The Sony PSPgo was one of 2009′s most-rumoured gadgets before its official unveiling at E3 in LA back in June. Now it’s here at last. So does its UMD-free frame live up to the hype? Or is this a pricey alternative to the ageing PSP-3000? Read our complete PSPgo review now and we’ll give you our tuppence worth.
Pick up the PSPgo and the differences between it and the last-gen PSP-3000 are clear. The UMD drive is gone, replaced with 16GB of internal storage for stashing games downloaded direct from the PlayStation Store. The 3.8-inch screen is a stunner and its 43 per cent lighter than the older model.
It all makes for an experience more on a par with the Nintendo DS than the bulkier old PSP. There’s something reassuring about physical buttons on a handheld hub and in that respect, the PSPgo does not disappoint. We played Gran Turismo PSP and found it far more enjoyable than driving games on the touchscreen iPhone. If you’re a hardcore gamer, such details are essential.
Read our Sony PSP-3000 review now
That said, we found the gaming experience itself a tad cramped. You’ll soon find your hands are in an awkward position which does not compare well to the bigger PSP-3000. The d-pad and controls could do with being closer to the centre of the PSPgo. Instead they’re so near to the edge that your hands need a break every five minutes. This is a criticism we have with the Nintendo DSi as well, but it’s still an issue which makes gaming on the PSPgo difficult.
The problems don’t stop there. The build quality of the PSPgo feels incredibly cheap, just like the PSP-3000. For a gadget that costs £225, it’s shameful. Although the slide mechanism works with a reassuring thunk, the shoulder buttons feel loose to the point of falling off and the plastic casing feels like it will shatter with just the smallest of drops.
Access to games has been the biggest issue surrounding the PSPgo’s launch. With no UMD drive, punters need to download all their titles. While we don’t have an issue with this per se, the 16GB of on board storage feels weedy, in spite of memory stick expansion. GT PSP takes up 3GB of space, meaning getting any more than 5 big titles on the PSPgo is a struggle. Memory sticks help, but a larger hard drive would have helped no end.
Downloading games is easy as. Just head to the PlayStation Network on the XMB and head in. The games available are vast and excellent. James Pond 2 for £3.99 is a steal, but newer titles are prohibitively expensive. Football Manager 2010 costs £29.99 on the PlayStation Store. That compares to £17.99 for the UMD on Amazon. The download process though is swift and payment is easy.
In terms of added extras, Skype access is a winner and the browser is handy. However typing takes ages to get used to. If the rumoured touchscreen version had been launched, it would have been far easier. As it is, this is a gaming device first, a web device second.
There’s no doubt the PSPgo has its advantages. Moving to downloads only is a bold move, but games should at least be reduced to match their UMD cousins. Compared to the Nintendo DSi, the PSPgo is on a par, with games aimed at more hardcore users. However, if you want a PSP, we’d still recommend going for the older version.
