Customer Reviews

PlayStation Portable Core (PSP 1000)

5 star:		(122)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

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.

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.

I commute into work every morning on the light rail in Portland Oregon. I bought myself a PSP earlier this past spring with the intension of watching my TiVo on it while I'm on the train. So every night, I let the TiVo download to my PC and it's kind of like a PSPcasting.

All of my Season Pass shows like Lost, My name is Earl, ER, Desperate Housewives, Numbers and all of my favorite shows I don't have time for I'm now watching on my PSP. I have a 2 gig memory card that is automatically loaded with my tv programs while I'm asleep and when I wake up in the morning I just pick up my PSP from the dock and go.

I also play video games on it, its great for that too. But I'm watching way more TV on it then playing games.

With out a doubt this is my favorite toy that I've purchase all year long, although it only half over, I don't think I'll be purchasing anything else that comes close to how much I enjoy this thing.

First off, I was in love with my iPod.

I really don't think there is a music player -just a music player- that is better than the iPod. And I do not wish this to be an attack on the iPod, because it is NOT. Refer to this later on in the review....

But there is something on the market, that has been deadly silent that has all the ability of an iPod, of course it plays music, plays video, and games. And it not all that much bigger than the biggest iPod out there. What? The PSP does all that? I didn't know that either.

Lots of options crammed into this little doo dad. It is also Wireless, Internet ready, headphone jack, USB - there is a button for just about everything. The tiny insides of this little device must be crammed to the brim. Plays Video wonderfully, plays games great. (Loading time is a bit slow, but once loaded no interruptions.... and that is how I would like it, I hate game devices that take time out in the middle of action to catch up... would rather that all be done at the beginning). The movies are a small disk as well as the game disk.... easy to carry around. Small is indeed king here... the device does get a bit heavy after a while, but it OKAY to put it down and come back; but considering how much stuff it does, it should indeed be a tiny bit hefty.

Fact is, it is hard to give a good detailed review of this little device since it does so much, and some of the stuff is LITTLE stuff, like being able to save pics off the net, and use them as your wallpaper... it really is a little computer. I have had it a week and have not found anything that I don't like, and I know I have not found all the stuff there.

It is very good with a battery. 3 hours on the stock battery and you can play Dungeon Seige 2 with another person. 3 hours playing a game ?? Great stuff. And it recharges fast. Within an hour I had my battery recharged. Plus, you can always just plug it in and play, and ignore the battery. Batteries exist out there, that make it a six hour affair playing games. Music uses a lot less battery. When just playing music, you can get 6 hours of playing music. Headphone jacks can be used in the headphone jack, but you can put all sorts of things into this headphone jack, ... like a really, really small FM transmitter that uses no batteries (this also means no annoying cords)... plus about 30 more things that you can get for this headphone jack to be utilized in total utilization.

So, if you wanna shell out about 199 dollars and have a lot more to show for your money than buying a more expensive Video iPod, stop here. Buy this device right now. I no longer use my iPod in my car with an FM transmitter... I use the PSP to do the same thing... and guess what? This device puts out a lot more sound than the iPod.

For the cost involved lets break this down:

Ipod:

1. Video iPod =349 dollars.

PSP:

1. PSP =199.

2. 4 gig memory Chip =85 (on popular auction site, free shipping if you look). (Update, on popular auction site, 4 gig SD duo PSP mem is now 80 dollars, but more importantly, you can get 2 gig ones for $18.99 - just thought the ones who are debating whether or not to get an iPod or a PSP might want this info)

What is the outcome? PSP is not only a more capable machine for those looking for a machine that plays music as well as games and video, it is quite cheaper.

Why review this in comparison contrast to the iPod? The only reason is, I would have liked to have known about this device before I bought a couple of the iPods I had already bought. THE IPOD IS A wonderful music player. But that is really all it is, and the video iPod does not hold a candle to the video on this machine.

Have fun.

I've been intrigued by the PSP since it was released last year, but low supply, high price, and lack of games have kept me from biting. Fast forward to present day and the supply is plentiful, the introduction of the core package has reduced the cost to own, and the game library is growing. So I took the plunge and am now offering my early impressions.

First of all, don't bother with the value pack that costs $50 more than the core. Why? 1) The 32 MB memory card the value pack comes with is ridiculously small to the point of almost being useless. 2) The value pack adds headphones, which most won't need since you can simply use a set from another portable gadget. 3) The last addition, a soft case, would be nice but you can buy one for about $10. Get a 1 GB card for about $60 or a 2GB card for about $100 if you even think you might load music, pictures, and video on your PSP. There is even a 4GB out now, but its pricey at over $200.

So how is the PSP as a gaming device? Pretty darn good. I've owned a Gameboy, DS Lite, and now the PSP and the PSP offers the best graphics by far. However, the controls are a bit awkward at times. For example, holding the PSP and using the left and right triggers is tough. Also, the D-pad is not the most responsive and using the analog stick is a challenge. However, the PSP's LCD display is big, bright, and sharp.

Battery life is only about 5 hrs, which is similar to the DS Lite at its highest brightness. But the DS Lite can last as long as 15 or more hrs at lowest brightness. This could be an issue on long overseas flights in which case you may want to buy an extra battery.

I first played SOCOM 3, a third person shooter. I was frustrated by the lack of a right analog stick found on the PS2 and Xbox consoles, but quickly adapted. Next up was Street Fighter Alpha, a fighting game and the sole reason I bought a Super Nintendo console back in the 1990's. The D-pad is not as responsive as I would like, but I still enjoyed the game very much. I also played Hot Shots Golf and have no complaints (portables are perfect for golf games).

If you are looking for primarily a music player, the PSP is probably not for you. It is a bit big (but not overly heavy) to take jogging or biking, not to mention the risk of scratching the screen. I have a 60 GB Ipod that is much better for that. If you want primarily a video player, then I would recommend an Archos AV500. It has a similar sized widescreen with a 100 GB hard drive and acts like a DVR-much easier to record content to than the PSP. Also, the UMD disc format that the PSP uses has not fared well for movies-it is too expensive and studio support is drying up. However, as an overall entertainment device for travel, the PSP can't be beat. In additon to movie, music, and game support, it also has built in Wifi for Internet connection. But all this functionality makes the PSP pricey. If you only want a gaming device, I would strongly consider the DS Lite. Unfortunately for me, the DS Lite's game library was not as appealing as the PSP's. The announcement of Ultimate Ghosts and Goblins for the PSP (this September) provided the final push off the fence. This is a game that single-handedly got me to buy a Sega Genesis and a Gameboy! So if you have the money and like the games, then now is the time to dive in and get a PSP.

Wait ... I was new to the MP3 world a few years back when I bought my Rio S30S 64mb- in fact I still have it and use it! And BACK THEN, I was ALSO very computer incompetent and electronically out-of-date! When I wanted to buy something the salesperson always gave his-her best case scenario, in which case I ended up paying too much money for a lame product- - lies lies lies! Hello internet and the world of On-Line Product Reviews!! I love it!

And now that you have an insight to my lack of electronic experience, I can tell you that I never owned anything PlayStation before. After my Rio player, I decided to get wet with an N64. Oh yeah!! My friends and I were obsessed with endless gambling on the 4Player Mario Kart! Every night was an N64 session of mayhem and chaotic drinking! Used to be so much fun... awww but they're all married now. I needed something for my lonesome self and this seemed to be the gadget.

SPECS: Ummm, isn't this a USER Review?
USER FRIENDLINESS: I was a little worried about operating the keypad and afraid of screwing something up.. badly- but boy was I wrong. This thing is so easy to operate; I learned it with ease.

GAMING FEATURES: I bought the PSP for Gaming Portability 1st, Movies 2nd, MP3 Player 3rd, WiFi connection 4th, and Picture Viewing last (of course not 4pic storage-too many flash cards to worry about). If you consider those features in that order, you really don't have anything major to complain about because the games have state of the art graphics and speed. On the contrary, for True Gamers, there ARE many complaints on the subject of inserting the game in the unit; that takes about 30 to 40 seconds. Whatever! Go buy a portable..... that's what I thought- there's nothing else that offers as much as the PSP... so don't nitpik! The games are so realistic! Wow, I got myself wound up a bit there... sorry... anywayyy

MOVIES: Each UMD is a bit expensive but the video resolution quality is unmatched. In any case, U really don't need to stress over UMD prices because you can play MPEG4 videos on this device too, really simple. The PSP comes with parental control passwords? Why is that so needed? Obviously for younger children. But hey guess what, in the horrible case that someone heists ur PSP, they won't be able to watch movies or make any changes because they don't have the password to your PSP-- U won't read that in any other review!

MP3 PLAYER and HEADPHONES: The included earphones don't sound that great, but Sony has brilliantly manufactured the remote so you can unplug theirs and plug your own into the remote socket. With any other headphones, WOW, the PSP is smooth sounding offering 4sound settings and one OFF setting; plays ATRAC3 and everything else. Transferring music is a breeze since the PSP is recognized as an external hard drive- I hear there are many issues with players that can't do that. Get this- - the guy I bought it from, put 15 hours of his own DJ music on the 1GB card and I was able to COPY it to my comp's hard drive with one click. If you're concerned about a portable MP3 player and find yourself turned off by the weight and size, AGAIN, consider that you're buying this thing for its gaming portability first.

DOWNSIDES: Cost!! But I keep reminding myself of all the powerful features before I go sniveling about my empty bank account. Furthermore, everything stored on this device must be done by way of Flash cards- little if any onboard storage. Yes, photo viewing is off the chart with easy navigation and beautiful resolution, but how many photos can you really store on a flash card?
You can't hook the PSP up to your TV to watch videos (like the iRiver, Archos, etc), that would have been pimp! What about an external keyboard feature like some Palm devices have- that would have been ULTRA pimp for e-mail responses while on-line browsing at Wi-Fi spots... don't you think?
The HOLD switch on the PSP unit (not the remote) is very touchy. First, if you're watching a movie and you're in a car or on a plane its imperative to slide the HOLD switch ON because its very easy to bump a button and affect the movie and/or music too. As for the touchiness that I'm talking about, once you go to slide the switch out of the HOLD position, you have to be careful not to accidentally turn the system OFF. Okay, not that big of a deal because you can just simply turn the unit back on. When listening to music or watching a movie, I found its best to put the PSP unit in the HOLD position then use the headphone remote control which will still function for FF/Rev, Pause/Play, Vol + or -. Even though the remote has a HOLD function too, you don't really need it because the remote is not that touchy.

UPGRADES AND ACCESSORIES: My unit came with a 1GB Sony Pro Duo but I needed more storage for my Music and Game saves on one card so I bought a 2GB on e-bay for $48 plus $15 for shipping; the prices on eBay are ridiculously cheap, so go there if you want to buy one. The PSP maintains a solid operating system and Sony is constantly upgrading its firmware so that's a plus. There are scads of accessories out there for the PSP-- Go look! Also, there are a ton of PSP Hack sites that provide reliable tricks, software, and downloads.

OVERVIEW: The unit was a bit pricey at the start and the movies still are, but the price is dwindling every month. The PSP's resolution, gaming portability, and added features place it in a stellar class of its own. With its upgradeability and growing accessory selection, the future of the PSP looks endless at this point; therefore, it's well worth selling your motorcycle, car, or house to buy one.
Carly.... Gone!

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 ...

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.

Being a resident of New York City, there's the daily routine of the long commute to and from work. Some people like to kill time by reading. I am the type that likes excitement. RSS + Games + Videos + Music = PSP ! There are so many things you can do with this. I can download RSS news feeds in the morning and read them while going to work. I can watch news videos or even listen to music. And nothing else can help kill time than games! This is like your own little personal entertainment system! The graphics are great even for something at this size (4.5 in. diagonal). I highly recommend it.

This portable gaming system is amazing! The screen is so big. The video quality is amazing. Also, not to mention, the graphics for the games are quite cool as well. I also found the Wi-Fi very useful. A lot of restatunts, colleges, book stores, and other places have free Wi-Fi. The game sharing option was a very good idea. Only one person has to have the UMD game disc, and another person in the same room can play against you, without a disc. It just uses the internal memory. I suggest buying a 1GB or 2GB Memory stick. I have a 2GB San Disk memory card, and I have 1 and 1/2 hours of video on there, and there is still about 1GB to spare. So buy this, if you have the $200.00 to spend. All the good, there is one bad part. The battery life. It only last 3-4 1/2 hours. Buy a spare battery. Thats about it....