PSP Slim (PSP2000) Review Part 1: Opening the Box and Initial Thoughts
Well, I overpaid my credit card, so hey, why not? Oh yeah, and I wrote Hacking the PSP. So I hopped on over to Fry's today and bought the PSP2000 Daxter pack. It actually comes with Daxter AND a Family Guy UMD, so that was cool. The outside packaging is much more svelte than the PSP Classic, as I am now calling the "old" PSP style. Below are my inital reactions and some photos. I had issues charging the battery with my PSP Battery Charger, so now I have to wait for the PSP2000 to charge itself, so more on gameplay and the like in a few days...
- The unit only comes with a 1200 mAh battery.
This is 25% less than the PSP Classic’s 1800 mAh battery.
- The unit does NOT come with a case, at least not in the Daxter pack.
- The PSP
Classic and extended BATTERIES WILL FIT but the BATTERY COVER WILL NOT. If you
have a collection of PSP batteries, don’t throw away your investment! FYI! FYI!
It does not appear that Sony is selling extra PSP2000 batteries at retail,
but that’s only based on my observation of none being sold at Fry’s. They may
still be available, of course.
- The
PSP2000’s battery barely fits in the Sony PSP Battery Charger. It wasn’t fun
getting it out, and it doesn’t appear as though the charger wants to charge it.
It just flashed orange when attempting to charge the battery.
- The above issue may not be a huge deal, since
the PSP Classic batteries tend to “stick” in the battery well. But make sure
your battery doesn’t fall out while playing...
- The included Daxter and Family Guy UMDs don’t
come in nice plastic cases. They come in cheap cardboard holders. You’ll want a
UMD holder for this device. The Family Guy UMD is "The Freakin' Sweet Collection" and Daxter is one of the "PSP Greatest Hits" games. Retail for Family Guy is $17.99 and Daxter is $19.99.
- The system really does feel lighter. I never
thought 19% would be a huge difference, but yeah, the weight difference will be
appreciated with extended gameplay.
- The UMD drive is no longer spring loaded. You
have to open the UMD door with your finger instead of using the cool spring.
This is actually a good thing, because those UMD doors were annoying when they
broke. The door opens at a much wider angle than the PSP Classic, so be careful
that you don’t leave it open and let dust in.
- The WLAN switch is now on the top. That’s nice ‘cause
you won’t confuse it with the power switch anymore <grin>
- The fit and finish feels much cheaper than the PSP
Classic. The metal on the back around the PSP isn’t as nice looking, and the
overall unit just feels like it is lower quality construction. Since the unit
is mostly plastic instead of having the metal areas like PSP Classic, it may
bug you if you liked the solid feel of the PSP Classic.
- The Memory Stick Duo door is finally re-enforced.
There are two flexible plastic connectors holding the door instead of the cheap
door we had before.
- My unit model number is PSP-2001.
- The PSP2000 is manufactured in China. The PSP
Classics I own were all made in Japan.
- Make sure you have scissors. The PSP is in some hard plastic you'll have to cut through. Good ol' anti-theft.
Photos:
PSP with big battery in it.
The 1200 mAh battery.
The front of the packaging.
The back of the packaging.
The new door connector.
Comparison of PSP2000 vs. PSP Classic.
Included Daxter and Family Guy UMDs.