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PSP - Things are not looking good for the battery life!

warcrow

warcrow

Lifer
Q: How long does the PSP's battery last?

A: The short answer is that it depends on what you're doing. The longer answer is that Sony has stated that the battery should last around six hours. With simpler-looking games like Lumines or Mahjong Fight Club, that definitely seems to be the case. But with more graphically intensive games, like Ridge Racers, the battery doesn't last quite as long. Based on our estimates and a few battery-draining tests, Ridge Racers seems to last somewhere between 90 minutes and three hours. Playing with the wireless networking switch flipped on will also further reduce your battery life. The system has an auto-sleep function that stops the wireless drain, but that switch is there for a reason. Turn it off when you're not using it.
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Link


90 mins!! :shocked:


*UPDATE*

Wow, look at one of the lines the japanese formed over the weekend for this thing.

Link
 
While not quite a Game Gear because of the presence of a rechargeable battery (and the ability to carry spare rechargeables), I can say that this is one area where Nintendo has a firm lead over the competition. My Pocket PC has a battery life of around 2 hours when gaming, and I can seriously say that it becomes quite annoying. My Dual Screen seems to play fine for long periods without recharging.
 
From reading Engadget It sounds like some people are getting several hours on ridge racer. My impression so far is that it's capable of maybe 5-6 hours, depending on the game...highly variable really.
 
Originally posted by: abaez
90 minutes lol

Fanboys on the prowl on warcrow's link.
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Perhaps the 90 minutes estimate may be low, but the fact remains that the battery life on the PSP seems to be significantly lower than other handhelds. The question remains as to whether you as the consumer are willing to put up with this situation or not. Personally, I greatly prefer a long battery life, but the advantages of the PSP (graphics and the 'analog' stick) would make me consider it. The ommission of an analog stick on the DS is a serious problem (especially evident when I play Mario 64). But I sincerely doubt that I will buy the PSP at launch because of the problems with quality which many users seem to have indicated. I feel that the nature of use of a handheld system calls for a certain level of durability, which the PSP currently seems to fall short of. But as more units become available and more game time is put on them, I may very well be proven wrong. I can say for certain though that my DS is a hell of a well built unit.
 
Originally posted by: malak
Did no one read where it said

between 90 minutes and three hours.
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3 hours. READ IT. The time varies.
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I saw that, and commented accordingly. 3 hours is low, no matter how you slice it. But some users have been reporting times of 6 hours, so there seems to be a huge range here. 6 hours is decent, but not spectacular. By way of comparison, the stated life on a DS is 6-10 hours, so the PSP can't compare in this area. However, the PSP spanks the DS in several areas, gfx and analog stick included. It also has the additional functionality of playing music (and movies, but that hasn't been really put through its paces yet).
 
Yikes! The PSP looks to be a not-so-portable portable like the GameGear or the Nomad (remember that one?), where you essentially have to play it plugged into a wall/attached to a cigarette lighter/etc or else for short periods of time. At least we've developed to the stage of rechargeble batteries though; it was hell on the GG and Nomad.

I'm not getting either portables this generation; not enough time for them, etc. PSP does look cool though!
 
Originally posted by: sparkyclarky
Originally posted by: abaez
90 minutes lol

Fanboys on the prowl on warcrow's link.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the 90 minutes estimate may be low, but the fact remains that the battery life on the PSP seems to be significantly lower than other handhelds. The question remains as to whether you as the consumer are willing to put up with this situation or not. Personally, I greatly prefer a long battery life, but the advantages of the PSP (graphics and the 'analog' stick) would make me consider it. The ommission of an analog stick on the DS is a serious problem (especially evident when I play Mario 64). But I sincerely doubt that I will buy the PSP at launch because of the problems with quality which many users seem to have indicated. I feel that the nature of use of a handheld system calls for a certain level of durability, which the PSP currently seems to fall short of. But as more units become available and more game time is put on them, I may very well be proven wrong. I can say for certain though that my DS is a hell of a well built unit.
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Um the entire bottom screen of the DS is an analog pad when playing mario and using the thumb cursor...
 
Guess we'll know more about battery life later this week now that it's been released.

I hope this thing ends up being a success. It has a bunch of potential.
 
Originally posted by: CVSiN
Originally posted by: sparkyclarky
Originally posted by: abaez
90 minutes lol

Fanboys on the prowl on warcrow's link.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the 90 minutes estimate may be low, but the fact remains that the battery life on the PSP seems to be significantly lower than other handhelds. The question remains as to whether you as the consumer are willing to put up with this situation or not. Personally, I greatly prefer a long battery life, but the advantages of the PSP (graphics and the 'analog' stick) would make me consider it. The ommission of an analog stick on the DS is a serious problem (especially evident when I play Mario 64). But I sincerely doubt that I will buy the PSP at launch because of the problems with quality which many users seem to have indicated. I feel that the nature of use of a handheld system calls for a certain level of durability, which the PSP currently seems to fall short of. But as more units become available and more game time is put on them, I may very well be proven wrong. I can say for certain though that my DS is a hell of a well built unit.
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Um the entire bottom screen of the DS is an analog pad when playing mario and using the thumb cursor...
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Big, big difference between a touchscreen and a true analog stick. You don't get feedback and resistance with a touchscreen, so your finger ends up sliding all over the screen rather than having a point it centers on. Trust me, I have a DS and the touchscreen, while it has its benefits (the minigames in mario make good use of it), cannot replace an analog stick.
 
1.5 - 3 hours for probably the most intensive games is ok with me. The batteries are small, buy another and stick it in your pocket or backpack. Thats 3-6 hours. Heck, buy two, thats 4.5 - 9 hours. And thats with the most intensive games. I think it will be fine 🙂
 
Would any of you actually play a PSP for 6-10 hours straight anyways? I don't see a problem as long as it gives me at least a few hours at a time. I have no problem charging it every night along side my cell phone, Axim PDA, and MX700. Honestly I just think this is a bunch of fodder for the DS fanboys but most people won't care. If you do, like EvanB said, buy another one.
 
Originally posted by: SALvation
Would any of you actually play a PSP for 6-10 hours straight anyways? I don't see a problem as long as it gives me at least a few hours at a time. I have no problem charging it every night along side my cell phone, Axim PDA, and MX700. Honestly I just think this is a bunch of fodder for the DS fanboys but most people won't care. If you do, like EvanB said, buy another one.
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It is an issue for many people. Examples where people might need to play for long periods at a time include longer car trips (e.g. vacation), plane rides, etc. Having to carry an AC adapter around with you means that you have just one more device along, which can become a hassle. In the case of planes and cars, you'd most likely have to buy either a power inverter or a lighter adapter, again just one more device to have to mess around with (not to mention pay for). Additional batteries will be able to be bought, but this is Sony, and it is almost a guaranteed fact that they will not be cheap (they have good Li-ion tech, but it usually comes at a significant premium over the competition and non-proprietary rechargeables). And quite frankly, your other examples (save the PDA) don't compare at all to a portable gaming solution. Last time I checked, the MX700 stayed at a desk, with a charging cradle within a few feet. I don't know how much you talk on your cell phone, but I'd wager a guess that most people can get by for a few days of average use without recharging. Depending on your usage pattern though, the cell phone may be somewhat comparable to a PSP in your case. The PDA does exhibit a similar pattern of charging to a PSP, so I'll give you that. But the fact remains that in the case of the PSP vs DS, the PSP has what appears to be significantly shorter battery life than the DS. However, as I previously pointed out, the PSP has quite a few advantages over the DS itself. I for one will be interested to see where the market goes with this next generation of handhelds. My guess is that they will both coexist quite well together. The DS has a strong headstart given its earlier launch, strong sales figures to this point, and available back catalog of GBA games to play. The PSP has the technological advantage and the Sony name (which could sell fire to the devil). I don't see the PSP as being another game gear, because of the rechargeable batteries, but it is an undeniable fact that the battery life is a significant advantage for Nintendo. The less rechargeing the better, but I'm also a gfx hound, so I may eventually pick up a PSP.
 
No big deal. Nintendo DS batteries (nearly identical to PSP batteries I've read) sell for only $10. We all know 3rd parties are gonna jump on the PSP battery market like a hobo on a ham sandwich
 
This, from another website:

IGN set up a journal and the final results were four and a half hours playing five different games and one of the hours used to listen to MP3s (varying brightness and volume levels). A live correspondent for Lik-Sang.com found a store that broke street date and had a ball playing multiplayer Ridge Racers with others. With full sound and brightness, it lasted about two hours and forty-five minutes. Finally, GameSpot chimes in with their numbers of 90 minutes to three hours while playing Ridge Racers.
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