PSP World

Are You Holding Off on a PSP Purchase?

Summer is almost here, and with it comes the chance to kick back in the great out-of-doors, get a tan, and forget the working world. Barbecues, hiking, trips to the beach - all opportunities to bring along your favorite video game handheld. Having grown out of touch-based minigames, many gamers might be considering taking the plunge and bringing Sony's PSP along with them this year instead. Despite the awesome lineup of games coming for the PSP, however, there are some factors that might be holding consumers back from picking up the hardware at retail. With a new revision on the way, what are the pros and cons of grabbing Sony's handheld at the current price? We examine each in detail to see if now is a good moment to open your wallets or whether it would be better to hold off for a few months.

In favor of grabbing a PSP 3000 today is the fact that the upcoming PSP Go! hardware revision is not expected to add very many new things in terms of functionality. In fact, it is rumored to contain pretty much the same hardware as the current model, while only making minor aesthetic upgrades like a sliding screen. It will also lose the UMD drive, something that may actually be a negative if you enjoy digging through bargain bins for deals on older, used games. All of that will be a thing of the past when Sony unveils its new digital-only distribution model, putting a stop to the used games market for good. Another factor to consider is homebrew: hackers have already succeeded at unlocking the PSP 3000 to run unofficial applications and emulators, another issue that may be important to potential customers. The new PSP Go! may not be able to run homebrew, and we will have to wait until the release of the device to find out.

While there are many arguments for grabbing a PSP 3000 as soon as possible, there are reasons why customers may wish to hold off on a purchase. First of all, some users have complained that the current model of PSP is not everything it could be. Even though the revised hardware features a brighter and more colorful screen, some people have complained about scanline issues that impede the graphical quality of certain games. If you are one of those people who is sensitive to this issue, it might be best to wait and see what kind of screen the next PSP will offer. Even if you still want a PSP 3000 and don't care about the upcoming hardware changes, you might still want to hold off on purchasing the handheld. The reason is that the introduction of the PSP Go! later this year will almost certainly result in a price drop for the older PSP 2000 and 3000 models, as retailers try to clear their shelves. You might even be able to grab a last-generation PSP for as little as $129.99 once the new hardware is announced at E3.

Our verdict? For gamers who absolutely must have the latest gear, there is no question that they should at least wait until the Sony E3 press conference in June to make a purchasing decision. Once they get a look at the new hardware Sony is planning, then they can make a more informed decision about whether the PSP is attractive to them. Even if you aren't impressed by what you see at E3, and still want to enter the world of handheld gaming with an older version of the PSP, June might provide better opportunities to find a deal at the shops. What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below: Are you holding off on buying a new PSP because of rumors that Sony is preparing a new hardware revision?

Even if you don't care about the new changes Sony is making to the PSP hardware, it might be a good idea to wait a few weeks before buying a PSP 3000.