Sony PSP Go Reviews: Flashy And Overpriced For A Mediocre Portable Gaming System

The PSP-Go debuted last week, and much to the Sony’s dismay, it received horrible reviews. I still get the feeling it won’t stop many from actually buying the slimmer portable device. On my way to the office the other day, I saw a teenage kid with the new PSP-GO, playing a game while crossing the streets of NYC.

Before we get into some of the reviews, one thing Sony has to factor in for sales, especially if they’re low, is that many teenagers, including some adults, do not have wireless capabilities at home. While they may have DSL and high speed internet service, wireless is not something they use or have ever really cared to pay for. I know many people, even my friends, who own desktop computers and never had the need for a wireless signal. While the idea for an all wireless device was great, Sony forgot about those who may want the device but can’t use the services because they don’t have wireless capabilities. For Sony’s sake, let’s hope this doesn’t stop people from buying the device.

So let’s get onto some of the reviews:

For a product that is tethered to digital downloads, the process of getting to the content is oddly annoying. There is still no background downloading, which means that once you begin to download a game, you can’t do anything else until it is finished. While your mileage may vary, I’ve often found that downloading files from Sony on both the PSP and PS3 can be a slow affair; a 1GB file can sometimes take an hour or more to pull down. For instant gratification junkies, that’s no fun… especially when you can’t play another game to pass the time…

ArsTechnica

The greater pricing issue, however, involves the cost of the device. The new design and minor upgrades don’t justify an $80 price hike. Outside of the design, the only notable features the Go boasts that older PSPs don’t are built-in memory and Bluetooth for wireless headsets. All the downloadable games and other pieces of content are available to owners of the standard PSP.

The PSP Go seems like a tempting package for the consumer new to the handheld, but current PSP owners should absolutely skip this upgrade…

USA Today

If we were to just take a look at the hardware at face value, we’d say Sony has done some great work here. It’s a sturdy, classier game system that we’re not as shy about taking out of our pocket on long, public commutes. We really do like the portable, but there’s no way to separate our feelings on the hardware from all the decisions surrounding the launch. That $50 upfront premium (more if you factor out the bundled PSP-3000 games) is more or less negated when you consider the cost of a 16GB Memory Stick Duo, something that the Go already has with internal flash memory, but long-term you’re still gonna be paying more for every retail game bought digitally instead of on disc. That last bit is something that should make first-time buyers take heed, as lack of legacy support on same-generation games and accessories isn’t our biggest gripe here. It’s not as if Sony’s oblivious to the perception — in fact they’ve even gone on the record as saying there’s a “certain premium” associated with the Go — but we’re really not getting enough here to justify it to our wallets

…Engadget

So is the PSP Go worth getting? Well, the hardware is a nice upgrade but there are still too many questions unanswered. How good, and cheap, will the mini games be? How you can transfer over your PSP UMD games? (Sony are planning a migration option for PSP 3000 owners but details remain scarce at the moment) Until these issues are fixed it is difficult to fully recommend.

But the biggest issue is cost. The Go will sell around the £220-£230. For around £20 more you can pick up a PS3 plus you are still forced to use Sony’s pricey Memory Sticks if you want to up your storage. Yes, early adopters get a free copy of the solid but slightly disappointing Gran Turismo, but the price is still too high

…Guardian.co.uk