PlayStation Portal: A day late and dollars more

Originally revealed with a working title of “Project Q”, Sony has revealed the full details on its portable streaming handheld PlayStation Portal. Although we still do not have any release dates for the device, there is pricing information available with pre-orders. Unfortunately,  the execution seems to ne lacking while the idea has premise.

Sony has confirmed again today that the device will only work via Wi-Fi. “PlayStation Portal remote player brings the PS5 experience to the palm of your hand,” wrote PlayStation SVP Hideaki Nishino on the PS Blog. “It includes the key features of the DualSense wireless controller, including adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. The vibrant 8-inch LCD screen is capable of 1080p resolution at 60fps, providing a high definition visual experience that’s expected from the high quality games created by world-class developers.”

While 60 FPS is meant to reel in people’s attention, it goes without saying that many phones today are capable of doing just that. In fact, most have screens that are better than 1080P with most newer phones boasting 4K resolution. Add in the fact that you can use your phone at home via Wi-Fi with a Backbone device for half the price ($99 vs. $199), it begs the question “Why bother?”. Backbone also lets you use your PS5 via broadband, so now you have half the price AND can use it anywhere.

It’s a bit confusing seeing as there is no new, proprietary technology in use here, but instead is a step back from what is currently available for a much cheaper cost. For those who are interested in learning more about the device, you can check it out by heading over to the PlayStation blog from the link above.