For a lot of fans, PlayStation Showcase 2023 was a relatively quiet reveal event, since PlayStation did not have a lot of its record-breaking exclusives in the lineup. However, the one surprise they managed to bring was a new handheld device called Project Q at the time. Cut to three months later and we finally have more information about Project Q. Named PlayStation Portal, the device is set to change the way PlayStation approaches handheld gaming.

Sony gave details about PlayStation Portal’s pricing and other features. The reveal indicates a big change in the way the handheld device works. And it prompts the question of whether purchasing it is an economically sound decision or not.

Is the PlayStation Portal worth its hefty price tag?

PlayStation named the device in a way that its shortened version comes to PSP, ergo PlayStation Portal (not to be confused with the previous PlayStation Portable). The biggest talking point is the $200 price tag, which is much less than what most fans expected.

However, with the price tag, fans seem to miss out on other details about the device. Firstly, the PlayStation Portal is merely an extension of the PlayStation 5. Unlike the SteamDeck or the Nintendo Switch, it does not have its own hardware that powers the game. Instead, it connects with the PlayStation 5 and functions as a sort of extended screen.

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Second, while there is a 3.5 mm earphone jack, there is no support for wireless Bluetooth headphones. In its place, the device uses the new PlayStation Link system that comes with its new PlayStation Plus earbuds and headphones. The earbuds, which are the cheaper option, cost $200 as well.

Thus, what fans think of as getting a bargain by buying a device to play HD games on for $200, turns out to be massively expensive once you factor in other costs. Since owning a PlayStation 5 is a necessity with this device, it means you have to shell out an extra $400 for the digital edition. Moreover, since the handheld device’s usage also aims at convenience, using wireless headphones means another $200 purchase. This totals up to a whopping $800.

These prices paint a wildly different picture. Paying such a figure for a device that needs you to keep your PlayStation 5 on and connected to the Internet to play becomes a big issue, especially since investing a little more can get you competitive handheld devices. Unless you catch the PlayStation Portal in a sale during a holiday, at the moment it does not seem like the best purchase for a PlayStation gamer.

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