Nintendo DSi vs Sony PSP Go!

Duncan Geere Columns & Opinion, Comparisons, Gaming
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This morning we got some details on the the Sony PSP2, which they now seem to be calling the “PSP Go!”. I thought it’d be interesting to compare and contrast it with the Nintendo DSi, which is by far Sony’s greatest competition in the handheld market.

Storage

Sony’s completely dumping the UMD format, after it’s been such a massive flop. The new PSP will instead have plenty of storage onboard – 16GB or 8GB, and let you download content to the device over the air.

The DSi still relies on cartridges, though I suspect that’s for backwards compatibility more than anything else. The latest version of the handheld lets you download content over-the-air as well, and you can store the content on an SD card upto 16GB.

Game Catalogue

For the PSP Go! there’ll be 100 titles available at launch, including Gran Turismo. Any games you own for your PSP won’t work, as the UMD format won’t be supported. All DS games are still compatible with the DSi, though there’s far fewer titles available in Nintendo’s download store.

Controls

While the DSi’s much touted touchscreen has proved a bit of a headache for some games developers, others have used it fantastically. There’s no word yet on whether the PSP Go! will have a touchscreen but it will have an analog stick, a feature sadly missing from Ninty’s handheld.

Size and shape

We don’t know how big the PSP Go! will be, yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s rather more compact than the rather chunky original PSP. What we do know is that the slide-out screen will definitely be present.

The DSi, on the other hand, is a svelte 137mm x 74.9mm x 18.9mm and 214g. It folds in half like a book, and can easily be slipped into a coat pocket. Portability is obviously an important factor for these devices.

Release date

The DSi came out on April 3rd 2009 in Europe, and in November 2008 in Japan. The PSP Go! won’t be out until the last quarter of 2009, i.e. not before October. It’ll be shown off at E3 in June, though, so we should get some pictures of it soon that we can use in place of all the concept art that we’ve been employing up till now.

Conclusions

The most important things for Sony to get right are the look of the thing, and the game catalogue available. It’d be a good move for them to implement a system where you can get your old games on download when the PSP Go! is released, otherwise I think there’ll be a certain amount of consumer backlash.

As for me, though, I’m sticking with my DS Lite. I don’t feel the push, just yet, to switch to downloadable games – particularly as backing them up seems to be an issue. When the next generation of devices comes round, I’ll be ready.

Duncan Geere
For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv

25 comments

  • PSP is definitely the better one. I have been a fan since it came out. The graphics is definitely better. accutane lawyers

  • That PSP in the picture doesn’t look the PSP go! at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • That PSP in the picture doesn’t look the PSP go! at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • I’d have to agree. Sony has it with the graphics, but with the PSP Go! graphics aren’t enough, you have to have quality features too. If you’re considering getting a PSP Go! don’t. Stick with the PSP if you’ve already got one, or if you want to buy one, buy the DSi.

  • The PSP go has been out for a while and, let’s face it, Sony totally fell flat on it’s face. the slider mechanism is lousy, no backwards compatibility sucks, and the volume adjuster is under the screen. I am not saying that sony isn’t good (their graphics are amazing), but the go pales in comparison to the dsi.

    P.S. It is annoying when people write in all caps.

  • Sony is better period i will admit that nintendo has made some good stuff but they have a long way to go befor they can even try to compete with sony.

  • um…this data is out dated
    PSP go is a failure and is being discontinued this year
    DSi is okay and is selling liek hot cakes
    get the facts straight…
    btw
    sony has sold 26 million Ps3 world wide…
    Nintendo has sold over 80 Million wii’s world wide..

  • Both systems rock to me. The psp-go has good feautures and the nitendo dsi has good features no ones better than the other officially that is up to you the fans to decide like sony games like ratchet&clank get the pspgo like nitendo titles like super mario get the dsi. It’s your choice about what you like best.

  • yo.. this website is acctully going to hell. the sony should not win this bloody stupid website is rubbish.
    The DSI is cool and i have it and you get to do all sorts!!!!

  • I always stick with nintendo when it comes to portable but i still think that Sony is trying to hard. While Nintendo has fun and awesome games Sony only has game that are fun at first but then get boring. What if someone bought the PSP GO but didnt have a wireless router? Nintendo for LIFE!

  • HI THERE WILL NINTENDO AND APPLE HAVE DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT YOUR RIGHT I THOUGHT DSI GAMING WAS FUN BUT APPLES 64 GB IPOD TOUCH BLOWS THE DSI OUT OF THE WATER I CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL I HAVE A PSP GO APPLE HAS ALL GAMES FOR EVERY ONE FOR HARD CORE GAMERS YOU GOT TOP GUN DOOM QUAKE NOW IF APPLE RELEASES I HALO

  • Heh, it’s funny people take this stuff so seriously.
    The DSi is great, but I prefer Sony over Nintendo any day. I have a PS3, Nintendo Wii, and PS2, and in comparison, PS3 ftw.

    In terms of portable consoles… my old DS sucked, so I’m keen to try out Sony’s PSP GO!.

    But hey, Nintendo still makes amazing things. I wonder if the Xbox boys will bring out something portable, and then there’s Apple with the iPhone and the like…

  • Dsi sucks!!! the psp go! will be the size of a slider phone and the dsi is the size of a mini notebook. suck that nintendo!!!! im on my ps3 right now!!!!!!!!

    • sonyfan, you are a w@nker. You need to get off of your PS3 and go out and get yourself a girlfriend…

  • you wont be able to play umds on your PSP Go but you will be able to transfer your umd games to your psp go by using a machine similar to those big ugly things in shops that you put your memory cards into, to print photos

  • HI THERE WELL ACTUALY THE NINTENDO DSI CAN HAVE UP TO 32 GB SDHC CARDS AND THE BIGEST MEMORY STICK IS AT 16 GB SO THEY BOTH TOP OUT AT 32 GB

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