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Today — 27 September 2026Main stream

Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case review: ultra-durable yet affordable

✇TechRadar - All the latest technology news
By: harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan) Harry Padoan
26 September 2026 at 18:00

Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case review

With Grand Theft Auto 6 right around the corner, I imagine that quite a few PlayStation players will be dusting off their PlayStation Portal — or even newly buying one — to enjoy 2026’s biggest game on the go. But if you’re planning to take your Portal on the go, it’s important to keep it safe, and the Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case can do just that.

I’ve spent a few weeks using Venom’s PS Portal case, and honestly it impressed me. I used to be the type of person who would just wrap my Portal or Nintendo Switch in a sweater, throw it in my bag, and hope for the best — what can I say, I just didn’t want to spend my money on something as unexciting as a case.

But the Venom makes the outlay feel a bit easier to swallow, as it comes in at an exceptionally modest price of $25.99 / £14.99 / AU$49.95. Given that it also comes with a tempered glass screen protector, cleaning tools, and thumbstick grips, that’s really not bad, is it? Don’t be fooled, though, despite its low price tag, Venom’s case still rivals some of the very best PS5 accessories.

This comes down to one main thing: its durability. For such a cheap case, the Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case is surprisingly rough and ready. It has a hard outer shell, and when dropping the case now and then, or throwing it into my bag, it never showed any signs of wear and tear, and my console survived without issue. The exterior was not damaged during a scratch test, either, and its textured look is pretty appealing.

My system also sat pretty snug inside the case, which has a molded interior to slide your PlayStation Portal into. There’s also a hook-and-loop strap which fastens it in place, and although it's a bit cheap, it serves its purpose well.

My only complaint is that there’s no fabric pad to sit over the screen, so the fastener rubs up against the screen. I’ve not seen any scratch marks or anything, but PowerA’s case — which I’ve slid into the ‘also consider’ section — offers more secure protection with fabric padding and dual fasteners.

Man zipping up the Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case

(Image credit: Future)

There’s a second compartment inside the case too, and this has a zip-locked net that can hold accessories like earbuds, cleaning tools, and cables. It was plenty big enough to house my accessories, although the zip isn’t very high quality, and it came undone at one point — though I was able to fix it very easily. Luckily, the zip on the exterior is a bit stronger, and I found it to be secure at all times.

The Venom case also has a solid handle which has a rubber grip, which is pleasant to the touch and tall enough to fit my relatively large hands.

In honesty, this model is more like a starter kit for PS Portal owners than just a case, though. It comes with a tempered glass screen protector, which is basic, sure, but easy to fit and decently durable. There are also a couple of cleaning wipes and some neat thumbstick grips which seamlessly fit on and feel satisfyingly textured.

So, should you buy the Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case? If you don’t want to spend all too much, and want a durable piece of kit with some nice extras thrown in, then the answer is yes. I think PowerA’s case is marginally better, thanks to its stylish design, USB-C charging passthrough slot, and fabric padding.

But Venom’s case does offer a bit more storage. I’d argue that Venom’s model is on the bulky side, and it did take up a lot of room in my bag, but if that’s not a dealbreaker for you and you need a quality, affordable case, then look no further.

Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case on table

(Image credit: Future)

Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case review: price & specs

Price

$25.99 / £14.99 / AU$49.95

Dimensions

6.2 x 13.2 x 3.9in / 158 x 335 x 98mm

Weight

0.9lbs / 403g

Compartments

2

Handle

Yes

Color

Black

Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case with accessories and PS Portal on table

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Design

Durable exterior, decent looks, solid extras thrown in, a bit bulky.

4/5

Storage

Good amount of space for accessories, net compartment zip a bit flimsy.

4/5

Value

Great price for the case and accessories combined.

4.5/5

Buy it if…

You want an affordable protective bundle
With a case, screen protector, cleaning wipes, and thumbstick grips, this product has everything you need to keep your Portal safe when out and about. It's also available at a highly affordable price point, making it ideal for those on a budget.

You need storage space for accessories
Unlike some rivals, Venom included plenty of space here for you to store accessories like earbuds, cables, and cleaning gear. Just throw everything you need in the zip-locked compartment, and you’re good to go.

Don’t buy it if…

You want top-tier build quality
If you want a premium standard of build, then Venom’s case may not be for you. It's durable on the outside, sure, but the inside zip is a bit flimsy, and there’s no padding for your Portal’s screen.

You’re looking for something slim
Due to its storage compartment, Venom’s carrying case is a bit on the bulky side. Slimmer options are available if you don’t want to take up too much space in your bag — even PowerA’s option below is considerably flatter (though still pretty broad).

Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case review: also consider

PowerA Protection Case for PlayStation Portal
I use PowerA’s PS Portal case all the time, and it's a truly brilliant model in all aspects. It has a hard, rugged exterior, a molded interior with fabric padding for the screen, and a charging slot so you can juice your portal up while it’s in the case. It's also stylized to look a bit like the PS Portal and is very affordable. You can’t really go wrong with this one.

Read my full PowerA Protection Case for PS Portal review.

How I tested the Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case

Man zipping up the inner compartment of the Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested across multiple weeks
  • Directly compared to rival models
  • Tested by a seasoned gaming accessories reviewer

I spent a couple of weeks testing the Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case, using it as the main mode of transport for my precious remote player. I took it with me on the go and made sure to try housing it alongside various accessories and assess it for any damage afterward.

To judge how durable Venom’s case was, I tried dropping it from a controlled height, performed some scratch tests, and then checked for any signs of wear and tear. I also compared the Venom case against rivals, mainly the PowerA Protection Case for PS Portal, which is my usual go-to.

More generally, I’ve been reviewing gadgets for years here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve tested a whole lot of gaming accessories, including cases for the PS Portal and Nintendo Switch 2, as well as controllers, screen protectors, and audio gear.

Before yesterdayMain stream

Developer Abandons 'PS5 Linux' Project After Sony Patches AI-Discovered Exploit

✇Slashdot
By: EditorDavid
19 September 2026 at 18:05
"In April this year, we saw Andy Nguyen turning the PS5 into a Linux-powered gaming PC," writes the blog It's FOSS. It ran Steam games and emulators using the PS5's on-board hardware. But this week Andy announced he's "stopping all my work on PS5 Linux" and "stepping away from the PS5 scene." stopping work on porting the project to the PS5 Pro, which would've shipped sometime in 2027. Andy Nguyen: After pouring my heart and months of my life into it, including plans to finish PS5 Pro support and release in 2027, it's all down the sink. The scene used to be a group of highly talented researchers, but now it is just a bunch of noobs using LLMs and writing hacks they don't even understand. Slop kiddies found the only hypervisor bug left, which I had also found a while ago, and decided to report to Sony. I asked them to at least wait for GTA 6 to come out so that people would have the opportunity to legally purchase the game and also enjoy Linux. They agreed to wait, but not a day passed and they decided to waste it instead. Or, as It's FOSS tells it: Running Linux on a PlayStation console is possible because the PS5 Linux project was able to find a way past the hypervisor using exploits Sony had already patched, covering firmware 3.00 through 7.61. .. [The bug's discoverer writes it was] found with what he calls his "trusty ai clanker machine" and no help from anyone else. He had even agreed to Andy's request to not disclose the findings. Unexpectedly, a third person, still unnamed, found the same bug using AI a few hours later. Anticipating that there would be more people finding the same bug, [he] decided to post the flaw on HackerOne. The project's GitHub page and all the related repositories are still there. Nothing has been archived as of today, and if you wanted to, you could start contributing to the PS5 Linux project by taking over any pending work or cooking up new improvements... The PS5 Pro support Andy was building never reached the repository, so you would have to start from scratch... While Andy's departure is a blow to the plan for supporting newer PS5 firmware and the PS5 Pro, other contributors have shown that they can deliver work on the loader without him, and I am hopeful more will follow.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

PlayStation Ditched Hideo Kojima's 'Physint' on Budget Concerns, Missed Deadlines

✇Slashdot
By: BeauHD
11 September 2026 at 18:00
Sony reportedly pulled PlayStation funding from Hideo Kojima's upcoming espionage game Physint over concerns about its ballooning budget, missed deadlines, profitability, and the fact that it would not remain permanently exclusive to PlayStation. Kojima Productions has since struck a deal with Xbox, which plans to publish the game on both Xbox and PC. It's also secured film and television rights. Bloomberg reports: The new game, Physint, hasn't yet been shown publicly but excited fans when it was announced two years ago with its promise of returning to the "espionage action" genre Kojima pioneered with Metal Gear Solid, the series that propelled him to industry stardom. Kojima surprised fans this week when he announced he would be publishing Physint with PlayStation's biggest rival, Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox. On Wednesday night, Kojima wrote on social media that over the summer his company had "unexpectedly received notice" that PlayStation was pulling out of funding the game. "Physint is an important project both to me personally and to Kojima Productions," he wrote. "Determined to keep the project alive, we have spent the last three months searching tirelessly for a new partner." PlayStation also addressed the split on social media, saying it had made the "difficult decision to step away." Microsoft said it was "honored" that Kojima chose Xbox and that the two teams plan to collaborate beyond games on films and television, too. [...] The decision to part ways with Kojima is a significant move for PlayStation that may have ripple effects. [...] One key factor is the PC platform, where the Death Stranding games have generated some revenue. Earlier this year, Sony decided it will no longer release single-player PlayStation games on PC, Bloomberg reported. Sony would therefore not benefit when Kojima Productions released a PC version of Physint on its own or with a different publisher, as it did for the first Death Stranding. But Xbox releases all of its games on PCs and plans to publish Physint on PC and Xbox, said the people. "Betting on Kojima-san is an easy call," said an Xbox spokesperson. "We believe in his team's ability to build AAA games with groundbreaking, new IP and we believe in OD, Physint, and our growing partnership."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Could a Disc-Free PlayStation Actually Lower Game Prices?

✇Slashdot
By: EditorDavid
16 August 2026 at 14:42
"As Sony soldiers ahead with their plans to end hard copies for new PlayStation games, players are fearing a future which will force them to pay more and own less," writes Kotaku. What will prices do in a world with no physical copies to share or sell? One former Square Enix executive speculates this could actually drive down the price of games: "Digital on the PS store will likely get cheaper," posted Jacob Navok, former Square Enix business strategist. "Current prices are tied to retail. Without physical discs holding digital hostage we'll see a larger spectrum of pricing similar to steam." Navok says that the digital-only landscape will pit major publishers in constant, dynamic competition with each other... "The more the Playstation store becomes digital only, the greater this trend will accelerate," Navok follows up. "You will see more sales and dynamic pricing similar to Steam because publishers will compete among themselves to a greater extent." [O]n the other end newer games are getting increasingly expensive, even on digital platforms. The fact that Grand Theft Auto VI will be a purely digital release has not caused its price point to budge.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Sony Heard Backlash Over Dropping PlayStation Discs, Plans to Press Ahead

✇Slashdot
By: BeauHD
31 July 2026 at 17:00
Sony says it will proceed with ending PlayStation disc sales in January 2028 despite petitions, boycott threats, and concerns about digital ownership and the disappearance of the secondhand market. PCMag reports: After Sony's recent earnings call, an investor Q&A session saw analysts ask about its controversial decision to end disc production across all of its consoles. The company hadn't publicly commented since its announcement and had reduced activity on social accounts and other marketing channels. Sony's chief financial officer, Lin Tao, broke that silence during the Q&A. "There are various reasons we made this decision," she said through an interpreter. "The biggest being that the digitalization of content overall has been progressing. That's the big factor. It's not just for PlayStation, but for all kinds of content, digitalization is progressing. "And so when we think about the future, and we put in a lot of thought and time, and we cautiously considered this, and we came to this conclusion, and we're going to cautiously move this forward," Tao said. "We have received various opinions, and people have strong views, and we understand that the community has put forth those views to us," said Tao. [...] Tao says Sony wants to "consider" the emotions of disgruntled customers, especially as titles are "connected to people's fond memories in many cases." Tao also alluded to the possibility of future measures to lessen the blow for anyone unhappy with the decision, but it appears Sony hasn't yet finalized what those may be. "In the future digital ecosystem, how do we engage the gamers is something that we would like to continue to explore," she said.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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