The PlayStation Portal is Sony’s latest piece of gaming hardware. However, that might be stretching the definition of “gaming hardware” since games aren’t technically played on the device at all. You’ll need a PS5 to do the grunt work, or you’ll need an alternative to the Portal.
The simple fact of the matter is that you can easily buy a device that does more than just stream PS5 games. That’s assuming you need to buy anything at all, of course. Here are picks for the best alternatives to the PlayStation Portal, ranked by how much they’re going to impact your most previous gaming resource: your wallet.
ROG Ally
Ok, so right off the bat, the ROG Ally isn’t competing with the PlayStation Portal on price. At the time of writing, the best prices we’ve seen on the two ROG Ally models are $449.99 for the Z1 processor and $599.99 for the Z1 Extreme.
Given that the PlayStation Portal is $199.99, the ROG Ally unquestionably sits in a different price bracket. That said, if you’re big on portable gaming the Ally is one of the best options around right now.
It’s a full-fledged Windows PC, which means you can play anything that a gaming desktop or laptop can. That includes using Remote Play to stream your PS5 games or Xbox Game Pass to stream Microsoft’s selection.
The Ally is perfect for those who want to play more than just PS5 games or if you can’t rely on having the good internet connection that the PlayStation Portal requires. It’s a bigger investment, but that comes with an awful lot of extra functionality, including almost everything that the Portal can do.
Steam Deck
If most of your PC games are on Steam, then the Steam Deck is a great alternative to both the ROG Ally and the PlayStation Portal. The Steam Deck now starts at $399 for the 256GB model, which is the new base device.
There are also Valve Certified Refurbished options that start at $279, which is really getting into PlayStation Portal price territory. You’ll have to be on your toes to get a refurb model, though. They tend to get snapped up pretty quickly whenever they come back in stock.
Like the ROG Ally, the Steam Deck plays PC games on the go, and offline, and it can also be used for PlayStation Remote Play via third party app Chiaki. The app works well, but it does require some tinkering.
If you want a device closer in price to the PlayStation Portal but with most of the functionality of a PC, the Steam Deck is a good way to go.
Backbone
The Backbone phone controller is where things really start to get interesting pricing-wise. We’ve seen it for as low as $69.99, so if you want to stream your PS5 games on the cheap, it’s one of the best options.
The Backbone controller acts as a controller and holder for your phone. Essentially, turning your phone into something that looks similar to a Nintendo Switch. There are USB C and Lightning connector versions of the controller. You just plug it in, secure your phone, and you’re good to go.
Download the official PlayStation Remote Play app, and you’ll have virtually the same experience as if you were playing on the PlayStation Portal. Bonus points if you can use your phone’s data too.
You also get the benefit of being able to use other apps and games with the Backbone, too, so you could also stream games from Game Pass or your Xbox. This might make this the more versatile of all the PlayStation Portal alternative options we’ve found.
Any device you already own
Sony has been pushing Remote Play for several years at this point, and as such, the official app makes for a pretty good PlayStation Portal alternative. It’s available on Windows and Mac OS, the Google Play Store for phones and tablets, and the iOS App Store for iPads and iPhones.
If you have any of the devices above, you can stream games from your PS5 using nothing but the device and your PS5 controller. There’s no need whatsoever to buy an extra peripheral or device, particularly if you only want to stream games occasionally.
You might not have the all-in-one option that the PlayStation Portal provides, but if you’re happy to carry around your device and a controller, you’re good to go.
As with using a Backbone controller, this method also allows you to stream Xbox games too, even if you’re using a PS5 controller. We won’t tell on you.
