New 16 GB Memory Stick Makes PSP Go Pointless

Kris Erickson • Jun 19, 2009 • Comments (29)

Did you know that you can buy a 16GB Memory Stick Pro Duo for only $74 dollars? We didn't, until the high price of the PSP Go caused us to check into it, and what we found was surprising. Basically, with the exception of Bluetooth functionality, anybody could have the equivalent of a PSP Go right now for less money than the device is expected to cost when it arrives in October!

The PSP Go ditches the clunky UMD optical drive in favor of a smaller form factor and 16 GB of onboard flash memory. Games will be distributed exclusively over the PSN download service, something that current PSP owners can access as well. Everyone believed that the reason for the high price ($250) of the device was due to the presence of all this extra storage. However, the truth is that prices for memory - even removable media - have dropped immensely. There is simply no way to explain, or justify, the high asking price for the PSP Go.

A brand new PSP-2000 (the one with extra ram and a lighter form factor) currently costs $169.99, although it is possible to find new units on sale for less. Added to the price of a 16GB memory stick, and the total comes to $245, several bucks cheaper (and 4 months sooner) than the PSP Go. And by the way, that memory stick is not a cheap knockoff, either. It is Sony's own high-speed brand!

Our advice? Skip the wait for new hardware and grab a bigger memory stick if you are in need of extra space for all your media downloads. The $74 deal mentioned above can be found here.

Sony's new 16 GB Memory Stick Pro Duo has made the PSP Go meaningless.

Comments

CarlsonT

- June 19, 2009 11:44 AM

Don't forget the fact that the PSP 2000 can be hacked to run homebrew. That is a major factor in my decision to stick with my current model.

Harris

- June 19, 2009 12:32 PM

Its not fair to say its not worth... The way Sony is being bashed, it would sound like you would also go after apple for their overpriced goods (iTouch 16 Gb 299.99 ??)

William

- June 19, 2009 1:21 PM

WAIT! The PSP GO! has bluetooth as well, so that means that the psp Go! is a better deal

Brian

- June 19, 2009 1:51 PM

Although I also believe the unit could be much cheaper, the main reason I would buy this is because of its slim form factor. Its redesign makes it truely pocket sized and be much easier to be carried on the go. I think $199 would be a good price for the PSP Go.

Chase Lewis

- June 19, 2009 5:06 PM

Except you forget to take in the fact that games load alot fast without the UMD, and if you plan to play games off your system their is no point to having a umd in your psp, and that the psp GO! can go up to 32G of Space the build in and the add on one

Nico Bellandi

- June 19, 2009 5:09 PM

But it has a slidy screen

Jeremy

- June 19, 2009 11:17 PM

The normal psp is capable of 32 GB of storage when you are using the microSD to PSP memory stick adapter. And also the normal psp can use homebrew and play ISO's. I doubt the psp go will be hacked, so personally I will stay with my PSP 2000

david

- June 19, 2009 11:43 PM

well the psp go is lighter and more portable, hence the the name, sure it's pricey. But since I never owned a psp before, I can't wait for the go

Taz

- June 20, 2009 8:10 AM

PSP Go may have a smaller screen and may be smaller than general, but that may be the major attraction. I find myself not taking around my PSP enough because it isn't portable, and it honestly isn't the most confortable device. A smaller form factor along with the confortable design makes it a worthy gadget which you can take anywhere, and I will willingly burn money for it. In addition to all Americans, you don't realise that the we (the English) are paying an equivelant of $337, so quit whining!!!

William Bennett

- June 20, 2009 8:23 AM

They don't actually sell PSP 2000's anymore (PSP 3000 is the current model and has been for a long time). And really, 5 dollars extra is a small price to pay for a smaller console, with better battery length

name

- June 20, 2009 8:31 AM

to me the psp go should be cheaper than the 3000. because 1 it has a smaller screen i want a big one not a small one. 2 download only games ok a new game comes out i have to wait say 2 hours before i can play the game, when i can take a 5 minute drive down the store. 2 hours i hear you say so what its only 2 hours well i work by the time i get home i am lucky if i get 2 hours to play games so that means i will have to wait till the next day to play it. when i could stick with my older 2000 and get and play the game in 5 minutes. 3 well it is UGLY as hell. 4 they took out the UMD drive, i thought the whole point in doing that was to allow for better battery life but nope it has roughly the same battery life as a 3000. so i ask what is the point of buying a PSP go when it costs more than a 3000, why would you spend more money on something when you get no benefits out of it?

chamber

- June 20, 2009 10:13 AM

I don't think the only point of PSP go is the internal memory, one point is the small f the orm factor. Some people want to less cumbersome unit to bring along with them. Secondly i believe psp go has a expandable memory slot so what ever you have on a psp 2000 you can potentially double it with a psp go for a price. I know its expensive but that's why there are choices out there. PSP go is not for everyone but there probably is a market for it out there. I do wish Sony tinkers with it and extends the battery life, cause that would really give it a leg up.

hi

- June 20, 2009 12:52 PM

Sony is definitely getting the shaft this generation by articles like this. Freaking buy this system if you want it or dont. I mean the PSP Go has more features than the Wii and no one is saying how the Wii is ridiculously overpriced.

a cool guy

- June 20, 2009 7:23 PM

i personally think the psp slim 2000 is good because the only difference is the blutooth, witch is not really important for gaming. i say stick with the slims.

bridgerbot

- June 20, 2009 10:11 PM

My fiancee and I were looking at buying one of these, but I don't see the point. The old model has UMD as an option, and we could get some cheap games for it, we also wouldn't be using the bluetooth feature much. So in conclusion, we would be buying the psp2000/3000 over the PSP go.

dctravis

- June 21, 2009 1:39 AM

buy microsd cards with a pro duo adapter its a lot cheaper. I got a pro duo adapter that has two micro sd slots and a 32 gig max. i paid 16 bucks for an 8 gig, 30 bucks for a 16 gig, and 4 bucks for an adapter. thats 24 gigs for about fifty bucks ;) better than the psp go and ive got the psp fat so if i drop it it doesnt fall apart and break like the cheap slim. I can't believe they still only have one analog stick.

JK

- June 21, 2009 6:02 PM

Lovin' it! And who gives a crap if it has bluetooth, it's not that big of a deal. Consider this aside from saving $5 too! PSP Go can NOT use UMD. This means you can't buy games (or UMD movies) on sale, can't get used games on a huge markdown, can't trade with friends, nothing. You only pay full price PSN gouge rate on new and OLD games. Yup good deal there on that PSP Go.

PSXTREME

- June 22, 2009 10:23 AM

Psp go is not going to replace psp (3000), it's an upgrade to the portable lineup just like the dsi is to the ds. The point being, Sony will not force anyone to upgrade to this new hardware, it's mainly to create a new market for psp and bring new consumers to psn. If you guys are price conscience (cheap), then stick with your old psp or buy the cheaper one. If you have a decent job and can affort to pay 250 for a portable, and have decent Internet connection you are elegible for the psp go. That's it. No need for workarrounds etc. I had a psp slim and gave it to my lil brother because I could not carry it arround, I will not buy this new portable and play the shot out of it. Good job Sony

Joet

- June 22, 2009 1:44 PM

It fuckin sucks

Anonymous

- June 25, 2009 11:15 AM

But it still isn't a PSP go. That is like saying a Hamburger is a ham and cheese sand which because they both have the same cheese.

jay

- June 29, 2009 3:01 PM

the 16 gb with the new psp 3001 it can download games like in 7seconds as well as the 32 gb download games in 5 seconds its worth it to spent 115 dollars

Derrick

- July 3, 2009 7:19 AM

I for one will be getting one of these. The bonus for me is definitely the Bluetooth. I was hoping they would introduce it with the 3000 but they didn't, so there was very little point in my upgrading my 2000 unit. But I absolutely love wireless and the ability to have my PSP in my pocket or in a bag and listen to music on the go is worth the upgrade. Plus, as someone else mentioned, you can now get 16GB micro cards. So with the 16GB onboard you can have a 32GB PSP Go. I use mine as much for watching movies and playing music than I do for playing games. They should have added touch screen though. ;)

scorpion

- July 5, 2009 12:37 PM

ok so a 16 gig memory stick but the psp is aproximitly 16% more prossing power for if ur running homebrew programs ,also the psp go has a 16 gig internal and can take a adisional memoristick (sorry for the spelling)

sexton

- July 7, 2009 5:02 PM

im sticking with my japanese psp 1000. It doesn't break if its drops, plus if i need more power that's why there are extra batteries. I like popping in umd's & import umd's instead of having to download a full priced game, when i can go on ebay and get them for less

Jarbel113

- July 9, 2009 7:23 PM

The PSP Go also reportedly has a flawless screen which will be a big step forward in bringing in more customers for Sony since the PSP, starting with its emergence, has been plagued with faulty LCD screens. This, imho, combined with a more tech-savvy device is what will make the PSP Go stand out. The price point - not so much.

Carlos soto

- August 6, 2009 10:03 AM

Im personally getting the psp go for the speed it has i get tired over traveling around with three games or so in my pocket scared of breaking them , but the psp go i can just carry it around with a couple games and movies instead of the hassle of buying game cases and carrying cases for my umd's i honestly think if you like the hold everything you have or deal get the older psp with the memory stick if you like the smaller concept and other features of the psp go then that's for you i have a psp-3000 but i'm waiting and egear to get a psp go and this doesn't make since i mean of course you could get a 16 gb memory stick but the psp go can hold more memory with a memory stick hell i get more stuff XP

XStrike

- August 7, 2009 7:41 PM

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Wrong. The PSP GO uses Memory Stick MICRO, which is a smaller more expensive technology then the memory stick pros. So still, why get the GO? Not only is it 43% lighter (at an incredible 3.8 ounces) but the screen is SMALLER (reduced from 4.3 inches to 3.8 inches) making the GO much more easier to carry around in your pocket. I personally havee a PSP-1000 model and getting ridof all of my old UMD'S for the ultimat in portable gaming would be fantastic. Not to mention that if I were to thow in another 16 gig micro I would have a total of 32 gigs (which is more than a first gen Zune or just as much as the most premium Ipod Touch / IPhone).

dcb1509

- August 12, 2009 7:42 PM

I was all on board for the PSP GO, but since I have not heard how I can get my current UMD's and the new ones I am buying onto the GO. I decided to cancel my order with Amazon and just wait until a new model comes out next year. Its just not cost effective for the working class. I'll just upgrade my 2000 to 16 gb mem. peace!

skaterboy92

- September 15, 2009 11:32 AM

this thing is retarded woopdee do for the bluetooth i have a dongle for my psp2001 and it makes my psp have bluetooth also i have the psp chottoshot so big woop if they put a camera in the next psp what im tryin to say here is i have all the features of the psp go plus more in my psp2000 and it only cost me about $150 to get

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