The PlayStation portal is almost upon us, kind of marking the return to the portable gaming market for Sony. We were lucky enough to get our hands on a unit closer to its November 15 release date to take our PlayStation 5 experience with you. However, before you turn on this new device for the first time, we’re here to walk you through the unboxing experience and our first impressions of this design.
Sony has kept things relatively simple here, with an inner cardboard box sliding out of its printed sleeve, and inside is your Portal surrounded by packaging, along with instructions and a USB-C charging cable to double ended.
The first thing that will strike you about the portal is its size. With an 8-inch LCD screen, the Portal features DualSense grips on each side, fully retaining the shape and feel of the PS5 controller. Put this thing side by side with other portable devices, it really shows how big it is – it’s even a similar size to the Steam Deck. You can see a video comparison in our unboxing on the Push Square YouTube channel.
Without the touchpad, you can find all the buttons and features here that you would find with a regular DualSense with the mute and home button reassigned to the top left and right of the screen. At the top of the screen are your speakers, and just behind them are the power, pairing, and volume buttons. Tucked behind the display are your USB charging slot and 3.5mm audio jack.
When considering the form factor, the Portal can sometimes look a little odd, but feel is more important than looks. Devices like the Nintendo Switch and even the Backbone One can be quite uncomfortable after a while. Based on our limited experience, the Portal will likely rate as one of the most comfortable handheld devices on the market.
For now, we can only comment on the design and feel of the console in hand, so keep an eye on the site for our full review as the portal launch approaches. Suffice it to say, we were pleasantly surprised by the build quality and size of the gate, and we can’t wait to see it in action.
Are you considering getting PS Portal? Let us know in the comments below.