Sony has revealed that its Project Q Remote Play handheld is now officially called PlayStation Portal, and it will cost $199. The company’s first handheld system since the PS Vita will be entirely dedicated to Remote Play. As it was designed specifically to use with the PS5 to stream games from the console. It doesn’t support PS VR2 games or games streamed from the PlayStation Plus Premium cloud streaming feature though.
PlayStation Portal will link to the PS5 over Wi-Fi, and its 8-inch LCD display is capable of 60 frames per second at up to 1080p. It also features a 3.5mm audio port for connecting a pair of wired earbuds or headphones. That being said, you can stay completely wireless if you prefer as it does support wireless audio. However, there is a caveat to this. Like the PS5 and PS4 consoles, it doesn’t appear that PlayStation Portal supports Bluetooth audio. Instead, it uses Sony’s new PlayStation Link wireless technology. Which can be found in Sony’s two newly announced PlayStation audio products.
The display is also sandwiched between two halves of a DualSense controller with all the features you’d expect. Like the adaptive triggers and advanced haptic feedback. Additional buttons on the device can be found for managing volume and connecting the PlayStation Link devices. And although the DualSense’s touchpad is gone, the Portal’s display acts as a touchscreen touchpad to deliver the same experiences.
PlayStation Portal will launch later this year
If you’re eager to use the PlayStation Portal for Remote Play, you’ll have to wait a little longer. As it won’t be launching until later this year. “We’ll have more details soon on when pre-orders begin for PlayStation Portal” Sony says in a blog post. Based on that, it sounds like it might not be available until closer to the holidays. And that would line up with earlier rumors about its supposed launch time frame.
If that’s the case, then pre-orders will probably begin within the next month or so. Of course, exact times on this are unclear, but Sony will share more soon.