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The Good Light, slim enclosure; screen offers better color reproduction than that of earlier PSP models; improved AV output for video and game playback on TVs; built-in Skype with onboard microphone; retains all of the impressive media and online features of earlier PSP models; deep lineup of great game titles that offer better graphics than Nintendo DS games. The Bad Despite improvements, problems and annoyances remain: screen exhibits noticeable jaggies and scanlines during high-motion video and gaming sequences; UMD load times still poky compared with DS games; screen isn't glare-free, and is still a magnet for fingerprints; Web browser and data input can be cumbersome; no built-in storage; subtle redesign missed the opportunity to add even more features. The Bottom Line While there's probably not enough to get owners of previous the PSP to upgrade, newcomers will find the PSP-3000 to be a solid portable gaming and multimedia device. Editor's note (June 2, 2009): Sony has announced a new, smaller PSP model called the.

However, the PSP-3000 reviewed here will continue to be sold alongside the more expensive PSP Go once it becomes available in October 2009. While some still consider it a second banana to Nintendo's nearly ubiquitous, the Sony PSP has sold more than 50 million units since it appeared on the scene in 2005. Sony released a second-generation version--the --in 2007, giving it a slimmer and lighter chassis, some speed tweaks, and the ability to output straight to a TV screen.

For 2008, the PSP got another minor makeover: the PSP 3000 boasts a built-in microphone (to increase the usability of its onboard Skype functionality) and better video output support (you can now play games on non-HD TV hookups). It also has an 'improved' screen that's said to reduce glare, offer better color reproduction, and diminished ghosting. However, these 'improvements' actually resulted in on the handheld's screen. The flaws aren't visible in most circumstances, and it's not a dealbreaker--but the fact that it's a step backwards is annoying nonetheless. There are few physical differences between the PSP 2000 (top) and the PSP 3000 (bottom). The silver version of the PSP 3000 has a matte finish, as compared with the shiny piano black finish of the black one. As a result, the silver body is immune to fingerprints and smudges that so easily show up on the black one.

Unfortunately, the screen is identical on both--smooth and shiny--and it remains a magnet for fingerprints. As mentioned above, the lack of a clamshell design (as seen on the Nintendo DS and DSi) makes investing in a case as much a necessity for the PSP as it is for an iPod or iPhone. Hearts Of Iron 3 Full Version there. Aside from a few very minor cosmetic differences, button layout on the PSP 3000 is basically identical to the previous PSP as well. The screen is bordered by controls on its left, right, and bottom side, plus two shoulder buttons along the top edge.

The button layout is based on the classic PlayStation controller layout--the four-way directional pad on the left, square, triangle, cross, and circle keys on the right--so anyone who's used a Sony console over the last decade should be able to pick up and play. The bottom left of the front face also houses an analog thumbstick, for more precise movement. (A second thumbstick on the right, mimicking the design of the PlayStation controller, would've been a welcome addition.) More mundane media controls line the bottom of the screen: select, start, volume, brightness, and a 'home' button. (Some of them are shaped a bit differently than the previous model, and the 'home' button now brandishes the PlayStation emblem.) New to the PSP 3000 is the built-in microphone, located just below the screen. It can be used for online communication, be it within a game or for the PSP's built-in Skype application.

The advantage of having the mic integrated into the body is that you can use it with any standard pair of. By contrast, the PSP 2000 required a for communicating online. The PSP is designed to play games and movies off something called UMDs--Universal Media Discs. We're not sure where Sony got the 'universal' part of the name, because the PSP is the only device that plays them. They're sort of a cross between a mini-CD and an old MiniDisc, and they only hold about 2.2GB of data.

Elite Sig Sauer Kwc Airsoft P226 here. They load into a snap-open door on the PSP's backside. Sony seems to be moving the PSP to more of a downloadable model for games and video (see the PlayStation Store section, below), so we wouldn't be surprised to see the UMD become more of a legacy medium for the PSP. The Memory Stick Duo slot remains on the left edge. Like the UMD bay, it's a pry-open cover that slides on rubbery plastic rails. If you're not buying a PSP bundle that includes an MS Duo card (or don't have a spare one from a Sony camera), you'll want to invest in a decently sized one (2GB or better). They're widely available for less than $30 or so, but it's annoying--again--that Sony's gone with its own proprietary format instead of the more widely used (and cheaper) SD standard.