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PlayStation Portable (PSP) Core | 
| From: Sony
List Price: $169.99
Buy Used: $60.00
You Save: $109.99 (65%)
New (9) Used (32) from $60.00
Rating:  176 reviews
Sales Rank: 2011
Platform: Sony Psp
Media: Video Game
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: Yes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 4.9 x 4.2
MPN: 98507
Model: 711719850700
UPC: 711719850700
EAN: 0711719850700
ASIN: B000F2DE8S
Release Date: June 15, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Plays Playstation Portable Games - Dazzling widescreen LCD brings gaming to life. Whether reaching your personal best or locked in wireless combat, you'll have the freedom to play wherever and whenever you like | | • | Plays UMD Movies - New releases of films available on UMD for play through PSP | | • | Download your MP3, MP4, WAV or ATRAC3Plus music files to your PSP system via the Memory Stick Duo or take in a full-length concert or behind-the-scenes footage on a pre-recorded UMD | | • | Surf the Worldwide Web using the Internet browser whenever you are in an Internet-accessible location | | • | Store your digital photos, create custom wallpapers and share your favourite photos with the image transfer feature using the Memory Stick Duo (Sold Separately) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The Sony (PSP) Playstation Portable) packs a powerful multimedia punch within its slim build frame. With wireless internet, video and digital music playback, and incredible data storage and connectivity options, the Sony PSP is a complete solution for the mobile digital lifestyle. Imagine having all of your favorite movies, music and photos accessible in an instant; anywhere, anytime. Not to mention the numerous games available. Sony has combined both horsepower and groundbreaking features into a package that weighs just a little more than half a pound.
Product Description
Sony PlayStation Portable Console has a slim 6.7" x 2.9" frame for the absolute finest in portable gaming but italso offers more features extending it as a super-compact multimedia entertainment device. The PSP is the first truly integrated handheld system that is designed to handle multiple applications, including games, music, video, communication and wireless networking. Dazzling, high-quality graphics let you enjoy 3D games with full-motion video, while high-fidelity stereo audio delivers amazing sounds and noises. This base package includes battery pack and AC adapter. 4.3 TFT-LCD screen incorporates a 16 - 9 widescreen aspect ratio UMD typically holds up to 1.8GB per disc
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| Customer Reviews: Read 171 more reviews...
 One year after launch and we're still talking about "potential" ... April 20, 2006
Ron Sullivan (Philadelphia, PA United States)
462 out of 587 found this review helpful
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 ...
 Great alternative to PMP (Portable movie player) that cost $400+ April 18, 2006
Joseph J. Keim (Ashland, Oh)
139 out of 192 found this review helpful
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.
 It was a great system while it lasted-- BEWARE!!!! November 10, 2006
unhappy customer
25 out of 30 found this review helpful
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. August 20, 2006
A.N. Roman (Hillsboro, OR)
24 out of 32 found this review helpful
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.
PSP... November 10, 2006
22 out of 24 found this review helpful
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.
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