In 2019 we reviewed Facebook's Portal, Portal Plus and Portal TV devices, video chatting displays and cameras that included fun AR, but left us scratching our head about their real practicality. We didn't feel comfortable recommending them due to Facebook's questionable data privacy issues in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica breach. 

Fast-forward to today and things haven't improved for Facebook. Despite continued investigations into how Facebook uses and shares data, the company is pressing forward with new, camera-focused hardware. The $350 Portal Plus is Facebook's most expensive display. The 14-inch touchscreen comes with AR features, video chatting and a handful of streaming music and media services. Alexa is built in for smart home commands and general knowledge inquiries. 

Even without the dark cloud of Facebook's branding hovering over the Portal Plus, it isn't a device worthy of anyone's $350. Apps are limited, controls aren't always intuitive and the dual-assistant setup of "Hey, Portal" and Alexa doesn't simplify anything. For the same (or likely less) money, you'd be better off with a tablet and folio stand or a smart display, depending on your wants and needs.

I've included two charts at the end of this review comparing tablets, displays and Portals. For now, let's dive into the details of the Portal Plus. One note: I reviewed the new, $200 Portal Go alongside this larger model and the two are extremely similar save for a few details of the physical design and of course the size and price. For that reason, several sections in this review are similar to my observations about the Portal Go. 

Design

The Portal Plus' second generation has an entirely different look than the first. It's sleeker, with a slightly smaller 14-inch display with a 2,160x1,440-pixel resolution mounted on a rectangular speaker base. You can tilt the display up or down. A physical camera shutter and mute button offer manual privacy for the 12-megapixel front-facing camera that has a 131-degree field of view and will pan and zoom to keep you in frame.

Beneath the fabric base, a four-mic array listens for your "Hey, Portal," "Hey, Facebook" or, "Hey, Alexa" commands. Two 5-watt full range speakers and one 20-watt woofer put out plenty of sound for music, video streaming and chatting. The Portal Plus uses what Facebook calls "Smart Sound" AI to reduce background noise for the person speaking to Portal. 

The design is a sure improvement over the bulky, original Portal Plus. However, this screen can't rotate between landscape and portrait orientations. 

Features

Nearly everything about the Portal Plus is identical to the Portal Go, only on a larger and corded scale. The limited amount of apps available on these two devices is a disappointment. These new Portals just doesn't do as much as any tablet or smart display and the Portal Plus costs more than many of those. There are so few apps (24 to be exact) that I can list them all right here. If I tried to do that with a tablet, Amazon Echo skills or Google Nest compatible apps and devices we would need a bigger internet. Here's the full list, in alphabetical order:

• Alexa
• BlueJeans
• Browser
• Calendar
• CBS News
• Deezer
• Facebook Live
• Food Network
• GoToMeeting
• iHeartRadio
• Newsy
• Pandora
• Photo Booth
• Plex
• Red Bull TV
• SideChef
• Spotify
• Story Time
• Tidal Music
• Watch
• Webex Meetings
• Workplace
• Workplace Live
• Zoom

The odd thing about this list is what's not on it. There aren't apps for Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or WhatsApp. Instead, features from those apps are built into various parts of the Portal experience. You can link your Instagram account to display your Instagram feed photos on the Portal Plus' ambient screen. Messenger chat rooms are used when you video-call your contacts. You can use WhatsApp to set up the Portal instead of Facebook (but doing so will disable the "Hey, Portal" voice integration). 

I asked Facebook representatives why these in-house apps aren't available. Here's what they had to say:

The core use for Portal is video calling and to make it easier for people to connect with their family, friends and colleagues. You can use the web browser on Portal to access your favorite Facebook apps. People have other devices they typically use for browsing Facebook, Instagram, etc.

That makes sense. My first instinct wouldn't be to scroll Instagram on a display that isn't handheld like my phone or tablet. I probably also wouldn't choose to hunt and peck on a vertical touchscreen to reply to WhatsApp messages. All that to say, just be warned if you think this device primarily for your social media apps -- it isn't. 

Facebook could add more apps to the Portal Plus with future updates. Smart displays from other brands have taken this approach. I expect this list to expand, but for now these are the only for apps available on the Portal Plus. 

Video chatting

You can video chat with BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Webex, Workplace and Zoom. Support for Microsoft Teams is in the works for later this year. Video-calling your contacts begins in the Contacts app, where you'll create a Messenger room in order to chat. The contacts available here are pulled from the WhatsApp or Facebook account you used to set up the Portal. However, if someone you want to call doesn't have a Facebook or Messenger account, you can send them a link to join the room. 

The Portal Plus's AR camera and Story Time are the headlining features of this device. When you're in a video call, tapping the Experiences button brings up a menu to access Story Time, Photo Casting, Watch Together or Effects. This is where you'll find fun filters and special effect backgrounds. 

Open Story Time during a call (or on your own without a call ongoing) and you'll find stories with filters and special effects that interact with the person in front of the camera. The story text appears in the top left corner of the screen and little instructions pop up here and there to show you how to initiate some special effects.

Stories include popular series like Dr. Seuss, Pete the Cat, Llama Llama, Todd Parr and Jon Burgerman. You can also select classics like Three Little Pigs, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Little Red Riding Hood. Story Time is the most fun you can have on Portal. I just wish it were available as an app on third-party devices like tablets or other displays.

Privacy

We can't really review Facebook hardware without pointing out the ongoing saga of Facebook's data and privacy issues. Dig deeper into the Portal privacy features here if you like, but these are the big takeaways.

The Portal Plus is listening for the "Hey, Portal" or "Hey, Facebook" wake word. If it detects the phrase, Portal sends a transcript and recording of that voice interaction to Facebook. Those "Hey, Portal" and "Hey, Facebook" transactions are kept on Facebook's servers for up to three years, while "false wakes" are deleted within 90 days of detection. That's if you don't take any action. If you choose to, you can review and delete your voice interactions in the Portal Plus's settings. 

You could choose to disable voice interaction recording entirely in the device's settings, but it is turned on by default. If you only connect your Portal to WhatsApp on initial setup, "Hey, Portal" won't work at all, thanks to WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption. 

A physical camera shutter and mute button add some peace of mind. A red light indicates the microphone is muted. The Portal Plus's camera uses AI technology that is processed locally, not on Facebook servers. The camera doesn't have any facial recognition abilities. 

Better options

There are two ways you could approach Portal Plus alternatives, but you need to know what exactly you're after. If you're looking for a device that's great for streaming video, has thousands of apps, including social media, get a tablet.

There are plenty of 10- to 15-inch tablets available that provide a big enough screen and a good camera. Nearly any model from Samsung, Amazon or Apple will give you more features, processing power, apps for streaming and social media platforms. Treat yourself to an Apple Pencil or S Pen for Apple or Samsung models, and you've got even more options.

If you're looking for an Alexa-focused smart home screen, the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 10 are both far better (and often more affordable) options with broader apps for streaming and video chatting. Both are often available for less than the Portal Plus' $350 list price.

The following charts compare popular tablets and smart displays with Portal Plus and Portal Go.

Portals vs. tablets

	Portal Go	Portal Plus	Galaxy Tab A7	Amazon Fire HD 10	iPad (2021)
Price	$200	$350	$650	$150	from $329
Screen size	10.1 inches	14 inches	11 inches	10.1 inches	10.2 inches
Resolution	1,280x800	2,160x1,440	2,560x1,600	1,920x1,200	2,160x1,620
Camera	12 megapixels	12 megapixels	8 megapixels front, 13 and 5 megapixels rear	2 megapixels front, 5 megapixels rear	12 megapixels front, 8 megapixels rear
Physical shutter	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Field of view	125 degrees	131 degrees	80 degrees	Not listed	122 degrees
Portable	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kid mode	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Limited (Guided Access)
Video apps	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	All available from the Google Play Store	All available from the Amazon app store	All available from the App Store
Music apps	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	All available from the Google Play Store	All available from the Amazon Appstore	All available from the App Store
Streaming apps	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	All available from the Google Play Store	All available from the Amazon Appstore	All available from the App Store
Smart home compatibility	Alexa	Alexa	Alexa app, Google Assistant app	Alexa	Siri, Alexa app, Google Assistant app
Internet browser	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Portals vs. smart displays

	Portal Go	Portal Plus	Nest Hub Max	Echo Show 8	Echo Show 10
Price	$200	$350	$229	$100	$250
Screen size	10.1 inches	14 inches	10 inches	8 inches	10.1 inches
Resolution	1,280x800	2,160x1,440	1,280x800	1,280x800	1,280x800
Camera	12 megapixels	12 megapixels	6.5 megapixels	13 megapixels	13 megapixels
Physical shutter	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Field of view	125 degrees	131 degrees	127 degrees	110 degrees	110 degrees
Portable	Yes	No	No	No	No
Kid mode	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Video apps	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	Zoom, Google Duo	Zoom, Skype, Chime	Zoom, Skype, Chime
Music apps	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Deezer	Apple music, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, SiriusXM, Headspace, NPR and more	Apple music, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, SiriusXM, Headspace, NPR and more
Streaming apps	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	Netflix, Youtube, CW, HBONow, Starz, Red Bull TV, Crackle	Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Food Network, Red Bull TV, Tubi	Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Food Network, Red Bull TV, Tubi
Smart home compatibility	Alexa	Alexa	Google	Alexa	Alexa
Internet browser	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes