The headphone jack is at the bottom left of the unit; the Value Pack ships with earbud-style headphones and an in-line remote to control basic playback. The nice thing about the remote is that you can use other headphones with it, not just the provided 'buds. Like Apple, Sony has chosen to go with white headphones. We're not sure why, since the PSP is black.
One gripe: Since the device has a glossy finish -- and is mostly black -- it is a fingerprint magnet. To help keep your PSP clean, Sony throws in a small cloth for wiping purposes. A padded slipcase is also included, but a variety of third-party versions are also available.
Features
The chaps at Sony tout the PSP as first and foremost a gaming device. But in the next breath, they claim that it can do so much more, billing it as "the first truly integrated portable entertainment system". Both statements are, in fact, true, and suffice it to say that as a portable gaming device, particularly from a graphics standpoint, the PSP is unparalleled. You're getting a miniaturised PS2 gaming experience -- or close to it, anyway -- and Sony has put together a nice set of launch titles from various game developers to show off its handheld's gaming chops.
Beyond gaming, the PSP's video prowess may be its most impressive trait. As we previously noted, the display is a 109mm (4.3-inch) TFT LCD with a 480x272-pixel resolution and 16.7 million colours; by comparison, each of the Nintendo DS's two screens has 256x192 pixels with 260,000 colours. The picture quality from a UMD movie such as Spider-Man 2 is superior to what you'll see on most portable DVD players, though the majority of DVD players have significantly larger screens.
The only problem with video playback -- and it's a big one -- is that it's currently hard to watch anything but UMD videos on the PSP. Unlike Sony's MiniDisc, UMD is not a recordable storage format, so you'll have to store any video or music and images on a Memory Stick Duo card.
Android App 
RSS Feeds 
iPhone App 
Newsletters
User reviews23
Add your review
Kanacho 28 September 2011
Good: good if u hav it cracked, and quick internet usage, movies, radio.
Bad: its for kids age under 10... and so are the games
Comment: it was ok at first but then it became boring...
Adad 7 October 2007
Good: Plays Games and Movies for hours
Bad: The text fields are cimbersome
Comment: We bought a new PSP lite for our 8 year old for our regular flights to the US as it is more convenient to travel direct from our regional airport than pay extra to connect in London with BA / Virgin and pay so much more for their in seat entertainment. The choice was an Archos or the PSP and it came down to cost and functionality.
The PSP bought after trading in an old DS cost 80 pounds.
A game (too expensive in the UK) and several MP4 movies onto a 2gd card off we set. The test I had read in here was a flight to New York. Our new PSP lite lasted over 6 hours, not quite the full flight but enough that it done the job - gaming and movies - entertained 8 year old, no tantrums.
Graphics are excellent, much better than our DS Lite and easier to use. The screen size is adequate and better than any Ipod. Using in earphones the sound is first class.
The gaming is just like the big PS2 so easy for kids, loaded really quickly and no stutters during play.
Down side, none really other than we (and I include my text savvy 13 and 8 year old) find the text writing cumbersome. We have still to work out how to work the internet though we connected with our wireless once we worked out the text for the code.
USD movies are expensive and limited but MP4 are widely available and cheap. Games in the UK are a disgrace but we travel regularly to the US where they are half the price.
A $14 travel case from Wal Mart set it off perfectly.
Any parent considering buying a DVD player will also be forking out for a handheld games console, save yourself time and money - buy a PSP lite - the charger works world wide and if you are on a flight of more than 6 hours, carry a spare battery - the cost a few pounds are are worth it.
Elliott Jenkin 25 November 2006
Good: Great game titles and movies on the go
Bad: No conversion software for videos and lack of controls mean PS2 ports are difficult to handle
Comment: Great handheld console but has faults
See all 23 user reviews