PSP handheld consoles proved to be a game changer back when they were first introduced in 2004. They brought about a revolutionary change in the handheld console gaming industry. With the latest revolutionary PSP consoles, Sony gave a tough time to their contemporary rival’s Nintendo DS console.
As of now, the iconic PSP consoles have been almost 2 decades old! During this interval, several new handheld consoles have surfaced and come with better specifications. Some examples of the latest retro handheld consoles are Miyoo Mini, RG353M, and Retroid Pocket 3.
However, none of them have managed to live up to the hype compared to what Sony’s PlayStation Portable consoles lived. How many of the latest retro handheld consoles do you know that are mentioned above?
And yet you know about Sony’s PSP handheld consoles!
Are you looking forward to buying a new PSP in 2023? Then get one for yourself at RetroGamingStores where you can find many PSP consoles in great working conditions. And that, too, at affordable prices and in various colors.
Even in 2023, Sony’s PlayStation Portable is still the unchallenged king of all the retro handheld consoles. Moreover, both the PSP-1000 and PSP-3000 support tons of emulation as we will soon see down below.
PlayStation Portable (PSP) Specifications
Before we take a tech dive into the technical specifications of PSP consoles, there is one important thing to know before. Even though the hardware specs play an important role in determining the performance of a hardware device, this is NOT THE ONLY criterion.
We also need to consider software programs and operating system that runs on these hardware chipboards. A hardware device with highly-efficient system software and decent specs is likely to outperform a hardware device with poor system software and high specs.
Back in the day, Sony incorporated state-of-the-art OS software on their handheld console devices. This is one of the reasons why PSP consoles stole the stage light of the time. No one could believe the sheer performance of these iconic handheld gaming consoles!
And the legend continues to live up even today…
PSP-1000
Release Date: December 12th, 2004.
PSP-1000 is the PSP console that was first introduced by Sony in Japan and then to the rest of the world later. It is the first hardware model of the PlayStation Portable console.
It comes with 32MB of RAM and a MIPS R4000 CPU Processor running at 333-MHz. PSP-1000 incorporates 32MB of internal storage that is fully reserved for the system software running the native 1.0 version.
It is packed with a removable 1800-mAh battery that gives around a maximum of 6 hours of video gaming. The battery can be upgraded to 2200 mAh. PSP-1000 has a lot of connectivity support, such as USB-2.0, a headphone jack, and even an infrared port; along with in-built support for Wi-Fi.
PSP-3000
Release Date: October 14th, 2008.
PSP-3000 is the PSP console that was first introduced by Sony in North America and then to the rest of the world later. It is the 3rd hardware revision of the PlayStation Portable console
It comes with 64 MB of RAM and a MIPS R4000 CPU Processor running at 333-MHz. PSP-3000 incorporates 64MB of internal storage that is fully reserved for the system software running the native 4.2 version.
It is packed with a removable 1200-mAh “more efficient” battery that gives the same average of around a maximum of 6 hours of video gaming. The battery can be upgraded to 2200 mAh. PSP-3000 has a lot of connectivity support, such as USB-2.0, a headphone jack, and even a microphone; along with in-built support for Wi-Fi.
Major Differences between PSP-1000 and PSP-3000
Even though PSP-3000 is better than PSP-1000 in almost every way, PSP-1000 still rocks. Mainly because it is the first-ever ground-breaking handheld gaming device that revolutionized the concept of handheld console gaming.
PSP-1000 enjoyed such unprecedented popularity that not even its younger sibling, PSP-3000, managed to live it, even though it is better.
Here is how PSP-3000 differs from PSP-1000
- Double the RAM
- Double the Internal Storage
- Efficient Battery
- More Vibrant LCD Display Screen
- Anti-Reflective Technology
- Higher System Software Native Version
- Microphone Functionality
Hundreds of Native Games for PSP Consoles
The soaring popularity of PlayStation Portable handheld consoles led developers to create hundreds and hundreds of games for it.
The usage of UMD Discs instead of ROM cartridges also added fuel to the fire. Back in the day, UMD Discs were more modern and better than their counterparts. As of now, there are a total of 1925 games for PSP consoles alone!
What makes it even more exciting is that PSOne classics have not been considered here. If you want to have an experience of a lifetime, we recommend you try out the following top 20 games for the PSP console:
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Get yourself a PSP console at RetroGamingStores online and have an exuberant time playing these iconic video games!
Support for Lots of Emulation on PSP
Assuming you are a fan of other retro handheld consoles, such as a Nintendo DS or Sega Genesis, we dedicate this section to you. Apart from the 2000-big library of PSP games, there’s still more to it than meets the eye. PlayStation Portable consoles support lots of emulation software that further opens up the gates to more game libraries!
What is an Emulation Software?
Think of an emulation software as a replicator program that copies the exact functionalities of device A onto device B running the emulation software for device A.
Requirements to Run Emulators on PSP Consoles
There is no rocket science here. Just make sure you are running the PSP firmware version 6.60 or 6.61. After this, you need to install the PSP Custom Firmware 6.61-Pro-C2. Check the installation guide here and see the latest version here.
Emulators on PSP Consoles
Thanks to modern technology, PSP consoles can literally emulate any retro handheld console. Be it Nintendo or Sega or any retro other consoles, PSP can emulate it with utmost ease!
Here is the list of some of the most popular platforms and their emulators a PlayStation Portable console can run on its device:
PlayStation 1 (PS1) - PSP Eboots
Gameboy Advance (GBA) - TempGBA4PSP, GpSP
Gameboy Color - MasterBoy 2.10
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) - NesterJ AoEX
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) - Snes9xTYL mecm Mod
Nintendo 64 (N64) - DaedalusX64
Nintendo DS - DSonPSP
Genesis - PicoDrive 1.51b
Master System - MasterBoy 2.10
Neo Geo Pocket - RACEI 2.16-1.0
WonderSwan - Oswan
Atari 130 / 5200 - PSPAtari
Atari 800 - Atari800
Atari 2600 - Atari2600
Atari 7800 - Atari7800
And just like that the list goes on…
PSP consoles can even emulate computers such as Amiga 500 and Apple II. As such, owing to the vast number of emulators made for the PSP, you can possibly play and enjoy every retro console made so far!
PSP is Still the King of Retro Handheld Consoles
Even though the PlayStation Portable console is nearing its 20-year-old journey, one cannot help but wonder what makes them the king of all retro handheld consoles!?
As we have already pointed out several times above, PSP consoles practically revolutionized the handheld console gaming industry. Sony developed their PlayStation Portable consoles with a much broader and more innovative concept keeping in mind.
Unlike ALL of their rivals, PSP consoles provided a “portable” platform to their users for a ton of diverse functionalities! Do you want to listen to music? You have an audio player on PSP. Do you want to stream a video? You have a video player on PSP. Do you want to surf the internet? You have a web browser on PSP. Do you want to store and view pictures? You have an image viewer on PSP. And of course, do you want to play games? You already know the answer! You have the All-Digital-Service-At-One-Stop PSP handheld console for it!
Even the major contender of the PlayStation Portable, the Nintendo DS, could only run games…
Now you see why PSP consoles are the king of all retro handheld consoles today! No retro handheld console of the time could do what the PSP console managed to achieve at the time.
PSP Hardware Aesthetics
Not an absolutely great selling point but it is one worthy aspect of consideration. Given people like buying stuff they find both attractive and performing well, PSP consoles awestruck everyone with its then-futuristic appealing hardware body design.
It is remarkably crafted to sit comfortably on the palm of your hand and conform well to prolonged usage. Even after gaming or streaming for hours, you will not feel any fatigue in your hands!
This is a very important criterion for hardcore gamers and for those who have got a taste in artful aesthetics. When compared with Nintendo’s handheld consoles of the time, PSP consoles were jaw-droppingly gorgeous looking! Just one look at it and you could not resist making a purchase for it.
Conclusion
These legendary iconic retro handheld consoles have been discontinued for a long time now. As of today, these are in limited supply but still, remarkably, enjoy a big demand. There are many people out there actively hunting for a PSP retro console just to get their hands on it.
Quickly order one at RetroGamingStores online now and book one for yourself before the supplies get completely exhausted!