My Sony PSP Review

[Team7]

I just bought a Sony PSP a couple of days ago and let me tell you it is awsome! I have only two complaints. First, the sound is terrible if you dont use headphones, but if you use headphones is is really great. Much much louder than my Toshiba Pocket PC. Second, the device is a little heavy which is a good thing for me because I like my electronics to be a little heavy so I feel like I got something for what I paid for -- but if you don't have something to support your elbows your wrists start to hurt. So if you are laying on your back or sitting up in bed it is kinda hard to use.

The screen is beautiful and makes the graphics look much much better than they really are. I did read somewhere that the PSP is as powerful as the PS2 but I'm not so sure about that statement. I have bought two racing games, Ridge Racer and Underground Rivals and I think Rivals is the best racing game out so far.

As for a media device. I am sure it will excel in this catagory. I haven't used it for video or music yet but the games music is really clear and loud. The device comes with a 30MB card if you buy the value pack but as you know that won't hold anything and being a Sony product you have to buy their proprietary memory [edit: it is a PSP Memory Stick]. It is the kind that looks like a stick but it is half the size. I guess Sony is coming out with DVDs for the device but, who would have guessed otherwise, they are of a different format than regular DVDs. I don't think these will sell well because every owner would have to build a new library with these. You can download music and videos from your computer though. I have yet to do this yet. To tell the truth I'm not sure if you can download videos from your computer or not.

Still I highly recommend this device. Also the battery lasts for about 5-6hrs. You can find reviews of the PSP just about anywere and all I have to say is it does everything Sony's sales pitch says and more. I would almost sell my PS2 for this thing.

[Chaos]

The complaints I've heard about PSPs are the bad battery life (especially when using graphically-intense games - even your 5-6 compared to my DS's 8-12 isn't real great), the long loading times on games, and the fact that most of the games currently out, or that will be coming out, are pretty much console game re-hashes.

And of course the pretty insane price. 250 USD for the basic unit, and memory sticks aren't cheap if you're using it for media playing. And ~50 USD games, compared to GBA or DS (the only other portable game systems) at ~30 USD.

So, what's your take on those problems others have with PSPs?

[ignatz]

Engadget has a round-up of more than a dozen reviews of the Japanese and North American releases of the PSP.

[Team7]

Well I am not impressed with the nintendo DS. I have really liked every mobile system nintendo has made but the DS seemed like a cheep peice of hardware next to the PSP. The graphics blow the DS out of the water. DS doesnt have anthing to even rival PSP in this category. Loading times have been complained about ever since sony came out with the playstation. When that system first came out the loading times were terrible but after time became very quick. I beleive this will be the same with the PSP. Having a PS2 I dont notice the loading times at all on either of the games I bought, stated above. I think loading times are a small price to pay for being able to play DVDs and also being able to hold 1.8gigs on the cartridge. It just comes down to preferance. But the loading times are nothing more than avarage. As for battery life I was impressed with it. Of course it is going to have lower life than the DS because it has to spin a disk and it has much better sound output as well as a more powerful processor. Also the double screens on the DS shouldnt figure in because I beleive the double screens equal one PSP screen. As for game rehashes I can only think of one game that is a rehash and that is twisted metal. I am sure there are others though. But with twisted metal that is one of the greatest games released for PS1. It has better graphics for the PSP plus it has many new levels and other such things. many of the games on PSP are in the same series as games for the PS2. I believe this is a plus rather than a minus. For example there is a metal gear game breaking into a new style of play, Underground Rivals adds many new things to the super popular Underground series. I think many people will snatch up these games because they arent games that they can get on any other system. Especially if they are games from their favorite series such as metal gear. As for price, it is very steep but it is well worth the money. You look at other media players out there and they are all above $300. The PSP I am sure gives them a run for the money in the performance catagory plus playes games. I think that sony is running the same thing they did with the PS2. Release it super high and then slowly bring down the price. I realize every system brings down their price but I do think sony is taking advantage of the buyers. They know people paid more than they ever had for a system when they bought a PS2 and chances are they will do it again for a superior handheld. I also beleive it will just be a matter of time before people will find a way to make emulators for the device and so forth. When you equip a handheld with a usb device and are able to connect to a computer people will start to hack stuff. Also I havent messed with it yet but I believe the PSP is also equiped with a WiFi or something for online play. I dont think DS has this either. Im not sure about the online or wireless playing. In closing I dont think DS has anything over PSP performance wise but I think that as when PS1 and Nintendo 64 came out people will be wary of the loading times and so forth, flocking to one camp or the other. But I think Sony will win again.

[Chaos]

Ack.

PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE... It's hard to read a block of text like that.

But from what I did read...

I think loading times are a small price to pay for being able to play DVDs and also being able to hold 1.8gigs on the cartridge.

But it doesn't play DVDs, does it? It plays those UMD discs, which aren't standardized.

You look at other media players out there and they are all above $300.

But, the PSP is not a media player (only). And to get anywhere near the space you'd get in, say, an iPod, it would cost thousands of dollars in memory sticks (at last count a 4GB stick was around $1000 - the smallest iPod has 20 GB). And unless I'm wrong, the discs (UMD) are proprietary and there isn't really burning hardware for them. And I don't know about you, but personally I wouldn't spend more money on a movie that I already have in a different, less compatible format than a DVD.

Also I havent messed with it yet but I believe the PSP is also equiped with a WiFi or something for online play. I dont think DS has this either.

Actually, yes the DS does have wireless. Please do your research before criticizing a device incorrectly.

In closing I dont think DS has anything over PSP performance wise but I think that as when PS1 and Nintendo 64 came out people will be wary of the loading times and so forth, flocking to one camp or the other. But I think Sony will win again.

While the PSP does have more raw power, gaming systems aren't only about power. Some of the best games are the simplest ones. And there has not ever been a clear winner in any of the "console wars", so saying Sony'll win again isn't really that correct.

And while I tried to avoid bringing the DS too much into this thread, there is the point about the DS having the ability to play GBA games, giving it a huge library of already-released games to play. In my opinion the games look much better on the DS than the original GBA. And supposedly they look better than on the GBASP too.

[Team7]

First I I want to say I made a mistake on the memory. Im not a big computer/video game person like most of the people here so I dont know much but the memory on the PSP runs magic gate memory. It also will run any companies memory sticks. The only memory with PSP written on them are 30mb cards and I thought sony only made memory that could be read by sony products only. Kinda confused me sorry bout that.
Second I dont do paragraphs on chat boards because its a pain and I usually dont do any type of checking my grammer. That is why alexander has alot of fun when he puts up my things on the front page of this site because he gets to check them lol. But Ill put this in paragraphs for you Chaos.
As for your questions/remarks. I am not sure what the UMD is. If it isnt a DVD why can the disks hold movies? I just mean that DVDs are what the PS2 uses for all its games right? You probably understand this more than I do but I just meant the loading times of UMD vs DS cartridges.
The PSP is not only a media player and that is why I think it is such a deal. I dont know about the rest of the world but the things they are doing with media players in Japan is what the PSP market is aming at. There are alot of devices that just play video files (just from your computer), mp3s, and pictures. Basically a PSP but they dont have the graphic processors of the PSP really except the ones that go for way over $500. As for the ipod, yes you would have spend alot of money to hold as much space as an ipod but the ipod doesnt do everything a PSP can do but a PSP can do everything an ipod can. Dont quote me on that though.
As for internet play... I said "I dont think the DS has this either." Please read throughly before being so harsh
Finally, true some of the best games are on systems such as super nintendo but most of the best games are on the newer systems. I also have read several magazines that said the PS1 did much better than the Nintendo 64. Truthfully I havent even picked up the DS at all. Even at the stores I just looked at the game it was playing but never messed with it. I just wasnt that impressed. I didnt realize that it could play GBA games. That is a huge plus! I personally do hope that the DS sells well and living in Japan I notice that alot more kids have the DS than the PSP but that could just be because the DS has been out longer. I think Nintendo makes the best portable systems up until now so I hope they dont drop out of the hardware market like they were talking about earlier. Dont get me wrong I love Nintendo but I am just blown away by my new toy and since it is new I am prone to be biased.

[Chaos]

I'll explain the UMD for you. It's a miniature disc, probably similar in how it works to a DVD or CD, but it's not standard. The UMD stands for, I believe, Universal Media Disc (which is ironic, since as far as I know, only the PSP and maybe other Sony products can use it). It's a proprietary format, and although Sony has considered opening it up, it still wouldn't catch on too much, except with the PSP crowd. The only movies one can play on it are the ones sold as UMD movies, specifically for the PSP. I don't think there is burning hardware or software for it (yet, anyway).

I do suggest you try out playing a DS. It's actually quite well executed in my opinion. There aren't that many really great games for it yet (thankfully it can play GBA games though), but it has potential. Supposedly Warioware is a fun game. I can tell from personal experience that Mario 64 DS is fun. The minigames are especially entertaining (which is what Warioware is mostly - minigames, and lots of them).

Personally I hope that Nintendo gets in gear and releases some good RPG games for it. Rumour has it that there's a Baten Kaitos game in the works. Baten Kaitos is a GCN game that is very beautiful a game, both the graphics and the gameplay. Also, more confirmed, is Animal Crossing DS. Animal Crossing is quite an amusing game. Although not for everyone, it's pretty fun. So currently, the DS's game lineup is pretty weak. But the GBA games and the potential for great games makes up for that in my mind.

I'm sure the PSP is a good piece of hardware, but over $300 (CAD) portable system just doesn't do it for me. I haven't even paid that much for a console. Of course I am a pretty big Nintendo fan. I've got several Nintendo systems lying around home... SNES, GB, GBC, N64, GBA, GCN, DS. The SNES even still gets some use. Although not as much as the GCN or DS (often playing GBA games).