Vita Hardware Review
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The PSVita is upon us! When the PSP came out, its main draw was its power. Sony managed to pack almost all the graphical goodness of the PS2 into a handheld that you could tote with you wherever you went. By the end of its life-cycle, it had an impressive library of games from console franchises like God of War, Metal Gear Solid, and Monster Hunter. Now, a full console generation later, the PSVita is poised to take the industry by storm. But can it improve on the PSP's shortcomings and offer a truly unique experience?
The PSP was one slick machine, and I’m happy to report that the Vita maintains the tradition of thoughtful design. At a glance, it looks like a larger PSP. Its shape is nearly identical and it’s made of the same glossy black plastic. Play with it for a bit, and the differences become obvious. The most exciting changes are immediately apparent: the screen and the dual analog sticks.
The PSP was one slick machine, and I’m happy to report that the Vita maintains the tradition of thoughtful design. At a glance, it looks like a larger PSP. Its shape is nearly identical and it’s made of the same glossy black plastic. Play with it for a bit, and the differences become obvious. The most exciting changes are immediately apparent: the screen and the dual analog sticks.
The Vita houses a five-inch OLED screen that spreads across the majority of its face. This is a huge improvement over any of the previous PSP models in both size and quality. OLED produces a deep range of colors and a staggering contrast ratio that makes everything pop off the screen, and the size and clarity of the screen makes playing almost anything a joy.
Not only does the Vita have two analog sticks this time around, but they’re actual sticks instead of the sliders found on the original PSP or the 3DS. They’re essentially miniature versions of the Dualshock’s analog sticks, and they’re leaps and bounds above the 3DS’s circle pad. They feel almost as good as the PS3’s sticks, though it’s harder to nail precise movements with the decreased leverage. As I played Uncharted: Golden Abyss, I became more comfortable with the sticks, and I look forward to playing more games that utilize the dual stick set up.
The buttons on the vita are smaller than those on the PSP, but I actually prefer them. They have a much more distinct “click,” and my hands find them more naturally without getting cramped. The larger form factor of the Vita is definitely welcome for those of us with big hands. When playing PSP, my hands would constantly cramp, but playing the Vita is much more comfortable.
The layout of the buttons and sticks on the front of the device takes a little getting used to, but it’s definitely one of the most comfortable handhelds I’ve used. The buttons and analog sticks are perhaps a bit close together, but it hasn’t been a problem while playing. The rear touch-pad, on the other hand, sits below your fingers when you hold the device. Whenever I took out my camera in Uncharted, I found myself zooming in unintentionally. Thankfully, not all games will utilize the pad, and smart developers will allow you to disable the feature, but it can be annoying, especially as using the panel properly requires you to adjust your grip.
When you turn the Vita on for the first time, you’ll go through the standard setup process before landing on the home page. The Vita’s OS mimics a smartphone, with large icons for aps and multiple pages to swipe through. The pages are stacked vertically rather than horizontally, but otherwise, it’s obvious that Sony has taken notes (maybe even exact blueprints) from Apple’s iOS. The system is clean and easy to use, though it’s odd that you can’t use the face buttons to navigate the UI.
Not only does the Vita have two analog sticks this time around, but they’re actual sticks instead of the sliders found on the original PSP or the 3DS. They’re essentially miniature versions of the Dualshock’s analog sticks, and they’re leaps and bounds above the 3DS’s circle pad. They feel almost as good as the PS3’s sticks, though it’s harder to nail precise movements with the decreased leverage. As I played Uncharted: Golden Abyss, I became more comfortable with the sticks, and I look forward to playing more games that utilize the dual stick set up.
The buttons on the vita are smaller than those on the PSP, but I actually prefer them. They have a much more distinct “click,” and my hands find them more naturally without getting cramped. The larger form factor of the Vita is definitely welcome for those of us with big hands. When playing PSP, my hands would constantly cramp, but playing the Vita is much more comfortable.
The layout of the buttons and sticks on the front of the device takes a little getting used to, but it’s definitely one of the most comfortable handhelds I’ve used. The buttons and analog sticks are perhaps a bit close together, but it hasn’t been a problem while playing. The rear touch-pad, on the other hand, sits below your fingers when you hold the device. Whenever I took out my camera in Uncharted, I found myself zooming in unintentionally. Thankfully, not all games will utilize the pad, and smart developers will allow you to disable the feature, but it can be annoying, especially as using the panel properly requires you to adjust your grip.
When you turn the Vita on for the first time, you’ll go through the standard setup process before landing on the home page. The Vita’s OS mimics a smartphone, with large icons for aps and multiple pages to swipe through. The pages are stacked vertically rather than horizontally, but otherwise, it’s obvious that Sony has taken notes (maybe even exact blueprints) from Apple’s iOS. The system is clean and easy to use, though it’s odd that you can’t use the face buttons to navigate the UI.
It’s clear that a lot of thought went into the Vita’s software. There’s a game called Welcome Park that shows you many of the Vita’s unique features through mini-games. All the features of a PS3 can be found in the menus. Trophies, messaging, friends, the PS Store, music and video apps, and a web browser all adorn the pages. That’s right, trophies! If you already have a PSN account, you can use the same one for the Vita, and collect trophies on the go. At launch, it looks like the Vita has all the major apps taken care of and many more will launch in the coming years. Overall, the UI is a breeze to use and will feel familiar to any smartphone owner.
Now on to the main course: games! I opted for Uncharted at launch, and my bundle came with Little Deviants as well. Uncharted is simply gorgeous. It’s not up to the quality of the PS3 entries, but it’s darn close, and seeing the jungle on the OLED screen is all the more impressive. I’m confident that future Vita games will look as good as PS3 games without cutting corners. A ton of great games are launching with the Vita, and I can’t wait to try Lumines, Rayman, Ninja Gaiden, Stardust, Wipeout, and everything else. In the next few months, many more games are coming out, including Gravity Rush (which looks awesome), Disgaea, and Resistance.
Now on to the main course: games! I opted for Uncharted at launch, and my bundle came with Little Deviants as well. Uncharted is simply gorgeous. It’s not up to the quality of the PS3 entries, but it’s darn close, and seeing the jungle on the OLED screen is all the more impressive. I’m confident that future Vita games will look as good as PS3 games without cutting corners. A ton of great games are launching with the Vita, and I can’t wait to try Lumines, Rayman, Ninja Gaiden, Stardust, Wipeout, and everything else. In the next few months, many more games are coming out, including Gravity Rush (which looks awesome), Disgaea, and Resistance.
Since the Vita is so powerful, many games will be identical on PS3 and Vita. The Metal Gear Solid Collection, Motorstorm: RC, and Final Fantasy X are all coming out on PS3 and Vita this year, and more developers are sure to follow suit. My hope is that a large chunk of PSN games will be cross-platform from now on, allowing you to play on either system.
If you purchased PSP games on the PSN, you can transfer them to your Vita from your PS3. About 250 PSP games are currently in the Vita store, but the rest must be transferred from PS3. Unfortunately PS1 classics cannot be played on Vita at launch, but Sony should fix that in the near future.
For games, the Vita’s battery life clocks in around five hours. This is a pretty big number for a system with such power. The charger includes a USB cable to hook the Vita to a PS3 or PC to transfer files and download games.
The Vita comes in two flavors: wi-fi only, and 3G. I see no use for the 3G, since you can’t play games over 3G, and even downloading games would eat up your data in no time. I opted for the 3G system only because it was a part of the first edition bundle. If you want the wi-fi only version, it will be hitting shelves next Wednesday, 2/22/2012. The wi-fi Vita is $250, and the 3G Vita can be had as part of a $300 bundle that includes an 8 gigabyte memory card and a game voucher once you use the month of included 3G service. I would recommend this bundle as you’ll need a memory card anyway.
The Vita does not come with internal storage, so games, saves, videos, music and any other content will be stored on memory cards. The cards are pricey, with the largest, 32 gigabyte card coming in at $99. It’s sad that Sony didn’t learn from the PSP, but those prices will decrease with time and there will probably be cheaper, third-party cards in the near future.
Overall, I’m incredibly impressed with the system, and I think it’s a huge step in the right direction for Sony. Whether it will be as successful as the PSP remains to be seen, but including PS3 functionality like trophies, friends list, and messaging makes it a more robust system. The inclusion of analog sticks will allow for smoother ports of PS3 games, and will prevent the convoluted control systems that hindered some PSP games. The fact that Sony decided not to include internal storage and is charging so much for memory is sad, but the $300 bundle is a great value, and the cards will certainly drop in price eventually. The Vita itself is a beautiful device, and I can’t get over how vibrant and crisp the OLED screen is. Games look amazing, and the screen is large enough to prevent discomfort, as is the entire system. The Vita has a huge amount of potential, and judging by the launch lineup and the games coming in the next few months, it won’t lack games in the short term. If developers continue to support the Vita, it could be an essential addition to any gamer’s collection.
If you purchased PSP games on the PSN, you can transfer them to your Vita from your PS3. About 250 PSP games are currently in the Vita store, but the rest must be transferred from PS3. Unfortunately PS1 classics cannot be played on Vita at launch, but Sony should fix that in the near future.
For games, the Vita’s battery life clocks in around five hours. This is a pretty big number for a system with such power. The charger includes a USB cable to hook the Vita to a PS3 or PC to transfer files and download games.
The Vita comes in two flavors: wi-fi only, and 3G. I see no use for the 3G, since you can’t play games over 3G, and even downloading games would eat up your data in no time. I opted for the 3G system only because it was a part of the first edition bundle. If you want the wi-fi only version, it will be hitting shelves next Wednesday, 2/22/2012. The wi-fi Vita is $250, and the 3G Vita can be had as part of a $300 bundle that includes an 8 gigabyte memory card and a game voucher once you use the month of included 3G service. I would recommend this bundle as you’ll need a memory card anyway.
The Vita does not come with internal storage, so games, saves, videos, music and any other content will be stored on memory cards. The cards are pricey, with the largest, 32 gigabyte card coming in at $99. It’s sad that Sony didn’t learn from the PSP, but those prices will decrease with time and there will probably be cheaper, third-party cards in the near future.
Overall, I’m incredibly impressed with the system, and I think it’s a huge step in the right direction for Sony. Whether it will be as successful as the PSP remains to be seen, but including PS3 functionality like trophies, friends list, and messaging makes it a more robust system. The inclusion of analog sticks will allow for smoother ports of PS3 games, and will prevent the convoluted control systems that hindered some PSP games. The fact that Sony decided not to include internal storage and is charging so much for memory is sad, but the $300 bundle is a great value, and the cards will certainly drop in price eventually. The Vita itself is a beautiful device, and I can’t get over how vibrant and crisp the OLED screen is. Games look amazing, and the screen is large enough to prevent discomfort, as is the entire system. The Vita has a huge amount of potential, and judging by the launch lineup and the games coming in the next few months, it won’t lack games in the short term. If developers continue to support the Vita, it could be an essential addition to any gamer’s collection.
