The PlayStation Portal Is Cheaper Than Ever Ahead of Black Friday

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Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

In the olden days, you had games you played on the big screen, and games you played on a little screen. The former (console or PC games), could be massive undertakings, with impressive graphics and lengthy gameplay, while the latter (handheld games), were often smaller in scope to accommodate the more limited hardware.

The Nintendo Switch flipped the script: Now, the console was the handheld, and vice versa. All games, big and small, were meant to be played either on your TV or on the Switch's built-in display. While Nintendo cornered this dual market in the early days, other hybrid handhelds have since arrived, like the Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion Go, and Asus ROG Ally.

Sony's PlayStation Portal let's you do the same for your PS5 games, (with one very large caveat). Still, if you want a chance to play full PlayStation games on a handheld, consider picking one up this week, as the Portal is currently on sale for Black Friday.

PlayStation Portal

$178.99 at Amazon

$199.99 Save $21.00

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Get Deal

$178.99 at Amazon

$199.99 Save $21.00

The PlayStation Portal essentially places an eight-inch LCD screen in the middle of a PS5 controller. As such, you'll find the feel of the Portal to be similar to that of the DualSense controller, down to key features like haptics feedback and adaptive triggers. The device is able to play PS4 and PS5 games at 1080p up to 60fps. If you're used to 4K 120fps on your PS5 Pro, that might feel like a compromise, but at this screen size, it should be good enough for most players.

The Portal typically costs $199.99, but ahead of Black Friday, you can pick one up for $178.99. That small discount makes this the lowest price I've ever seen for this handheld, at least when buying it new. (You can save another $28 at GameStop buying it refurbished.)

If you're new to the Portal, you might be wondering why a device that can play PS5 games on the go is even as low as $200 at full price. The original Switch still retails for more than $300, so what gives? The answer lies in the PlayStation Portal's biggest compromise. While the build quality is right up there with these other handhelds, the Portal doesn't actually run PS5 games on-device. Instead, the Portal simply streams the gameplay from your PS5 over wifi. As such, you'll need a PS5 to use this device, bringing up the total investment considerably.

If you don't have a PS5, now is actually a good time to pick one up, as Amazon has the PS5 slim discounted by $100. (The PS VR2 is also on sale ahead of Black Friday, but it isn't compatible with the Portal.) If you already have a PS5, the Portal's cost to entry isn't quite so steep—especially when you can take some money off the MSRP.

While you can't play your PS5 games without an internet connection, the Portal can still be relatively versatile. As long as it's paired with your PS5, and that PS5 is actively connected to the internet, you can use your Portal anywhere you have a stable internet connection. Ideally, Sony would make a dedicated handheld like other companies. For now, the Portal is the best option for PlayStation fans looking to break away from their TVs.

Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?

Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it.

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers that can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

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