The PSP has enjoyed a strong support that is rarely matched for a hand held console. When you first see a PSP, you will probably immediately notice the screen. The screen dominates the device, which takes a full two-thirds of the device. For a hand held device, that is amazingly massive. The PSP feels perfectly balanced between both hands, making it easier to play. The screen is designed to be completely hypnotic, drawing any gamer completely into the world of the video or game that is playing. The black color is only natural, since the PS2 was also made to be black.



The PSP, with battery, a memory stick, case, and everything else together weighs a very light ten ounces, less than a full pound. This makes it much lighter than the old fashioned Gameboys and makes it easy to put in a jacket pocket. One major problem that the PSP initially had, and still has some degree of issue with, is that the screen is a fine glossy screen and as a result, it is easy to leave fingerprints and various smudges. Obviously most people aren’t going to wear gloves to play video games, and even the most careful handling would still leave marks.

The front of the PSP has the directional pad on the left side, and the analog thumb stick below that. The analog thumb stick is a complaint of some gamers, who say it’s too far down, since there is no thumb support when you use it. The PSP also features the basic circle, square, triangle, and x buttons any Play station gamer is already familiar with. The left and right trigger buttons are at the top and are clear.

The PSP console also has the added advantage of not just being for video games and gamers, but also for watching DVDs, as well. The PSP seems to keep gaining in popularity, and has the natural advantage of being made by the Sony corporation is that they are not likely to go out of style any time soon. The console remains popular with gamers, and its added benefits as a DVD player is keeping it popular. One thing that may PSP fans keep pointing out is that the PlayStation Portable is like a shrunken version of a PlayStation 2, and that one does not lose any of the impressive gaming graphics and playability that usually must be sacrificed with a hand held system.