The PlayStation Portable ( now as will be known as the PSP ) has finally made it's mark at OrbitalRed.com. I finally took the plunge and bought one for myself. The recent April pricedrop was a factor in that decision as well as the yearning for a portable gaming system outside of the home. It has finally come and today I will give you my take of the powerful little handheld.

Side notes:

First off, let me say that to be a Gamer nowadays ( of any platform ), can be an expensive endeavour. It's not so much the console of choice that is expensive ( although they are not cheap ) but rather it's the accessories and games that add up. I try not to accessorise more than need be and try to buy used games or ones on sale as much as possible. Although the games are great fun, the resale value on them is next to NIL. I normally save up a bundle of played through games and trade them in anyways. If the game becomes too dated, you won't get anything for it anyways.

The pricetag on the PSP before April 2007 was $249 ( plus 14% tax ). I considered that a bit high at the time, but after April SONY decided to knock down the pricetag to $199 but remove all extras ( like bundle packages, earphones, 32 Mb memory card. So in essense, you are buying the now available Core package. The Core package does however, come equipped with a 3.6V 1800mAh battery pak. I believe the reasoning behind the price reduction is to get rid of what they have left in old stock. As of Sept. 2007, SONY will be releasing a new version of the PSP. ( but we'll talk about that in an up-coming review )

I ended up purchasing the Core unit. After accessorising it and accumulating a small collection in a variety of games genres, I was set to go. I went for that approach in my game selection to see what worked and appealed to me in the way of PSP gameplay. ( more on that later... )

 

 

Background :

When the Sony PlayStation Portable ( PSP ) was first announced in May of 2004, gaming enthusiasts began clamoring for information on this state of the art handheld gaming console. Even though this device was originally released only in Japan ( December 12, 2004 ), that didn't stop people here in Canada from importing this highly coveted gadget at crazy inflated prices to keep from waiting till it would be available state side. As it were, in those days I was a PC gaming junkie and soon to be original Xbox consumer. I never gave much thought towards the PSP.

Physical Properties :

As always, let's start off with a few Specs:

CPU: 2 32-bit MIPS processors
Memory:  Main - 32MB / Embedded Dram - 4MB
Display: 4.3 inches diagonally, 16:9 Widescreen TFT LCD, 480 x 272 pixels, capable of displaying 16.77 million colors
Communication: 802.11b Wireless
Input / Output: USB 2.0, Infrared, Memory Stick PRO Duo
Game cartridge slot: UMD (Universal Media Disc)
Size: 6.7 x 0.9 x 2.9 inches (170 x 23 x 74mm)
Weight: (with UMD disc installed) 10.2 oz. (290g)
Power: Rechargeable lithium-ion 1800 mAh battery

Rectangular with rounded outer edges, this unit is designed to be held comfortably between your two hands.That said, the PSP has a definite bit of heft to it. Playing while laying on your back with the device raised above you, may quickly result in fatigue. What I do to work around that is to slouch or recline in your favorite chair. Place the unit either on your belly or your lap and game either upright or semi-upright. I tend to go back and forth ( depending on the game and the action in the game ). Besides being a little heavy, this is a rather large device. I'm glad it isn't any bigger as I have relatively small hands and it "just" fits. Like the Nintendo DS, you are not going to carry it around in your pocket. Transport via backpack or gear bag is fine though.

The front plate of the PSP looks like it has been carved out of one piece of solid black Lucite. The design looks very sexy, but with the slick surface, it very prone to smears and fingers prints. I find it a bit of a nuisance as I need to continually clean it with a soft cloth and lens cleaner on a semi-regular basis. I'm forming the habit of always making sure my hands are clean before using it to rid your skin of unnessary oils and to wipe it down before and after gameplay. Lastly, when not using it, leave it on it's charger.

 

This device has more buttons than any handheld gaming device that I've ever seen. There are 4 thumb accessible buttons on each side. The left 4 buttons are for navigation, while the right 4 buttons are the standard PlayStation menu interaction buttons. Seven small buttons along the bottom edge of the PSP give you access to Home, Volume up/down, Screen Display Brightness , Sound toggle , Select and Start.

The 4 buttons supplied on the left and right side of your handheld are not that big. Approximately 1/4 inch in diameter. If you have a large hand, this could prove cumbersome and challenging. Lucky for me, it isn't an issue. Of the 7 buttons displayed along the bottom of the faceplate, it's worth noting that the Volume up/down feature can be controlled manually on the faceplate itself or used with the SONY ear phones. The Screen Display Brightness can be toggled in 3 settings. The Sound Toggle can be changed to OFF, Unique, Jazz, Pops or Heavy. The rest of the buttons are pretty straight forward.

 

 The directional and menu buttons are all good sized and easy to press. They have enough tactile feedback so that you know when you've pressed one. The directional buttons are angled so that your thumb will not easily slide off when you're moving from button to button at a quick pace. The other buttons are pretty small and a little difficult to press. Especially the Screen Display Brightness, volume, and Sound Toggle buttons. Lastly, there's another button on the front of the PSP. Under the directional buttons ( left side ) is an actual analog joystick. This stick is spring loaded with a serrated thumb pad to prevent slippage. It works really well in platform oriented games like Daxter.

The display on the PSP measures diagonally at 4.3 inches or 4 - 13/16 inches wide and 2 - 1/8 inches high. It's basically a mini HDTV. The picture quality is that good. Being able to comfortably see all the action on the screen without having to squint is easy on the eyes for movies. For games, it's a bit different. Some titles are well suited for the 4.3 inch screen while others left me squinting to either read very small text or your character moving onscreen is just too tiny.  

The colors are vivid, and graphics are crisp. Depending on the game, you do notice some jagged edges here and there though. That said, I didn't notice any ghost or other annoying screen behaviors. I did however find the graphics to be "odd". By odd, I mean that it didn't compare to an Xbox360 or a PC. It has it's own look. Probably just me becoming accustomed to the tiny screen at hand... The screen is evenly lit and the three brightness settings allow you to adjust the screen to your liking. I always run mine on the middle setting which is more than bright enough in any environment. I should also mention that my unit has no dead pixels which is excellent as I have read that some people have found some on theirs.

Located on the top of PSP are status LEDs for Power / Charging, WiFi and Memory Stick Duo activity.

On the left side of the device is the WiFi switch, and on the right side is the Power / Hold switch. The Power switch is spring loaded. You have to slide and hold it up for a few seconds to toggle power. If you just quickly slide the Power switch up and let go, it will cause the unit to go into sleep mode so that you can quickly restart a game at a later time. If you slide the Power switch down, it will lock into the Hold position ( a feature I really didn't deem as necessary )

 Along the bottom right edge of the PSP ( have it facing you ), you'll find the 5V AC adapter port (yellow). On the bottom left hand edge you'll see the headphone / remote connector port. In between the two ports 3/4 to each edge of the unit you'll see 2 tiny external speakers.

The top edge of the PSP has two clear shoulder buttons, an IR ( Infra Red ) port, mini USB port and UMD compartment latch. The UMD latch is a slider switch that opens the disc compartment. Think of it as an eject button. When you open it, the disc springs out of the compartment just enough so that you can grab the edge and pull it out. When you insert the disc, you have to press it down into the holder in the door so that it snaps in place. It's good practice to not have the power on when inserting / ejecting the disc.

Discs :

 

 

The UMDs ( Universal Media Disc ) are small little 1.8GB capacity discs enclosed in a plastic caddy. They measure at approximately 2.5 inches in circumference ( with caddy ) at a depth of 1/8 inch. A square window in the caddy allows the PSP to read the data from the disc as it spins. Take care to keep it very clean as that this window is always open. It doesn't have any type of spring loaded cover. Dirt, dust and even finger prints can easily wreck a UMD if you aren't really careful while handling them. To get off smudges that may develop, use a lint free cloth ( or equavilent and a small amount of Lens Cleaner for glasses and gently rub off ). The actual UMD games come in a large plastic DVD like case ( 4 - 1/8 inches wide x 6 - 7/8 inches tall ) that won't be very convenient to carry around even in a gear bag. Fortunately,  UMD carrying cases can be purchased individually or cases that can enclose 4 or 8 UMDs. I bought the officail PSP 8 UMD carrying case. It's pretty much perfect for hold 6 games, 2 movies ( or what have you ) It resembles the size of a hard case used for carrying around glassess. The UMD is a spinning drive. As such, it makes a noise during disc access. The noise isn't loud, but it is noticeable. The sound that the UMD makes while it is spinning sounds like something shuffling. The PSP doesn't vibrate during access, so that's good.

Battery / Memory :

 

The back of the PSP has the battery compartment and Memory Stick Duo slot located on each end of the unit. Included with the PSP of the Core unit is a Rechargeable lithium-ion 1800 mAh battery. I should talk a little about battery life as that is one of my concerns / complaints about this device so far. Battery life ( with unit "on" ) on a fully charged cell states ( in the PSP menu ) that there is approx. 5 hours of useage. I have yet to drain the battery power dry, but on re-charges of the unit, I have noticed the on-screen menu in the PSP to lie to you. It has stated a few times I have over 10 hours of battery charge remaining for use. Could that be due to the battery being so new?  If you use the unit in it's menu section alot and spin up the disc frequently ( sporattic useage through the day ) be prepared for an even shorter battery life ( from that charge ) It is always good practice to leave the unit on the charger when not in use. If you like to travel with it alot outside of your resience away from your home, it would make good sense to invest in an extra battery.

 No memory stick was included with the unit ( sold separately ). I ended up buying 2 sticks for it. A 2 GB stick for podcasts / music and a 4GB stick for game saves and photos. You can copy music, pictures, video and games to the memory card and let the PSP play them for you. This expands the PSP into a media player in addition to just a gaming console. If you don't have a card reader that can read the small format Duo, you can just plug in a USB cable ( supplied with the Core bundle ) with a mini connector into the PSP and then into your PC. I purchased the Official Media Manager Software for the PSP to manage my PSP to PC effective and efficiently on my Hard Drive. It installed and operated without a hitch. No bugs in the software that I could find. Use a drag and drop interface, so it's very simplistic to add / delete files. There is an option in the PSP menu of the unit to format the stick.I suggest you do it before you start adding any files whatsoever. Once you do that, you're good to go. Also, if you ever delete all your files / contents from the memory stick for whatever reason, make sure you reformat the stick again before you re-transfer files.

Main Interface Menu Screen :

The main interface is simple and easy to figure out even without reading a manual or user guide. The first time you power on the PSP, you are given the ability to choose a language.  Japanese, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, and Portuguese are the available choices. Choose your preference. You have 6 main functions across the screen. The main functions are Settings, Photo, Music, Video, Game, Network. As you use the left and right directional buttons to scroll through these functions, sub functions appear below the main heading. I'm not going to go in each and every sub-heading for today's review as each one when accessed is self explanatory. Best way to find out the skinny? Buy your own PSP!

The settings function gives you access to all the main settings for video, photo, music, WiFi etc. This is also the menu that you use to format the Memory Stick Duo, set the time / date, password protect the device and even implement a parental lock based on game ratings as well as check your battery charge time remaining.

Internet :

Internet setup through the software will unfortunately not be included in this review. I don't have WLan ( wireless connection ). I still use a regular Router. The PSP demands wireless. If / when I ever get it updated in my home, so will this review. On that note for my review, you have " 5 " main functions across the screen. The main functions are Settings, Photo, Music, Video and Game. As you use the left and right directional buttons to scroll through these functions, sub functions appear below the main heading.

Settings :

The Photo function allows you to view images that are stored on the Memory Stick Duo. You can view / load .JPEG. .GIF, and .TIFF files ( JPEG being the most popular and best looking for it's size ). Small thumbnails of the pictures are displayed so that you can easily scroll through them. When you find one that you want to view full screen, you select it. You can set the interface to view your selected pics in a slideshow format or you can do it manually by cycling the L / R paddles. Left is previous photo, Right is next photo.

The Music function turns your PSP into a digital audio player capable of playing Sony's own ATRAC and AAC files as well as good old MP3s. ATRAC is stated as being superior in sound quality as compared to mp3 format. I found the volume will only go to 3/4 in ATRAC mode. I'm old school and a traditionalist, so I still prefer and use mp3 format ( can use full volume in that mode of operation )

In Video mode, you can play movies and video clips. Unfortunately, the only supported format is MPEG4. You have to jump through some hoops in order to convert regular .mpg files to .mp4, but once you do it's a lot of fun to watch movies on this device.  You can even use the wired remote on your ear phones to control video playback. Make sure you by the ipod look alike ear plugs made by SONY to enjoy that feature. I found video mode perfect for uploading content directly from my favorite video files located on my PC hard drives. If the video you want to uplaod is not compliant to the playback format of the PSP, the onscreen interface of the PSP will tell you so. To correct it, simply change the format of your video on your PC file and try again or try a different file. I do the latter.

Movie watching is top notch on this little unit. The visuals are on par with the latest HDTVs currently out there on the market. The display can be changed to 3 separate lighting levels to suit room conditions ( whether that be a dark room or light room ). Movies can be watch via your ear plugs or through the 2 tiny speakers supplied on the unit. If you like, you can also accessorise you unit further by purchasing external speakers for it. I use the latter as I deemed it unecessary.

Sound quality can be changed to suite your style as well whether it be a video, movie or music. I found it only works if your ear phones are plugged in. Selections include ( off [ default ] , Heavy, Pops, Jazz, Unique ) My favoured setting for most applications was Jazz. Nice touch.

Games / Movies :

Of course the main reason to buy the PSP is to play games right? Well, I have to say that the games are great!

I wanted to see what worked best for me for the PSP and it's tiny screen, so I bought an array of different genre games. I ended up buying 8 games. My selections were Over the Hedge : Hammy Goes Nuts, KillZone : Liberation, Brave Story : New Traveller, BurnOut : Domination, Daxter, WipeOut : Pulse, Final Fantasy I, Puzzle Quest. I have trial played each game and have them all setup and loaded onto my 4 Gb Memory Stick ( another reason why you need to purchase a Memory Stick ). Out of my selection(s), the only one I thought was a lemon ( in my books ) was BurnOut: Domination. Although it got good rating via review sites, the PSP is not really suited for race games ( WipeOut : Pulse being an exception ). Race games of that nature are more suited for the Xbox360 or PS3. The rest however are excellent to play ( platform, puzzle and RPG's being my favorite for the handheld ) But then again, this is my personal preferences. It will vary from player to player.

For movies I bought 4 of them. Terminator 3 : Rise Against the Machines, Swordfish, The One, Fainal Fantasy : The Spirits Within. All played exceptionally well on the PSP with no hiccups.

Final Thoughts :

Ok, so what is the bottom line? Here's my take on it.

I pretty much love this thing and everyone should buy one. No seriously... I bought it as I wanted to own a portable for use outside the home. I was wanting one for over a year, but didn't take the plunge as I thought the $250 pricetag at that time was a little to much for what you were getting. Once it dropped to $199 ( after April 2007 ) I considered it "reasonable". As with any new platform in a device like this ( whether it be a GameBoy or what have you ) prepare yourself to pay more than you anticipate. The intial cost of the handheld is reasonable and affordable, but accessorizing it and equipping it with games will cost you. In that regard, you can go as far as you want. I prefer to accessorize only as needed and try to buy my games used where I can or on sale. New games run at $49 ( + tax ), older games, used games and those on sale run anywhere between $19 - $40. Accessories averaged between $20 -$30 each. Movies can run anywhere between $7 - $25 each. So you can see how it adds up quickly. I will admit, I spent more than your average PSP buyer. But I have a good selection to start with and will provide me with many hours of enjoyment and will be good material for future reviews.

Future Predictions :

There's just something about this device that makes me want to pick it up every time I walk by it. Yeah it's pretty, but the games are fun. But there are a few issues that go along with my praise. One gotcha is battery life. But maybe the biggest gotcha is just how viable is the PSP in the current handheld game console areana? Even though a device is 'better' than another device as far as hardware and features, it always comes down to the games. Will the PSP come out with some excellent games that make this the device to buy? For longtevity, I predict the PSP will be around for a long time yet. In September 2007, SONY will be releasing a NEW version of the PSP. The difference between the two will be a smaller, sleeker design, 33% lighter in weight, faster load times by 32Mb of increased RAM, longer battery life and the option to hook up your favorite UMDs ( music and games ) through your home HDMI HDTV. Yes! I for one, could very well be buying it. I'm into the PSP for the long haul.

 For those of you considering a handheld game console purchase, in a few months when you go to your electronics store to choose between a Nintendo DS and a Sony PSP, I sure hope you choose the PSP. I guarantee, you won't be disappointed.