PSP Go

Today, finally, we get to read full reviews of Sony’s PSP Go. The device has been in the spotlight for some time and we’ve seen a number of hands-on reports, but this is the first time that sites are posting full reviews of their experience with Sony’s newest handheld system.

The Go will be a download-only device thanks to its lack of a UMD drive. This introduces gamers to all sorts of thorny issues about what to do with their old games, how to get new content without overpaying, and so on. There is no question that the new hardware is interesting and worth investigating, but these will be what really makes or breaks the Go. We should keep in mind that the Go is not a replacement for the PSP 3000, but rather something that will run alongside it, at least until the PSP 3000 is replaced.

Engadget wraps things up quite nicely:

We really do like the portable, but there’s no way to separate our feelings on the hardware from all the decisions surrounding the launch. That $50 upfront premium (more if you factor out the bundled PSP-3000 games) is more or less negated when you consider the cost of a 16GB Memory Stick Duo, something that the Go already has with internal flash memory, but long-term you’re still gonna be paying more for every retail game bought digitally instead of on disc. That last bit is something that should make first-time buyers take heed, as lack of legacy support on same-generation games and accessories isn’t our biggest gripe here. It’s not as if Sony’s oblivious to the perception — in fact they’ve even gone on the record as saying there’s a “certain premium” associated with the Go — but we’re really not getting enough here to justify it to our wallets.