the internet via a mesh router. The connection is plenty strong enough to play multiplayer games on the console, but apparently sending the visual signal over my mesh network was a bridge too far for Remote Play. I was getting a crunchy, low-resolution image with noticeable input lag, making almost every game I tried unplayable.

The second test I ran involved moving my PS5 into my living room, directly next to where my router is sitting. At this point, when booting up the PlayStation Portal in the same room, the experience was much smoother. The image remained constant at 1080p and input lag was significantly reduced. Action-adventure games like Lies of P and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 were completely playable, and I could easily imagine playing all of these games on the PlayStation Portal alone.

I also tried Fortnite, which uses auto-aim quite a bit, and while it was also pretty playable, I noticed a slight lag starting to affect my ability to line up shots. I've managed to get a few kills (and not just against bots!), but winning a battle royale match against remote play isn't likely to happen any time soon.

After Fortnite, I turned to Ghostrunner 2, the ultimate test of responsiveness. This first-person platformer requires absolutely precise inputs and timing. Otherwise, you will die. Don't try to play Ghostrunner 2 (or any sensitive shooter). Play remotely. It`s a miserable experience, regardless of how close you are to the router. In this case, the PlayStation Portal and the PS5 were a foot away from the router, and even then, it just wasn`t happening. The streaming tech just can`t handle the minimal latency required to have a good time.

PlayStation Portal will be released on November 15th. The device was verified using a pre-release UIN provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, but Vox Media may earn a commission if you purchase products through affiliate links.