Sony PSP 2000 Slim & Lite The Simpsons Limited Edition Yellow Handheld System

The first thing that strikes you when you slide the new PSP out of its slender 23(L) x 12.5(H) x 8(D) cm box is that it feels too light. Even once you've slotted in the new 1200mAh battery (30g compared with the original's 44g 1800mAh model) – at which point you'll also note the battery cover may open more easily but it's also substantially thinner and more brittle – for an overall weight of 190g (compared with 280g), the handheld feels disconcertingly insubstantial.

The sense of unfamiliarity continues once you fire the unit up. It's nothing to do with the starting sequence, nor the front-end, both of which obviously remain identical (for those that may want to know, Slim & Lite comes with firmware v3.60 installed), but the new flat back is instantly noticeable. As is its enamel-like finish, which in a sense further contributes to the overwhelming cheap plastic feel (as well as showing up fingerprints with remarkable ease – the Ice White model can't come soon enough).

Give it five minutes, though, and the most wonderful transformation occurs. Because far from feeling too light, too flat, too thin, Slim & Lite suddenly becomes the PSP you've always wanted.

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Well, within reason, obviously – there's still no second analogue nub, for a start. The point is, almost immediately the old model feels absurdly heavy and cumbersome, while its successor emerges as fresh and decidedly modern. The difference on paper (and even visually) may seem insignificant, but in the hand the contrast is striking.

In play, the improvements continue. The lower profiled face buttons are noticeable, though not as much as the alterations to the D-pad, which now boasts less travel and resistance, making it a considerably more comfortable proposition during prolonged play. The differentiation with regards to the analogue nub, meanwhile, is less pronounced but again the level of resistance appears to have been reduced, resulting in a perceived increase in smoothness and accuracy – although we'll reserve final judgement on this particular aspect until we've tried out a wider range of titles.

One area more directly assessed concerns the other changes to the design. So, for instance, the UMD tray is now a far simpler affair, opening manually (rather than spring-assisted, as previously) but considerably wider, too. The first time it's used it will feel a little odd, mainly because the UMD now sits loose against the tray until it is closed, but you soon appreciate the relatively more immediate, less fiddly nature of the new approach.

Similarly, the repositioned WLAN switch now feels more at home along the top edge of the unit, while the speakers appear to deliver better stereo imaging in their revised location.

Which leaves us with one obvious area of interest: the effect of the UMD cache on loading times. We'll be honest in revealing that we've had little opportunity to try out more than a couple of games, but we did notice a two-second reduction in the return to menu screen after finishing a Sega Rally race. Okay, it's a bit of a blink-and-you'll-miss-it improvement but it could be related to the game.

PSP it is good present for the children.
This Sony PSP 2000 console has enhanced design technology, making it more comfortable in hand, and improved picture quality. This portable gaming system is ideal for passing the time on long journeys with its extensive range of PSP video games and comes in a stylish black colour.

After roughly a decade at the top of the home console industry, Sony decided to tackle the portable system market -- one heavily fortified by Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and DS. Sony sought to take down Nintendo by adopting the tactic that made the PlayStation 2 such a runaway success: by offering sophisticated, graphically intensive games and a heavy dose of multimedia functionality.
The device is called the PlayStation Portable (PSP), and in addition to playing games of PS2 graphical quality, it can play music and movies (downloaded or via disc), as well as surf the Web, with many new features on the horizon. It may not be the best handheld media product on the market, and the games lack the innovation of ones on Nintendo's portables, but as an all-in-one device, the Sony PSP is king of the hill.
The Sony PSP is available online in a number of bundles. Two of the most common are the base model pack, which is just the console, battery and the AC adaptor, for around £150, and the Giga pack, which usually has a carry case, a pair of headphones and a 1GB Memory Stick Duo, for around £200. Games are around £30 and UMD movies around £17 for the latest titles.

the reason i purchest this item was because i had one just like it before and i enjoy playing on a handheld consoles more than other consoles. I like the fact that it is a handheld it doesnt have that much damage and it is a console that plays reigonal games also you can use the internet on it and the playstation network. the things i dislike about it is it doesnt have internal memory so if you dont have a memory card you cant use some of the features on the psp such as the internet radio or skype. It may not be the best product to some people but it is a great product to me and i would rather have a psp than any something like a DS anyday.

has been worth every penny bought for work as do alot of traveling and play while in passenger seat

The good: The Sony PSP is a slick portable gaming system highlighted by an impressive wide-screen display and PS2-like graphics. It also boasts built-in Wi-Fi, a Web browser, and the ability to play music and videos, as well as to store images.

The bad: The Sony PSP's multimedia functionality is underwhelming, especially for video, requiring expensive memory cards. The load times on the UMD games can be excessive.

The bottom line: The Sony PSP elevates portable gaming to the next level, but its multimedia functionality falls short of its full potential.