Nyko Charger Case

If you're a PlayStation Portable owner fond of taking your sexy little widescreen wonder with you wherever you go, then it's likely that protecting it securely in a carry case is something that you've either thought of or already actively implement.

However, while a mere carry case may be enough to avoid the rigours of everyday portable use, do you also find yourself separately lugging about a charging solution in order to enjoy more on-the-go gaming? If you're presently nodding along knowingly, then the robust Charger Case from Nyko may be the one-stop answer to your prayers that successfully marries these two accessories together.

A fairly plain and innocuous looking black aluminium casket-like PSP protector on the outside, Nyko's sturdy but lightweight hinged case is also imbued with an internal lithium-ion battery capable of boosting the standard 3-4 hours of PSP operation time by a further seven hours, thus enabling a whopping 11 hours of portable multimedia enjoyment.

The Charger Case's simple outer design includes a modest Nyko badge on the lid along with a reassuringly hefty metal latch in the centre of the shell's front side edge. Just to the left of this is a flush rectangular rubber flap that hides two power ports: one to charge the PSP via the console's AC mains adapter when the console is housed within the case, and one to connect the PSP to the battery case when the console is being held for play – the Charger Case comes with a 5-foot connection cable for this purpose, and the PSP can also be charged from the mains through this cable.

The rubber flap housing also has two LEDs located beside it: one glows and flashes green to indicate charging and full charge respectively, while the other flashes red when the case's battery charge is running low.

The case's interior is lined with form-fitted neoprene in both its hinged lid and the base, with a decent amount of form-moulded plastic protection in attendance to further cushion the PSP and hold it snugly in place. It's worth noting that even when shaken enthusiastically – just on the off chance that you're planning to base-jump with Sony's console – there's little to no movement emanating from within the case.

To connect your PSP to the Charger Case's internal battery source when the console is housed inside, a flexible 5V jack is located on the lip of the base that inserts easily into the PSP's 5V DC-IN. Furthermore, the jack's flexibility means you can bring the PSP up on its bottom edge and play from the case itself rather than remove the console entirely and so utilise the 5-foot cable, if you should want to.

The aesthetic design of Nyko's Charger Case is fairly simplistic and unassuming, seemingly designed to deliver reliable protection to the PSP without relying on flashy bells and whistles to convey that intention. The only negative comment we'd level at the design as a whole concerns the exterior rubber flap, which oddly opens upward and not downward, leaving the internal power points tricky to reach without tilting the entire case on its end. Apart from that, the Charger Case is the straightforward protective equivalent of Cuprinol: it does exactly what it says on the tin.

In terms of portability the Nyko Charger Case is perhaps a little bulky, but certainly no more so than the majority of protective solutions available on the market today, and it's vastly more useful than Sony's standard-issue PSP foam sleeve.

From a performance standpoint, charging times are slightly more troublesome, however; a joint PSP and Charger Case power-up time of 11 hours is quite a commitment, while the Charger Case on its own still requires a fairly hefty eight hours. That said, a return charge output of just shy of seven hours in addition to the standard time provided by the PSP alone certainly makes the Charger Case an impressive battery-boosting option if embarking on a major journey, or if you expect to be left without access to a plug socket for a day or two. (Bear Grylls, we're looking at you).

The Nyko Charger Case is currently only available through Amazon.com for $29.82, which is a marked reduction from its retail recommend price of $59.99.