What do you guys/gals think of the PSP? (playstation portable).

BoomAM

Diamond Member
Sep 25, 2001
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Hi,
Ive just finished reading up on some info on the PSP, Sonys answer to the GameBoy and nGage.
Here are the specs for you all;
Announced PSP Specs (Preliminary)

UMD(Universal Media Disc)
60mm
Laser Diode: 660nm
Dual Layer: 1.8GB
Transfer Rate: 11Mbps
Shock Proof
Secure ROM by AES
Unique Disc ID

PSP CPU CORE
MIPS R4000 32-bit Core
128-bit Bus
1 - 333MHz @ 1.2V
Main Memory: 8MB(eDRAM)
Bus Bandwidth: 2.6GB/sec
I-Cache, D-Cache
FPU, VFPU (Vector Unit) @ 2.6GFlops
3D-CG Extended Instructions

PSP Media Engine
MIPS R4000 32-bit Core
128-bit Bus
1 - 333MHz @ 1.2V
Sub Memory: 2MB(eDRAM) @ 2.6GB/sec
I-Cache, D-Cache
90nm CMOS

PSP Graphics Core 1
3D Curved Surfaces + 3D Polygons
Compressed Textures
Hardware Clipping, Morphing, Bone(8)
Hardware Tessellator
Bezier, B-Spline(NURBS)
ex. 4x4, 16x16, 64x64 sub-division

PSP Graphics Core 2
"Rendering Engine" & "Surface Engine"
256-bit Bus, 1-166 MHz @ 1.2V
VRAM: 2MB(eDRAM)
Bus Bandwidth: 5.3GB/sec
Pixel Fill Rate: 664 Mpixels/sec
max 33M polygon/sec(T&L)
24-bit Full Color: RGBA

PSP Sound Core: VME
Reconfigurable DSPs
128-bit Bus
166MHz @1.2V
5 Giga Operations /sec
CODEC
3D Sound, Multi-Channel(7.1)
Synthesizer, Effects Machine, etc.

AVC Decoder
AVC(H.264) Decoder
Main Profile
Baseline Profile
@Level1, Level2, Level3
2Hours(High Quality) - DVD movie
4Hours(Standard Quality) - CS Digital

I/O
USB 2.0
Memory Stick
Extension Port(reserved)
Stereo Headphone Out

Communication
Wireless LAN(i802.11)
IrDA
USB 2.0
Now. My comments on the spec.
#Impressive spec, but its going to be very expensive. And large.
#2x32bit 333mhz cores! It might well be fast, but it`ll eat up battery power like mad, and probably burn your hands as your using it.
#2x256bit graphics cores. It might well be able to render things well, but on small screen, are we really going to see the differenece between 16bit and 24bit colour? Plus, as with the main cores, it`ll run hot, and use lots of power.
#Now, the sound aspects. Impressive as well. But do we really need 3d sound, and support for 7.1 output on a handheld? As with the above 2, it`ll eat up the power like mad.
#Does it really need USB2 and WiFi capibilites. As well as pushing the cost up, its inpractical. The memory stick slots, why? Memory sticks cost alot, people arnt exactely going to rush out and buy them for save games if they are expensive are they?
#Using a disk baced media is a good idea, but the motors and lasers required to use the disks will take up more room, and more importently, power.

So, in conclusion.
It`ll be a hot running, expensive and huge, batterie eater. It`ll probably have a batterie life of under a minute!
Its got no chance with competing with the GameBoy.
When nintendo release their next GameBoy, im sure that it`ll confortably out sell both the PSP and nGage.
 

TommyVercetti

Diamond Member
Jan 4, 2003
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Maybe they are going for a portable gaming system, something like a laptop. Easy to carry, but not something you just carry anywhere.
 

Arkitech

Diamond Member
Apr 13, 2000
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Actually this sounds like a cool concept, I'd love to find out if it plays ps1 games, if so I'm sold already. Also I would'nt worry about battery issues, these days batterie life is getting longer and more stable. (thanks to years of laptop manafacturing) This could be what I've been waiting for. :D
 

xcript

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2003
8,258
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I'd rather get one of these personally..

It may be quite inferior specs wise, but it's a Dreamcast damnit! PWN!

Feh.. :beer:
 

BoomAM

Diamond Member
Sep 25, 2001
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It wont play PS1 games cos it uses a different sized disk.
Battery problems will probably occur as if they were to use the same type of batterys out of a laptop, the price would go up quite a bit, so i think that they`d stick with normal AAs. Plus if they did use laptop style batterys, the user wouldnt have a way to replace the batterys when the run out mid trip.
If they made it like a laptop, ie, a semi portable games console, then it would be aimed at a completly different market than the GameBoy.
 

fr

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
6,408
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1.8GB storage capacity!?!?!

Mayber someone will release a 18,000,000 in 1 cart :)
 

Arkitech

Diamond Member
Apr 13, 2000
8,356
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Originally posted by: BoomAM
It wont play PS1 games cos it uses a different sized disk.
Battery problems will probably occur as if they were to use the same type of batterys out of a laptop, the price would go up quite a bit, so i think that they`d stick with normal AAs. Plus if they did use laptop style batterys, the user wouldnt have a way to replace the batterys when the run out mid trip.
If they made it like a laptop, ie, a semi portable games console, then it would be aimed at a completly different market than the GameBoy.

hmm I don't see how it would be possible to run a unit of that type with AA batteries. In fact I would probably say that it would a horrid decision, you would likely need 8+ AA batteries that would'nt last an hour. I'm almost positive that Sony has some type of a battery based on a lithium ion design or something similar.
 

BoomAM

Diamond Member
Sep 25, 2001
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Aparently they are retailing for $150-250. So thats about £125-225. Bit expensive for a portable games console. Considering you can pick up a GBA and 6 games for that price.
 

BoomAM

Diamond Member
Sep 25, 2001
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Originally posted by: Arkitech
hmm I don't see how it would be possible to run a unit of that type with AA batteries. In fact I would probably say that it would a horrid decision, you would likely need 8+ AA batteries that would'nt last an hour. I'm almost positive that Sony has some type of a battery based on a lithium ion design or something similar.
For their sakes, lets hope they do.
We all know what happened to the last 5 competitors to the GameBoy...
 

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
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I think it's not going to fly.

Too expensive.
Too power hungry.
Hard market to break into.
Reliability is going to be a problem.

 

BoomAM

Diamond Member
Sep 25, 2001
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Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I think it's not going to fly.

Too expensive.
Too power hungry.
Hard market to break into.
Reliability is going to be a problem.
We have a winner!!!.
Thats exactely what i thought. Sony are thinking that they can crack the handheld market and Nintendos hold on it like they did the console market. But they forget how many other companies have tryed this and ended up with a duff product and a couple of hundred million pound less better off.