PlayStation Portal (Image: SONY . GETTY . DAILY EXPRESS)
The PlayStation Portal is here and if you’re looking for stock updates, price information and where to buy – we have all the information you need to know.
Sony released the PlayStation Portal on Wednesday, November 15 worldwide and the handheld device was soon snapped up by gamers everywhere.
The new device has been created to allow you to play games such as God of War, Baldur’s Gate 3, EA Sports FC 24, Horizon Forbidden West and Spider-Man 2 around the house without needing to take up an additional screen.
By using your WiFi, you can stream games from your PS5 to the PlayStation Portal remotly – meaning you can enjoy your games from the comfort of your own bed.
If you have been wondering where you can buy the PS Portal and which stores have stock, we have made a rundown of everything you need to know about the device and how to buy it.
Meanwhile, you can find out more about the best PS5 deals if you have been considering getting a new console.
What is the PlayStation Portal?
The PlayStation Portal was released on November 15 worldwide and provides an easy way to play the PS5 console wihout the need to take up the living room TV.
It comes with a 8 inch LCD screen capable of 1080p resolution play at 60fps with DualSense joypad sticks attached to the device. In order to play the games, you’ll need to be connected to the internet.
The good news is you don’t need to be connected to your home internet in order to use the device. As long as you have 5Mbps broadband speed where you’re located, you should be able to remotely play your games that are installed on your console.
Sony has said that a high-speed connection of at least 15Mbps is recommended to get the best quality possible to play the device.
Sony has assured players that you don’t need to buy PS Plus Membership in order to use the console so once you get it in your hands, it’s ready to go.
PlayStation Portal: which retailers have stock?
The PS Portal (Image: Sony)
The PlayStation Portal stock situation has looked slightly dire on release day with most retailers like Argos, GAME, Smyth’s Toys and other places selling out fast.
As Christmas approaches, there have been people eagerly trying to get their hands on the console in order to try and get it. If you have been trying to find it, your best bet right now is from eBay – but the catch is you’ll be paying a heavy premium.
That’s because all of the site’s preorders have sold out and at the time of writing, no retailer has them in stock and Sony has yet to provide and update as to when more stock will come back.
But the best thing to do is keep an eye on these retailers just in case they do happen to come back into stock:
Argos and GAME are worth checking as you can also buy from local stores which may have stock you can collect instead of having them delivered to keep an eye out.
Where can you get the best price for the PlayStation Portal?
At the time of writing, the PlayStation Portal has just released so you’ll struggle to get any real deals or discounts on the product.
However, some retailers are offering cashback through sites such as TopCashback which means you’ll be able to claim back some money on the device.
Retailers like GAME and Argos do offer small discounts through TopCashback which will definitely help you save money if you do want to watch the pennies.
If there are any deals or price changes, we will let you know as soon as we find any.
Will the PlayStation Portal restock before Christmas?
PlayStation Portal trailer (Image: SONY)
The PlayStation Portal has been one of the biggest tech products to buy for Christmas and it has been selling out fast online. People have been snapping them up in order to get them for gifts and many parents and PS5 fans are worried that they may not get one for the festive season.
The good news is that a number of sites such as Amazon, GAME and Smyth’s Toys have been recently restocking console in-store and only.
On December 5, GAME issued a massive restock of the PlayStation Portal and sites like Argos also regularly have stock at Argos stores across the country.
If you want a PS Portal before Christmas, your best bet is to regularly check Argos for stock near you as the product has been restocking at stores.
The handheld appears not to be sitting on shelves for very long so you’ll want to make a concerted effort to make sure you get one from now until December 25.
But if you struggle to get one, eBay is selling them from third-party sellers for a higher price but be prepared to pay almost £70 more for the device.
Will there be more stock in 2024?
The PlayStation Portal has been suffering from success despite being released just before Christmas. Many parents and PS5 fans have been forced to pay crazy prices to get it in their hands.
And it seems that 2024 still sees significant issues with Sony trying to supply enough stock to retailers in the new year. But will that change in 2024?
Much like the PS5 stock issue when it first released in 2020, we could see the Portal become significantly low at the start of the year and it may be considerably restricted until Spring 2024, according to GamerRant.
Sony’s latest ETDs indicate that the PlayStation Portal supply in the U.S. won’t stabilize until spring 2024, at the earliest and this could echo through to the UK and Europe so prepare for a wait for stock to normalise.
It’s still unclear how many PlayStation Portals Sony actually managed to produce in 2023, so the product’s early success is still lacking some crucial context.
