Sony PSP Black Console
- Processor: 333 MHz MIPS R4000
- Display: Widescreen TFT LCD
- Platform: PlayStation Portable (PSP)
- Console Type: Handheld
- Gaming Type: Online Gaming Multiplayer Gaming
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Uncle Surge Wants You... To Read This Review!
Pros
Good Graphics, Plays Videos and Music, Beautiful Screen, 3D Games
Cons
Too Heavy To Be An mp3 Player, Too Pricey For Most People, Game Load Times
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
It can do many great things, but I suggest that you don't buy one unless you plan on using it often.
Early this year I decided to get a job working for a tax place called Liberty Income Tax. You're probably wondering, "Well… what did you do?" My job was to stand at the corner, dressed up as Uncle Sam, and wave to cars that passed by. I was already sick of carrying my CD player and having to buy batteries; I wanted an mp3 player. One day I overheard a friend of mine saying that he wanted to sell his PSP. That's when I decided to confront him and ask how much he wanted. He wanted $160. When I decided to buy it, I gave him a down payment of $70 and paid him in intervals of $30. I was then in possession of the multi-functional PSP.
One thing that I have to be honest about with you readers is that when PSP first came out, I completely bashed it. I complained like a little baby saying it was, "too expensive, and it's a waste of money, and it has junk for games." I certainly wasn't thinking that when I could buy it in like-new condition for nearly $100 less (at the time it was).
My Special Package Included :
Sony PSP Handheld Gaming System
Battery Pack
AC Adapter
Headphones with Remote Control
Hand Strap
Screen Wiping Cloth
Soft Carrying Case
32 MB Memory Stick Duo
Sampler Disk
EXTRAS (For Me)
256 MB Memory Stick Duo
Intec Car AC Adapter
Another Screen Wiping Cloth
Intec Headphones
USB Cable
So… uhhh…What Does It Look Like?
My first worry about the PSP was that the screen is prone to damage. It's not like DS where you can just fold it in half and only worry about external damage. On the screen side of the PSP you have a screen that is a little over four inches wide. To the right you have the X, O, Triangle, and Square buttons. To the left of the screen to have the four directional buttons, and placed below them is an analog stick. Along the bottom of the screen you have the ever-so-popular Start button, Select button, Home button, volume adjustment, and light adjustment. With the light adjustment you can make the screen even brighter by choosing three different shades of brightness. For some reason you need the light more in direct sunlight than in the dark. Unlike the PS2 which has two R and L buttons on the shoulders; PSP only has one on each side. Another thing is that most of the buttons that I just named are shiny along with the screen. As shiny as it may be, there is a drawback, finger prints are everywhere. It's like having a friend of yours touching your car after it's been waxed.
One problem that I've never had with portable systems is comfort. I've never really had a problem with the comfort of a Gameboy, since all I played were the Pokemon games; I didn't even need two hands. When playing the PSP I found it awkward to play faster paced games. Whenever it came time for me to reverse a grapple hold in SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2006 by rapidly press the shoulder buttons, my thumbs would feel awkward on the D-pad. I eventually became used to the layout, but I feel much more at home with a regular controller. The PSP also has a rechargeable battery that takes a little over two hours to fully charge, but is quickly drained.
So… It's Like A DVD, But Smaller?
Not only does the PSP play games but it also plays movies. Many people have abandoned "VCRism" and have already converted to "DVDism," but what about "PSPism?" That's right you can now buy movies to be played on the PSP. Since the PSP screen is already wide, there won't be any of those, "we have formatted this movie to fit on your screen" messages. The picture quality is crystal clear with no fuzziness like some cheap DVD players have. When you watch these movies with your headphones on, it's like listening to surround sound. The sound quality is just as excellent as Sony's TVs and stereos. However, the prices for these movies are usually $5 more than a regular DVD. The battery will last about three hours from watching nonstop movies. Personally, it wouldn't be practical for a person like me to buy these movies, but there may be someone who may benefit from this.
I Am The Candyman, Bouncy From Bouncyland…
Before I bought this PSP from my friend, I had seriously considered buying an I pod. I needed some style at my job where all I did was wave to cars that passed by. I was pleased that the process of putting mp3s into the memory stick was very simple. Before I noticed that there was a hold button, (it allows me to touch any button, but nothing will happen) I would hold the PSP in my hand as I was waving. When I finally found out about it, I was able to keep the PSP snuggly in my sweater pocket. Since the headphone is composed two pieces (a little control pad and the ear pieces that plug into the pad and go in your ear) I was able to control the songs with the PSP sitting in my pocket. The little control pad would allow me to skip tracks, fast forward through them or go to previous ones that I've heard. A full charged battery will last round five to six hours, just for listening to music. However if you're only thinking of getting an mp3 player the PSP won't do you any justice. For less than what a PSP costs you can get an mp3 player and most likely it will fit many more songs than the PSP. It also won't drag down your shorts in the summer time when you want to go for walk.
I Like Ribbons In My Haaaair…
Do you have any videos saved on your computer? It could be any movie you downloaded from your favorite sites. These movies can now go along with you in your PSP to watch on the go. All the videos I currently have saved are only for windows media so I have to convert them to a media that PSP can use. This feature is great if you have any family videos that you like to show people. Maybe you've even downloaded you're favorite online cartoons and want some laughs on the go. You can even make your own little picture gallery. As handy as this feature may be, I never really found my self to do much with it.
Is It True That I Can Check Myspace With PSP?
PSP can go online just like any other computer. However, I wouldn't really want to. One thing that I like about the DS is that typing is done by touching letters. On the PSP you have to move a cursor to the letter you want and that takes too long to enter a website. Also the only way you can go online is through a wireless connection. If you don't have one, try going to McDonalds or a Nextel booth and try using their internet (which I believe is illegal). If you have multiple friends with the same game, and if that game happens to be multiplayer, you can all link up together. There won't be anymore of those annoying link cables that were used on the Gameboys.
Damn It! I Need A Memory Card, But At Least It Has A Rechargeable Battery
I know it would have been too much to ask for a built-in hard drive for the PSP, but it would have made it perfect. Especially since the PSP is almost as powerful as the PS2. Unfortunately the memory sticks are very pricey. The ones that Sony made especially for the PSP are very expensive. Sandisk also makes the same type of memory sticks and they're much cheaper too. The memory stick I have is a Sandisk 256 MB and it holds about 60 songs. The next sizes up are 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB. If you plan on using the PSP strictly for games, than the 32 MB that comes with the package is sufficient enough. Personally, I recommend buying the Sandisk brand of memory sticks since they are much cheaper.
O Jogos
The PSP library, in my opinion, is pretty sad for a company like Sony. If you own a PS2 there is really no reason to buy a PSP. Most of the games are direct ports from the PS2, which means, you're playing the same game! This is good and bad. If you're constantly on the go and don't have time to stay in your house to play your PS2 than this would be an excellent time killer during a long ride. If you've played the game on the PS2, you'll be paying up to $40.00 for the same thing. The only differences that are noticeable are much longer loading times and the graphics aren't as great. When I say that they aren't as great I don't mean that they are bad in any way. PSP has the best graphics of any other handheld system. It also seems that the battery will last around four hours if you don't use the light. If you use the light, it may be around three hours of game-play that you can get before needing to charge the battery.
Currently the strongest genre for the PSP are the action games. SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2006 is one of the games that I've spent most of my time playing. You can actually see the wrestlers sweating and blood trickling down their face when they've been hit by a chair. Of course where would Sony be without its Grand Theft Auto? Sony knew that if they released GTA only for the PSP for a short while, the sales would go up. I did have a chance to play this, but to be fair I wasn't a big fan of the series; I prefer to play something classier. I've also tried out some racing games like Wipeout and loved it instantly. Twisted Metal is also another one of my favorites for the original Playstation. It's nonstop chaos with cars with automatic weapons on their hoods shooting at each other.
The main reason I even have a Playstation is because of the RPGs. The first one people think about is "Final Fantasy". Surprisingly enough there still isn't one released for the PSP. I was sure with the release of Advent Children, another spin off would soon follow. Then again PSP still has plenty of time before it becomes outdated. There are still some other choices like Ys, Untold Legends, Tales of Eternia, and Valkyrie Profile. I believe it's only a matter of time before we see some of the bigger names in Role-Playing making an appearance for the PSP.
Sports games are also a good bet for the PSP. You get the same titles just like on PS2 except for the fact that these will take longer to load, just like any other PSP game. Whether you're a button masher or a pro at them, fighting games are also looking pretty good. Capcom has released Dark Stalkers and Street Fighter Alpha 3 which are equally fun which ever way you choose to play them.
Sergio, Should I Really Bother getting A PSP?
It really depends. The reason I bought a PSP was because I wanted an mp3 player and it also plays games. I also spent all of July in Portugal and wanted something other than a Gameboy to play. I was getting sick of the 2-D game-play. It's not that I hate 2-D, but I've become so accustomed to 3-D that I became game-sick. As much as you can do with the PSP, most people won't even take advantage of half of the features. I suggest that you don't buy this unless you're going to use it often.
Random Information :
Cost of PSP Unit: $199.99
Price of New Games: $39.99
One thing that I have to be honest about with you readers is that when PSP first came out, I completely bashed it. I complained like a little baby saying it was, "too expensive, and it's a waste of money, and it has junk for games." I certainly wasn't thinking that when I could buy it in like-new condition for nearly $100 less (at the time it was).
My Special Package Included :
Sony PSP Handheld Gaming System
Battery Pack
AC Adapter
Headphones with Remote Control
Hand Strap
Screen Wiping Cloth
Soft Carrying Case
32 MB Memory Stick Duo
Sampler Disk
EXTRAS (For Me)
256 MB Memory Stick Duo
Intec Car AC Adapter
Another Screen Wiping Cloth
Intec Headphones
USB Cable
So… uhhh…What Does It Look Like?
My first worry about the PSP was that the screen is prone to damage. It's not like DS where you can just fold it in half and only worry about external damage. On the screen side of the PSP you have a screen that is a little over four inches wide. To the right you have the X, O, Triangle, and Square buttons. To the left of the screen to have the four directional buttons, and placed below them is an analog stick. Along the bottom of the screen you have the ever-so-popular Start button, Select button, Home button, volume adjustment, and light adjustment. With the light adjustment you can make the screen even brighter by choosing three different shades of brightness. For some reason you need the light more in direct sunlight than in the dark. Unlike the PS2 which has two R and L buttons on the shoulders; PSP only has one on each side. Another thing is that most of the buttons that I just named are shiny along with the screen. As shiny as it may be, there is a drawback, finger prints are everywhere. It's like having a friend of yours touching your car after it's been waxed.
One problem that I've never had with portable systems is comfort. I've never really had a problem with the comfort of a Gameboy, since all I played were the Pokemon games; I didn't even need two hands. When playing the PSP I found it awkward to play faster paced games. Whenever it came time for me to reverse a grapple hold in SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2006 by rapidly press the shoulder buttons, my thumbs would feel awkward on the D-pad. I eventually became used to the layout, but I feel much more at home with a regular controller. The PSP also has a rechargeable battery that takes a little over two hours to fully charge, but is quickly drained.
So… It's Like A DVD, But Smaller?
Not only does the PSP play games but it also plays movies. Many people have abandoned "VCRism" and have already converted to "DVDism," but what about "PSPism?" That's right you can now buy movies to be played on the PSP. Since the PSP screen is already wide, there won't be any of those, "we have formatted this movie to fit on your screen" messages. The picture quality is crystal clear with no fuzziness like some cheap DVD players have. When you watch these movies with your headphones on, it's like listening to surround sound. The sound quality is just as excellent as Sony's TVs and stereos. However, the prices for these movies are usually $5 more than a regular DVD. The battery will last about three hours from watching nonstop movies. Personally, it wouldn't be practical for a person like me to buy these movies, but there may be someone who may benefit from this.
I Am The Candyman, Bouncy From Bouncyland…
Before I bought this PSP from my friend, I had seriously considered buying an I pod. I needed some style at my job where all I did was wave to cars that passed by. I was pleased that the process of putting mp3s into the memory stick was very simple. Before I noticed that there was a hold button, (it allows me to touch any button, but nothing will happen) I would hold the PSP in my hand as I was waving. When I finally found out about it, I was able to keep the PSP snuggly in my sweater pocket. Since the headphone is composed two pieces (a little control pad and the ear pieces that plug into the pad and go in your ear) I was able to control the songs with the PSP sitting in my pocket. The little control pad would allow me to skip tracks, fast forward through them or go to previous ones that I've heard. A full charged battery will last round five to six hours, just for listening to music. However if you're only thinking of getting an mp3 player the PSP won't do you any justice. For less than what a PSP costs you can get an mp3 player and most likely it will fit many more songs than the PSP. It also won't drag down your shorts in the summer time when you want to go for walk.
I Like Ribbons In My Haaaair…
Do you have any videos saved on your computer? It could be any movie you downloaded from your favorite sites. These movies can now go along with you in your PSP to watch on the go. All the videos I currently have saved are only for windows media so I have to convert them to a media that PSP can use. This feature is great if you have any family videos that you like to show people. Maybe you've even downloaded you're favorite online cartoons and want some laughs on the go. You can even make your own little picture gallery. As handy as this feature may be, I never really found my self to do much with it.
Is It True That I Can Check Myspace With PSP?
PSP can go online just like any other computer. However, I wouldn't really want to. One thing that I like about the DS is that typing is done by touching letters. On the PSP you have to move a cursor to the letter you want and that takes too long to enter a website. Also the only way you can go online is through a wireless connection. If you don't have one, try going to McDonalds or a Nextel booth and try using their internet (which I believe is illegal). If you have multiple friends with the same game, and if that game happens to be multiplayer, you can all link up together. There won't be anymore of those annoying link cables that were used on the Gameboys.
Damn It! I Need A Memory Card, But At Least It Has A Rechargeable Battery
I know it would have been too much to ask for a built-in hard drive for the PSP, but it would have made it perfect. Especially since the PSP is almost as powerful as the PS2. Unfortunately the memory sticks are very pricey. The ones that Sony made especially for the PSP are very expensive. Sandisk also makes the same type of memory sticks and they're much cheaper too. The memory stick I have is a Sandisk 256 MB and it holds about 60 songs. The next sizes up are 512 MB, 1 GB, and 2 GB. If you plan on using the PSP strictly for games, than the 32 MB that comes with the package is sufficient enough. Personally, I recommend buying the Sandisk brand of memory sticks since they are much cheaper.
O Jogos
The PSP library, in my opinion, is pretty sad for a company like Sony. If you own a PS2 there is really no reason to buy a PSP. Most of the games are direct ports from the PS2, which means, you're playing the same game! This is good and bad. If you're constantly on the go and don't have time to stay in your house to play your PS2 than this would be an excellent time killer during a long ride. If you've played the game on the PS2, you'll be paying up to $40.00 for the same thing. The only differences that are noticeable are much longer loading times and the graphics aren't as great. When I say that they aren't as great I don't mean that they are bad in any way. PSP has the best graphics of any other handheld system. It also seems that the battery will last around four hours if you don't use the light. If you use the light, it may be around three hours of game-play that you can get before needing to charge the battery.
Currently the strongest genre for the PSP are the action games. SmackDown! Vs. RAW 2006 is one of the games that I've spent most of my time playing. You can actually see the wrestlers sweating and blood trickling down their face when they've been hit by a chair. Of course where would Sony be without its Grand Theft Auto? Sony knew that if they released GTA only for the PSP for a short while, the sales would go up. I did have a chance to play this, but to be fair I wasn't a big fan of the series; I prefer to play something classier. I've also tried out some racing games like Wipeout and loved it instantly. Twisted Metal is also another one of my favorites for the original Playstation. It's nonstop chaos with cars with automatic weapons on their hoods shooting at each other.
The main reason I even have a Playstation is because of the RPGs. The first one people think about is "Final Fantasy". Surprisingly enough there still isn't one released for the PSP. I was sure with the release of Advent Children, another spin off would soon follow. Then again PSP still has plenty of time before it becomes outdated. There are still some other choices like Ys, Untold Legends, Tales of Eternia, and Valkyrie Profile. I believe it's only a matter of time before we see some of the bigger names in Role-Playing making an appearance for the PSP.
Sports games are also a good bet for the PSP. You get the same titles just like on PS2 except for the fact that these will take longer to load, just like any other PSP game. Whether you're a button masher or a pro at them, fighting games are also looking pretty good. Capcom has released Dark Stalkers and Street Fighter Alpha 3 which are equally fun which ever way you choose to play them.
Sergio, Should I Really Bother getting A PSP?
It really depends. The reason I bought a PSP was because I wanted an mp3 player and it also plays games. I also spent all of July in Portugal and wanted something other than a Gameboy to play. I was getting sick of the 2-D game-play. It's not that I hate 2-D, but I've become so accustomed to 3-D that I became game-sick. As much as you can do with the PSP, most people won't even take advantage of half of the features. I suggest that you don't buy this unless you're going to use it often.
Random Information :
Cost of PSP Unit: $199.99
Price of New Games: $39.99
