Features & Specifications
The new PSP has the same basic specifications as the old PSP. Games and movies are still stored on UMD discs. You can even pop your Memory Stick out of your old PSP if you are upgrading and play from your previous saved games without any issues. Size wise the new PSP is a bit slimmer and by a bit, I mean a tiny bit. It is 0.7-inch thick whereas the old PSP was 0.9-inch thick. The weight of the new system is 6.7 ounces as compared to the weight of the old system at 9.2 ounces.

Sony doubled the amount of onboard memory with the slim PSP from the original 32MB to 54MB in the slim PSP. The screen is the same on both machines and the WiFi adapter is the same as well. The slim PSP gains the ability to use a component out cable to play games on a larger screen.

Gaming wise the two systems are identical. Other than the slight reduction in thickness, the bulk of the weight savings comes thanks to the smaller, thinner battery pack. The new PSP uses a 1200mAh battery while the old PSP used an 1800mAh battery. While the battery is smaller, the new PSP uses less power so game play time is rated the same by Sony at 3-6 hours.

Gaming
On the game titles I played, I noticed a slight improvement in load times for games and levels, but nothing to write home about. External changes to the new PSP include the loss of the UMD eject button. You now simply pry the UMD bay door open with your fingernail. The WiFi button now sites where the eject button is on the old PSP.

The body color is still black, though you can get special edition PSP bundles that come in different colors. The old PSP was glossy black on the front and a matte black on the back, which I liked. The new PSP has the glossy black on both the front and back. Not only does this attract more fingerprints and scuffs than the matte finish, the glossy new PSP offers less grip when playing with sweaty palms. The reminder of the PSP features from the original PSP carry over. One new addition is the ability to charge via USB with eh new PSP, but it takes around 5 hours so most of us will stick to the AC adapter.

In the end, if you still have a functional PSP you really don’t need the new slim PSP. In real world gameplay, I hardly noticed the weight difference and the improvement in load time of games like Burnout, Test Drive Unlimited and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories was minimal. If you simply must play your PSP games on a bigger screen, it’s a worthwhile update and if you are new to the PSP looking to get your first device, it is a no brainer.