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PowerA Charging Station for PlayStation Portal review
I’ve been using the PowerA Charging Station for PlayStation Portal for a few weeks now, and I can comfortably say that it exceeded my expectations right across the board.
Sure, it’s hardly the most exciting accessory around — it’s a dock that will bring your PS Portal back to life when it runs dry. But with eye-catching lighting, reliable performance, and a smart design, this charging station ended up impressing me a whole lot. So, is this PS Portal accessory actually worth its $37.99 / £19.99 / AU$59.95 asking price? Here’s my verdict.
I want to kick things off by talking about this thing’s design. I really like how the charging station mirrors the look of the PS5 and portal itself. Its white exterior and black detailing really help it fit seamlessly into your setup, meaning it doesn’t look like an eyesore on your shelf or TV unit. The base is also super sturdy and has some rubber feet to keep it in place, and its overall build quality is comparable to some of the best PS5 accessories.
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Another aspect of the charging stand’s design that I like is the customizable lighting. There’s a discreet touch panel on the reverse side of the model that enables you to flick through three light modes: cycle, wave, and pulse.
These all look brilliant and reflect the ambient lighting of the PS5 console. You’re also able to adjust the brightness by holding down on the touch panel — which is highly responsive — plus there’s an option to switch off the lights entirely.
But how about performance? Well, the PS Portal itself is a little restricted in terms of charging speeds, supporting just 15W wired charging. But with that in mind, PowerA’s charging station puts on a good show. It got my PS Portal from 0% to 50% in just over 35 minutes, and from 0% to 100% in one hour and 45 minutes. That’s just as fast as I’d expected, and I found charging performance to be consistent across the whole testing period.
One thing that is worth noting, however, is that there’s no charging brick included with the PowerA Charging Station. As a result, I had to use my own, but bear in mind that you’ll specifically need a brick with a USB-C port if you’re making use of the bundled USB-C charging cable.
However, when you have everything you need, the charging station is incredibly easy to use. Either plug it into your PS5 console or a wall charger, insert the magnetic USB-C adapter into your portal, place it onto the dock, and you’re good to go. I noticed that the magnetic USB-C adapter was a bit challenging to remove, but if you’re going to use the station regularly, you can just leave it in.
So is the PowerA Charging Station for PS Portal worth it? For me, absolutely. If you want a clean, easy way to charge your Portal, then it’s well worth picking up. At $37.99 / £19.99 / AU$59.95, it’s an affordable solution, and both the build and charging quality hit the spot.
PowerA Charging Station for PlayStation Portal review: price & specs
|
Price |
$37.99 / £19.99 / AU$59.95 |
|
Maximum power input |
15W |
|
Number of ports |
1 |
|
Port type(s) |
USB-C |
|
Dimensions |
6.3 x 5.9 x 3.4in / 160 x 150 x 85mm |
Should I buy the PowerA Charging Station for PlayStation Portal?
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PowerA Charging Station for PlayStation Portal review: also consider
How I tested the PowerA Charging Station for PlayStation Portal
- Spent two weeks testing
- Tested performance and various light modes
- Reviewed by a seasoned gaming accessories tester
I spent a couple of weeks testing the PowerA Charging Station for PlayStation Portal, trying it with an external wall charger as well as the PS5’s built-in USB-C port.
As well as carrying out a standard charging test, I made sure to try out the charging station’s touch controls and various light modes.
More generally, I’ve spent years testing gaming accessories here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve reviewed everything from PS Portal cases like the Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case to Nintendo Switch 2 controllers like the Turtle Beach Rematch Wireless Controller.
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harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan)
