Sony's PlayStation Portal remote player is a $200 handheld just for PS5 game streaming
The company has revealed more about its first wireless earbuds for PS5 as well as another set of headphones.
Several months back, Sony teased a dedicated remote play device for the PlayStation 5 as well as new gaming earbuds. Now, the company has revealed more details about the device. It's called the PlayStation Portal remote player.
The handheld looks a bit like a tablet wedged between two halves of a DualSense controller. It can stream games from your PS5 console, so when someone else is using the TV or you're in another room (or even travelling), you can still play remotely via WiFi without having to use your phone, tablet or computer. Sony says the snappily named PlayStation Portal remote player has an eight-inch LCD screen that delivers 1080p visuals at 60 frames per second. The device also benefits from DualSense features such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
There is a 3.5mm headphone jack too. That should come in handy as, according to IGN, there's no Bluetooth function. You'll either need to use Sony's new earbuds or headphones, or plug in a wired headset.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there's no support for PS VR2 games. You'll still need to hook your headset up to your PS5 directly to play VR games. Unfortunately, Sony says cloud game streaming through PlayStation Plus Premium isn't supported either. You'll have to install a game on a PS5 to play it remotely on the PlayStation Portal. That's disappointing, especially considering that the company is testing the ability to stream PS5 games to the console.
In addition, you better hope your WiFi stays up. As IGN notes, the PlayStation Portal doesn't run any apps locally at all. Everything goes through your PS5 — you can watch movies and TV shows on the handheld via the console's media apps — so if your WiFi network's down, the PlayStation Portal will essentially be useless.
Streaming-focused handhelds such as the Razer Edge are able to run Android apps locally. You can use third-party devices such as that, the ASUS ROG Ally or a Steam Deck to play your PS5 remotely too.
The PlayStation Portal remote player will arrive later this year. It will cost $200 in the US, £200 in the UK, €220 in the rest of Europe and 29,980 Yen in Japan.
On top of that, Sony has revealed more about its first wireless earbuds for PS5 and the PlayStation Portal remote player, as well as new headphones it designed for both systems. It says the Pulse Explore earbuds and Pulse Elite headset both support low latency lossless audio from PS5 and the handheld thanks to its new PlayStation Link tech.
A USB adapter is needed to connect the earbuds and headphones to PS5 via PlayStation Link. The tech will also be supported on PC and Mac. The Pulse Explore earbuds and Pulse Elite include multipoint connectivity as well. You can connect them to both your PS5 and a Bluetooth device (such as your phone) simultaneously, so you can easily answer a call while playing a game.
The earbuds and headset also each have custom-designed planar magnetic drivers (the first PlayStation audio devices to include them). Sony claims that it's one of the first companies to offer consumer earbuds with this tech, which it says delivers "an audiophile-level listening experience normally found in premium headphones for professional sound engineers."
The Pulse Explore earbuds have dual mics and "AI-enhanced noise rejection" to filter out background noise. Naturally, they come with a charging case. The Pulse Elite has similar tech for handling background audio, along with a retractable boom mic. Sony is bundling in a charging hangar for the headphones too.
The company hasn't announced a release date for either device, other than to say it will announce those details soon. Be warned, though: the Pulse Explore earbuds are fairly pricey. They cost the same as the PlayStation Portal remote player in the US, UK, Europe and Japan. The Pulse Elite, meanwhile, will set you back $150 in the US, £130 in the UK, €150 in the rest of Europe and 18,980 Yen in Japan.
