Is It Worth Buying A PlayStation Portal Instead Of A Steam Deck?

Earlier this year, the Steam Deck received a massive price hike as a result of the ongoing AI-driven storage and chip crisis. Now, the 512-gigabyte model costs $789 (a $240 increase) and the one-terabyte version checks in at $949 (a $300 increase), which makes alternatives more appealing for some gamers who want a handheld gaming experience. One of these is the PlayStation Portal, which, at $249, almost feels like a steal based on 2026 tech prices. In fact, it provides the cheapest way to experience current-generation console gaming using new equipment.

Still, while the PlayStation Portal is generally worthwhile, it has some clear drawbacks compared to the Steam Deck and other gaming handhelds. First and foremost, the Portal is not able to play games natively. The device works best when you have a PlayStation 5 to connect to, and while a 2025 update made it possible to stream games from the cloud without a console, that's only available to PlayStation Plus Premium members and not available for all games.

While you might be happy with just a Portal and a PS Plus subscription, its best purpose might be as a peripheral to the PS5 that you can use from another room or while someone else is using the TV. PS Plus Premium costs $19.99/month or $159.99/year, a recurring charge on top of the price of the device itself, and you'll need a solid wireless Internet connection to comfortably play titles using the Portal. That's why it's hard to recommend the PlayStation Portal to anyone who doesn't already have a PS5.

With the current state of hardware prices, it makes sense why someone looking for an entry-level gaming device or handheld may consider the PlayStation Portal over the Steam Deck and other options. The Steam Deck is an even harder sell in 2026 than it has been in the past, as the cost of entry has nearly doubled since the handheld's 2022 release, when the cheapest model cost $399.

The price is an even harder ask given the Steam Deck's age. Though it got a slight refresh with the release of the OLED models, the hardware is essentially over four years old, and its age shows. Titles like Resident Evil Requiem and Baldur's Gate 3 are definitely playable on Steam Deck, but you're generally going to be locked to low graphical settings and around 30 frames per second (fps). That's going to become more apparent as time goes on and games grow ever more demanding.

Where games and apps are concerned, the Steam Deck is far more flexible than the PlayStation Portal. In addition to Steam's massive catalogue, you can easily download other launchers, including PS Plus cloud streaming. If cost isn't your main concern, the Steam Deck is probably the better purchase, but for many others, the PlayStation Portal might be a better investment ... assuming you already have a PS5.