Help me choose! DS or PSP?

[Suh Dude]

Well, I want a handheld for my birthday. My friends recommended me to get a Nintendo DS, and some said PSP. I'm not sure what to buy since they're both fun to play with but I heard someone problems from both of them. Nintendo is to play with, but then PSP has the best games. I like both of them, but I just don't know what to get. :/

 

[PiXel]

i vote for psp.... cuz i like sony

 

[Kasey]

Depends if you have a money limit. Both are good but DS is $100 cheaper so if you wanted more games or something you could get them. It also depends on what type of games you like. I have a DS and it got boring so im getting a PSP too. PSP does a lot more stuff than the DS. DS has N64 graphics and PSP has PS2 graphics. I suggest that you go to www.nintendo.com and www.playstation.com

 

[Enix]

DS if you wub nintendo

PSP if you want to add $260 to sony's blood bank.

 

[TwisteR]

I would go with a PSP. Ive been a sony fan since.....i got my ps2. But, you can watch movies on it also, and play mp3s.

 

[Engar]

My vote goes for the DS. I've supported both Sony and Nintendo in the past but here I'm definitely drawn to Nintendo. The touch screen opens up a whole list of possibilities - most prominently in regards to First Person Shooters - and personally I am looking forward to a whole list of games that are about to pop up.

Also, if you're willing to shell out the extra cash, in the near future you will be able to play movies and songs on the DS.

In the end you have to make your own choice. Since it's still just the beginning it's hard to tell where either handheld will go. I've chosen to go with the DS and I'm glad I did - whether you'll have the same reaction I simply can't say.

 

[ImpTaimer]

PSP:
On the bright side--you can play videos, music, look at pictures, and might be able to d/l and play games on it. The games are lush with graphics and the sound isn't half bad either, but so far there's only ports and cheap knockoffs.

On the dark side--well... lets just say if you don't treat it like a child then it'll turn your pockets inside out. I saw some kid twist it, out of excitement, and the screen almost shattered, not to mention that it opened up. Also its loadtimes are horrible, only a few games are actually worth playing, its battery life is as long as a tick in alcohol, and the analog blows. Last but not least "The multiplayer sucks hard arse," so says my little brother. (*cou-mgsacidsucks-gh*)

DS:
On the bright side--you can play ds games, gba games, chat/draw with people, even play multiplayer, and there's litterally no load time with 18 hr battery life. Now unlike the PSP, the DS can take some damage. You can also probobly fit every single DS game that comes out in your pocket. And finally, it has a touch screen

On the dark side--you can't play gb/gbc games, everytime you change something in the DS menu it asks you to shut it down, it has playstation/N64 grade graphics, and only a few games are worth playing. Also, its kinda chunky.
------------

But really, it's up to you. My little brother has a PSP and DS and he cares about his DS more then me :\

 

[Nuttzy]

the battery life is about 6-8 hours, least for me anyways. under normal conditions,
would you sit and play a psp for all 8 of those hours? i highly doubt it

its when you play online that the battery life really comes into play. the wifi connection really sucks the battery dry.
but since it uses a wifi connection, chances are theres a computer nearby, with a electrical outlet not far behind.


i say psp, ive owned one for awhile now and im not dissappointed in it.
i only personally own wipeout but the game is just amzing for such a small screen. and the tony hawk game looks and plays almost every bit as good as the ps2 version. ridge racer is also a good game, but i didnt play it but for about 15 minutes. (compare ridge racer for the DS and the PSP and youll be in awe at the difference)

the only real complaint i have for the psp is how much fingerprints stand out on it.

 

[Phatslugga]

In my opinion, one isn't really better than the other. It all depends on the situation. The PSP is very impressive, but as most people know, it's very expensive. It's $250 for the system alone.. You can't even do anything with it yet, and you've spent close to $300. If you buy a movie you add another $20 to that, buy a game, add about $35 more. If you want to have a decent amount of MP3's on the system, you'll want at least a 512 memory stick.. so you can add another $80 to that. If you want to transfer said mp3's from your computer to your PSP, you'll need the USB cable, which is another $10. So know you can listen to mp3's watch 1 movie, and play 1 game all for a measley $395. Don't get me wrong, the system is awesome, but my budget isn't. There are tons of other accessories/media that I haven't mentioned that can easily allow you to spend over $1000 for your system.

The DS on the otherhand is much cheaper, it's only $150 for the system, and an additional $20-40 for each game. Most of the games are pretty cool, and feature a lot of interactivity. In my opinion, the DS still isn't nearly as entertaining as the PSP is (Yes, I've played with both). The PSP has better graphics, and more capabilities, but becuase of that, costs much more. Also, if you already have an MP3 player, and a portable DVD player, then the PSP isn't worth the money. At that point it would be better to get a DS, which while cheaper, still has some great games on it, and backwards compatibility with all of the Gameboy games.

There is no right or wrong answer, it all depends on you.

 

[Suh Dude]

Also, if you're willing to shell out the extra cash, in the near future you will be able to play movies and songs on the DS.

Holy crap! I'm diffiantly getting a DS. I was going to get the PSP just for the movies, but then after I just saw this, I'm surprised. Keep them coming. Maybe I'll change my mind.. lol

Jk. I want the PSP... why spend 75 more dollars when you can get the PSP... lol

 

[Majin_You]

I recommend either. I've tried both, personally. However, since trying both, I have not thought once about getting a PSP. The only thing I liked about the PSP was Lumines. All of the other games I tried were basically the same things I could play on my PS2 - I don't need a hand-held PS2, I want a new system. The DS, however...well, suffice it to say that the only thing stopping me from getting a DS is that I'm waiting to see if there is a price drop in September when Nintendo releases a bunch of new material for the DS.

The bottom line for me: The PSP is a pocket PS2, in my opinion. If I were dropping the near $500 after tax (that's Canadian, folks, not US dollars), I'd want something a bit newer than tiresome racing games I could just get for my PS2.

I'd much rather wait to peform surgery in an upcoming DS title - I want something new.

...of course, that's just me. I don't fancy graphics being the determining factor for a console. If there is better inovation in the games, I'd sacrifice graphics. Besides, the DS graphics are not really that bad. They are a cut above the PSX and 64, but aren't really PS2 quality. On a small screen, though, it really doesn't matter to me.

"Gameplay > Graphics" is the only reason I have not chewed out my bro for returning his PSP.

 

[Ravendust]

Well seeing as you have to choose one over the other, i'd say the PSP for more functionality and general style (DS looks like a kids toy, PSP looks like ownage). The DS' touch screen seems more like a novelty than a gameplay feature, whereas the PSP runs all the cool PS1 games remade, plus mp3's, movies and whatnot.

Yeah...you can pretty much see which way I lean in this arguement.

Imo.

 

[Mattman243]

Well, my dad owns a PSP, and I own a DS. And I think that the choice is yours to make...Do you like Killer graphics and movies in a handheld(And have the extra cash)? Get the PSP! But if you love addicting gameplay and all the goodness of touching, than get a DS. I, personally, love the PSP's graphics, but the buttons along the bottom are impossable to see when playing in the dark...Also, the load times on some of the games are crazy ;( But with the DS, you get N64 graphics, easy to find buttons, and NO LOAD TIMES! And if you think about it, the DS(and games) are smaller than the PSP. The DS cards are about a third of the size of the PSP "discs." Also the DS protects itself with the flip screen, while with the PSP, you have to buy a screen protector or risk scratching that $250 screen. O_O

So! I think that overall, I would choose the DS. aper:

 

[Majin_You]

Well seeing as you have to choose one over the other, i'd say the PSP for more functionality and general style (DS looks like a kids toy, PSP looks like ownage). The DS' touch screen seems more like a novelty than a gameplay feature, whereas the PSP runs all the cool PS1 games remade, plus mp3's, movies and whatnot.

Yeah...you can pretty much see which way I lean in this arguement.

Imo.

First off, I don't intend to turn this into a debate.

However, I disagree, completely, with the statement made that the touch screen is a novelty. Have you played any of the newer DS games, yet? The touch screen actually offers a unique benefit to people who are really into FPS-style games. Having tried this style of game on the DS, I was actually completely surprised at how similar it was to playing an FPS on my PC. The stylus and touch screen make aiming just as easy as it would be with a mouse. Many of the newer games planned will also take advantage of the touch screen. Sure, a few of the launch titles haven't yet used the touch screen in a feature-like manner, but many of the soon-to-be released games will.

As for the DS looking like a toy. Well, that's a matter of opinion. The PSP looks like a wider version of the GBA with a few more buttons, to me. The system's external shouldn't be selling you, the games should be - and anyone who claims that the touch screen is a novelty and not a feature has clearly not been following where the DS is going in the coming months.

Again, I ask that gameplay and innovation be considered AT LEAST as much as graphics are.

And, Ravendust, if this came off as an attack against your opinion, then I apologize. My intent was only to dispel a few misinformed rumours about the DS. I want to keep the playing field as level as possible in this thread.

 

[Sicron]

erhhh i have the same problem, and everyone says the same "psp battery sucks, ds is for kids etc etc" and i really dont know what too chose, i like the playstations games more than nintendo, and i dont really care about battery life power (like i play for 8 hours after eachother, and after 8 hours, i dont mind recharging) however...i hear some complaints about the psp which i dont really like, such as dead pixels...

the ds is...well rather bulky, the thing is HUGE which looks stupid imo....i dont really like touchscreens anyway, just makes it annoying when playing a shooter, you suddenly need to watch at your touchscreen and miss half of the action...

Well anyway, the psp will be released in september here in holland, so i hope by the time it gets released here it will have some better games....then i will see if its worth buying

 

[Majin_You]

i dont really like touchscreens anyway, just makes it annoying when playing a shooter, you suddenly need to watch at your touchscreen and miss half of the action...

Well anyway, the psp will be released in september here in holland, so i hope by the time it gets released here it will have some better games....then i will see if its worth buying

Actually, the focus is still put on the main screen. The bottom (touch) screen is used mainly for peripheral items such as a radar or an inventory. Otherwise, it's used just like a mousepad - you use it to aim and keep your focus on the action.

And I'm inclined to agree that people should actually wait, unless they've already purchased one of the new handhelds, until a little later. For either system, I haven't really found much in the way of earth-shattering games. The DS has a few neat platformers, and the PSP has a few, graphically "shiny" games, but other than that, there is nothing really awe-inspiring on either system. I'm not sure when the next big set of games is set to release for the PSP, but September will bring a lot of new games for the DS. I'm with Sicron in that your best bet is to wait for some really good titles before going out and picking one of (or, if you're in the money) or both of the new handhelds.

In the end, I'm going to quote myself from Judge's sig:

A lot of issues could be solved by acknowledging the difference that preference makes.

Go with what works for you. Wait until there are a few new titles out for either system, and then make your decision. To be blunt, both don't have all that much worth spending a lot of money on, yet. Still, your preference should be what matters, Swift, not our's.

 

[Optimus Prime]

You can use MSN on the PSP. Through some backdoor hack in Wipeout. How cool is that! Get a PSP xD.

Oh and Maj, where did you see the PSP for $500? :|! I thought it was $349 if I remember correctly while talking about it with a co-worker who also works at futureshop. Which by no means is cheap, but would only be about $400 after taxes.

 

[Sicron]

can anyone say how the internet works on the psp? do you need to plug it in to a "hotspot" or whatever those special internet places are called, or can you also plug it into your modem or something to "msn"p) or download stuff for games

 

[Majin_You]

Oh and Maj, where did you see the PSP for $500? :|! I thought it was $349 if I remember correctly while talking about it with a co-worker who also works at futureshop. Which by no means is cheap, but would only be about $400 after taxes.

That price (~$500) was based on the amount my bro paid for his when he got it from Future Shop last month (it was promptly returned when he decided he had better things to do with his money...pity, I really liked Lumines ). But, I digress, the price he paid, which was close to $500 (somewhere in the relatively high 400's) was from Future Shop, actually. That was for the system and one game. The price of the service plan he bought for it was negligible by comparision (he gets a discount on that because he works at Best Buy and, as such, used his employee discount to buy the service plan on the system).

 

[ZeroNightmare]

psp for the win!