Poll: Which would you prefer, PSP Lite or PSP 2?

[Owain]

We've no doubt from the smoke signals we've been picking up here at Pocket Gamer that a revamped PSP is on the way.

We're guessing that means a slimmer (thinner) lighter PSP, rather than a PSP 2 with funamentally different capabilities, and hence a need for game developers to choose which platform to support, more expensive development costs (already a problem for PSP 1) and so on.

Also, it's not like the power of PSP is being tapped. A few improvements (e.g. a better battery life and faster loading times) might go a long way.

What would you prefer to see in the next few months – starting again with PSP2 or a revamp of the original PSP?

[bobthedino]

It would be stupid for Sony to turn its back on the PSP now... just when they're starting to sell a few too! They should do what Nintendo did and release a new sexy thin version... I didn't get a DS until the Lite came along!

[Owain]

I guess the difference is the PSP is already a sexy piece of kit, whereas the original DS looked like Shrek's make-up kit.

But the PSP certainly has flaws that need addressing.

[Mandark]

A thinner, much cheaper PSP with longer battery life and better controls is the way forward.

Pointless doing an improved PSP as it would appeal more to multimedia fans than gamers who are still waiting for the likes of Gran Turismo Mobile and a quality Final Fantasy game etc.

[Owain]

Totally agree. The one improvement I would suggest would be a second analogue stick (and a better one at that!) but obviously that would lead to a 'two-teir' market of PSPs, which would mean two half-arsed control systems for too many games. Better they concentrate on getting the best of designing games that work properly with one.

[Mandark]

Yes Owain, I'm sure that Nokia will push out a gaming orientated phone and of course it will immediately be labelled the unofficial N-Gage 2 phone!

[Fraser]

Seeing as BT and Sony have recently announced a deal to turn the PSP into the phone, a redesigned unit that is a tad smaller with a built in mic seems the most likely route to me, though whether that is what the customers are after is another thing altogether.

To be honest, besides the battery life I am quite happy with mine. There are of course things I would like Sony to do differently next time around but at the moment I want some sort of unified online service much more so than I do a new unit.

I am thinking more demos more often, lots of cheap PS1 emulation games (and possibly others too ie amiga, atari etc) video on demand, and a fully integrated online gaming service that basically abolishes all ad hoc games (am I the only one who thinks the odds of meeting someone on your way to work who is packing the same game and wants to play are extremely small?)

If Sony could do all that and offer it wirelessly I would be an extremely satisfied PSP owner as opposed to just a satisfied one.

My two cents...

[danskmacabre]

Assuming the following.

1: Thinner, lighter or smaller in some way (apart from the screen)

2: A better battery life

3: Faster loading times.

I would prefer the PSP2.

[bobthedino]

3: Faster loading times.

Yes! There must be some way to speed up that UMD drive... that was quite a big mistake by Sony... they should have bet on ever-increasing flash memory sizes... I mean, the USB stick I carry around in my pocket these days stores more than a UMD disc!

[danskmacabre]

Agreed flash memory would have been way better, but maybe they had piracy concerns or something.

[Owain]

I think piracy/DRM concerns have held back PSP in variety of ways. I presume it's why we've still not seen any truly meaningful downloadable services, for instance -- not that the technology chosen can't handle it, but that they've spent years wrangling over copyright with music and movie companies etc.

[splat]

you have to remember that when sony designed the PSP, the largest memory sticks you could get were 128 MB and they cost £100s. So while the designers knew costs were likely to come down fast, they couldn't delay the whole device until 8 GB sticks were the norm. And even now, I bet a large proportion of people have less than 1 GB sticks in their PSPs

[Fraser]

I have a 1GB card, cost me about 100 quid, could buy it now for about a tenner on eBay *spits*

[Mandark]

I've ordered the Sandisk 2 Gb card from Play.com for £16.99. Yes prices have dropped dramatically.

[byronicman]

PSP Lite, definitely. With touch screen.