You can buy a refurbished 256 GB Steam Deck for $319, and there’s an app to easily use Remote Play with your PS5! For not too much more money than the PS Portal, you can also download your entire Steam collection + non-Steam games (Minecraft w/ mods + shaders), and have a fully-functioning Linux machine!
Personally, I’m very confused on who exactly the PS Portal is for, but the only important thing is that people are having fun with their games! :)
I returned the Steam Deck when I received it - it was larger than expected and just didn't feel ergonomic. The Portal on the other hand almost feels like holding the DualSense. It's a nice, though limited, device.
There’s savings to be had over time on Steam sales too, where even AAA titles eventually become dirt cheap. With new games now costing $70, it doesn’t take long for the price difference between a Deck and a Portal (or other similar streaming device) to pay for itself.
If all I wanted was a PS Portal-like experience I think I’d get one of those USB-C phone game controller things to put my smartphone in, which would be cheaper (albeit with a smaller screen), be able to stream from more than just a PS5, and would get better every time I upgrade my phone. At $200, without hacks the PS Portal is a bit too much of a one-trick pony.
I pick up more games every Steam sale that end up getting put into The Backlog™. But when you can buy the entire Arkham series for $10, how can any reasonable person say no??
In all seriousness, Steam sales are the only reason I’ve been able to try out so many new games I’d otherwise not be able to afford, unless I was using Game Pass or something. I grew up on consoles, and didn’t even get into PC gaming until adulthood, but man, Steam has saved/cost me so much money, haha
60% more money is signifigantly more. That was about the price gap between the 3DS and Vita and we saw how that ended (even though Vita hardware was far superior). And of course we're comparing used tech to brand new MSRB price as well.
To be fair the bigger issue with the Vita was that Sony didn't really support it with games the way the PSP got. I remember watching E3 every year back then and being disappointed that they spent barely any time on Vita stuff.
The price of the console itself would've been fine if the memory cards were cheaper (or if they had just used a regular standard) and if there were as many good exclusives as the PSP had.
It basically just ended up being an indie and niche weeb gaming machine.
I guess it was kind of foreboding of the then upcoming console generations.
Personally, I’m very confused on who exactly the PS Portal is for, but the only important thing is that people are having fun with their games! :)