What is the PlayStation Portal?
The PlayStation Portal is a convenient handheld gaming device that can be used anywhere to play videos games as long as you have the power and games to do so. The only drawback of this device is the computational power; only so many games can be played due to its hardware limitations. But PlayStation has gotten around this with its latest handheld device: the PlayStation Portal.
The PlayStation Portal doesn't allow you to use game discs like its predecessors (PlayStation Portable (AKA: PSP)). Instead, you play games by leaving your PS5 console on or in rest mode while connected to the internet. This then allows you to play any digital games you have installed on your console system at home, despite having hardware limitations on the portable device itself.
What are the drawbacks of the PS Portal?
Unlike the PSP, the PS Portal requires an internet connection and a console with only digital games. So because of this, the system can become inconvenient at times requiring another console system, internet connection, and digital games only, leaving your physical games useless. But from what I've read online, I think you can download some games, but I'm not sure about this one; I don't see why not, though.
Because of these reasons, I believe that it most likely pushes casual or new PlayStation users who are looking for a new handheld device, out of the market.
What are Sthe benefits of the PS Portal?
The PS Portal offers high-spec gaming from anywhere in the world (supposedly) as long as your PS5 is connected to the internet, is on, and you have access to internet on your PS Portal device. This is where it comes in strong with its high-quality gaming through streaming, using another systems' hardware to power the demanding games that handhelds can't typically offer. But also, the device comes with PlayStation's latest haptic feedback triggers for that extra, immersive gaming experience.
Conclusion
Personally, I think the PS Portal is OK at best. I think the whole concept of the of a handheld device being used as a portal is great, but it shouldn't be limited to just that alone. In fact, I think it's a feature, not the product itself. I think they should do what they did with the PSP and combine that with the PS Portal: physical games (or modernise with downloadable games) with game portaling as an added feature with all the usual (and new) bells and whsitles.
With that said, I've read that the PlayStation Portal can now run many games off on an online server hosted PlayStation, meaing you only internet connection, and possibly by a subcription which is the catch, if its true. But you can say the PlayStation is very close to being a true handheld device