Facebook Portal Review

Facebook Portal is the first smart display device from Facebook to compete with similar products coming from Google and Amazon. The Portal is an interesting, smart home device with a surprisingly high hardware end.

If you are looking for Amazon Echo or Google Home assistant alternative, then this might be your next option. Available for $199, the gadget features a 12MP camera and set of microphones with powerful speakers at its bottom.

Facebook Portal is great for chatting and watching HD videos on popular streaming websites. It features volume controls and mute button to cut off the gadget access to microphone and camera.  The device is usually compared with Amazon’s Echo Show since it is mainly for video calling and streaming.

Besides, you can also connect your Amazon account to use Alexa skills on the device and provide more functionality to Portal. The interface is simple, and voice and video quality are up to the benchmark. Facebook Portal also features streaming music from Spotify if you have a premium account.

Additionally, you can also play music during the video call, and both the parties can hear it while having their routine conversations. However, as a turn-off, this feature only works on Portal to portal calls, and you can’t use it when calling someone on the phone.

Pros of Facebook Portal

• Nice hardware design with responsive display
• Automatically adjust the frame for video calls
• High-end speakers with great sound quality
• The device comes with a camera cover for privacy-focused people

The Cons

• Doesn’t supports popular video streaming platforms
• Only supports video calling through Facebook Messenger which is a major turn off
• The device has limited features except for playing streaming music and playing videos

In conclusion, if you are looking for a smart device for your home with limited features, then Facebook Portal might be one of your options.

Source:

https://www.cnet.com/reviews/facebook-portal-plus-review/