Nintendo Switch Vs. PlayStation Portal - What Are The Differences?

Sony has finally released some concrete details on Project Q, otherwise now officially known as the PlayStation Portal.

The handheld device has caused a fair bit of discourse among gamers thanks to its seemingly very specific purpose, but just what is this thing exactly, and how does it stack up next to the Nintendo Switch?

Well, if you're asking yourself these questions, then you've come to the right place. Here, we'll break down exactly what the PlayStation Portal is, who its intended audience is, and what it does (and doesn't do) when compared to the Nintendo Switch.

PlayStation Portal Nintendo Switch Comparison

What is the PlayStation Portal?

The important thing to remember if you're looking at both the Switch and the PlayStation Portal is that the PlayStaion Portal is a streaming device. Therefore, it has no internal storage or processing power. The Switch, meanwhile, is a full-fledged home console capable of playing games natively.

PlayStation Portal is Sony's new dedicated 'Remote Play' handheld device. In case you're unaware at this point, Remote Play is essentially a feature that allows a PlayStation home console (i.e. the PS5) to stream visuals and audio over to another device, say a phone or a tablet.

Up until now, Remote Play on mobile devices has been supported with accessories such as the Backbone One; controllers that snap onto your phone, allowing you to play with a traditional controller setup.

PlayStation Portal circumvents the need for a phone or a tablet by effectively combining an 8-inch LCD screen with a Dualsense controller. It comes with all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a Dualsense, including haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and will connect to the PS5 via Wi-Fi.

When will the PlayStation Portal be released?

At the moment, we don't have a release date for the PlayStation Portal beyond a rather vague '2023' window.

Our bet is that it'll probably launch in November or December. Sony will likely want to keep attention on Marvel's Spider-Man 2 ahead of its own launch on October 20th, 2023, so once that's out of the way, the Portal can have its time to shine.

PlayStation Portal vs. Nintendo Switch

Let's take a look at the differences between Switch and PlayStation Portal on a feature-by-feature basis. We'll start by looking at the screen, including resolution and display type.

Display - LCD or OLED?

The PlayStation Portal comes with an 8-inch LCD screen that supports 1080p/60fps performance.

Meanwhile, the screen on every Nintendo Switch console (that's the OG model, the Lite, and the OLED) is capped at 720p with support of up to 60fps. The OLED screen is also smaller than the Portal's at 7 inches. The standard Switch model's screen measures 6.2 inches, and the Lite is even smaller at 5.5 inches.

Speaking of OLED, despite the drop in resolution on the Nintendo Switch, there's no denying that OLED screens are significantly more pleasing to the eye than LCD thanks to the highly impressive colour range, so there's that to consider if you deem a console display to be a particularly important factor.

Controllers - Joy-Con vs. Dualsense

As mentioned earlier, the PlayStation Portal comes with what is effectively a Dualsense cut in half and slapped on both sides. It comes packed with haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and a light bar that's already present on the standard Dualsense. There's also support available for the Dualsense's touch panel, but this will be via the Portal's touchscreen instead; you can simply reach your thumb over on both sides to access the 'touch panel'.

As for the Dualsense Edge, PlayStation's premium controller, that comes with a whole bunch of extra bits and bobs, so you shouldn't expect to see those on the Portal.

Moving over to the Switch, you've got the Joy-Con controllers, which are entirely removable and replaceable if need be. They can be used either wirelessly or attached to the console, and have gyro support built in along with a feature called 'HD Rumble' (which, admittedly, hasn't been utilised by developers that much).

Nintendo Switch Vs. PlayStation Portal - Wireless Compatibility

Both the PlayStation Portal and the Nintendo Switch come with Wi-Fi built-in. This means you can connect to the internet and, in the Portal's case, connect directly to the PlayStation 5.

What the Portal lacks, however, is Bluetooth. Instead, it comes with a function called 'PlayStation Link', a new proprietary feature that allows the portal to connect to specific accessories: namely, the recently announced PlayStation Pulse Elite wireless headset and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds. Chances are that future consoles, including the much-rumoured PS5 Slim, will also include compatibility with PlayStation Link.

Without Bluetooth, however, this means that the portal can't connect to basic wireless headphones, which is a bummer (and, in our opinion, probably the most anti-consumer move from Sony since the PS Vita's proprietary memory cards). The Switch, however, absolutely can, so you can grab pretty much any Bluetooth-compatible headset and get cracking straight away. With the Portal, you might have to settle with the built-in 3.5mm audio jack.

So how does Nintendo Switch compare to PlayStation Portal?

So this is the big question here, isn't it? What do these devices do, exactly, and how do they compare? Well, we've gone over what the PlayStation Portal does, but let's take a look at some of its limitations.

First up, the Portal can only connect directly to the PS5, allowing you to stream your PS5 games to the handheld device. You must have both the PS5 and the Portal connected to Wi-Fi, though admittedly they don't have to be on the same network (so theoretically, you could connect to a Wi-Fi network halfway across the world and wake your PS5 from sleep mode with your Portal).

Next, the Portal can only play PS5 games natively downloaded onto your PS5. So that means it can't play games streaming via PlayStation Plus Premium. Finally, this should come as no surprise, but the Portal can't support PSVR2 games, and nor can it support games that require additional accessories other than the Dualsense.

As for the Nintendo Switch, well, it's a console! It can play games natively via download or physical media, and you can play it on the TV via docked mode or take it on the go via handheld mode. You can play multiplay via the detachable Joy-Con controllers, and you can purchase a Pro Controller if you're after something a bit more traditional during docked play.

Nintendo Switch Vs. PlayStation Portal - Price

Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation Portal will cost £199.99 / $199.99 / €219.99 when it launches later this year.

However, the big caveat here is that you need a PS5 in order to use one. So you're looking at an additional £359 / $399 / €399 for the Digital Edition, or £449 / $499 / €499 for the Disc Version. Consoles have been discounted in recent months by as much as £100 / $100 / €100, likely in preparation for the eventual PS5 Slim, so you might luck out if you come across one cheaper.

All told then, if you want a Disc PS5 and a PlayStation Portal, you're potentially looking at a total of £648.99 / $698.99 / €718.99.

Looking at the Switch, you've got three models to choose from: the standard OG model, the Switch Lite, and the Switch OLED. The standard comes in at £279.99 / $299.99 / €329.99, the Lite at £199.99 / $199.99 / €219.99 (so, the same price as the Portal, then), and the OLED at £309.99 / $349.99 / €349.99.

While Nintendo has never officially discounted any of the Switch models, you can often find them at lower price points during periods of widespread sales, such as Black Friday and Boxing Day. It's also important to remember that you can often purchase Switch bundles containing additional games or accessories.

Who is the Playstation Portal for, exactly?

Before we attempt to answer that question ourselves, let's take a look at what Sony says on its own PlayStation Blog:

"PlayStation Portal is the perfect device for gamers in households where they might need to share their living room TV or simply want to play PS5 games in another room of the house."

Yeah, we'd say that's pretty much spot on. These days, people of all ages play games, and that includes adults with adult responsibilities and possibly even little kiddies running around the house. Certain households only have one TV, so if it's taken up by children's programs or the latest episode of The Great British Bake Off, then yes, perhaps you'd have need of the PlayStation Portal.

On the flip side, if you've got constant access to a TV and a PS5, then the Portal probably isn't for you. You have to ask yourself whether or not you're interested in Remote Play, first and foremost, as this is pretty much exactly what the PlayStation Portal is, a Remote Play device. If you're not interested, then maybe the Switch is a better option for you.

So that's about it! Hopefully, you've learned all there is to know about the PlayStation Portal and how it stacks up next to the Nintendo Switch. We'll be sure to keep this guide updated with any new information, but in the meantime, do leave a comment down below with your thoughts on Sony's new streaming device.