If you are a commuter or a frequent traveler, the Steam Deck OLED version is the definitive way to play. The OLED screen deepens the horror of the dark subway tunnels in Pittsburgh, and the ability to play at 40 FPS hits a "sweet spot" of smoothness. You will lose the crisp 4K textures of the PS5, but gaining the ability to play during a lunch break is worth the visual sacrifice.
Enable or frame generation mods where available to boost the frame rate toward 60 FPS.
: Offers the most powerful native experience. In , the Go to product viewer dialog for this item. can maintain 40–60 FPS at 1080p or 720p using AMD FSR 2 Steam Deck Go to product viewer dialog for this item.
Survivng the Apocalypse on the Go: The Last of Us Part 1 Portable Guide
Sony’s PlayStation Portal ($199) is a dedicated remote player that literally exists to answer the portable demand. It streams the game directly from your PS5 to the device over Wi-Fi. game the last of us part 1 portable
The game expects you to hesitate. But most players will choose .
These devices act as portable computers. They run the PC version of the game directly on the device hardware, meaning you do not need an active internet connection to play once the game is downloaded.
: Requires a strong, low-latency Wi-Fi connection. Best Settings for PC Handhelds
The gameplay revolves around stealth, strategy, and action. Players must navigate through environments, often avoiding or silently taking out infected humans and hostile survivors. Crafting and scavenging for supplies are essential, as players gather materials to create weapons, health items, and tools. The remake enhances the original's mechanics, providing a more intuitive and responsive control scheme. Notably, the remake includes new features and improvements such as haptic feedback on the PS5, making the gameplay experience more immersive. If you are a commuter or a frequent
When you first install the game The Last of Us Part 1 portable on a Deck, you must leave it plugged in for 30-45 minutes while it compiles shaders. Do not skip this. If you do, the game will stutter violently every time you turn a corner.
(Deep snow. Crimson blood spatter.)
High (Keeps Joel and Ellie's facial expressions realistic).
With these settings, you can expect a largely stable experience. The game typically runs between , and you can even cap the Deck's refresh rate to 40Hz for a smoother feel and better battery life. Other players have reported the same, mentioning that the game now runs well on the Steam Deck as long as you're comfortable with a 30–40 FPS target with occasional dips below 30. Enable or frame generation mods where available to
Powered by the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, these windows-based handhelds offer a raw performance boost over the Steam Deck.
: Can achieve between 45 and 61 FPS using "Low" graphics settings and AMD FSR 2.1 on Balanced mode at 720p.
However, on a portable screen, the perspective shifts. The smaller display brings the player physically closer to the characters. In handheld mode, the world of the game feels contained within a personal sphere, making the relationship between Joel and Ellie feel even more immediate. Playing in a dark room with headphones creates a "closed loop" of immersion, where the boundaries between the player’s reality and the game’s fiction are blurred. The horror elements—the clickers lurking in the shadows—become startlingly effective when viewed on a screen inches from one’s face. The portable format strips away the distractions of the living room, demanding the player's undivided attention for the story’s quiet, emotional beats.
To play The Last of Us Part 1 portably, you generally have two paths: running the game natively on PC-based handheld hardware or streaming it via the cloud to a mobile device. 1. PC Gaming Handhelds (Native Play)
You can expect a consistent 30+ FPS using a mix of low and medium settings.