The PSP on the Outside

While Sony’s PlayStation Portable was the most powerful handheld game console at its launch, it was also the largest and heaviest. It’s still one of the nicest looking, though, with a sleek, rounded industrial design aesthetic. The button configuration matches that of its big brother, the PlayStation 2, except the PSP only has one shoulder button on each side and has only a single analog nub instead of the PS2’s dual sticks.​

The PSP’s Sights and Sounds

The PSP’s screen was larger than many other handhelds of its generation, with a higher resolution, so playing games and watching movies was a visual feast. The stereo sound wasn’t especially loud through the built-in speakers, but with headphones on you could hear every sound effect and crank up the volume.

Multimedia on the PSP

PSP games and movies were available on Sony’s UMD (Universal Media Disc) format, which Sony claimed were DVD quality. There was also a Memory Stick slot for a Memory Stick Duo or Pro Duo. The PSP could play back audio and video saved on a PSP-formatted Memory Stick and display saved photos or other image files. Each firmware update supported more audio, graphics, and video formats, expanding the possibilities.

The PSP’s Power Supply

A lithium-ion battery pack offered a decent length of playtime. Obviously, playing graphics-intensive games or movies drained the battery faster than playing music with the screen dark. The AC adaptor allowed for playing and charging the battery at the same time.

PSP Hardware Specifications

Here’s all the technical info about what the PSP has inside and out:

Color: Black, Ceramic white (Japan and Europe only), Pink (Europe only), Tsukimi—black with copper (Japan only), Kachofugetsu—white with black and red (Japan only)Dimensions: 6.7"/170 mm wide x 2.9"/74 mm high x .9"/23 mm deepWeight: .62 lbs/280 g (including battery)CPU: PSP CPU (1-333 MHz)Memory: 32 MB Main Memory, 4 MB embedded DRAMDisplay:4.3", 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD screen480 x 272 pixels16.77 million colorsMaximum luminance 180/130/80 cd/m2 (when using battery pack)Maximum luminance 200/180/130/ 80 cd/m2 (when using AC adaptor)Sound: Built-in stereo speakers, Headset connectorConnectors, Ports and Drives:IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi)USB 2.0 (mini-B)Memory Stick DuoInfraredDC in 5 V connectorHeadset connectorUMD drive (Read only)Buttons and Switches:D-padAnalog nubTriangle, circle, cross, squareRight and left shoulderStart, Select, and HomePower/HoldDisplay brightness, sound, volume up, volume downWireless LAN on/offUMD latchPower:Lithium-ion batteryAC adaptorAccess control:UMD region codingParental control

UMD (Universal Media Disc) Specifications

The PSP used the Universal Media Disc format for its physical games. Here are the full specifications:

Dimensions:65 mm tall x 64 mm wide x 4.2 mm deep60 mm disc diameterWeight: 10 gCapacity: 1.8 GB (single-sided, dual-layer)Wavelength: 660 nm (red laser)Encryption: AES 128-bit