DS vs. PSP: Head to Head Comparison Feb 19 '06 (Updated Jun 09 '06)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Video Game Consoles Microsoft Xbox 360 Arcade Black Console From $295 Nintendo DSi Pink Console From $100 The Bottom Line Which to choose, DS or PSP? Read this breakdown by price, graphics, functionality, and more to decide. For a long time there was only one clear choice in portable gaming: the newest Nintendo handheld. But now that Sony has tossed their hat in the ring, things are a bit more complicated. The Playstation Portable (or PSP), Sony's mobile multimedia machine, and the DS, Nintendo's innovative twist on the Game Boy, are both attractive and in demand. Sure, life would be easy if we could all just buy both and ride off into the sunset, but I know I'm not that lucky. So, if you have to choose one, which should it be? First off, this article is not intended to be a full review of all of the features of each system. For that, you can read my PSP review and my DS review. Instead, I'm going to compare the two systems on various points. While it's tempting to just add up all the wins in each category and declare one or the other "the best", the real world doesn't work that way. Everyone has different wants and needs, so hopefully this will help you decide which one best meets your standards. Graphics We'll start out with a fairly easy one. Gamers are obsessed with graphics, and finally having a handheld with better visuals than, say, a ten-year old console has really kicked this battle into high gear. Let's face it, while the Game Boy Advance was good for a handheld, it lacked a bit visually, especially when trying to do anything 3D. The DS and PSP improve on this, but the PSP more so. While the DS does 3D pretty well and has enough juice to put out decent graphics, the PSP is basically a PS2 in a smaller package. Nintendo has never really been able to put out a handheld that can make games look equivalent to a current console, but Sony went above and beyond, giving the PSP enough oomph to really shine. Winner: PSP Functionality Honestly, this probably wouldn't even be a category if the PSP didn't do so much. I mean, otherwise this would basically be "they both play games." But Sony made the PSP much more than just a handheld gaming platform; it plays UMD movies, digital music, and even has a web browser. If it had a cell phone, it'd be the only pocket-sized piece of electronic hardware you'd ever need (but you'd look like an idiot holding it to the side of your head). With all of these extra abilities, the PSP wins this one hands down. There are two caveats here, though. Recent news says that the DS will indeed get its own web browser, allowing users to hop on any wireless connection anywhere (and with the touch screen, it should be a lot easier to actually type and navigate). Also, while the PSP can play music and store pictures, the 32MB memory card that comes with the system is way too small to do so and save game data, so you'll have to pony up for a bigger one. Winner: PSP Control Until now, handheld systems have been pretty basic. A directional pad and a few buttons was all you got, not much more than we had on the NES controller two decades ago. But the PSP and DS both bring fresh options to the table. Sony finally gives us console-like control with an analog control stick, but Nintendo went way out on a limb, putting a microphone and a touch screen on the DS. These seemed like gimmicks at first, but once the DS's game library grew it became obvious that the touch screen was more than just an interesting oddity; it really made games fresh and interesting. Time will only tell how many more innovative uses for it developers can dream up. Winner: DS The Games This is where the decision lies for a lot of buyers, but I have some bad news. I can't tell you what games you like. Okay, that's more like common sense, but it means that this is a tough call to make. Sony made the PSP a mini-PS2 and it shows in the games, which tend to be very similar to their console counterparts. Now really, if you already played it on the PS2, do you want to spend another $50 to play it on the go? On the other hand, the DS has a handful of really interesting, unique games that can draw even non-gamers in, and they seem to hold the "must have" panache that the PSP's titles lack. Games like Mario Kart and Animal Crossing are selling systems, and the upcoming Metroid Prime title has gamers drooling onto their touch screens. The PSP does have an advantage in the fighting and RPG genres, however. The DS doesn't have much to offer for either of those types of games, but the PSP has a good number of ported 2D fighters and seems to be accumulating RPG's faster than Angelina Jolie accumulates adopted kids. The DS makes up for this by being backward compatible with all Game Boy Advance games, so the RPG addiction can be fed with the numerous excellent games made for that system. Winner: Tie Wireless Connectivity Both the DS and PSP have WiFi capability, and both use this to connect gamers directly and through the Internet. But each system takes this in a different direction, with a different focus. The PSP had games right from the outset that were designed for Internet play, and connecting and finding players works a lot like it does on a console. The DS, however, focused early on connecting players directly, and only after a year or so did games playable over the Internet start to trickle out. In addition, the DS uses "friend codes" for online play, so you can't just connect to a server and go; you have to swap codes with people before you can play. This is actually good for parents, since it's a little protection from your child running into questionable people online. Another boost for the DS is the ability to download temporary versions of games from a friend if you don't have a copy of a game. This means that only one person needs to actually buy the game to play multiplayer, which is a huge bonus. Winner: Tie Price Well, this one is going to be a bit obvious. The DS is a reasonable $130, or $150 if you get a game bundle. The PSP costs $250, which is understandable knowing how much technology went into it, but for that price you can almost get an Xbox 360. In addition, you can't really use the PSP out of the box for everything it's designed to do; if you really want to listen to music or play movies from a memory stick, you'll need to spend $50 or so on a bigger one. Also, since the DS has a protective clamshell design, it's good to go anywhere as-is, but the PSP's large, gorgeous screen is very exposed, so you'll want something better than the soft carrying case included. The PSP's battery life is pretty short too, so many owners opt for a backup battery as well. Basically, you're going to spend more than $300, and possibly as much as $400, if you really want to use the PSP. There's a cost beyond just the system itself, and that's the games. The PSP's games retail for about the price of regular console game, around $50. UMD movies for the PSP, which usually don't have the bonus features found on their DVD counterparts, run $20-$30. On the other hand, the DS's games are relatively cheap; most of them retail for about $35, and some are even less expensive on release. Not only is the DS the cheaper system, but it's cheaper to play over the long term too. Winner: DS Well, that didn't solve anything now, did it? It comes out 2-2-2 in nobody's favor. But like I said, choosing an overall winner isn't the point, it's all about what's important to you. For many of us, price is the determining factor, and the DS wins by a mile. For others, it's all about having the newest technology and the shiniest graphics, and the PSP has no competition. Perhaps the best answer comes from the market, where both systems continue to fight hard to gain handheld dominance. The result? Great games for everyone, no matter which system you choose.

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