The Facebook Portal Go in a nutshell

The issuance of video calls has exploded over the past two years, marked by the global pandemic and several phases of confinement. Hearing but also seeing a relative, a friend or a co-worker has enabled many individuals to maintain a link with the outside world. As a result, the market for smartphones and tablets has taken off… just like that of connected screens. These smart supports are equipped with high definition cameras and can guarantee good quality video calls or videoconferences - and above all, in hands-free mode!

The Facebook Portal Go is the latest connected screen designed by the leader in social interactions. It incorporates a 10-inch panel as well as a battery capable of holding up to five hours of video conversations between two charges. Plus, its rear-mounted handle makes it easy to carry it from room to room during a call, or take it with you on vacation - if you have a reliable internet connection where you live. retirement.

Its 12MP camera concedes a slightly lower resolution than the Facebook Portal, although we didn't find this to affect the clarity of video calls much. It delivers the same 125-degree field of view as the Portal, and like the camera in Amazon's Echo Show 10, it automatically pans and zooms as you move...so you always stay centered. frame during a video call.

In addition to allowing you to call your Facebook Messenger contacts, the Portal Pro invites you to chat from the Zoom and WhatsApp applications. Even better, there's a whole range of augmented reality (AR) filters and effects you can leverage to liven up your video calls.

Like any home automation gadget with a built-in camera, the Facebook Portal Pro has some privacy issues. Facebook has attempted to address this by including a physical cover over the camera, which automatically disconnects power to the microphone when you hide the microphone.

Support for Spotify and Deezer is a plus for streaming your music playlists and, if it proves impossible to follow your Netflix series from the dedicated application, Prime Video and YouTube remain accessible through the browser web.

The Portal Go can also be used as a digital photo frame and scroll through the galleries of your Facebook or Instagram accounts.

It comes with two voice assistants: Alexa and the Facebook assistant (Portal), whose capabilities are limited. Amazon's voice assistant behaves much the same as on the brand's smart speakers and displays, letting you control audio playback, search the web and command home automation devices - at provided that these are registered on the Alexa application.

At 229 €, the Facebook Portal Go is an expensive connected screen, especially if you consider that it deprives itself of certain features present on the Amazon Echo Show 10 or the Google Nest Hub Max, sold at a price similar. However, if you are looking for a display dedicated to video calls and video conferences, this is an alternative worth considering.

Facebook Portal Go price and availability

Facebook Portal Go will cost you €229 and can be ordered now from the official Facebook store. It's not the most expensive gadget in the range, as the 14-inch Portal+ is priced at €369. But you will also find less expensive, preferring the Portal TV or the 10-inch Portal, respectively sold at 169 and 199 €. Alas, these are not portable.

The new Facebook screen is still more affordable than the Amazon Echo Show 10, currently available at €249.99.

Design

Measuring 25.7 x 17.4 x 7.87 cm (w x h x d), the Facebook Portal Go appears as a relatively compact connected screen. It features a wedge-shaped design wrapped in gray fabric, allowing it to blend in with your home decor without any lapse in taste. As mentioned, the Facebook Portal Go is powered by a battery that Facebook says can last up to five hours before needing to be recharged. At the bottom of the screen is an insert for the charging cradle, which keeps the device stable while charging. An integrated handle at the back of the connected screen invites you to pick it up and carry it easily. Especially since it weighs only 1,400 grams.

The 10.1-inch HD panel occupies most of the front, providing a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The device is also equipped with two 5W full-range speakers and a 20W woofer, as well as a four-microphone array that picks up your voice clearly during your communications.

Star of the structure, its 12 Mpx camera guarantees a field of vision of 125 degrees. On the top of the stand are physical controls for volume, as well as a button to mute the mic and power to the camera; there's also a physical cover for the camera, which can be screwed on manually if the button isn't reassuring enough.

Portal Go features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. So you can not only listen to music via the streaming service of your choice (compatible with the screen), but also music stored on your smartphone by pairing the two devices.

Performances

The Facebook Portal Go is designed to keep in touch with your loved ones. It not only lets you make video and audio calls to your Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp contacts, but it also supports other more professional apps - including Zoom, Go-To meeting and Webex, as well as Workplace. It is therefore ideal for remote workers. The original Facebook Portal was the first connected display with a camera capable of automatically panning and zooming, to ensure that you were kept in the center of the frame during any video conversation. . A feature adopted since by the Echo Show 10 and even the Apple iPad Pro (2021). Facebook has retained this feature in Portal Go, and we found - in our testing on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger - that gestures remained smooth and natural, never jerky.

We were also impressed by the automatic framing of the camera on each of our movements, even the most innocuous - like repositioning ourselves on our chair.

In addition, you can apply a range of AR effects during Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp calls, which will appeal greatly to children and teenagers. There is even a photo booth function that takes photos with filters, excluding video calls. Another, L'heure du conte, tells popular tales - such as Little Red Riding Hood -, with music and animations to create a more interactive experience. Some stories also include filters that embed your face in the action.

The Facebook Portal Go connects to your Google or Outlook calendars to remind you of upcoming events, and it can be used as a digital photo frame to display your favorite snaps posted to your Facebook and Instagram accounts. However, unlike the original Facebook Portal, you can only enable this feature in landscape orientation.

Multiple Facebook accounts can be added on the device, so it can be shared by different members of the same household. For the safety of your children, it is possible to limit the applications and contacts that each Facebook profile can access. This, using a pin code.

Music and video

Thanks to its included speakers and rechargeable battery, Facebook Portal Go doubles as a portable speaker, and you can listen to your saved playlists from Spotify and Deezer.

The speakers have been optimized and guarantee room-filling sound, while the 20W woofer picks up low frequencies - even if they are not particularly powerful. It certainly won't be your audio device of choice, but it'll be more than enough if you want to stream background music or crank up podcasts while you cook or do your chores.

You can also associate the screen connected to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth connectivity and play the music stored on this latter device. You'll have to do without headphones or wired headphones, though, to enjoy your music privately (there's no 3.5mm jack on the Portal Go). You'll only have a handful of built-in apps in France, including Facebook Watch and Facebook Live for video streaming - or BFMTV to follow the news in real time. It's possible to access other streaming services, such as Prime Video and YouTube, but this has to be done through the built-in web browser, which certainly doesn't offer the most elegant interface.

However, we were blown away by how the screen brightness is automatically adjusted based on your surroundings, so images always stay sharp. No need to squint.

Voice assistant

The Facebook Portal Go responds to two voice assistants: Alexa, developed by Amazon, or Facebook's own assistant, activated by the request "Hey Portal" - "Hey Facebook" also works .

Alexa runs here just like on any other smart device, letting you control audio playback, turn home automation gadgets on or off, and receive a host of information. The Alexa app also gives you a live feed showing footage from compatible security cameras or video doorbells in your home.

Facebook's voice assistant is more limited compared to Alexa; if he was able to deliver the weather forecast and set a timer, he cannot control music playback, nor activate any home automation device. However, you can use it to calibrate the screen brightness and apply some of the camera-related AR effects.

What's more, Facebook's voice assistant has a lot more trouble dealing with background noise - especially when you're launching multiple sources simultaneously, or just using a Bluetooth connection to listen to music.

Battery

According to Facebook, the Portal Go allows you to spend up to five hours of video calls between two charges, while if you just listen to music, the autonomy drops at 14 hours. We can't confirm these typical usage figures, as our testing involved heavy use of the smart display over a short period of time.

The Portal Go comes with a charging station and thanks to the design of the lower part of the screen, it remains flat when connected to the charger and therefore proves stable on any what surface. It takes about three hours to fully charge the battery.

Should you buy the Facebook Portal Go?

Buy it if...

You are looking for a connected screen that is easy to carryWith a rechargeable battery and a soft handle, the Facebook Portal Go is the ideal connected screen for mobile users who like to move from one room to another or between various residences.

Do you like to make WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger callsDo you regularly use Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp to make video calls with your friends and family? If so, this smart display is perfect for you.

You have kidsThe AR effects that can animate your video calls like your photos, and the Storytime feature that offers interactive stories, will appeal to children. The configuration of profiles also guarantees first-class parental controls.

Don't buy it if...

You have a limited budgetAt €229, the Facebook Portal Go is one of the most expensive connected screens on the market. If your budget is tight, go for a more affordable device with a smaller screen, like the Amazon Echo Show 5 or the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen).

You prefer to view your photos in both portrait and landscape modeLike other connected displays available, the Facebook Portal Go can be used as a digital photo frame, but if you take a lot of photos in portrait format, consider the Facebook Portal standard, tiltable in both orientations.