PSP World

Sony PSP CoreCase

Although it’s not the first aluminum case we’ve reviewed, the Sony PSP CoreCase is one of the most unique we’ve seen. Starting with the option of personalization, the CoreCase is simply a little more thought-out. Brando’s entry into the metal case market fell short (PSPworld Rating: D+), so we’ve been excited to see how the CoreCase stacks up.

First off, the CoreCase opens to the rear, instead of towards the front — one of the biggest complaints we had with the Brando Metal Case was that in opening towards the front it ruined the playability of the PSP while it was in the case. The CoreCase has openings cut out for access to every major function except for the UMD door, and to be honest, we didn’t expect an opening for that. The PSP is comfortable to play while in the case, and the contoured back of the case recreates the feel of the PSP’s backside.

Possibly the best design decision made while this case was being put together was the addition of two raised magnets on the rear hinge and the back of the case. While not the strongest we’ve ever seen, they are more than sufficient to keep the PSP upright, turning the CoreCase into a fully functional portable stand. This simple feature ends up being a really big deal, and something that we’re sure we’ll see replicated by other manufacturers in the future — it makes watching UMD movies on the go a lot easier. The interior padding of the case is plenty protective, and the Memory Stick storage on the inside of the lid is handy and safe — the storage area never comes into contact with the PSP’s screen, preventing nasty scratches.

Overall, the CoreCase offers a reasonable amount of protection and utility for an affordable price, and affords owners a way to own a custom case — something we have yet to see in a PSP case outside of the Logitech PlayGear Pocket mods.

Note: The test case features a design that utilizes the customization feature CoreCases is offering. The feature utilizes a high-quality vinyl skin available in one of six designs. We did not happen to pick this particular design, it was on the case when we received it.