Sony has released a relatively new handheld gaming device, The PlayStation Vita. Although it appears to be designed very similar the Play Station Portable when it comes to the outside looks. The vita has many upgrades that bring it into this realm of handheld gaming.
Engineered with a durable and strong outer shell the PlayStation Vita feels solid, even with its 3.3 x 7.2 x .7-inch size and only weight 9.8 ounces. This small and lightweight gaming system is great for on-the-go gaming.
The top portion of this gaming device holds the game cards while on the bottom of the device is the memory card slot. While the Vita only comes with 3G of memory, the cards are removable and replaceable, so you can purchase a larger memory card separately.
With Wi-Fi capabilities, you can download games onto this device instantly without having to purchase the game card. But with a small memory card you can only hold a limited amount of games.
The Wi-Fi capabilities also provide the means to have Bluetooth compatibility. This compatibility allows you to hook up any Bluetooth speaker or headset to maximize your gaming potential.
The OLED touchscreen is 5 inches wide with a 960 x 544-pixel resolution which creates a high definition display that is clear and perfect for gaming. The touchscreen feature allows you to pinch to zoom in on a web browser or in games, which can give you an advantage over other gamers.
A bonus feature that this handheld gaming device has that most do not feature is it’s front and back facing camera.
Great for creating gaming profile pictures or just to have an added device with your portable gaming device. While the lightweight feature of this gaming system makes it easy to hold, there are also two rubberized hand grips that provide comfort for resting fingers while playing the game.
Along with the comfortable resting grips this device has two shoulder buttons, two analog sticks, volume controls, and four face buttons for special moves in your game.
Table of Contents
Features
- Wi-Fi Accessible
- Bluetooth Compatible
- 3G removable memory card, can purchase larger memory card
- Rubberized hand grips for comfort
- High Definition OLED touchscreen
- Dual analog sticks with responsive control for first and third person gaming
- Game with Dual Analog Sticks for precision control
- Play a wide range of PS4 games on PS Vita system with Remote Play
- Experience a growing library of games at your fingertips
- Over 900 games available to play on PS Vita system through PSN, including new hits, PS one Classics, PS Mobile games, and more
- Experience brilliant gaming with the 5 OLED touchscreen
- Experience touch screen controls available on PS Vita system
Pros
- Durable Construction, doors protecting memory card and game disc
- 2 quad core processors for better gaming quality
- 5 inch OLED touchscreen, great for pinch zooming and clear gaming graphics
- Wi-Fi capability allowing easy game downloads
- Bluetooth compatibility to enhance gaming experience
Cons
- Short Battery life, only lasts a couple of hours
- Only a 3G memory card is included, additional memory cards can cost more money
- Battery is non removeable, which can cause device to overheat, and hard to reset if it freezes
Verdict
Overall the PlayStation Vita is a top of the line handheld gaming system. It is a great upgrade from Sony’s PlayStation Portable, that may look the same, but does not have as many features.
The dual analog sticks mimic those on a PlayStation controller allowing the player to have full responsive control over the avatars in the game, moving both the avatar’s sight and their body in either first or third person gaming.
The Bluetooth compatibility allows you to hook up wireless Bluetooth headsets so you can feel like you have jumped right into the game. And the Wi-Fi capability is a major upgrade from the PSP because it allows for instant game download.
But with that being said, it only comes with a 3G memory card that first comes with the PlayStation Vita, there is a limited amount of space that you will have available for downloading more than a few simple games.
Either you can purchase a larger memory card to be able to have many games at your fingertips, or you must purchase the game cards separate and lug around all those discs. Either way, these features cause you to spend more money.
Also, downloading a lot of games will kill the already short battery life that the PlayStation Vita has. If you plan on bringing this along for a road trip make sure to purchase a portable charger for in the car, because this gaming device will only last a couple of hours of nonstop playing.
In the end, the pros outweigh the cons with this handheld gaming device. Luckily the disadvantages that come with the PlayStation Vita can be fixed with only a couple of more dollars spent on extra accessories. If you want the best handheld gaming system currently on the market, then you have to pay the price.