How to Fix PlayStation Portal Lag

Sony seems quite baffled regarding the handheld gaming experience because its popular gaming consoles are doing extremely well in the market. The previous generation PlayStation Vita was not up to the mark. But this year, Sony has released PlayStation Portal as a new handheld gaming device or accessory for the PS5 console, which targets the handheld industry anyway. Meanwhile, several users are complaining about the PlayStation Portal Lag issue.

As PS Portal is an addition to the handheld gaming that is compatible with PlayStation 5 only, having both of them will be necessary to enjoy the handheld experience. You’ll require a strong internet connection and your PS5 console to start playing AAA titles on PlayStation Portal. But you won’t be able to install video games on it or can’t stream TV while playing games which can be a downside for many. Having a strong home Wi-Fi connection will help connect to the servers.

1. Restart the PlayStation Portal

You should restart your PlayStation Portal handheld to clear temporary glitches or cache data issues up to some extent. To do so:

Press and hold the Power button.
Select Restart.

If you can’t restart your PS Portal, try the following steps.

Press and hold the Power button on your PS Portal.
Wait for your PS Portal to shut down completely.
Now, wait for 30 seconds.
Press and hold the Power button on your PS Portal.
The system will reboot > Check for the issue again.

2. Restart Your Wi-Fi Router

It’s also recommended to restart your Wi-Fi Router manually to check if the problem has been fixed or not. Sometimes temporary networking glitches with networking devices like a modem or a router can cause multiple conflicts. We’ll suggest our readers power off and power on the Wi-Fi router at their end to check for the issue. Make sure to unplug the power cord of the router from the power source and then wait for a minute. Next, you can plug back the power cord & connect to the network.

3. Check the Internet Connection

Sometimes conflicts with the poor or unstable internet connection at your end might cause several issues. You should always check the internet connectivity by running streaming services or other online games to ensure there is no issue. The chances are high that somehow multiple devices are using the same network and your video game gets affected with the shared data bandwidth. Try to use another Wi-Fi network or a wired (ethernet) connection to cross-check the issue.

You can also vice versa with the network connection. We should mention that the PlayStation Portal needs a stronger and faster home internet connection to be able to play most of the titles through your PlayStation 5 console. So, there is no doubt about having the better internet.

4. Use the 5GHz Wi-Fi Connection

Any kind of Wi-Fi connection interference can trigger multiple issues with the system lagging or game running conflicts. In most cases, if multiple devices are connected to the same network, we recommend you switch to the 5GHz Wi-Fi band to avoid network congestion & slow bandwidth. It can improve the network connectivity and reduce the lag while gaming.

Go to your Wi-Fi router dashboard via the web browser.
Navigate to the Advanced Wi-Fi Settings.
Select the 5GHz Wi-Fi band > Save changes.
Then restart your router manually.

5. Set maximum Refresh Rate to 60Hz (PS5)

The PlayStation Portal is actually optimized for 60Hz gameplay which offers a stable and smoother gaming experience overall. Now, if your PS5 is set to a higher refresh rate then it may cause stability issues throughout the game with lags or stutters. You can follow the steps below to set the maximum refresh rate to 60Hz on your PS5.

Go to the main menu on your PS5.
Navigate to Settings > Select Screen and Video.
Choose Video Output > Set the Maximum Refresh Rate to 60Hz.

6. Disable 120Hz Mode on PS5

Another thing you can do is disable the 120Hz mode on PS5 manually to reduce further compatibility issues with the games. If you’re not interested in using 60Hz as a maximum refresh rate then at least turn off the 120Hz mode by following the steps below.

Head over to the main menu on your PS5.
Navigate to Settings.
Select Screen and Video > Choose Video Output.
Disable the 120Hz mode.

7. Check the PlayStation Network

You should go to the PlayStation Network Service Status page to check whether there is any server downtime or maintenance process ongoing or not. As this is one of the primary reasons behind the PSN server connectivity issue for the PlayStation console users, cross-checking is important. If the server status shows issues with the PlayStation Network (PSN) then wait for a couple of hours and try again later.

Meanwhile, you can also follow the @AskPlayStation Twitter handle for further info regarding service outages or user reports. In this scenario, there is nothing to do from your end. If everything seems working at the PSN Service then you should follow the next method.

8. Factory Reset PlayStation Portal

As a final resort, you can perform a factory reset on your PlayStation Portal to clear all system file glitches. Do keep in mind that after resetting the handheld device, you’ll be signed out of the account & all user data or settings will be deleted on the PS Portal. To do that:

From the top right screen of PS Portal, swipe left to view the quick menu.
Now, go to Settings > Hit System.
Select System Software > Choose Reset Options.
Hit Reset and wait for the process to complete.
Once done, the system will boot.
Finally, go through the initial setup process & connect to your PS5.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For additional queries, you can comment below.

How to Fix PlayStation Portal Lag