PSP or DS...

[Thraxen]

There's this misconception that the PSP doesn't have good games. Go to Gamerankings, pull up a list of PSP and DS games ranked by the average score of the main review sites and you will find this:

Games ranked 80% or hgher:

PSP -> 30
DS -> 25

Games ranked 70% or higher:

PSP -> 85
DS -> 62

The difference is in what types games you want. Many of the PSP games are ports of PS2 games. Whereas, IMO, the DS seems to have more original titles. IMO, the absolute best games are on the DS... games like New Super Mario Bros, Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Mario Kart DS are virtually unmatched. But that doesn't mean the PSP is lacking in good titles or doesn't do games well. In fact, if you want sports games or racers (other than MK), you are better off with a PSP because the DS can't do those games justice.

 

[mooncancook]

If you don't want to risk bricking a PSP you might want to consider buying a used one with 1.5 firmware.

I have both and I hardly touch them except for long flights. If you have a gf/wife then I think DS is a better choice coz it's got games for both man and woman. My wife really wanted a DS after she played a bit of games like Nitendog and Cooking Mama.

 

[AkumaX]

having owned both, DS games rock.

PSP's multimedia capabilities are freakin' awesome. Encoded everything into AVC and watch stuff all day.

For PSP, you'll need a >= 1gb MSPD to enjoy its full capabilities.
For DS lite, you'll need a M3 Lite + Passkey + >= 1gb to enjoy its full capabilities.

 

[hans030390]

I bought a DS when it came out, and was super excited about it. It has some interesting games, but nothing that I REALLY want to play.

I bought a PSP last September and I've probably played it more overall than I did my DS. It really does have some great games (mentioned in previous posts).

Considering you have 360/Xbox, I think the PSP would better suit you.

 

[masterxfob]

i have a psp, i play FFVII, and my gF plays super mario brothers. if i weren't able to emulate gba games on the psp, i don't think i would've bought it. advance wars and fire emblem are the only reason i own a gba.

 

[xcript]

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777
I read about flashing the firmware and there is a small chance to "brick" the unit. I have ethical issues about returning a product because I made a modification to it. So, for instance, buying one, attempting to flash it, bricking it and returning it isn't something I would do. Secondly, I don't like taking risks, so even though the failure rate is less than 2%, it still gives me the willies. Just my thoughts...

It certainly is less than 2%. I'd guess it's more like <0.2%, and those bricks are generally the result of stupidity on the part of the flasher (corruption due to using a crappy knock-off memory stick they got via eBay, getting the flasher & update eboots from non-trustworthy sources, not plugging in their unit during a flash, using the wrong downgrader, etc.) rather than being some bug in the flasher. Hell, there's probably a similar chance of a flash going wrong with the official updates from Sony.

I've flashed my PSP dozens of times (had it since launch) and I've NEVER had any problems. I started off with 1.5 and have since had 1.51, 1.52, 2.0, 2.71 SE-A/B/C, 3.02 OE-A/B, 3.03 OE-A/B/C and have switched back and forth between the various versions a LOT.

The nice thing about the custom firmwares is that they add a recovery mode you access by holding the R-trigger during boot. It allows you to reflash official or custom firmware if you've managed to b0rk it somehow, and the only way the files needed for the recovery mode will be lost is if a) you remove them on purpose, or b) Dark_Alex's firmware flasher fails AFTER formatting flash0, but BEFORE rewriting the 1.5 files (which includes the recovery stuff and only takes a few seconds) which is, again, extremely unlikely. I don't think I've even heard of this happening to anyone yet.

Personally, I don't think of it as being any more risky than flashing the BIOS on my motherboard or updating the firmware on my DVD writer. Also, if you're worried about there being bugs in a new custom firmware or downgrader you can just wait a few days and let thousands of lemmings over at PSPUpdates test it out before you try it yourself. :evil:

Anyway, not really trying to change your mind. Just sharing my thoughts on the whole custom firmware flashing thing for you and anyone else who may be considering it.

 

[ArchAngel777]

Originally posted by: xcript

Originally posted by: ArchAngel777
I read about flashing the firmware and there is a small chance to "brick" the unit. I have ethical issues about returning a product because I made a modification to it. So, for instance, buying one, attempting to flash it, bricking it and returning it isn't something I would do. Secondly, I don't like taking risks, so even though the failure rate is less than 2%, it still gives me the willies. Just my thoughts...

It certainly is less than 2%. I'd guess it's more like <0.2%, and those bricks are generally the result of stupidity on the part of the flasher (corruption due to using a crappy knock-off memory stick they got via eBay, getting the flasher & update eboots from non-trustworthy sources, not plugging in their unit during a flash, using the wrong downgrader, etc.) rather than being some bug in the flasher. Hell, there's probably a similar chance of a flash going wrong with the official updates from Sony.

I've flashed my PSP dozens of times (had it since launch) and I've NEVER had any problems. I started off with 1.5 and have since had 1.51, 1.52, 2.0, 2.71 SE-A/B/C, 3.02 OE-A/B, 3.03 OE-A/B/C and have switched back and forth between the various versions a LOT.

The nice thing about the custom firmwares is that they add a recovery mode you access by holding the R-trigger during boot. It allows you to reflash official or custom firmware if you've managed to b0rk it somehow, and the only way the files needed for the recovery mode will be lost is if a) you remove them on purpose, or b) Dark_Alex's firmware flasher fails AFTER formatting flash0, but BEFORE rewriting the 1.5 files (which includes the recovery stuff and only takes a few seconds) which is, again, extremely unlikely. I don't think I've even heard of this happening to anyone yet.

Personally, I don't think of it as being any more risky than flashing the BIOS on my motherboard or updating the firmware on my DVD writer. Also, if you're worried about there being bugs in a new custom firmware or downgrader you can just wait a few days and let thousands of lemmings over at PSPUpdates test it out before you try it yourself. :evil:

Anyway, not really trying to change your mind. Just sharing my thoughts on the whole custom firmware flashing thing for you and anyone else who may be considering it.

That did change my mind... 😀

 

[Cabages]

Have a PSP with the OE-B FW(havent upgraded to OE-C).

Its great. Downgrading wasnt that hard at all. Im a complete noob with the thing, yet I was able to without any scares or trouble.

Gaming is great too. All I have played so far are PSX games, but thats just because im cheap and dont want to buy games. Eventually I will get around to getting emulators and stuff on there, but for now im not really on the go much, and dont really need it.

I would get a PSP. I dont really see the draw in the DS, or its games (maybe the Zelda).

 

[pcnerd37]

I have 2 PSPs and a DS. I carry one PSP with me everywhere I go. I havent played my DS in 5 months. Enough said.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: QuantumPion
DS, but good luck finding either. I haven't seen any store, online or brick&mortar with them in stock, ever.

Get a DS lite. I found one at Target this last weekend, so they're starting to come back in stock.

Oh, and for games, you MUST get Elite Beat Agents. One of the coolest, funniest, enjoyable games I've played in a loooooonnnnnnggggggggg time. The concept is simple, and they pull it off great.

I also enjoy Nintendogs. The damn dogs look and act real. It's actually pretty amazing.

 

[erwos]

First, don't just get a PSP. Get a PSP with 3.03 OE-C (or whatever the latest firmware Dark_Alex has released).

The PSP's native library is pretty reasonable now, and, battery issues aside, it's a good gaming machine. It's when you factor in the PS1 compatibility, full-res video playback, and plentiful emulators that the PSP really shines. If you're able to charge it frequently (I've never had an issue with finding a computer with a USB port to plug it into), the battery life isn't such a huge issue. If you go on long bus/plane trips and don't have access to power, you may have problems.

That's not to disparage the DS, which is cheaper, and easier to do homebrew on (although you'll need to buy a flash card). The battery lasts forever, and it's got access to both DS and GBA games - combined, a much better library than the PSP's. Bad news is, media playback and emulation is so-so because of the somewhat-obsolete CPU and small screen(s), and the homebrew scene is pretty disjointed due to the various flash card versions.

Neither is really a bad choice - you just need to see which one fits your needs.

 

[ArchAngel777]

Thanks for everyone's input. I plan on going with a PSP here within the next few weeks. The media aspect is more important than the games for the most part. Plus, I personally dislike the dual screen of the DS lite.