The cost of memory is getting out of control. Console prices are going up and up. But I found something that really surprised me: the new PlayStation Portal is actually a smart move by Sony.
When the PlayStation Portal launched in 2023, it did not perform well. For example, at PCMag, the principal writer Will Greenwald said it was “too limited for the price.” He thought it was not a deal, especially since you could buy cheaper devices that could do similar things. To be honest, I thought he was right at the time.
If we look at things now, it is a completely different story.
The PlayStation Portal has had some big software updates, including one that lets you stream all the games from the PlayStation Plus library without needing a PlayStation 5. This has really changed what the Portal can do.
For $249.99 plus a yearly subscription to PlayStation Plus Premium for $159.99, you can stream hundreds of games from the cloud. The best part is that it is still a lot cheaper than buying a PS5, PS5 Pro, Steam Deck OLED, Nintendo Switch 2, or Xbox ROG Ally.
If the high prices of Sony’s consoles have scared you away, the Portal might be a way for you to get back into gaming without spending much money.
PS5: The Latest Casualty of the RAM Crisis
If you have been shopping for electronics lately, you have probably noticed that prices are going everywhere. The PS5 is no exception. At first, people thought the price increases were because of tariffs that were put in place during the Trump administration. These tariffs affected electronics manufacturing countries like China, India, and Vietnam. Even though the Supreme Court got rid of some of these tariffs, new ones were added under a law. So the pressure on the market did not really go away.
Now there is another big reason for the price increases: artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence apps do not use a lot of memory. The big data centers that power them use a huge amount of memory. According to TrendForce, a company that researches the semiconductor industry, memory for intelligence is going to make up 70% of all the memory that is made in the world.
To meet this demand, big chip manufacturers are making high-bandwidth memory and server-grade DDR5. These are the kinds of components that are used in data centers, not in things like laptops and gaming consoles. This means that there are memory chips available for everyday devices like laptops, desktops, and gaming consoles.
As a result, it costs more to make systems like the PS5.
On April 2 Sony raised the prices of the PS5, PS5 Pro, and even the Portal. They said this was because of “continued pressures in the economic landscape.” The price of the Portal went up from $199.99 to $249.99. Even with this increase, it is still the cheapest way to play PS5 games.
Can the PlayStation Portal Really Replace a PlayStation 5?
The PlayStation Portal was not very useful when it first came out. It was like a control for playing games on your PlayStation 5 console. The PlayStation 5 had to be turned on and close by, which made the PlayStation Portal seem limited and not very convenient.
Then something big happened in November 2025.
The PlayStation Portal got a software update. This update allowed PlayStation Plus Premium members to play games from the internet. You did not need a PlayStation 5 anymore. As long as you had a good internet connection, you could play games from Sony’s servers.
This is a deal because the PlayStation Portal does not need a lot of memory to play games. The PlayStation Portal can play games without using a lot of memory, so it does not have memory problems.
If you buy the PlayStation Portal for $249.99 and a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription for $159.99 per year, you can play 600 games. These games include PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 games that you can play from the internet.
By doing this you do not have to spend money on a PlayStation 5. You would save $191 if you were going to buy the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition. You would save $241 if you were going to buy the PlayStation 5. You would save $491 if you were going to buy the PlayStation 5 Pro.
A Big Library of Games You Can Play
The PlayStation Plus library is really good. You can play games like Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us Part II, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. You can also play big games like Blue Prince, Cyberpunk 2077, Persona 5 Royal, and Silent Hill 2.
These are all games, and you can play them in full 1080p at 60 frames per second as long as your internet connection is good.
What It Actually Feels Like to Play
It’s like a PlayStation controller cut in half with an 8-inch screen in the middle. The layout looks familiar, and with features like triggers and vibration, it feels like a real PlayStation experience.
The built-in speakers are really good for playing games without headphones for a bit. The battery lasts around two hours. Perfect for playing on the couch.
That being said, some games like shooters can feel a bit awkward because the device is wide and a bit heavy. For many games, it’s comfortable and feels like a PlayStation.
PS5 Prices Skyrocket — Portal Stays (Relatively) Grounded
Sony raised the price of the PlayStation 5 on April 2:
* Standard Disc Edition: $650
* Digital Edition: $600
* Pro Model: $900
Compared to that, the $250 Portal looks like a deal.
Add the $160 subscription and you’re still way below the price of a new $650 PS5. You also don’t need to buy controllers or set up another TV.
Sony says the PS5’s price hike is because of pressure and chip shortages. With AI changing how chips are made worldwide, that makes sense.
The Portal avoids those hardware problems because it does the work in the cloud. That means headaches and lower costs.
Even Better in 2026
The improvements did not stop with cloud streaming.
Sony made some changes in early 2026. They added a 1080p high-quality mode. This mode increases bit rates for play and cloud streaming on the PlayStation Portal. The result is that the visuals are sharper and the performance is smoother.
The user interface is also better now. When you get a trophy or a friend invite, it shows up quietly in the corner. This way, it does not interrupt your gameplay. Setting up accounts is faster, too. You just need to scan a QR code. You are all set.
The PlayStation Portal was originally priced at $199.99 in the United States and £199.99 in the United Kingdom. Now it costs $249.99 and £219.99. That is an increase. It is not as bad as the big price jumps that other PlayStation hardware has seen.
The Bottom Line: The Portal Makes Sense Than Ever
There is a big problem in the tech industry right now. It is called the “RAM crisis.” Artificial intelligence needs a lot of memory chips, so companies are making more of those. This means that prices are going up for things like gaming consoles.
In this situation, the PlayStation Portal is an idea. It started out as a way to play games remotely. Now it is much more. It has cloud streaming, a lot of games, good hardware, and better software. So, in 2026, it is a way to get into the PlayStation ecosystem without spending a lot of money.
You might not need to buy that $900 PS5 Pro after all. The PlayStation Portal is an option that still lets you play a lot of great games.