PSP Go - More than modest

by Brad Larson  |  October 8, 2009

A few days ago, on October 1st, 2009, the newest portable gaming device from Sony found its way into stores all across USA. For $249 and some hours spent in line waiting, the PSP fans can get their hands on the new and shiny PSPgo. Rather different from its classical PSP relatives, the Go tries to conquer the game fanatics with a new Slider look, and with it's (finally!) UMD-free feature.

Compared to the slim PSP 2000, the PSP Go proves to be much slimmer and much lighter (weighing only 158 grams), thanks to the removal of the UMD drive. Also in terms of looks, Go has a glossy  black design that tends to smudge fingerprints just as much as an iPhone 3G.  Although the 3.8 inch screen is just a little bit smaller than the 4.3 inch screen of the 2000 model, it offers a much clearer image and crisper colors. The slide screen is also pretty interesting, as it proved to be quite sturdy and provide a much deeper interaction between gadget and user.

Although the PSP Go's battery is no longer removable (so no more extra baterries for long trips), it basically lasts just about as much as a PSP 3000 or 2000. Not to worry, this minus is compensated by a big plus: 16 GB of internal flash memory, plus the possibility to expand it with a Memory Stick Micro, which can provide up to another 16GB. The progress is really clear from the 64 MB of RAM capacity of the PSP 2000 / 3000.

Some buttons and ports are no longer in their place as we were used to, as a result of changing the physical class and shrinking in size. The following are the physical changes in the PSP Go:

 - WLAN is on the left edge
 - Start and Select are on the same plane as the buttons under the slider
 - Home button is to the left of the displaying
 - Volume and screen brightness adjusters are on top of the unit (which might be a little weird to use during gaming, since the slider obstructs these buttons)
 - The D pad and buttons are smaller, but more "clickable"
 - The mini USB port was changed with one that's intended for power charging, connecting to PC via USB, and video output

Old accessories, like the GPS receiver or camera, are not compatible with PSP Go, although there is the ugly Go Converter. So old UMDs are not much useful with the new PSP Go, which won't be just a simple upgrade for a PSP fan, but more like a fresh start.

Regarding the software, PSP Go uses the same firmware as the entire PSP family, with some improvements, among which the most notable seems the "Pause Game" feature that can be selected from the Home menu, enabling the user to go back in the XMB and navigate, while saving the state of the game. The novelty is that only one save can be held at a time, but the XMB could still be a bit more accessible during gaming, much like the PS3 system. Another feature included is the analog clock and calendar that appear in closed position, that can be switched through the Left and Right buttons.

As for the PlayStation Network, all PSN downloads are compatible with PSP Go and all previous models. Quite a few games are set to appear on the PSN in the near future, but all of them will work on either PSP 1000, 2000 and 3000. Unfortunately, the UMD-to-digital conversion program has been seized in US and very limited in Europe, so old UMDs are practically useless with the new PSP Go. The PSN will, of course, include all retail games, and with the enlarged memory space, downloads and installation time are faster than on previous models.

With all these features in mind, the bottom line is that the new PSP Go is pretty, but expensive, so we're waiting on a price drop that will be more justifiable for the device.

Related articles:

PSP GOes Digital

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