Ploud or Remote Play
Sony's Remote Play technically does what Ploud does: it films a PlayStation 5 and sends you the picture. It's free, it's good, and it assumes you already have the console. That's the only difference, and it's worth €649.99.
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Remote Play is good, and free
Remote Play is very well made. The app is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and on recent TVs, scheduled standby wakes the console remotely, and the quality on a local network is excellent. If you have a PlayStation 5, use it, it costs nothing.
What it assumes, and what gets forgotten
It assumes a console at your home, powered on or in connected standby, with a sufficient upload link. That last point is what gets forgotten: the stream leaves from your home, so it's your upload speed that matters, often ten times lower than the download speed on ADSL. A console at Ploud is in a data centre, where upload speed isn't an issue.
Both, line by line
| Remote Play | Ploud | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | From €2.68 per hour |
| Console required | Yours, at home | Provided, in Paris |
| Speed that matters | Your upload speed | The data centre's upload speed |
| Console off | Remote wake possible | Not applicable |
| Investment | €649.99 for the console | None |
Swipe the table to see all the columns.
When to stick with Remote Play
If the console is already at your home, Remote Play is the right answer and it's free. Ploud isn't for you. The question only arises when the console is missing, or when the home's upload link can't keep up.
| Remote Play | Ploud | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The remote play feature built into the PlayStation 5, free | A dedicated physical PlayStation 5, by the hour |
| Price | Free, PlayStation 5 console required | Hours credit, from €2.68 per hour |
| Model | System feature, no charge | No subscription, nothing renews |
Swipe the table to see all the columns.
If the console is missing, that's the piece Ploud replaces. Keep your spot.
Frequently asked questions
Does Remote Play work without a PS5?
No. It's a feature of the console: it streams its own picture. Without a console, there's nothing to stream.
Why is my Remote Play poor quality away from home?
Because the stream leaves from your home and depends on your upload speed, often much lower than the download speed, particularly on ADSL and VDSL.
Does Ploud use Remote Play?
No. The stream leaves from a data centre built for this, where upload speed and consistency aren't a limiting factor.
Can you use Remote Play on a Ploud console?
No. Remote Play links a console to an account and a home network. Ploud works through the browser.
Sources
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