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'Sony PSP Base Unit Console'. (EAN 0711719695660)

The PSP is undoubtedly the best console in the market. However, this doesnt mean it is very good, as most of the attempts at handheld gaming to date have been abismal.
For all its faults, which are few, the PSP is great fun. I bought mine with SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo, a great game, and my review is mainly based on my experiance with this. I have not owned a console but until now have used my only my PC for gaming.
The graphics are good, much better than any other handheld. The screen is big and reasonable high-res and movies play well on it, although the sound is somewhat quiet, even with headphones. The screen tends to be less clear when sunlight is shining on it and is best used in the shade.
The controls are fairly well-placed and easily used, and I dont think the removal of the second thumbstick is a bad thing (at least for SOCOM.) However, i find with drawn-out time spent playing on games my left hand starts to seize up. The battery life is sufficient for even the longest journeys and charges quickly. My only complaint about the layout and structure is the UMD holder/reader in the back. It seems prohibitively fragile - it has thin metal casing, with plenty of sharp edges that look hungrily at your shiny unscratched UMD. It closes with an unsatisfying click which could be mistaken for plastic snapping - not the sound you want to hear.
The PSP is a good choice as a portable console. However, as a 'portable media station' it suffers tremendously from a lack of permanent memory. The Memory Stick Pro Duo (which incidentally does not come with the base pack) is good as if you run out of memory you can replace it. However, most of them are simply too small at the moment to comfortably hold music and gamesaves, which are very small but grow. At the moment the larger memory sticks are prohibitively expensive and the smaller ones are not large enough. If you want to listen to music on it you can, if you can be bothered, put a few of your favorite songs on, but dont think that it will replace your iPod or whatever.
However, for the primary purpose of gaming machine it is an excellent choice. I dont have any experiance of movies played on it other than the demo UMD with a Spiderman 2 trailer on it and some neat cut-scenes but the screen seems big and pretty enough to play movies nicely.
I would, on the whole, recommend the PSP for games and possibly movies but the MP3-4 player attachment seems to have been half-hearted, if inevitable.

I purchased one of these with high expectations, i thought that it would last me atleast a good year before i would start having problems....

1. as soon as i opened the box and turned it on i noticed 4 deas pixels on the screen wich annoyed me!

2. every time i accessed the wifi and turned it off whilst loading or just generally using it, it would returned to default factory settings

3. Very small amount of memory available, and if i you want to shell out on another £60 you will get only 2gb

4. trying to put videos on it, is a nightmare (and if you want to do it legally it will cost you another £20)

5. ejecting games whilst playing will cause them to get scratched and they will not work

well as you can see i was very disapointed and i returned it within a matter of hours

WARNING DO NOT BUY!!!!!!!!

The PSP is ok but it is hyped up to do so much and delivers so little. The design is cool to look at and the screen is the best thing about it. As a console it's ok but the standard of games is just average. Lumines is still rated as the best game even though you can play it on a mobile phone! That just about says it all as far as games go - even GTA gets boring and repetitive fast. Poor controls don't help the gaming side either. As a media center its very poor. It's too big to be comfortable as an mp3 player, the sound volume is very low, too low for noisy environments, UDM movies are a waste of time as already it's starting to die and very few movies are coming out. The built in web browser is very slow and hasn't got enough memory to load more than basic pages and the new flash play is laughable. Sony just keeps adding to the list of things that it can do and on paper it looks great but the fact is what it does, apart from games (which can only get better) is very basic. Add to this the weenie size of the memory cards and you may as well forget the media features altogether. Don't forget if you get the basic pack then you have to buy a memory card - it doesn't work without one. This pack gives you the chance to shop around for the additional bits you want rather than getting them in a pack but once again this pack looks good on paper but add the cost of a memory card and a game and the price isn't so attractive.

Ok this is my first ever handheld console & have to say I'm very impressed. Being 26 years old I felt my home-made PC was tying me to my desk far too much. Why play games, watch movies or listen to music at home when you can do it on the move, right?
I chose the base pack because if you look around the net you can get more for your money by accessorising rather than buying a gigapack.
Like other techno buffs I did extensive research into Sony's PS systems as well as other leading brands. It was important to know if my handheld includes a range of connectivity options other than a PC, and we all know that most devices can connect to PCs.
The PSP in a wide range of reviews from CNET.com to IGN.com has been accused of being a mediocre multi-media centre. Its music player has been compared to iPOD & vPOD, its movie player compared to the latest portable DVD players and multi-media centres, and its gaming capibilities compared to the PS2 & Xbox. Lets get a reality check here; you aren't going to get all of that in one machine, at least not without making it a whole lot chunkier. So here what I think of the PSP:
The screen is absolutely beautiful, the supplied demo disc shows you its full colour & motion capabilities. Games demos and music videos look vibrant and alive.
The sound system (without headphones) is suitable only for gaming, remember its not a Sony Wega home theatre system or a DJ's mixer board so its output is limited. With headphones its a different story, in my opinion sound is crisp and clear with plenty of bass which is good for movies. There are also a few different presets such as Heavy, Jazz or original.
Connectivity options are very good without the need for a PC which is why I got this system. It can connect to the internet through its built in browser all you have to have is a wireless broadband router.
For music and movies I recommend a Neuros Recorder 2 (do a Google search). These can cost almost as much as the base unit but all you have to do is connect it to your satellite or digibox, dvd player/recorder or VCR. Then put in your memory card, press record and when its done put the card back in the PSP. No taring your hair out with PC software.
I'm still waiting for some games to come through but I've no doubt they are going to be entertaining.
Accessories: You would also be well advised to get a Logitech PSP protective case (available from Amazon). These are cheap, rubber lined armoured cases but virtually indestructable and will save your PSP from scratches and damage.
A decent size memory card is also advised as the base pack does not include one.

I've got to test the PSP's abilities since it's launch on September 1st and boy, it's been a nice ride. The screen is HUGE, the graphics of the games are unbelievable and the sound is great if you use the earphones. Films, music and photos just make it better. The UMD's are great and can fit huge games and films. The controls are great and the analogue stick is very nice to use. The one thing that it's missing is a second analogue stick. The FPS on the PSP are hard to use with the "shape" buttons been used as up, down, left and right. Still, that's the only niggle with the whole thing though. It's expensive sure, but it's worth it. If you have a console and don't go away much, it may not be for you. The PSP basically supplies great entertainment in any form wherever you are, so it's your decision. People complain about the battery life. I personally find the six hours plenty, especially since it charges quite fast. Look, you've probably read about all it's features before. I'm just another fan encouraging you to buy it. I think it's worth it, but it's up to you. Hope you enjoy the world of the PSP!