What you're actually getting
The Portal isn't a standalone console. Worth saying upfront, because some people genuinely don't realise. It streams your PS5 over Wi-Fi, that's it. No PS5, no point. So if you've got one sitting in the living room and a partner who has strong opinions about monopolising the telly, this thing suddenly makes a lot of sense.
The screen is an 8-inch LCD at 1080p, 60fps. Feels decent in the hand. The controls are just a DualSense split down the middle, so haptic feedback and adaptive triggers come along for the ride, which is honestly the best bit. Playing something like Astro Bot on it feels surprisingly complete.
The Used - Like New gamble
Amazon Resale's Like New condition usually means minimal signs of use, original packaging, full functionality. In my experience, the hit rate is pretty good. But electronics are electronics. You're taking a small risk on battery health and whether the previous owner was gentle with it.
That said, the Portal doesn't have a particularly complex build. Not a lot to go wrong.
Who this is actually for
Mate, if you share a TV, work from home, or regularly want to game in bed without the full setup, the Portal is one of those purchases that quietly becomes essential. It's not perfect:
- Wi-Fi dependency makes it useless on dodgy connections
- No Bluetooth audio support (still, somehow)
- Useless without a PS5
But at a meaningfully lower price than new, on a product with 1333 degrees of community heat behind it? For the right person, spot on.
