Venom PlayStation Portal Carry Case Review: Durable, Affordable Protection

TechRadar said it spent a few weeks using the case and found it surprisingly tough for its price. The exterior has a hard shell and a textured finish. In the reviewer's tests, the case showed no signs of wear after drops or being thrown into a bag, and the Portal survived without damage. The exterior also was not damaged in a scratch test, according to the review.

Inside, the case has a molded interior that the PlayStation Portal slides into, plus a hook-and-loop strap to fasten it in place. TechRadar described the strap as a bit cheap but effective. The review's main complaint about the interior was the absence of a fabric pad over the screen, which means the fastener can rub against the display. The reviewer said no scratch marks had appeared, but noted that PowerA's case offers fabric padding and dual fasteners for more secure protection.

A second compartment inside has a zip-locked net for accessories such as earbuds, cleaning tools and cables. TechRadar found it large enough for the reviewer's accessories, but said the zip was not very high quality and came undone at one point. The reviewer was able to fix it easily. The exterior zip was stronger and remained secure, according to the review.

The Venom case measures 6.2 x 13.2 x 3.9 inches / 158 x 335 x 98mm and weighs 0.9lbs / 403g. It has two compartments, a handle and a black colorway. TechRadar said the handle has a rubber grip that is pleasant to touch and tall enough for relatively large hands.

TechRadar described the product as more like a starter kit for PS Portal owners than just a case. Along with the carry case, buyers get a basic but easy-to-fit tempered glass screen protector, a couple of cleaning wipes and thumbstick grips that fit seamlessly and have a textured feel.

In its scoring, TechRadar gave the case 4 out of 5 for design, 4 out of 5 for storage and 4.5 out of 5 for value. The review listed high durability, the molded interior, the additional storage compartment and the bundled accessories as pros. It listed the bulky size, lack of a protective layer for the screen and the low-quality inner-compartment zip as cons.

TechRadar said the Venom case is worth buying for players who do not want to spend much and want a durable kit with extras. It added that PowerA's case is marginally better because of its stylish design, USB-C charging passthrough slot and fabric padding, but Venom's case offers more storage. The reviewer argued that the Venom model is bulky and took up a lot of room in a bag, but said it remains a quality, affordable option for those who can accept that.