PSP 2000 Console - Piano Black Reviews

• One year after launch and we're still talking about "potential" ...

  
  By ADKA2MJQQCMTO on 2006-04-20
  Well, it's a year later and the PSP still hasn't really taken off. Unless there's some major changes, I could never recommend anyone buy this and it's centered around two MAJOR issues that still haven't been addressed: cost and game library.
  
  The PSP's expensive ... really ... really ... expensive.
  
  1. You'll need between two-hundred (the core pack) to two hundred fifty dollars (the value pack) for the PSP itself. I'd recommend the core system. The only substantial difference between the two bundles is the value pack comes with a 32 MB memory card. Anyone who downloads mp3's will already know, a 32 MB card is small to the point of being virtually worthless.
  
  2. A decent capacity memory card is a must-have. Don't make the mistake of cheaping out and buying a small one, do it once and do it right. All those mp3's, pictures and game-saves add up fast and having them all saved across several smaller cards is a pain (not to mention easy to lose). Give yourself about a hundred bucks and get a big one. I'm thinking 1 Gig kinda big.
  
  3. To pick up a newer game and a movie you're going to have to punk-down another seventy to a hundred dollars.
  
  This is the point where I just talked myself out of the sale. I'm pushing about three hundred seventy dollars, and that's on the conservative side! I can get an X-Box 360 for that kind of money. I can get an awesome iPod for a hundred dollars less and have (potentially) 60 Gigs of space.
  
  It's a year later and the game selection, outside of MAYBE a half-dozen really great games, is awfully average. The UMD movie feature is nice, but the movies seem to average about TEN DOLLARS more in cost then their DVD counterparts, with half of the content (it's usually just the feature, no extras).
  
  As powerful as the system is, and as cool as it could be, it's just too expensive. Knock the price down a hundred bucks, and it immediately becomes a much better buy. At three-hundred fifty dollars, minimum, though, it's just too much to ask ...
  
  

• PSP Slim delivers

  
  By A1LKZUD510K61G on 2007-09-06
  NOTE: The Rachet game, the family guy collection and the memory stick only come with the 199.99 bundle. The 169.99 PSP Black Slim does not come with these items.
  
  The new PSP is 19% thinner and 30% lighter. Should definitely notice the difference as soon as its in your hands. Here are the pros and cons
  
  Pros:
  + Video Out to your TV. Watch your UMD movies and Games on your screen. This is the perhaps the best feature of any handheld.
  + Much lighter, feels really good in your hands.
  + The D-Pad has been upgrades. Fighting Game Lovers rejoice!
  + The analog nub also feels more responsive.
  + Buttons are raised making them easier to click.
  + The LCD is brighter, has a higher refresh rate and the colors are more vibrant.
  + UMD games load faster.
  + The memory has been doubled in this unit to allow developers to build caches they can then use to make games load much faster.
  + Even games that dont implement caches, load faster due to an automatic new caching done by the system.
  + Ability to eat less battery life.
  + Daxter Game is included! This is one of the best games for the PSP
  + 1Gig memory stick is included.
  + Family Guy freaking sweet collection UMD included.
  + Price. For $200 you are getting a lot. PSP system, a game, family guy compilation, a new color, and memory stick. All for $30 more than PSP slim black. I would definitely recommend getting the bundle.
  
  Cons:
  -Yes the packaging is a bit cheap.
  -UMD tray may not impress. It feels cheaper.
  
  Hopefully you guys enjoy this little system. It really is a sexy looking thing and with critically acclaimed titles like crush and Jeanne d'arc and other games like Final Fantasy 7 Crisis Core, Wipeout Pulse, and God of War over the horizon, you wouldn't be a true gamer without one. If you like your handheld games at the same quality as your console games then what are you waiting for. pick this up.
  
  

• Great alternative to PMP (Portable movie player) that cost $400+

  
  By A3BWFAK5D3SI09 on 2006-04-18
  I bought this mostly for video and haven't even boughten a game yet, although I do plan too.
  It came with the 2.5 firmware so home brewers are out of luck; I updated to the latest 2.6 and there were only two note worthy features that most people wouldn't care about. WMA playback and the ability to add RSS feeds (need wireless router for either one to work).
  
  Video:
  I was impressed with the video player. It has all the controls you need if you hit triangle and your most used controls assigned to the X - O - Start - Shoulder buttons
  The clarity was very good for a 400 mb file from a hour and a half movie. I use PSP video 9 because it is free and has all the features that others have. The only draw back is that you have to download DVD decrypter or DVD shrink and set some settings in order to get a DVD to the psp.
  AVC is a new MP4 format and it was better quality and is what I recommend. Just make sure you put it in the right folder or it won't play on your psp. There are guides out to help just Google "PSP video 9 tutorial" and you will have detailed help.
  
  Web:
  The web was very slow and wouldn't even load some websites (TV guide didn't). The way I fixed these issues was by going in the Web browsers options and shutting the cache off. The speed then got faster but still not cable speed.
  
  Games:
  Although I haven't boughten a game for it yet I have played on someone else's PSP. It had better graphics then the Playstation 1 but took a long time to load. Also most games are beaten after 4 hours of play. I suggest reading reviews for PSP games to find how long it took to beat a game.
  
  Music:
  If you are debating between this and an iPod for music playback then GET THE IPOD. I have an iPod nano and it has so many more features and will load up with iTunes. The sound quality is better too.
  There weren't any way to categorize your music except by putting the music in folder, the problem is that you could only go one folder deep. Other then that there wasn't a way you could sort by artist, album, song, or etc then the way you loaded it on.
  It did have shuffle and repeat which is very important. No equalizers though.
  
  Updates:
  Sony announced some new firmware that is to come that will allow macromedia flash to play and video rss feeds. Also coming is a GPS locater, keyboard and a camera add-on should be sold this year.
  
  Overall:
  I'm glad with it when I think I could have boughten a Portable movie player and paid a lot more. The only thing is that you have to buy a memory stick to even play video on the PSP and it doesn't hold as much as a PMP with 20 gigs.
  I bought a 1 gig for $50 from newegg, but if you buy locally expect to pay $100+. A 1 gig holds two movies or 500 songs.
  
  

• Simply spiffy!

  
  By AN9J46667D80O on 2007-10-14
  I'd never played with a PSP until yesterday. I'd see a friend of mine playing Lumines when it first came out, but that was about it.
  
  Now I begin to see what I'd been missing.
  
  I bought the PSP Daxter Entertainment Pack - Ice Silver version of the PSP hardware yesterday on something of a whim. I'd heard decent things, read some reviews and thought it might be a good investment. Plus, hey,Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions was out, and I wanted to play that.
  
  I turned out to be a good purchase! The unit itself is very well-designed and comfortable to use. The display screen is incredibly vivid and bright. The interface is nicely designed. I had a few problems getting onto the internet at first, but I managed to resolve those within a few minutes (the little web-browser they have built-in to the software is... ok. Not great, but it gets the job done).
  
  In fact, about the only thing I would have liked that did not come with this system was a USB cable. Fortunately I was able to find one at my local game store and now I can hook this sucker directly up to my computer. Very useful, given that I now am able to play MP3s on my PSP, as well as store photos!
  
  In addition to the system, I also got a one gig memory chip. That's pretty handy! It also came with Daxter, which I haven't played too much, but it's proving fun. It also came with Family Guy - The Freakin Sweet Collection (UMD Mini for PSP). Alone, these items would likely add quite a bit more to the expense, but they came included for only a little more than the system itself (I sold the UMD, however. Why? Well, partly cause I have that same product on DVD and partly cause I just don't "get" the whole UMD thing. They're overpriced, have no extras and just aren't very interesting).
  
  I've owned and enjoyed a Nintendo DS Lite Onyx Black, but I gotta say this little system is worlds away. You get video games, internet access, an MP3 player, a movie player (though not my thing, as mentioned), and a picture viewer, all for not too much more than a DS. Nintendo, I love you, but in this case Sony has the best product (don't hate me!).
  
  The only down-sides I see is that this is not a system for younger kids (what with the UMD discs), and it is a little larger than the DS. It would be nice if it came with a wrist strap, since I'm sure dropping it would have tragic consequences, and as I said before I would've liked to have had a USB cable in the box. But still, I'm happy with what I bought and I think you would be, too!
  
  

• Ok

  
  By AHJBXA6X0FLRZ on 2007-09-10
  This is our 3rd PSP already owning two of the older model. This one is definitely lighter. I like the fact it is the color that it is. No more finger prints showing up as easily.
  
  One of the pluses is the fact that the screen is much brighter. Looks like the same improvement that the 5.5 Ipod's had.
  
  It is great that it is much lighter in weight, but it really does have a cheap feel to it. The memory door is really poorly made. We almost broke it trying to open it not realizing it was so dainty. The UMD door is also has a very cheap feel to it. You do have to be careful not to pull as hard.
  
  I have seen no improvement in battery life. About the same or a hair less than the original PSP. Playing a game, I get about an hour and forty-five minutes and then I have to charge. The load times being faster? Not at all. My son and I own the same exact game and put them in to compare. The load times were identical (Worms 2).
  
  My major gripe is the battery cover. Just a little plastic button to open it and it never really feels like it is closed all of the way. While playing, our hands accidentally push on it and the battery cover comes off while playing.
  
  The last annoying item is that when I first turned it on, I went to check for system updates and of course, it said there was one. It comes with 3.6. Well, I wait for the download and what downloaded was 3.3. So Sony obviously needs to fix thier websites. A new product is released and they should of had that annoyance taken care of already.
  
  All in all an ok purchase. It is worth the bundle if you happen to like Daxter and Family Guy. If you like this color, then you don't have a choice right now anyway since it only comes in a bundle.
  
  
• It was a great system while it lasted-- BEWARE!!!!
  By A2ZGZPGV02W3QF on 2006-11-09
  We bought this system 45 days ago- what a great game system- while it lasted!!! BEWARE- this system is already having problems- games freezing while playing, power shutting off in middle of game, power on- screen stays black, sometimes won't even turn on. Called Sony- all they will do is send a REFURBISHED system in its place- this is only 45 days old!!! They said this is their stated warranty- they do not repair them. It seems to be a very fragile system. I have ready many online reviews of people having the same problems. Very Very disappointed with this product and Sony for offering such a poor warranty and for not standing by their products! Shame on you Sony!
  
  
• Nah, 3.5 stars overall is more like it.
  By A283NP8NG7X11F on 2006-08-20
  I didn't want a PSP really, when I think about it more. It was more of a "something to get somewhere down the road" type of thing. Since it came out early last year, the game lineup still doesn't look that good. As far as I can see, there are maybe 9 games worth buying for it so far, and that's being nice. But the PSP isn't quite a Gameboy Advance or DS competitor in terms of games- that's pretty obvious. No, the PSP is a portable media device, as it can deal with movies, pictures, mp3s, the internet and more. That's where its true selling point lies. But what it comes down to is, are you going to use it to its full extent? That's exactly why I'm having limited fun with my PSP- I don't use it enough. Sure, tons of people go on about HomeBrew and emulated games, but you have to go through the downgrading process, and some PSPs -CAN NOT- be downgraded if they have a certain number stamped on the inside of the UMD slot. Mine is one of those, which would explain a lot of my lack of enthusiasm here. But that's exactly what it depends on in order for you to get the most out of the system. If you're looking into that sort of thing, then look around for a used PSP, check for the number, then go from there. Otherwise, be warned that the games aren't exactly thrilling, but remember that there's always the use of storing your pictures, music and movies. That's gotta increase the life of it, right?
  
  It's hard to review a system like this, when it's not exactly a game system primarily. But let's get the easy stuff out of the way first. The PSP is a gorgeous system. It's sleek, smooth, and easy to hold. And do I even need to mention the screen? The high-def screen on this baby is better than most peoples' tvs at the moment. If that's not a slap in the face, I don't know what is. Many games will look beautiful on the PSP because of this as well. The only problems you'll face is that it scratches very easily, like any handheld, and the dreaded dead pixel factor. When I got my first PSP as a present a few months back, there were at least 4 dead pixels that I could see. Yes, they're just pixels, not being that big, but it's still annoying to get a new product and see this. Then, I traded that same one in for the sweet Japanese white one, and noticed one single dead pixel. So, there's a good chance you'll have at least one when you buy a PSP. If not, then congratulations. Regarding the comfort of holding the system, it's not bad at all, regardless of your hand size. My hands are above-average length, and I have no problem holding it or using the buttons or anything, so I don't see what the complaints are in this category. The buttons though on the US model are a bit...down. Literally. When I bought my white PSP today, and the sales guy took it out of the box for me to inspect everything first, we both noticed that the white one's buttons were much higher than the black one's. As in, they're raised. The default PSP buttons are just barely above the surface, as is the d-pad. I'd have to recommend getting the white one if you can just to have better buttons. There has also been a history of some buttons becoming stuck under the surface, so watch out for that as well. The analog nub is a bit uncomfortable, I admit, as it's more stiff than the ps2's analog stick(s). It's mostly due to the size I'd assume. But you get used to it. I still don't like how Sony's yet to snap out of their bad d-pad habit. Why can't they make a full d-pad instead of the damn broken one they keep putting out? It makes doing special moves in 2D fighters like Street Fighter and Guilty Gear a real pain. Though Guilty Gear found a way around that...still. Finally, there's a brightness feature for the PSP, which can range between 3 and 4 levels (some games allow that). The lowest level is bright enough, but the highest is VERY bright. Compared to the new DS Lite's highest setting though, I don't know which one's brighter. Like it matters though.
  
  So how about the games? We'll get that out of the way since it's the quickest one to deal with. Frankly, there isn't much. As I mentioned, there are maybe 10 great games at most, to me at least. The PSP has some nice fighters like Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max and you can import two Guilty Gear games (what I consider the finest 2D fighter ever made). There are some good action games like WWE Smackdown vs Raw, Syphon Filter, Daxter, and an upcoming Ratchet and Clank game. Of course, there are various sports titles as well, and some racing ones. There's not much in the niche department though. I think Me and My Katamari and Lumines are about it for the really "unique" games. Next, the UMD Movie format for the PSP. Well, many companies have already pulled out, and I haven't seen a UMD Movie section at any stores around here in about 3 weeks now, so it's pretty much done. Though, at this rate, I'm sure you can buy a bunch for a fairly low price. Just remember that the US PSP can only play US UMD Movies, and the Japanese PSP can only play Japanese UMD Movies (they've got some great dirty ones if I do say so myself). I personally didn't care for this option, as they're only really useful if you travel a lot, or have an upcoming long road trip. Other than that, why bother when you can get the same movies on dvd for the same price, with more special features, and can watch them on a bigger screen with better audio? The mp3 player feature on the PSP is fairly decent. Some files can't be read, which frustrates me to no end, having to find the same song in a different format, but it works, and that's all that matters. However, I agree with the people that comment saying that getting a straight-up mp3 player like an iPod is a better option. The PSP requires memory sticks to save data, which cost a bit to get the better ones. By the time you spend money on a PSP with a good memory stick, you could've bought maybe two iPod Nanos. But, you can save many other things on the memory stick, like pictures. The picture feature is neat, and you can set your PSP's background image to anything you have saved. Upload pictures from your digital camera, or what you find online *nudge nudge*. Speaking of online, you can access the internet with the PSP as well. The web browser isn't exactly the best, but again, it gets the job done. The Firmware is always getting updated, so be patient, and eventually, it'll be up to par with a computer from...1998 maybe. Like the movie feature, I'd say the PSP's internet portion is mostly for if you're away from your home computer, or need to check something quickly. It uses wi-fi technology, so you can probably get a connection almost anywhere.
  
  Before closing, I have to address the obligatory comparison to the Nintendo DS. But why? They're completely different systems! The DS is strictly for games, unless you mod it and do the internet thing, or want to wait for the official one or the tv turner coming out sometime down the road. I'm not a Sony or Nintendo fanboy, but I don't like either system over the other. The DS seems like too much of a gimmick with the whole "LOOK! YOU CAN TOUCH THE SCREEN! AND THERE'S TWO OF THEM NOW!". Just look at how many games had the word "touch", or have a hidden "DS" in the title like Resident Evil Deadly Silence, Guilty Gear Dust Strikers and several others. Gee Nintendo, how crafty of you. The PSP however, is more media-oriented than games. What it mostly has are ports of older titles, but can hold its own with its various other features. The one thing it really got screwed over on though, is how fragile it is compared to the DS. The DS, you can drop from standing-height, and chances are, that it'll be completely fine. The PSP? One drop from standing-height, and you're going to notice problems. I dropped my old one once, and the UMD slot wasn't the same again. And I dare not think of dropping it on its screen. Ugh.
  
  Depending on your own personal preferences, it's up to you alone to decide if you'd want the PSP over the DS. What it comes down to is if you look to use it for more than just games. If not, then go for the DS. But if you want just one device that can do many things, the PSP is your best bet right now, since Nintendo only just recently hopped on the wi-fi boat, still doesn't have the internet browser and tv tuner in the US, and has about the same number of must-have titles as the PSP. While I'm not 100% satisfied with my PSP, I can at least appreciate it for everything it can do. I was about to trade it in for an iPod, in all honesty, but gave it another shot, and am trying to use it to its full extent. What did it come down for me? DIRTY JAPANESE MOVIES. THEY WIN IN THE END.
  
  
• overall very nice
  By A36OM3W2C2HO0S on 2007-09-18
  After having a DS for almost a year and playing it quite a bit I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to get the new updated PSP. The DS, nintendo that is, has put out dozens and dozens of titles in the last several months but if you follow the reviews on sites like gamestop and IGN it has been a disappointing run of mediocre games for the most part. maybe this is a blessing in disguise because at 25 or 30 bucks a game too many must have titles could drain alot of bucks. Anyway my reasoning in also getting the PSP is that then I could choose a game every month or 6 weeks or so from the list of both the DS and the PSP and like i said the way the DS has been lately that's even more relevant at the moment.
  So I'm really loving the PSP. The graphics are obviously superior to the DS and if you choose the games you buy carefully, which is what matters more actually, the gameplay, you should be more than happy with the purchase. The DS is not known for it's graphics but it is known for the gameplay being better in many cases but lately all bets are off i'd say. With either system though you should be able to come up with several stellar titles if you pick wisely. I know reviews aren't everything but I do use them as a starting point in choosing games. Not so much the reviews here on amazon which are one of my favorite things about this site but the reviews on gamesites that i already mentioned. The problem with amazon reviews for the games is that although they can be of some help often times it's some kid saying how great the sponge bob squarepants game is or someone who just bought monster hunter freedom 2 and thinks it's the best thing ever and sometimes it may be but the opinions are often based on first hand impressions so the game sites are better i think. I've gotten games so far like Burnout legends, Wipeout Pure, Lumines2, Virtua Tennis World Tour and an awesome game that is an import music game called DJ Max portable 2. (check it out on the play asia site for reader reviews)
  The daxter game that came with the silver PSP is also great but i haven't had a chance to play it much yet but from what i have it too is a great game.
  I guess there's just one thing about the PSP i got that is bugging me. Alot of people say about it being cheaply made and overall I didn't think that; the build quality seems fine but i guess comparing to the older model the plastic is thinner so that's part of it. I do have a minor issue in the workmanship with mine however. I haven't returned it yet because i'm trying to decide if it's too minor to do so but I think i will return it because it is a flaw and keeps irritating me when i hold the PSP and bump into the little glitch i'm talking about. What it is is on the door in the back of the PSP where the UMD goes in, the UMD door. Right on the corner where the letters UMD are etched the door is slightly raised so it's out of plane with the rest of the back. This is where my left index finger bumps into the door being slightly raised from the level of the rest of the back. it's very slight to be sure maybe the thickness of a business card or 2 but like I said my finger bumps into it especially on some games more than others. If I hold the psp and push on the door sure enough there is also play where it just isn't seating fully on that corner. i wonder if anyone else has this almost unnoticeable glitch? I'm not trying to be a perfectionist because if it wasn't on what is essentially a moving part I'd probably let it slide but it's the door for the UMDs and my thumb bumps against the slightly sticking up part.--- I'd also recommend getting a Hori screen protector to keep the screen from getting scratched and then you can wipe it clean without having to worry about that. Some other brands of screen protectors can be terrible and get alot of scratches so get the Hori ones. Overall the new PSP is really awesome; give it a look for the door glitch i found though.
  
  
• PSP Slim&Lite ---> awesome!!
  By A1WBIIZ5KF7D6H on 2007-12-13
  So I have owned the Sony PSP Star Wars Battlefront Renegade Squadron Entertainment Pack - Ceramic White for about 3 weeks now. I never owned the original PSP, and mostly got this for "remote play" capabilities with the PS3 (e.g. remote access to your PS3 using the PSP and a wifi connection). Simply put, the PSP is AWESOME. Seriously.
  
  The Good:
  
  1. Aesthetics/Design/Construction.
  The white slim looks and feels great. I briefly owned the black slim before returning it and getting the white one. The black looked slick, but it was a real fingerprint magnet. The white looks better, very sleek and clean. Fingerprints do not show up on it much either, which is great. The silver slim was just too cheap looking, like the silver was spray painted on, so I never considered it. Nice how the back is totally flat also, unlike the old psp. The non-spring door battery cover is fine. I was worried after reading reviews of how it is cheap feeling and fragile, but it's just fine. It is easy to open/close, gives a nice "snap" when it opens or closes, won't break if you're not rough with it (care is required), and eliminates worries about the spring door mechanism from malfunctioning. I never had an original PSP 1000, but the slim feels solid and not cheap at all to me.
  
  2. Screen.
  Very bright, nice 480x272 resolution. Movies and games just look great on it.
  
  3. Music.
  MP3s (and WMA supported also) sound great on the PSP. The visualization has about six different "patterns" that are interesting. The interface looks good, better in fact than the music player interface on the PS3, and features all the important info, and can be toggled on/off also. Recent firmware now allows for music to be played back while viewing photos.
  
  4. Video.
  Ability to run full 480x272 video off of files stored on the memory stick was a contentious issue in the first couple years, as Sony had evidently crippled video file on the memory stick to a max resolution of 320x240 in order to "encourage" users to buy overpriced UMDs. Several months ago, Sony saw the error of its ways and relented to user requests and now the PSP is fully able to play back 480x272 (the PSP's native resolution) video off of videos stored on your memory stick. Using the freeware "psp video 9," you can create video files ranging from 700mb (~1.5hrs video) to 1gb (~2hrs) that look and sound as good as a UMD movie.
  
  Functionality is great too, with the newer firmwares you can search through your video file for scenes by varying intervals (1,2, or 5 minute), which is great since your own video files will be a single file. This is really not to be underestimated in its usefulness, plus it is really cool to use!
  
  5. Photos.
  The photo viewer is pretty cool as well, but could use a bit more customization. You can view standard file types (jpg, gif, bmp, and tiff I believe) and have a few slideshow and zoom options. The background of photos that are not 480x272 resolution is white, which cannot be changed to another color (like black), which is not a big deal but I hope Sony will allow you to use a black background in the future.
  
  6. Games.
  This is of course the main feature of the PSP. I wasn't expecting the games to be too good, but there are quite a few very good games. So far, my favorites are: Silent Hill Origins, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty/Vice City Stories, NBA 08, Outrun 2006, Burnout Legends, FIFA 08, Madden 08, Legend of Heroes, Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron, Daxter, Wipeout Pure, and Siphon Filter: Dark Mirror. You would be amazed at the graphics, gameplay, story, audio (music/voiceovers) this little system is capable of! Some of these are just great games.
  
  7. Remote Play/Location Free Player.
  This is the original reason I bought the PSP, to remotely (via wifi) connect to my PS3 and access the music, video, photos, and even games on it. When it works, it is just really really cool. The PS3 interface shows up on the PSP screen (which can be adjusted for quality based on the bandwidth you want to set it to -- there are five different settings), and you can play movies, trailers, photos, audio, even some games (like Lair!) on your PSP. I haven't used Location Free player yet, but basically it is like using a Slingbox on the PSP, so that you can watch TV, access your DVR, etc., on your PSP using a wifi connection. I plan to try it someday for sure.
  
  8. Internet.
  You can use the browser to surf the internet on the PSP when you have access to wifi. It works well enough, and the key input system is pretty decent for a non-QWERTY/touchscreen input system.
  
  9. Functionality/Performance.
  The much maligned battery life, is really not that bad at all. Using the PSP to listen to mp3s, watch videos, play games, I get about 3-4 hours of usage (depending on how much video/games I watch/play), which gets me through average usage easily. For longer trips, I have the 2200mAh (oem) extended battery which works great and will give me roughly 6-8 hours of usage. Incredible. The battery will stick out the back, but you can go to dealextreme-dot-com and buy a bigger battery cover (black or white) for less than four dollars. Sony will evidently release an official extended battery kit with a bigger battery cover in black and silver (no white though, booo!) for about 45 dollars sometime in the next month or so.
  
  During gameplay, I have never had any slowdown of framerate or crashing EVER. Not once on over 14 games that I now own. Great performance. Videos and music also perform flawlessly. Load times are not that bad, and don't bother me much as it is only in the beginning mostly, and so gameplay during games is very quick.
  
  The XMB (cross media bar) user interface is fantastic and so easy to use and rather stylish as well. Love using it. Video out to your TV is a cool feature that I have not yet used.
  
  The Not-so-good:
  
  1. Fingerprint magnet (black PSP). White one has no issues with this.
  2. Cannot change background color to black when viewing photos.
  3. Wifi is 802.11b only, no 802.11g (faster) support... yet.
  4. Remote play is hit or miss regarding connectivity. Still not easy to connect to the PS3. Hopefully, Sony will improve upon this with updates. Remote on/off of the PS3 works well enough though.
  5. Soon to be released extended battery kit will not include a white cover. No biggie, just go to dealextreme-dot-com to find a white one from Hong Kong (cheap too).
  6. Limited audio/video codec support, including no DIVX/XVID support yet for videos or AAC for audio. But using PSP Video 9 (freeware) to convert videos works just fine to convert videos of most types into viewable 480x272 (or less if you want) mp4 video.
  7. UMD spinning noise is a bit loud/harsh on the ears, but luckily it spins rarely and usually at the beginning of the game or rarely during gameplay (e.g. loading new levels, etc.).
  8. Volume on audio/video playback from memory stick is TOO QUIET! Setting "dynamic normalization" under "audio" settings helps it get louder, but still it's too soft. The volume from the speakers is okay but I always use headphones so I cannot really judge it.
  9. Expensive assessories. Getting a couple extended batteries, a battery charger, a nice protective case, a screen protector, some UMD cases, headphones, wrist strap, a few games, a nice memory stick pro duo (I got the 8gb one -- you won't want less than that), and the price quickly jumps up to almost PS3 range (easily over 500 dollars).
  10. Cool accessories only available in Japan, including a camera, GPS, and DMB (mobile television). I don't really miss those though.
  
  
  Bottom Line:
  
  As you can judge from my lengthy review, I love my new white PSP slim. It is so fun, versatile, and cool (remote play will impress your friends and family) that you will not regret plopping down some serious cash to build up your PSP slim system!
  
  
• Sorely DISAPPOINTED!!!
  By A3ACJ58WZVJEML on 2007-12-25
  As far as I'm concerned, this is a downgrade.... I cannot believe the glowing reviews this thing has gotten, here are the OBVIOUS FAULTS:
  
  - Construction is on par with a happy meal toy
  
  - The cheap plastic is scratching already and I've had it 8 hours
  
  - Every single finger print shows up on the shiny cheap plastic and it immediately looks dirty...
  
  - Screen is no longer integrated into the housing so there's a seam that you can put your fingernail in, dust should have no trouble getting in
  
  - No tv out cable included despite being it's biggest new "feature"
  
  - No freakin' headphones, are ya kidding me?!?!?!
  
  
  I never in a million years thought I'd be so disappointed in an "upgrade". Anyone know where I can buy the old PSP???
  
  BOO SONY!!!
  
  
  
  
• PSP...
  By on 2006-11-09
  The PSP has a significant amount of features... you probably know that. So I'll cut to the important parts. The PSP is an excellent gaming machine. It's look and design is very nice, sharp, and sleek. The large plasma-like screen and the PSP engine manage to bring us vivid, sharp, PS2 like graphics. And as I said before, there are multimedia capabilities, however they are not pushed to their full potential. To store snything you will need a memory stick duo. Although the prices have dropped they are still expensive, especially if you want a large sized memory stick. UMD movies are also expensive, so don't buy this for movies alone. Here is how I rate it:
  
  Graphics: 10/10
  The graphics are absolutely mind blowing. For a handheld system, it doen't get any better than this. The frame rate of most games is excellent, and sharp, sleek character models are plenty in every game.
  
  Design: 8.5/10
  The look and the design of the PSP is great, however the absence of a second analogue stick makes SOME games are a LITTLE hard to play. However PSP games manage some other kind of control, so this isn't a big downside. Also, screen protecters are a must. The PSP is very, very susceptible to smudges and scratches.
  
  Games: 9/10
  Finally, some good games come out for the PSP. The games look and play great. These games include ACE COMBAT, DAXTER, TEKKEN, GTA: LIBERTY CITY STORIES, GTA: VICE CITY STORIES, MEDAL OF HONOR, SYPHON FILTER, CALL OF DUTY, NEED FOR SPEED, LOCOROCO, KILLZONE, BURNOUT, RIDGE RACER, ATV, METAL GEAR SOLID, and many, many more. Of course, there should be no comparing the PSP and NDS beacuse they both have PROS and CONS.
  
  Features: 8/10
  Video, music, photos all courtesy of an expensive memory stick. But it's worth it. However, it's a little tricky getting video onto the unit, you have to convert it into some kind of format so the PSP can read it.
  
  Pros.
  Great games
  Great graphics
  A sleek design
  A big screen
  Music, photos, videos, games, a multimedia powerhouse!
  
  Cons.
  No second analogue stick
  Low battery life
  Hard to get videos onto the unit
  No built in memory
  Expensive memory sticks
  
  Overall: 8.5/10
  The PSP is an excellent leap for handheld devices, however the PSP does have it's fair share of shortcomings.
  
  
• Very Pleased With My PSP System
  By A2BEU7GPGNIG44 on 2006-09-01
  If you want a PSP, the core system should be sufficient. There is a $249 valube pack but the core system is a good purchase for this reason. The value pack comes with a 32 meg memory stick which isn't much space. At the same token, you pretty much need a memory stick to do anything with the PSP, so if you purchase the PSP, buy a memory stick at the same time or in the very near future. I purchased a 1 gig memory disc for around $50.
  
  The PSP is very easy to use from the beginning and this is my first handheld system. I will admit I was playing a game (Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories), and the instruction book said use the analog stick and I couldn't find the analog stick. It's flat on the PSP console, I actually thought it was a speaker.
  
  The sound on the PSP is quite good, you can hear quite well even without headphones. However, I will say that you can use any headphones you already have and it will fit in the console, I use the same headphones I use with my iPod.
  
  How well you enjoy your PSP depends on what you plan to use it for. If you want to do the all in one (pictures, movies, games, music, Internet) you may have different feelings or frustrations with various components.
  
  I bought my PSP for gaming and I'm very pleased with it. The PSP comes with a huge instruction booklet that I haven't had to read too in depth yet because if you understand basic computer/gaming operations you can get the PSP up and going. The screens are nice. It's a slightly heavy system but seems very durable.
  
  
• Pretty Good
  By A1XXYIK7J943B6 on 2007-09-17
  I got it this weekend. The build is solid, I did not find it feeling cheap like some other people were saying. The screen is wonderful. The battern has not been a problem but I charge it whenever I don not play with it. Some people say the UMD drive feels cheap but I found to be solid and I don't think it should be a promblem in term of durability. So far I am pretty happy with the unit, the only complaint is the game library for PSP is pretty weak, considering the success of PS2. If Sony is really serious about PSP, like they say, I believe things should improve in the next year or so.
  
  
• A slick system... but watch for dead pixels!!
  By A1N8PNDWBIQ578 on 2007-09-14
  I bought this package having no previous experience with PSP, having only owned Nintendo portable systems leading all the way back to the original "grey brick" Game Boy. Eventually, the allure of certain games such as Mega Man Powered Up forced my hand, just as many excellent games for the PlayStation 2 led me to buy that system long after I already had a GameCube.
  
  This pack includes a game (Daxter), a 1 GB Memory Stick Duo, and 5 episodes of Family Guy (Family Guy - The Freakin Sweet Collection (UMD Mini for PSP)) for only $30 more than a pack including only the system itself. It's an excellent deal. I haven't played too much of Daxter, but I played Jak and Daxter/Jak II/Jak 3 on PS2, and if the quality is just as high I expect it to be a great game as well. Keep in mind that the game, the UMD video, the memory stick, instructions, a battery and an AC adapter are the ONLY things in the box. Although this PSP model is capable of video out, you have to buy the cable separately: PSP 2000 Component AV Cable. Note also that, when the cable is used, it blows up UMD video to full screen but shows games at their native resolution, 480x272. This means they will be letterboxed on the top and bottom as well as the sides on nearly any screen. This system also has a USB cable output which is not proprietary, as it can be connected to a PC with any cable that has a male mini USB on one side and male standard USB on the other. The system is crippled when connected to a computer, however; you have to select a special option from the main menu to transfer files, after which the screen merely displays "USB mode" and cannot be used to do anything other than access the Memory Stick from a PC, similar to a USB flash drive.
  
  From what I've seen so far, the PSP is an excellent system for things other than games. If you don't have an iPod capable of displaying video, it handles video podcasts and other video in a variety of formats quite well. It also plays music, and you can fit a decent amount of it with the included memory stick. The internet browser is also capable, though it displays fast-paced video or flash, such as Homestar Runner, very slow and choppy.
  
  Gaming is the main focus of the PSP, and games look great. If you've played PlayStation 2, the PSP looks just as good. 3-D is rendered well, though from what I've experienced, slowdown is common when there are a lot of things on the screen at once. Also, the analog stick is terrible. It's not in a good place, and for someone with big hands like me, it causes thumb cramps. Supposedly you can buy a bigger stick to put on top of this one, and I may end up doing so. The other controls are top-notch, however. Loading is typically fast - perhaps faster on the Slim PSP, but I have no basis for comparison - though the CD spin-up noise is fairly loud.
  
  All that said, I come to my biggest gripe. I have bought three of these in a row, and ALL THREE OF THEM have had a dead pixel. Two displayed white on a dark screen, and one won't display red at all (it's black on a red screen, green on a white screen, but indistinguishable otherwise). I will be returning this one today to roll the dice for a fourth time. Sony claims that dead pixels are a common problem with all LCD screens, and you should play with the PSP for a week to make sure it really bothers you before you return it. This is BS! Sure, I'm getting irritated with all these returns, but they can't talk me into buying a damaged system.
  
  For those trying to decide between this and a Nintendo DS Lite Onyx Black, I should note that Nintendo systems seem to be built to much higher standards. They rarely fail (I have accidentally dropped a Gamecube from 6 feet up onto a tile floor, and it wasn't even dented) and their customer service is top-notch. The same thing cannot be said for Sony systems - not only because of the dead pixels but in that numerous PlayStation 2 systems (including mine; I was forced to buy a new one despite having taken excellent care of it) have failed years before they should. The unique stylus input, dual-screen output, and vastly superior game library make the DS, in my opinion, a better system. That said, the DS cannot drive pixels quite as well as the PSP - 3D games look better on the PSP in general - and although Nintendo has produced several DS titles that are not technically games, such as Big Brain Academy, there's not much to the DS without a game inserted and the firmware offers only tiny bits of customization compared to the PSP's customizable colors, wallpapers, and themes. The DS can't play music, the Game Boy Advance Video titles can't compare to the quality of true UMD/DVD video, and although there is an internet browser available separately, it is vastly inferior to the one included in the PSP's firmware. If you don't want to mess with the unique playing style of the DS, and just want a PlayStation 2/music player/video player/internet browser for your back pocket, the PSP is the way to go.
  
  
• Buyer Beware,may not give you everthing you want.
  By A13H7Q4JVK6DTV on 2006-04-22
  I just brought this system about a week ago and it's amazingly great but only if you have the right amount of cash as well as computer to go with it, I say this for many reasons because when I bought my It needed a larger memory card that will cost you at least 60 dollars and then if you don't have wireless internet then you can't go on the internet with it and if you really want to put things in it such as music,photos ,and video you need a cable that connects the system to your computer and what makes it worst is that your computer may not reconize it and then you can try to fix the problem but it really is hopeless I even contacted the company and they didn't even care and also said it was hopeless and should get a different computer. Overall I could'nt take it anymore and return the system for my money back and brought something else , so IM TRYING TO WARN YOU DO NOT BUY THIS SYSTEM UNLESS YOU HAVE THE CASH AND THE RIGHT COMPUTER OR I PROMISE YOU 'LL REGRET IT. LIKE I DO TODAY.
  
  
  
• Forget about the negative hype
  By A1YKACTCCNF6P4 on 2006-12-01
  I did a lot of research before buying my PSP, and most of it was pretty negative-- bad game selection, needs more features, hard to use, etc. Then I took a look at the dates of those reviews, and most of them were within a month of the system's launch. The system, as it currently ships, is great (unless you're all about running buggy "homebrew" software or "open source is the only way" Linux). Other than the games, which are fine-- puzzle, strategy, FPS, RPG, old-school, you name it, the system can play movies or music and browse the internet. The games I own load up quickly and run well.
  
  The system itself is really slick looking, too-- invest in a good screen protector to make sure your LCD doesn't get nicked up (I use the Hori brand cover and it works very well).
  
  I haven't bought any UMD movies to date-- I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for the same movie twice. You do have to do the leg work and download some third-party software to transfer your DVDs onto memory sticks, but the results are completely satisfying. I can get 2 or 3 full-length movies onto a 2 gig memory stick (watch the sales, they regularly go for $30) and still have room for game saves and assorted junk. Best of all, battery life is nice and long when you watch a movie off of the stick, since there's no spinning disk motor to eat up the charge. The screen is small but beautiful, even giving a nice clear picture on fast-moving action scenes.
  
  The web browser is perfectly adequate to the kinds of surfing I do on the go (news and e-mail mostly). Typing is admittedly a beast, but websites pull up nice and fast. Sony is supposed to be adding shockwave support soon, also.
  
  All in all, you might actually be happier with a DS lite if all you want to do is play games-- however, if you think you'd get a lot of use out of a multifunction device like this, small enough to fit into anyone's coat pocket or purse, seriously consider getting one of these fun little gizmos.
  
  
• Huge Disappointment
  By A1BTAE6FDSUSW7 on 2006-07-15
  Let me begin by saying that I really wanted to like the PSP. The good news is that the screen is beautiful. . .that's all the good news. Now for the BAD news, and it's pretty bad. I have 20/20 vision, and I had to squint to see what I was doing half of the time in most of the games I bought when I got the PSP. The only one that was remotely enjoyable in this respect was the Gottlieb Pinball Collection (a fantastic collection, by the way). The controls are extremely awkward to navigate. They claim it's like holding a PlayStation controller, but it's not even close. Don't believe this hype. My hands would cramp after 10 minutes of play, and then continue to ache for a few minutes after I put the thing down. The joystick is the worst offender. My thumb was killing me after playing X-men Legends for a while. The WiFi connectivity is a big joke. The interface for surfing the web is frustrating at best and mind-bogglingly non-intuitive at worst. It's like the guys at Sony took their interface design cues from Microsoft (eeuch). Now THIS is the capper that really ticked me off. In order to save my game I had to purchase a memory stick! Those things are expensive! So now I'm already in the hole almost $400. The Nintendo DS is such a better machine. You don't have to buy separate memory sticks, the screen is beautiful, the games rock. Buy a Nintendo, save a bundle of money and tell Sony what you think of this crappy piece of machinery called the PSP. One more thing: I was going to rent a movie to watch on the PSP, but Blockbuster was charging $6 to rent a UMD movie! What in the world is Sony thinking? If this is supposed to make the PlayStation 3 attractive, it's not working. I wouldn't touch the PS3 with a ten-foot pole after my experience with the PSP.
  
  
• Simply Amazing!
  By A1B1OEZR3NS9OV on 2007-09-08
  The new PSP is everything you could ever want in a handheld! I finally got my hands on one after about a month and a half of eager waiting and I am ready to review!
  
  Pros:
  +33% Lighter than the last psp: This feature is really good and is actually very noticible. With the old PSP (that my brother purchased awhile back) my wrist actually would get tired after while because it was a little clunky. But this was not the case this time around. I've played daxter 50% through the game, and I havn't had any problems. It's the perfect wieght, and you will notice it right out of the box!
  
  +19% Slimmer: The humps on the back of the old psp were not bad, but the straight back of the new one is phenomenal! It feels so comfortable in your hand it's rediculous! Not a much needed change, but a very appreciated one.
  
  +New UMD Bay: The new UMD Bay is very nice! Alot of people feel that it's really cheap, but I like it way better! It's much less complex than the other, which is very good! With the other one, I actually messed up one of my brothers games trying to get it in there.
  
  +Faster Loading Times: The faster times are not a dramatic improvement, but you can most definately tell! Two games with probably the worst loading times on PSP are Mortal Kombat Unchained and GTA: Vice City Stories. Both games still have an undesirble amount of loading in the actual game itself, but the added flash memory makes it much less painful. I actually have time to enjoy those games now! And yes, 5 seconds does make a difference!
  
  +Video Out: Very nice feature! I went ahead and bought the cables with a gift card I had to target, and I was very pleased. I think it's pretty cool to hook it up and play daxter on your tv, and watch family guy as well! I had fun with that!
  
  +Better D-pad and Analog Nub: You can tell that the D-pad and analog nub are way more responsive! I was very impressed when I was playing my mortal kombat game. It was much more responsive than the last PSP.
  
  +Battery Life: I can tell a difference in battery life. It seems like this thing last forever. I've had it since Thursday(9/6/07) and I've only charged it once!
  
  +Package Contents: It comes with one of the greatest PSP games, and probably the most funniest show on the planet! It also comes with a 1gb memory stick, which is a very good improvement over the 32 MB. This value would definately be $240 sold sepertately. So this bundle saves you a good 40 bucks! Which is gas money for me! :)
  
  Cons:
  
  -Glossy Finish: After awhile it gets really annoying, especially if your hands start to sweat. It makes the psp look extremely nice, don't get me wrong, but I much rather prefer comfort over looks. And the glossy finish isn't a real winner with me, but it will do!
  
  -Daxter and Family guy Packaging: I was kind of upset that daxter and family guy came in cheap cardboard cut out packages. I would have liked the real case, so it would fit in my collection better, but I guess this will do for now.
  
  -No wrist strap/Ear Buds: I wasn't very dissapointed that it didn't come with a wrist strap or earbuds because I have my own, but It is kind of sad because it came with the last PSP. I hope sony will start packing them in the future.
  
  Other than those 3 little Cons the new PSP really delivers! If you already have a psp, there is seriously no need to update. The features are not worth buying an entire new one. But if you have never bought one, like me, and you are planning on buying one, buy this one for sure!
  
  
• Sony Star Wars PSP Pack
  By A28XL6Z5HNG1Y on 2007-11-05
  Every other PSP package includes the Sony memory stick required to save games. The Star Wars package does not. To me it's a major slap in the face to customers and I am returning mine and I will continue to use my old PSP.
  
  
• Sony PSP-The BEST portable game system..??
  By ABTXVIP8EBHCT on 2007-05-01
  I bought this system about 2 weeks ago. About 6 months ago, I was looking to buy a portable game system because I travel several times a year and needed something to entertain me during long plane rides. So it came down to either a Nintendo DS or a Sony PSP. I ended up getting the Nintendo DS because it was cheaper and there were a few DS games that I wanted. A coworker showed me his PSP about 2.5 weeks ago and was showing me a movie he downloaded onto it. He then told me that they went down in price about 30 dollars so I went and looked at one. About 4 days later, I decided to buy it.
  
  And I was THRILLED when I played a game on it the first time. The graphics are absolutely amazing. Imagine playing a game on your PS2 and it's exactly like that. I couldn't believe how great the graphics were but understood that maybe the game I was playing (GTA: Liberty City Stories) had good graphics but other games would not. So I bought a second game (Thrillville). The results were the same. I was/am ecstatic! I don't mean to compare the DS to the PSP because I understand that they're two completely different systems but going from a DS to a PSP was a GREAT improvement. The buttons were a little difficult to use at first (the analog stick is highly sensitive) but I eventually got the hang of it. I love that there are more options on the PSP. The "home" screen lets you see previously saved games and other options.
  
  The sound is great. You have the ability to use headphones if you wish (which is great if I want to play a game or watch a movie and don't want to bug anyone else). The buttons to access the sound aren't hard to get to. It's easy to hold onto. However, you can purchase "grips" so that you have extra support. The outside of the screen can be a problem. It seems to collect dust and fingerprints even when I'm careful so maybe purchasing screen covers would be a good idea. Another problem I have is that the battery doesn't last as long as I wanted to. When I play at home, I always have it plugged in. However, if I'm watching a movie, I'd like to know that the battery isn't going to shut off in the middle of the movie. The grips I bought come with its own battery that allows a maximum of 4 extra hours of battery life so if that is a problem, purchasing the grips is a good solution.
  
  Now onto the bonuses. Not only does the PSP play video games, but it also plays movies and mp3s. When I'd have to fly somewhere and wanted to bring some sort of entertainment, I usually brought my mp3 player, a portable game system, and good headphones so that I could watch the tv that the airplane supplied. With the PSP, I only need one system to entertain me. Although I haven't tried putting songs or movies onto my PSP, I've seen other people play movies and songs and the sound and video quality are superb. Obviously the screen isn't that big so only one person can watch movies but that's not a big deal. Also, the UMD movies that you can buy for the PSP are NOT expensive. I was surprised to see a movie that came out maybe 2 weeks ago was only $20 (for the UMD at least). Not too bad at all! There's also a good selection of movies to choose from.
  
  As far as accessories that you may need/want to buy, there are plenty of gadgets to choose from. One thing you probably would eventually need down the road is a memory stick. I suggest buying one that's not specifically made for the PSP because it'll be cheaper (I bought a lexar one for $30 cheaper than the sony one). Sony also sells cases, storage for games, headphones, travel kits, and I've even seen something that allows you to strap the PSP to the back of a car's headrest so that you can watch a movie in the car.
  
  Bottom line.. If you want a system that isn't almost specifically made for kids, go with the PSP. If you want the ability to listen to music and watch movies also, go with the PSP. If you like the idea that the games for PSP are almost all made for adults/older children, go with the PSP. The system itself isn't too expensive considering all the things it does. The games aren't expensive at all. The movies you can buy for the PSP aren't expensive at all. And the accessories aren't expensive at all. Just look at the graphics and you'll be hooked.
  
  
• Big improvements come in small sizes
  By A5JLAU2ARJ0BO on 2007-09-14
  Got my new ice silver PSP Slim (aka "PSP 2000", model PSP-2001) 3 days ago and I absolutely love it. The 30% lighter weight vis-a-vis the original PSP makes holding it so much easier and comfier. I used to need a case/comfort grip (PSP Comfort Grips Black) to use the old PSP -- BTW, the case/comfort grip/screen protect/stand 4-in-1 product in that link still works for the PSP slim! -- to use the PSP but with the new slim version I can hold it comfortably.
  
  The other big improvement is in UMD loading time. It's noticeably much faster than before, making watching UMD movies much easier. BTW, this is achieved through caching on the MemoryStick, so if you don't have a MemoryStick in the PSP slim, you won't notice this speed-up.
  
  Sony also bumped the internal memory from 32MB to 64MB. Maybe this will help game-loading times, but early reports indicate the extra memory will mainly used for improved texture rendering. We shall see if any software improvement will come out.
  
  The screen also seems brighter than the original PSP's, and mine doesn't have any dead pixels. (My old PSP's LCD had 3 dead pixels, including a fairly bright green one.)
  
  Another new feature is the ability to output video (movies and games!) to an external TV, via an optional component AV or composite AV cable. I just ordered the $20 PSP 2000 Component AV Cable and really look forward to watching my collection of UMD and MemoryStick movies on my HDTV.
  
  Otherwise, it's pretty much the same as the original PSP: same screen size and resolution, control layout, etc. Not a bad thing since it takes no time at all to get acquainted with this baby. The wi-fi button is now located on the top, and Sony took away the rarely-used IR window.
  
  One thing, though, is this Daxter pack does not come with headphones or the wired remote control, and you cannot use the wired control for the original PSP ("PSP-1000") in this new PSP ("PSP-2000").
  
  In short, I think the lighter weight and faster UMD loading time make this a totally worthy upgrade for those of us really into our PSPs. For casual PSP owners, though, this is probably not all that interesting; the original PSP should be good enough for casual use. Those looking to get into PSP gaming should definitely get the new PSP Slim / PSP 2000.
  
  
• Great Hardware Weak Software
  By A2VA9FSLMBEDXR on 2006-12-01
  This is a very disappointing system. Looking at the specs, it is a great piece of hardware. As of yet, there has not been any good games for this handheld. Only watered down PS2 games are avalible.
  
  The DS lite is a better value. Many fun titles,and a better price. It also has a slightly brighter screen.
  
  Don't get suckered into buying this machine. Not worth the money. It will be nothing more than an expensive paper weight.
  
  
• The PSP is awesome~
  By A13HLDA940G118 on 2007-06-07
  I know a lot of people knock the PSP, but the fact remains that it's an excellent handheld gaming system with lots of extras. Many of it's 'faults' that others point out here can also be leveled at every other portable gaming device out there, most certainly including the PSP's direct competitor, Nintendo's DS system.
  Now that Sony has cut the price of new PSP's down to $169, how can you complain?
  It's the most powerful handheld system ever & there's a bunch of great games out for it now & hundreds more on the way. Many of these games are epic in scale & offer tons of replay value.
  There's also hundreds of great movies to watch, anytime/anyplace. Many of the games & movies can be had for $10 - $15.
  The storage problem has been resolved with 4GB memory sticks available,plus you can link your PSP with your PC/laptop & the PS3.
  The LCD screen is just awesome. Most portable game system's screens suck, but not this one. The audio also pumps (better with headphones) & again blows away what's being offered with other handhelds.
  It can handle music & surfing the net quite fine too, thanks to recent system updates, although I don't use these features that often.
  The biggest problem I have with the system is the lack of a second analog stick. Some games would benefit greatly if it had it, but it's hardly a deal breaker; Most games control fine, with the PSP's button setup similar to the PS1/PS2/PS3 controllers we all know & love.
  All in all, if you want to take handheld gaming to the next level & enjoy console quality gaming on the go,plus the ability to watch DVD quality movies, listening to music, free online gaming & more, the PSP is a great buy.
  
  
  
• A thing of beauty is a joy forever
  By A2JRDFIGWTX50J on 2006-05-09
  Somebody rightly said "A thing of beauty lasts forever". That holds good for this awesome little piece of technological marvel.
  
  The moment you open the box, the widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) stares at you. The PSP does not come with a game. I immediately rushed to a store to buy a game "Need for speed". The graphics are amazing and the game itself is thrilling. The widescreen adds beauty to the games as the racetracks look more original in widescreen.
  
  I have downloaded my home videos shot using Sony HC-42 camcorder. The camcorder shoots in wideangle (16:9). Hence the videos look great on the Sony PSP.
  
  [...]
  
  The controls on the PSP are bit funny. For example, to accelerate your car you need to press the down arrow and to brake you need to press the up arrow. Isn't that unconventinal? But I got used to it very soon as my race car was not moving at all when all others sped by!!!
  
  Sony is known for making proprietary items to mint money. They have created this UMD Disc whereas they could have easily supported mini-DVD instead. Don't spend your money on UMD disks. Instead buy a memory stick with good capacity and download games to the stick rather than using the UMD.
  
  PSP is great for viewing photos. But please remember to resize your photos to less than 10% of their original size (if you use a 5 MP or higher camera). This will save valuable space on your memory stick and also display the photos faster on the PSP. If you don't resize them, it takes more than 10 seconds for the system to render the image on screen.
  
  Connecting to internet is not fun. The text editor is very hard to use. Please don't have much expectations on this feature. This feature may be useful if you are playing games with another internet partner but not for anything else.
  
  Please do buy a screen protector as you don't want to spoil this beatiful screen. Even a minor scratch may show up and spoil the fun.
  
  The battery has excellent life (nearly 5 hours) before you need a recharge.
  
  Go ahead and buy the PSP. You won't regret the purchase. I would surely recommend this product for you.
  
  
• Worth the money.
  By on 2006-05-12
  If anyone is looking for a "Portable Entertainment System" than look no further than the PSP,It has many features,its main one being its games in which there is a growing number of,Its other features are music,movies,Net connection and updates.Here i will just explain them:
  
  Games:As i said the PSP has a small variety at the moment,however Sony has anounced at E3 that they are planning about 26 new games,one of them is Metal Gear Solid:Portable Ops.
  Any game you play will have the graphics of PS2(Bloody brill graphics considdering its a handheld) and great audio.
  9/10.
  
  Music:
  It may not be the best quality of music but its OK considdering its only one of the features the PSP has.
  7/10
  
  Movies:
  OK,you better not be buying a PSP whatever you do just for its UMD movies,they use up battery life not many of them and they are more expensive than a DVD player.But if get a PSP and want to watch an available movie,I would suggest renting it and also charching your PSP before watching it.But the PSP does display them OK,so i`ll give it that.
  7/10
  
  Net stuff:
  Yes thats one of the best features PSP has,you can connect up to the internet not to mention play Online games against other PSP users.For a handheld,the Online stuff is great so its GREAT overall.
  9/10.
  
  Updates:
  Well for the last year,we could say Sony have been neglecting its support to the PSP,But at E3 Sony did promise to give in more support.Things they update include the colour of the wall-paper,which is monthly and new versions of filmware to come out soon(Filmware is required for some of PSP`s newer games).
  8.8/10.
  
  I got my PSP for 170 Quid with one game(Need For Speed:Most Wanted).And i think it was worth it,although i may not have as much WiFi as most people seeing as only two of myy friends own PSP`s.
  
  If you live the PSP to the fullest(like me) than you will see why the PSP is mostly worth the money you pay.Most people,the ones who only mess around with the features,neglect it or use it too much causing the battery to run out will say the PSP was a rip-off.You have gotto remember that PSP is MORE than just a handheld console,even if its main compartment is games.
  
  But some of the improvements i would like to see are more games and better updates,But i think that is on the way as Sony said so at E3 this year.
  
  So all is all,i reccomend this to both kids and adults,boys or girls as its simply great.
  
  g,bye.
  
  Kayne Benson,U.K.
  
  
• OMG!!!!!!!!
  By A1YBEIDTO8T8TQ on 2006-05-27
  This have to be the greatest system since the iPod first came out. I LOVE MY PSP. I take it with me wherever I go. It's become my constant companion. Whats great about it is, not only can you play games, but with the addition of a larger Memory Stick Duo, you can also use it as an mp3 player, photo viewer, internet connection, and video player! If you thinking about getting a PSP, DONT THINK, GO AND BUY ONE, there great. I suggest getting the core packege, it comes with the PSP system, battery, and AC adaptor, and its cheaper than the value pack which is not really worth buying. Because the only main difference is the value pack comes with a 32mb memory stick and if you want to do more than play game (and trust me you do), you'll need a much bigger memory stick. SO GO AND GET ONE, YOU"LL LOVE IT.
  
  Must haves to buy along with your PSP:
  
  1. a bigger memory stick, i suggest a 512mb or 1gig memory stick ($50-$70)
  2. Logitech Hard Case, to protect your PSP ($20)
  3. USB Chord, for connecting your PSP to your computer. (BTW, PSPs not only work with PCs but Macs with OSX as well) ($10)
  
  
• A Year Later and We're Still Waiting For It to Take Off
  By A29BQ6B90Y1R5F on 2006-06-24
  Technology wise, the PSP is a wonder to behold. It's fantastic in that it can play movies, MP3s and go online, but for the hardcore gamer, this system misses the most important aspects: A great library of games. Is the PSP good? Certainly it is, but can it stack up for gamers in terms of what's important? That can be questionable.
  
  Let's take a look at what the PSP can do, shall we? The most obvious thing, of course, is the screen itself. The horizontal layout works much better than the vertical layout in the handheld market. People with big hands have it easier with a horizontal layout than a vertical. In a way, it feels like holding a PS2 controller. The only major difference is there's a screen in the middle. The great thing about that screen is the quality is fantastic. Images show up clear and colorful. Not only do these images show up very well, but the screen is widescreen.
  
  The Widescreen is perfect for viewing movies on your PSP. Say you don't want a portable DVD player, you can use your PSP instead, and it works just as well as a portable DVD player. Long road trip? You can view a UMD movie on the way.
  
  Even better with the PSP's technology is how the games look. They're powerful. Almost like carrying around a PS2 in your pocket. It isn't quite as powerful as a PS2, but it is certainly more powerful than the Nintendo DS in that regard. You also don't have to keep your eye on two screens at a time, which some might find to be a plus for the PSP.
  
  The PSP can also play MP3s. This is really nice for those who don't have an MP3 Player or an iPod or something like that. You can plug in your head phones and trump around with your PSP as if it were some kind of CD Player or iPod.
  
  Yet, with all this stuff, the PSP is still not up to snub with the Nintendo DS. This shouldn't be. It's more technologically advanced than the DS! It's like carrying around an entire entertainment center in your pocket. Yet it's still got some of the same problems it's had for a year.
  
  For one thing--as so many have pointed out--to get started with the PSP cost a lot of money. First you've got to buy the system itself (200-250 bucks), then you've got to get a decent memory stick (which a decent one cost 100 bucks) then you need a game to get started (50 dollars). This is speaking to the hardcore gamers, of course. To get things off the ground for your PSP it will cost you more than three hundred dollars.
  
  The PSP's UMD format isn't as fantastic as a DVD either. It's sad to say, but it isn't. UMD's don't sell very well anyway, and most major studios are considering putting a halt to producing for the UMD format. They just don't sell as well as DVD's. This might actually be because people also want special features which a UMD doesn't have. UMD's also cost more money. You might find a DVD on sale... but a UMD? Always thirty dollars when you go to the video store. No discount because the movie is a bestseller. Even worse, the PSP battery doesn't last that long anyway. So even if you take it on a road trip, you'll need a car charger in order to keep watching your movie (if it's a long movie). A decent portable DVD player actually cost less than the PSP itself.
  
  As much as I like the ability for the system to play MP3s, I've already got an MP3 player, and I don't want to go through the hassle of transfering all my music. Not only that, but the PSP doesn't play songs while you play your game. If the PSP did that, I might be a little more excited about it's MP3 player capabilities. Also, you can't organize it the way you want. The MP3 player doesn't sort the music by artist, album, song or anything like that.
  
  What hurts the PSP the most, however, is it's mediocre library of games. Any self-respecting gamer will buy a PSP more for the games than the bells and whistles. Gaming is all about the games, no matter what anyone says. If you've been gaming since before they became entertainment centers, it doesn't have to be said. The PSP strikes out in the gaming department. Most of its games are either on the PS2 (Tomb Raider Legends) or they're ports and re-releases (Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X). There are few good original titles (Daxter comes to mind), and even some of the original titles might not hold up entirely. GTA: Liberty City stories, for example, was ported to the PS2, and it's cheaper on that system. If anyone were to try and convince you to get a PSP, they certainly wouldn't be able to do it if they're in it for the games. Most of the games on the PSP also have horrible load times. The games look really good, but there just aren't enough to go around. I'd rather play a good quality game than one that just "looks cool."
  
  When I buy a system, I'm not concerned about the bells and whistles. I don't travel a lot, I've already got 8 DVD players (if you include my gaming systems and computers), and music up the wazoo. So my reason for getting a PSP was only for the games. Yet the library is severely limited. As one reviewer perfectly put it, "One year after launch and we're still talking about potential."
  
  The PSP is a brilliant system, yet for what it's worth, the exspenses to start off and it's lack of games will make your average gamer want to wait a while. A price drop would help; better games would be another fine asset. Until then, I wouldn't suggest a PSP just yet. The system is fantastic, but at the moment: not worthwhile.
  
  
• I like my PSP, a lot
  By A5JLAU2ARJ0BO on 2006-09-08
  I'm a dedicated DS player, as I love those quirky Nintendo titles (Nintendogs, Phoenix Wright, to name a couple), but I also like my PSP a lot. I was one of the "early adapters" of the PSP when it came out, buying one at a Sony Style store in Vegas the day the PSP came out. I bought half a dozen games on Amazon, played through 2 of them, and sold 3 of them online. I was quite let down by the games, to be honest. They were okay, but nothing that gave you the hushed (or not so hushed) shivering excitement when you laid your hands on that shiny new PS2 a few years back.
  
  So my PSP languished in the drawer for a few months, until I bought a 1GB card and figured out how to load DVD movies. Then Sony came out with the 2.0 upgrade which turned on the web browsing funcionality. Since then, I've been using my PSP more as a multimedia center than game machine. I'm still waiting for some really cool games to come out, as I believe the PSP's gaming potentials have not been properly or anywhere near adequately taken advantage of. But nowadays I can quickly convert a movie to play on the PSP. I have a long commute each work day -- close to 4 hours round-trip -- so I find it gratifying to have a portable movie machine with me, especially as my 2-pound Sharp Actius MM20 laptop doesn't have a built-in DVD drive and doesn't have much disk space left. The PSP is also small and light enough to carry anywhere -- although, to be fair, you might want to get a spare battery if you plan to use it for more than 4 hours on medium brightness.
  
  My PSP had one dead pixel (white, in corner). A second unit I bought as a gift was free of dead pixels, lucky for the gift receipient. I agree with the guys/gals who opine that the Core Pack is a better value. Nothing in the Value Pack is worth the extra $50. So go for the Core.
  
  Should you get a PSP? If you have $200 to spare and have already gone over the DS-or-not hump, go for it. It's a great little versatile machine that's fun to have, regardless of how you use it. (Ladies, it makes a nice, cool-looking makeup mirror, too!) I know people who use it for wi-fi in downtown parks or at Starbucks most of the time. I also know of someone who downloads dirty stuff for on-the-go enjoyment; he's absolutely in love with this little gadget, I tell you that. However you choose to use it, the PSP gives you that flexibility, that freedom. Of course it's not cheap, but who says freedom comes cheap? :)
  
  
• NICE!!!!!!!!
  By on 2006-11-05
  The PSP is the most advanced handheld gaming system I have so far. The graphics and the games are good.The only problem I have with the thing is the loading time it takes to play games such as Syphon Filter and MidNight Club 3. And by the way,screw who ever gave the PSP 1 star!
  
  P.S Don't drop the PSP! I had to buy another one after breaking my first one by dropping it!
  
  
• PSP SUCKS!
  By A26ECNTTMGL087 on 2007-06-15
  PSP Sucks! It is too fragile and the warranty is awful. I had two of them, they are fun while they last. The sceen cracked. It ruins the whole system and they do not cover this in the warranty. They (Sony) say that it is due to impact. Well, the first one cracked while resting in a car, the second one while playing. Both of them were ruined within less than 6 months. They offered to send me a refurbish one for $89 plus S&H. What a deal!
  
  

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