Handheld Game Systems

Games to go

If you want to take your games on the road, experts overwhelmingly pick the Nintendo DSi (*Est. $170) as the best handheld video game console -- with a couple of caveats. The Nintendo DSi is an update to the DS Lite (*Est. $130), a similar dual-screen handheld console. The DSi adds two cameras, an SD card slot and access to online downloads at the Nintendo DSi store, DSiWare; otherwise it's a relatively minor update to the Nintendo DS Lite. If you already have a DS Lite, most experts say there are few reasons to upgrade, especially if you have a collection of GameBoy Advance titles, which are not playable on the DSi. Reviewers also caution that the Nintendo DSi won't satisfy serious gamers, who will appreciate the more realistic graphics on the Sony PSP line (described below).

With those caveats aside, experts say the Nintendo DSi is a great choice for kids, families or casual gamers. Jeff Bakalar at CNET calls it one of the best consoles on the market, saying the DSi is "the company's most ambitious and solidly designed portable system yet." Most reviewers like the multimedia features, including music playback (AAC format only) and audio recording, although others think they're gimmicky. The Nintendo DSi has larger screens than the previous version, and Chris Kohler at Wired thinks more screen real estate improves the gaming experience. Owners at Amazon.com also give the DSi very high ratings, praising the fun camera effects, matte case, larger screens and improved audio quality.

Some notable downsides for the Nintendo DSi include wimpy internal storage of 256 MB and a short battery life. Darren Gladstone at PC World gets four hours of battery life in his test, three hours less than the DS Lite. Experts say the DSiWare store, while easy to use, could benefit from more titles. However, Nintendo has been adding more games to the DSiWare store since the DSi debuted in April, and it launched Facebook integration in August.

The Nintendo DS Lite is still available; it's cheaper than the DSi and has longer battery life. It lacks some of the DSi's new features, and the glossy case shows more fingerprints and smudges. However, unlike the DSi, the Nintendo DS Lite does play GameBoy Advance games. It also earns glowing reviews at both Amazon.com and Buzzillions.com, where thousands of owners give the handheld console above-average ratings. If you're on a budget or if you have a bunch of GameBoy Advance titles, the Nintendo DS Lite is also a good choice.

For more serious gamers, experts recommend one of Sony's handheld PSP consoles. Last year, Sony introduced the PSP 3000 (*Est. $170), to replace the now-discontinued (though still available) Sony PSP 2000 (Discontinued). The PSP 3000 boasts a more vibrant 4.3-inch LCD display and a longer battery life than the PSP 2000. It also includes a built-in microphone, Wi-Fi, integrated Skype and music/video playback. John Falcone at CNET says the PSP 3000 offers more realistic graphics and a better game library than Nintendo's DS line of handheld consoles.

However, users and reviewers report interlacing artifacts in the display, which become particularly noticeable during fast-motion games. According to postings at CNET and elsewhere, Sony says that the artifact -- which appears as horizontal lines -- is a byproduct of the other improvements in the display. Most reviewers are willing to forgive the lines due to noticeably richer colors and crisp details; "No screen this size has ever looked this good," says Chris Chiarella at DigitalTrends.com. Chiarella calls the Sony PSP 3000 a "handheld marvel," and it gets very high marks in owner-written reviews. On Amazon.com, more than 85 percent of users give the PSP 3000 a four- or five-star rating.

Sony PSP Go: Is it worth $250?

The story is quite different for the new Sony PSP Go (*Est. $250), a handheld console that was released in September. Few experts recommend the PSP Go, and it gets mediocre ratings in initial user reviews. It suffers from a host of drawbacks, including a hefty price tag, limited game selection and an inability to play Universal Media Disc (UMD) titles. Reviewers think the Sony PSP Go is horribly overpriced -- for $50 more you can get a full-size Sony PlayStation 3 Slim, complete with an integrated Blu-ray player and a 120 GB hard drive.

The Sony PSP Go is significantly slimmer than previous PlayStation portables, and experts agree that the sleek, compact design is one of this console's high points. A new game-pause feature also gets rave reviews. The PSP Go comes with a 3.8-inch LCD display (down from 4.3 inches), 16 GB of internal memory and a M2 Memory Stick Micro slot. Built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi allow for web browsing, wireless headsets and Skype functionality. Games are downloaded digitally from the PlayStation Network. Notably, the lack of a UMD drive, found on Sony's previous handheld consoles, means that current PlayStation owners with lots of UMD games are out of luck -- you'll have to purchase these games again (for $20 to $40) if you want to play them on the PSP Go. While Sony's UMD system is notoriously unpopular, gamers are fuming that Sony is not offering a discount or trade-in program for loyal PSP users with large UMD libraries.

Digital downloads are painstakingly slow via Wi-Fi -- taking over two hours in one test -- and they can't run in the background while you play another game. Joel Santo Domingo at PCMag.com calls the download process "excruciating." Reviewers say the controls are awkward and cramped, and they are disappointed Sony hasn't updated its PSP line with a touch screen.

The biggest complaint, though, is the price. "It's safe to say that this is a sexy gaming handheld that's got potential but is overpriced at $250," says CNET. Ben Kuchera at ArsTechnica.com is more blunt, saying the Sony PSP Go is "nothing but raw deal after raw deal." Kuchera thinks the Sony PSP 3000 is a much better option, and most users posting to Amazon.com agree. These owners say the Sony PSP Go is sexy and sleek, but it offers less functionality for more money than previous models, such as the Sony PSP 3000.

CNET and others say that the PSP Go offers a brighter, crisper display than the Sony PSP 3000, but the two handheld consoles are similar when it comes to game speed and performance in tests at CNET and PCMag.com test. When it comes to the Nintendo DSi, Joel Santo Domingo at PCMag.com says the Sony PSP Go has superior graphics performance, but he likes that the DSi can play old DS games (though not, as noted, GameBoy Advance games), while the PSP Go is limited to downloads only.