I think it could be pretty decent if it works better than existing Wifi devices.....which is what this YouTuber who got a hands on said around the 2:50 mark.
Norm is probably the absolute best tech YouTuber bar none for his unbiased opinions and the attention he gives the products really hits differently to every other tech journalist.
He has actually steered me clear of many products in the past that I thought I would be interested at first blush, therefore saving me a bit of money along the way. I don't necessarily agree with everything he says... for example, I couldn't care less if the Portal could stream from PS Now, but I do see how it could be a selling point for some. I've no doubt that it's something that will come down the line, but I'd personally rather the product vision not be diluted by cloud streaming and I'm actually chuffed you can't do cloud streaming on it... it's wouldn't exactly be a major technical feat for them to pull it off, but I love how they have prioritised the local-remote play aspect to [hopefully] maximise the experience for at-home use.
Norm's hands-on video was different than all other videos I've seen in that it got me fairly hyped for the Portal and the Elites rather than being left with more questions than answers. He showed me things nobody else seemed to cover. Like the Elites, how the microphone retracts, the USB-C port, the wall hook for charging the Elites and how CAD files will be made available for you to print your own mounts. I love this because I just set this wall section up in the last couple of days:
I can see the Pulse Elites taking the place of my XM4s there, and it's awesome that it will charge there automatically with the bundled hook. Those XM4s are
always running out of juice. I'm also really curious about how the planar magnetic drivers sound as I've never tried them before. Let's hope the PlayStation Link tech + Elites are going to be a step up from the XM4s through LDAC from my Fiio BTA30 BT tranceiver, which itself is a huge step up from the audio you get out of the Pulse 3D.
It's honestly pretty sweet how PlayStation are developing their ecosystem now. The new gear isn't for everyone as the value proposition is pretty low in terms of function, but for certain people who care predominantly about quality, refinement, and the
it just works factor, it can't really be argued that Playstation are doing pretty well all things considered.
Personally, I support Sony because I believe in their vision in gaming as I have done since the 90s. I'm not just some raging fanboy who buys everything they put out, not anymore, but they seldom let me down. I actually want to see them further develop their ecosystem with even higher-end, more expensive and technically-accomplished products, like a VR Pro with pancake lenses & built-in high-end audio. PS5 Pro, even higher-end headphones (which they obviously look be doing with their acquisition of Audeze), and a Portal Pro, with 1440P+ OLED and replaceable hall-effect thumbsticks. All the products today and even the hypothetical products I mentioned are just stepping-stones towards [I hope] something truly groundbreaking in the future and not just some empty cashgrab which too many companies in this industry have fallen prey too. Of course profits must be had in the interim, but profits earned through offering bleeding-edge user experiences is something I can definitely get behind.