The PlayStation Portal stuttering issues that many have been experiencing since the system's launch seem to be caused by how the PlayStation 5 console handles streaming via Remote Play.
As reported on Reddit by parasupaman, stuttering is caused by refresh rate issues, as the PlayStation 5 streams over Remote Play at 59.94 Hz, and any client device whose refresh rate isn't set at exactly this value will suffer from stuttering. Third-party apps deal with this using their frame pacing options, while devices supporting VRR match the display refresh rate to keep things smooth. The user also provided some video evidence that supports their findings, which you can find below.
Sony has yet to address this PlayStation Portal issue, but now that it has been discovered and widely reported, it is likely something will be done to improve the experience in the future. As the Japanese company plans to expand the console's functionality in the future to allow cloud gaming, it would be weird for this issue to be left unfixed.
The PlayStation Portal system is now available worldwide. You can learn more about it by checking out Kai's review.
The PlayStation Portal isn’t quite the portable successor that players have been asking for from Sony since the decline of the PlayStation Vita. That being said, the PlayStation Portal does one job and does it exceedingly well. It might not reinvent the remote play experience, but for those relying on controller clips to mount a phone to the top of a DualSense controller or third-party controllers that use a mobile device as the display, an official Sony product just makes sense for a unified solution. It might not replace those Backbone controllers and other devices that players might have in their home, but the PlayStation Portal might wind up being the controller that players start reaching for first.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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