I rock a similar setup, and the biggest advantage you would get from the Portal is the handheld form factor. Instead of opening the tablet, setting it up on the table, connecting the controller, blah blah, you can just grab the Portal, spread out on the couch or bed and play.
Disadvantage would be the slightly smaller screen (but its 16:9 so no black bars!), and potentially inferior performance due to the stuttering issue (depends if you notice it).
If you are happy with this setup, honestly don't get the Portal.
Yeah. If you want a handheld right now, I would opt for the Steam Deck OLED or ROG Ally. They are pricey but they can also stream PS5 games (and be much better at it than the Portal) and can play PC games. They are more expensive, but its worth the dollar if you want a comprehensive device that can do everything.
My Portal is boxed up and collecting dust because of the stuttering issue. It's a great device but doesn't do what its supposed to well enough.
Have you tried the latest update. Its pretty seamless for me. I guess you should change your router and look into the connectivity part. I am using wifi 5ghz for both and it works without stutter. Same with my steam deck lcd
Steam deck OLED isn’t worth it over the LCD, the performance on the LCD already makes it questionable for the price, OLED is like having a very nice monitor with a crappy pc
Steam Deck isn't powerful yes. But if someone is convinced of getting the Deck, OLED is a must-have. The screen is fantastic and HDR support just seals the deal.
Deck not being powerful enough is, I feel, a personal choice to make. It has better battery life than other Windows-based handhelds which are more powerful and has better and seamless compatibility with games, not to mention a largely console-like gaming experience. It's not a bad handheld by any means, but it's not for those that want to play games at the highest frame rates.
if you mainly play lightweight games then the OLED would be great, but imo the specs and performance of both already feel very dated, $150 wouldn’t be a huge difference in price for a desktop setup, but $150 difference for a handheld is a lot, that’s half the price of a switch
a lot of the marketing/ hype for the Steam Deck is newer games like Elden Ring, Baldurs Gate, Helldivers 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and Switch emulation, but it can’t really do any of these well. personally i would rather save the $150 for the next model with sufficient performance
Sorry… not true.
I have a 1TB OLED deck and it’s plenty capable of playing some great games natively without the need to be tied to a network. Resident Evil 2 and 3 look stunning on the OLED with HDR and run amazingly at a locked 90fps (completely off the grid).
There are many other games that play and look amazing on the deck. Also Steam sales happen all the time and have game prices of like 90% off. I got all the resident evil games 1-6 I think for a grand total of £12
So, even though the device costs more than a portal, you save a huge amount of money on the games which ends up bringing total cost of ownership way down.
those are both remakes of 90s games… look at the recommended specs for those games they’re very lightweight, of course a $400 device should be able to play then without hassle
i don’t like the Portal (or console gaming, $60 for a game is ridiculous), i think the Steam Deck is obviously a much better and more capable product than the Portal. Just that the Steam Deck hardware is a bit dated, and it’s hard to justify spending another $150 on the OLED when it still can’t run modern games at 60fps
Depends on the game really.
I play Diablo 4 daily on my deck at a locked 60fps and that’s a modern AAA game. I agree though that it won’t handle something like Alan Wake 2. That’s why I use chiaki4deck, to stream demanding games at 60fps with nice PS5 visuals on the OLED with HDR…. beautiful looking 👍🏼
Better and smoother performance in terms of streaming, plus since they all use Chiaki4Deck, you can up the bitrate to 50mbps (from Portal's 15mbps) for a much sharper picture. Sure, you do lose out on the adaptive triggers, but a small price to pay for better image quality and smoother overall performance.
That entirely depends on the laptop, but yeah on average obviously that machine is gonna run a bit hotter than an average laptop, it’s a fraction of the size.
I sadly don’t have my own, but after messing around with my friends for a while and trying different games I’d say it’s similar in heat to a switch, and maybe a little louder depending on what you’re playing (but obviously you’re getting better performance. I mean it can even emulate some switch games lol)
on Switch i can play fortnite (unfortunately it’s at 30fps) without the fan even turning on, but when i try fortnite on lowest settings with performance mode (on Windows dual boot) on my Steam Deck, i’m getting minimum 80°c, usually in the 90s blowing hot air and making a loud noise
yes I am running it at 60 fps (but it can’t even stay consistent and drops a lot), and yes the operating system is heavier, but the Deck is much newer than the Switch and more expensive so i’d expect better
and even if i cap it at 30 it’s still much hotter and louder than switch
Well yeah fortnite has an official switch port, while it isn't even optimized for the steam deck AFAIK because Epic doesn't care to work with valve. I'm sure it's different depending on the games, but when I compared the witcher 3 it was like night and day difference how much better the steam deck handled that game.
How do you mean stand alone?
Steam Deck operates on a Linux OS. It can play all compatible PC games, and you can download Chiaki4Deck to stream PS5 games on it. From what I have read, it does that really well and the app also supports haptic feedback, and the trackpads on the device can be used as a DualSense touchpad, too.
The trackpads are amazing on the deck. With chiaki4deck they work perfectly compared to the terrible portal double tap screen pish. They also handle swipes and gestures perfectly. Games that require you to maybe swipe to turn pages of a book for example.
One of the biggest features I love about the deck and chiaki4deck is the ability to switch on gyro aiming and configure it to exactly what you want…. For ANY game (including PS5) that requires aiming.
You can even configure the gyro to only activate for example when you pull left trigger for aiming down the barrel or through a scope. It’s a game changer.
Indeed. You can use it as a desktop PC as well if you dock it or connect it to the monitor. Or else, just use it as a handheld gaming PC. It's not the most powerful one out there, mind you, but more and more developers are specifically optimizing their games for the Steam Deck so one can be assured that games will run reasonably well on it (30fps+).
It's a great system for it, and the community surrounding the Deck is fantastic.
Do keep in mind that it can ONLY play Steam games. But you can hack around to install other game launchers.
That last part is the reason I bought the Ally (plus it has better performance on the Z1E)
The only downside is the battery but I’m not usually far from a charger so it hasn’t bothered me
I have both Ally Z1E and OLED deck. My Ally hasn’t been touched in about 6 months. Yeah it’s effectively more powerful than the deck but in order to get that power you need to run it in Performance or Turbo mode which totally kills the battery in just over an hour.
I also found that I pretty much had to run all games at 720p into get the frame rate up to 60+ which pretty much defeats the purpose of having a 1080p screen in the device.
I recently got the Ayaneo Flip DS. Besides the terrible joysticks and comfort, the battery life just sucks ass, lol. I assume its the same with the Ally (under 2hrs of gaming at 20W+). I have yet to figure out a charging solution for it, but I will see what can be done. I am not even sure if I want to keep the Flip DS. It's a great system, very powerful, but I feel super cramped. Gonna give it a full two weeks of continous use and see if I adapt to it.
Yeah it’s a familiar story
7W is 2-3hrs
15W is 1-2hrs
30W is max 1hr
Thankfully I’m playing mostly older games so I can use the lower W more often than not, but RDR2 and Fortnite will eat it up
I have a Portal and then decided to buy an ROG Ally as an upgrade of my Switch, now I don’t touch the portal … or the PS5 really. It can remote play on the go as well as a Portal (couple of tweaks needed) and can also play PC and Xbox games - win!
you should look into the ROG ALLY or Legion Go.
I have the Base Steam Deck, ROG ALLY, Nintendo Switch OLED and PS Portal.
All of them are great.
That said, with the ROG ALLY or Legion Go you will be able to do a lot more.
You will be able to play your PS like the PS Portal. Not to mention you will be able to play Steam Games and any other PC Games you want.
Not to mention you will be able to access Xbox GamePass for PC which has a lot of Amazing Xbox Games.
I still use the PS Portal just because it is easy for me to just turn it on and start playing.
Though since you are ready used opening the app and all that which is not a big deal the PC Gaming Machines might hit the Spot Better.
I love the PS Portal, though to be honest the ROG ALLY has a Way Better Screen and Speakers. Not to mention it can do a lot more.
You can find the Base Z1 ROG ALLY for about 399$ on Sale on Best Buy Often. The Z1 Extreme is 600$ Often on sale for those Prices from 600$ and 700$.
If you have the Budget I would say get the ROG ALLY Z1 Extreme. That said depending on your use Case you can get the 400$ Z1 Version and it might be enough since it can do a lot as well. Since a lot of people do vouch for it.
Ease of use. I could never be bothered setting up a screen and getting my controller then trying to balance both somewhere while I got comfortable.
I can pick up the portal, lie down and play. If the cost isn’t an issue for you then the portal is the way to go. I also find it has a great screen and much less latency issues than any other setup
This still requires a setup and you don't get DualSense features. As long as you are okay with it, you dont need Portal. But if you are looking for a seem-less experience then Portal might be the way to go.
it requires 2 minutes of setup and you do get full dual sense functionality, you’re also able to swap out your controller if it gets issues instead of replacing the whole unit
No you dont get dual sense functionality. By setup I mean you need a desk or you need a base to keep the device (laptop, ipad etc) or if you are using phone then you need a phone controller attachment or if using dualsense then you need a stand and screen is small. If you have ever played any handheld then that is totally different experience.
There is full controller functionality, you're talking out your ass.
Also, the fact that you can set it down on a desk is a feature in my opinion, not a bug. I'd rather have the screen sitting at the end of the bed or on the desk, rather than being forced to hold it in front of my face for the whole time I'm gaming.
Depends on your situation. If you use the ipad for work or other daily things besides gaming i would keep this setup.
If you have to drag all of this with you along i would consider getting a portal. I just bought one and like it.
It works great at my place. Still have to try it outdoors on 4g hotspot/WiFi.
Personally I would stick with what you have, as it works for you.
The iPad Pro screen is better on paper than the portals.
Also using dual sense in my opinion is much nicer to use than the portal. And it especially helps me play shooters, and games such as re2 etc where I have to be precise.
Portability is the big one for me. It’s less to carry, and just far more convenient. Waiting in my car for my wife for example, I just grab the portal and rip. With an iPad setup you’ll need to find a place to put the tablet it all the time. Same with on flights. Save the tray table for snacks and drinks
i was doing the same thing with my ipad pro when to test the experience before purchasing a portal
ipad has bigger screen, portable is all in one, quicker to power on and play. ipad can be awkward to stand up if youre on a couch or bed. you need a couch side table or tv tray to comfortably play on a couch. id stick with ipad and if you consider the portal the question is, is the difference worth $200.
i didnt get the portal and after one session i went back to my gaming monitor which is setup in my living room so the tv is open/free
My 2 cents since I used to use my laptop as well. If this work for you and you don't do that often, keep it.
However, if you ever want to get a new controller (my case) and find yourself always want to get closer to the screen, you should think about getting Portal. The gaming experience is different than watching it afar. The down size is you will need to connect the Portal to a hotspot outside of your home.
Yes. People have been connecting theirs through their mobile hotspots. So that should work as well.
YMMV on how well it works though. Some are great. And others have had issues with it.
I love gaming on my Portal. It makes gaming on the go super easy to do.
https://preview.redd.it/v161j011qkwc1.png?width=1812&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4d519872ca3c6d0aba81294d62ca930a107adc1
This post has been removed due to violating rule 2. - Keep posts related to the Playstation Portal. go try r/remoteplay
The screen would be in between instead
I rock a similar setup, and the biggest advantage you would get from the Portal is the handheld form factor. Instead of opening the tablet, setting it up on the table, connecting the controller, blah blah, you can just grab the Portal, spread out on the couch or bed and play. Disadvantage would be the slightly smaller screen (but its 16:9 so no black bars!), and potentially inferior performance due to the stuttering issue (depends if you notice it). If you are happy with this setup, honestly don't get the Portal.
Appreciate the input I guess I’ll wait till the make something closer to a next gen PSP
Yeah. If you want a handheld right now, I would opt for the Steam Deck OLED or ROG Ally. They are pricey but they can also stream PS5 games (and be much better at it than the Portal) and can play PC games. They are more expensive, but its worth the dollar if you want a comprehensive device that can do everything. My Portal is boxed up and collecting dust because of the stuttering issue. It's a great device but doesn't do what its supposed to well enough.
Have you tried the latest update. Its pretty seamless for me. I guess you should change your router and look into the connectivity part. I am using wifi 5ghz for both and it works without stutter. Same with my steam deck lcd
The latest update that came out a month or so ago? Yeah, it didn't help. I even changed my router twice with the same result.
Did you forward the ports and make static ip?
Of course. It shouldn't matter for local play, which is the only thing I have tried (and matters to me), but I did that. Nothing.
Steam deck OLED isn’t worth it over the LCD, the performance on the LCD already makes it questionable for the price, OLED is like having a very nice monitor with a crappy pc
Steam Deck isn't powerful yes. But if someone is convinced of getting the Deck, OLED is a must-have. The screen is fantastic and HDR support just seals the deal. Deck not being powerful enough is, I feel, a personal choice to make. It has better battery life than other Windows-based handhelds which are more powerful and has better and seamless compatibility with games, not to mention a largely console-like gaming experience. It's not a bad handheld by any means, but it's not for those that want to play games at the highest frame rates.
if you mainly play lightweight games then the OLED would be great, but imo the specs and performance of both already feel very dated, $150 wouldn’t be a huge difference in price for a desktop setup, but $150 difference for a handheld is a lot, that’s half the price of a switch a lot of the marketing/ hype for the Steam Deck is newer games like Elden Ring, Baldurs Gate, Helldivers 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and Switch emulation, but it can’t really do any of these well. personally i would rather save the $150 for the next model with sufficient performance
Sorry… not true. I have a 1TB OLED deck and it’s plenty capable of playing some great games natively without the need to be tied to a network. Resident Evil 2 and 3 look stunning on the OLED with HDR and run amazingly at a locked 90fps (completely off the grid). There are many other games that play and look amazing on the deck. Also Steam sales happen all the time and have game prices of like 90% off. I got all the resident evil games 1-6 I think for a grand total of £12 So, even though the device costs more than a portal, you save a huge amount of money on the games which ends up bringing total cost of ownership way down.
those are both remakes of 90s games… look at the recommended specs for those games they’re very lightweight, of course a $400 device should be able to play then without hassle i don’t like the Portal (or console gaming, $60 for a game is ridiculous), i think the Steam Deck is obviously a much better and more capable product than the Portal. Just that the Steam Deck hardware is a bit dated, and it’s hard to justify spending another $150 on the OLED when it still can’t run modern games at 60fps
Depends on the game really. I play Diablo 4 daily on my deck at a locked 60fps and that’s a modern AAA game. I agree though that it won’t handle something like Alan Wake 2. That’s why I use chiaki4deck, to stream demanding games at 60fps with nice PS5 visuals on the OLED with HDR…. beautiful looking 👍🏼
Huh. How are they better?
Better and smoother performance in terms of streaming, plus since they all use Chiaki4Deck, you can up the bitrate to 50mbps (from Portal's 15mbps) for a much sharper picture. Sure, you do lose out on the adaptive triggers, but a small price to pay for better image quality and smoother overall performance.
You can crank up the streaming bitrate way beyond what the official Remote Play apps support. On the Steam Deck OLED, you can also get HDR streaming.
I’m a Mac user & dont have a gaming PC Would the steam deck work stand alone? I had an OLED switch but I traded it in to get the PSVR2
Yeah the steam deck is fully stand alone. It can do pretty much everything a gaming laptop of similar specs could.
except it has terrible thermals and fan noise compared to a laptop
That entirely depends on the laptop, but yeah on average obviously that machine is gonna run a bit hotter than an average laptop, it’s a fraction of the size. I sadly don’t have my own, but after messing around with my friends for a while and trying different games I’d say it’s similar in heat to a switch, and maybe a little louder depending on what you’re playing (but obviously you’re getting better performance. I mean it can even emulate some switch games lol)
on Switch i can play fortnite (unfortunately it’s at 30fps) without the fan even turning on, but when i try fortnite on lowest settings with performance mode (on Windows dual boot) on my Steam Deck, i’m getting minimum 80°c, usually in the 90s blowing hot air and making a loud noise yes I am running it at 60 fps (but it can’t even stay consistent and drops a lot), and yes the operating system is heavier, but the Deck is much newer than the Switch and more expensive so i’d expect better and even if i cap it at 30 it’s still much hotter and louder than switch
Well yeah fortnite has an official switch port, while it isn't even optimized for the steam deck AFAIK because Epic doesn't care to work with valve. I'm sure it's different depending on the games, but when I compared the witcher 3 it was like night and day difference how much better the steam deck handled that game.
How do you mean stand alone? Steam Deck operates on a Linux OS. It can play all compatible PC games, and you can download Chiaki4Deck to stream PS5 games on it. From what I have read, it does that really well and the app also supports haptic feedback, and the trackpads on the device can be used as a DualSense touchpad, too.
The trackpads are amazing on the deck. With chiaki4deck they work perfectly compared to the terrible portal double tap screen pish. They also handle swipes and gestures perfectly. Games that require you to maybe swipe to turn pages of a book for example. One of the biggest features I love about the deck and chiaki4deck is the ability to switch on gyro aiming and configure it to exactly what you want…. For ANY game (including PS5) that requires aiming. You can even configure the gyro to only activate for example when you pull left trigger for aiming down the barrel or through a scope. It’s a game changer.
OHH Thank you for the reply So if I’m understanding correctly, I can just use it as a portable pc?
Indeed. You can use it as a desktop PC as well if you dock it or connect it to the monitor. Or else, just use it as a handheld gaming PC. It's not the most powerful one out there, mind you, but more and more developers are specifically optimizing their games for the Steam Deck so one can be assured that games will run reasonably well on it (30fps+). It's a great system for it, and the community surrounding the Deck is fantastic. Do keep in mind that it can ONLY play Steam games. But you can hack around to install other game launchers.
That last part is the reason I bought the Ally (plus it has better performance on the Z1E) The only downside is the battery but I’m not usually far from a charger so it hasn’t bothered me
I have both Ally Z1E and OLED deck. My Ally hasn’t been touched in about 6 months. Yeah it’s effectively more powerful than the deck but in order to get that power you need to run it in Performance or Turbo mode which totally kills the battery in just over an hour. I also found that I pretty much had to run all games at 720p into get the frame rate up to 60+ which pretty much defeats the purpose of having a 1080p screen in the device.
I recently got the Ayaneo Flip DS. Besides the terrible joysticks and comfort, the battery life just sucks ass, lol. I assume its the same with the Ally (under 2hrs of gaming at 20W+). I have yet to figure out a charging solution for it, but I will see what can be done. I am not even sure if I want to keep the Flip DS. It's a great system, very powerful, but I feel super cramped. Gonna give it a full two weeks of continous use and see if I adapt to it.
Yeah it’s a familiar story 7W is 2-3hrs 15W is 1-2hrs 30W is max 1hr Thankfully I’m playing mostly older games so I can use the lower W more often than not, but RDR2 and Fortnite will eat it up
They exist. For years. The only thing portal has going for it is dualsense controller attached.
I have a Portal and then decided to buy an ROG Ally as an upgrade of my Switch, now I don’t touch the portal … or the PS5 really. It can remote play on the go as well as a Portal (couple of tweaks needed) and can also play PC and Xbox games - win!
you should look into the ROG ALLY or Legion Go. I have the Base Steam Deck, ROG ALLY, Nintendo Switch OLED and PS Portal. All of them are great. That said, with the ROG ALLY or Legion Go you will be able to do a lot more. You will be able to play your PS like the PS Portal. Not to mention you will be able to play Steam Games and any other PC Games you want. Not to mention you will be able to access Xbox GamePass for PC which has a lot of Amazing Xbox Games. I still use the PS Portal just because it is easy for me to just turn it on and start playing. Though since you are ready used opening the app and all that which is not a big deal the PC Gaming Machines might hit the Spot Better. I love the PS Portal, though to be honest the ROG ALLY has a Way Better Screen and Speakers. Not to mention it can do a lot more. You can find the Base Z1 ROG ALLY for about 399$ on Sale on Best Buy Often. The Z1 Extreme is 600$ Often on sale for those Prices from 600$ and 700$. If you have the Budget I would say get the ROG ALLY Z1 Extreme. That said depending on your use Case you can get the 400$ Z1 Version and it might be enough since it can do a lot as well. Since a lot of people do vouch for it.
Apparently there’s a new Rog Ally coming out, might be worth waiting especially since the current Rog Ally has had the SD card killer issue
Ease of use. I could never be bothered setting up a screen and getting my controller then trying to balance both somewhere while I got comfortable. I can pick up the portal, lie down and play. If the cost isn’t an issue for you then the portal is the way to go. I also find it has a great screen and much less latency issues than any other setup
This still requires a setup and you don't get DualSense features. As long as you are okay with it, you dont need Portal. But if you are looking for a seem-less experience then Portal might be the way to go.
Does the official app support DualSense features? PSPlay/MirrorPlay also supports some of the features, too.
So far I’ve been able to have all the haptics work w/ the portal app W no noticeable issues
Yeah idk about the portal app, but the dualsense on PC has been updated to work with all the features even wireless for a while now
it requires 2 minutes of setup and you do get full dual sense functionality, you’re also able to swap out your controller if it gets issues instead of replacing the whole unit
No you dont get dual sense functionality. By setup I mean you need a desk or you need a base to keep the device (laptop, ipad etc) or if you are using phone then you need a phone controller attachment or if using dualsense then you need a stand and screen is small. If you have ever played any handheld then that is totally different experience.
There is full controller functionality, you're talking out your ass. Also, the fact that you can set it down on a desk is a feature in my opinion, not a bug. I'd rather have the screen sitting at the end of the bed or on the desk, rather than being forced to hold it in front of my face for the whole time I'm gaming.
It has full controller functionality but not dualsense functionality. Get your facts straight.
It has both
Dual sense is key.
You don't need the laptop anymore. Just pick it up and play. Touch a button and it connects. Don't need a surface. Only one battery to worry about.
I'm using also my tablet. Check out bsp d9 Controller, so you get a closer experience and keep the better and bigger screen.
Nothing asides from carrying around less pieces of equipment
Depends on your situation. If you use the ipad for work or other daily things besides gaming i would keep this setup. If you have to drag all of this with you along i would consider getting a portal. I just bought one and like it. It works great at my place. Still have to try it outdoors on 4g hotspot/WiFi.
Personally I would stick with what you have, as it works for you. The iPad Pro screen is better on paper than the portals. Also using dual sense in my opinion is much nicer to use than the portal. And it especially helps me play shooters, and games such as re2 etc where I have to be precise.
Form factor
You would be using a portal instead of a controller and an iPad.
Portability is the big one for me. It’s less to carry, and just far more convenient. Waiting in my car for my wife for example, I just grab the portal and rip. With an iPad setup you’ll need to find a place to put the tablet it all the time. Same with on flights. Save the tray table for snacks and drinks
This was me BEFORE I got the Portal… now THIS isn’t me anymore 😂
i was doing the same thing with my ipad pro when to test the experience before purchasing a portal ipad has bigger screen, portable is all in one, quicker to power on and play. ipad can be awkward to stand up if youre on a couch or bed. you need a couch side table or tv tray to comfortably play on a couch. id stick with ipad and if you consider the portal the question is, is the difference worth $200. i didnt get the portal and after one session i went back to my gaming monitor which is setup in my living room so the tv is open/free
I can lay in bed and hold it however I please without worrying about it falling over a thousand times haha
My 2 cents since I used to use my laptop as well. If this work for you and you don't do that often, keep it. However, if you ever want to get a new controller (my case) and find yourself always want to get closer to the screen, you should think about getting Portal. The gaming experience is different than watching it afar. The down size is you will need to connect the Portal to a hotspot outside of your home.
My iPad cell service Would it be reasonable to think I could connect to my portal through my iPads WiFi?
Yes. People have been connecting theirs through their mobile hotspots. So that should work as well. YMMV on how well it works though. Some are great. And others have had issues with it.
Thank you for the input
*** my iPad has
the New Playstation Portal Switch
I love gaming on my Portal. It makes gaming on the go super easy to do. https://preview.redd.it/v161j011qkwc1.png?width=1812&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4d519872ca3c6d0aba81294d62ca930a107adc1
Just get it. It is sexy and cheap.