PSP vs iPod

I was wondering
Im in the market for a new player
What shoud i get the Sony PSP or the iPod 20gb

If you want a media player buy an iPod...if you want to play games buy a PSP: the media app is just an add on for the game system. Also, I wouldn't want the extra bulk of the PSP if all I really wanted was a media player.

Yeah... this is mac forums... you know what most of us prefer!


(My vote is iPod 20GB. I have a mini and love it!)

Well...let's see...how would I come down on this...

If you listen to music most of the time... If you prefer simplicity over multifunction ability... If you prefer style over substance... If you prefer battery life in the over 10hr range... If you do not want to be lambasted around here...

By all means...an iPod is all that you need.

If you can handle recording, moving, and transcoding video around with ease... If you think the ability to watch movies/TV shows/Play Games/Listen to Music/Surf the net/"Soon to do even more" all in one device is a cool thing... If you don't mind a little heft when travelling... If you don't venture far from a wall or are willing to invest in extra batteries... If you are a gamer that does mucho travelling...

By all means...don't listen to the tards around here that knock on the PSP...just buy one. It's a great device. It does what it does...and right now...there's no true competition for it.

IMHO however...these two devices are not exactly comparable. I consider the PSP to be an excellent mobile video entertainment system that also happens to play some audio files...and I feel that the iPod is an excellent mobile digital audio player that also happens to have a few other features and allows one to view photos. Not in the same class these two...just pick which one you do most...or if you can afford it...get both.

Easy. If you want to watch movies and play games, then a PSP, otherwise an iPod.

You also have to remember that you have to buy a memory stick as well if you go the PSP route. So the amount of music you want to have available at your fingertips is another factor.

It would help us more if you could say what exactly you do and do NOT need etc...

I like the size of the iPod vs the PsP, but it seems that the PSP has a great deal of potential, I don't like it's expensive memory though.


From a link I found

Got a Sony PSP use it now to capture Podcasts

Well there is a new rom floating around for the Sony PSP which enables full web browsing. That being said I wanted to try out the capabilities of downloading podcasts using this new rom update. What I find amazing is that you now can download any podcast anywhere if you have your Sony PSP with you and a Wifi connection.

http://davesipaq.com/news/psp_podcatching_daves.html

Get a PSP...the ipod is overrated. I've got an ipod and use it frequently...thank gawd it was a gift. There are cheaper MP3 players out there that do the same darn thing.... except for the new photo capability I think. ( But I say, so what to that... the ipod photo LCD screen is no better than a good cell phone screen, and you don't have to go through transferring and all that jazz.) I feel the iPod is a rip off.

I don't even see the PSP and the iPod as competing products, I have both...

mynameis said:

I don't even see the PSP and the iPod as competing products, I have both...

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Here here...I fully support this comment. They are as much alike as a H2 is to a VW New Beetle TDI...Sure they both have wheels and they are both automobiles...but they sure can't claim to do many other similar things.

My only knock on the PSP is the over-priced (excuse me, ridiculously-priced) UMD Movies. If you've got the bucks to buy a big MS Pro Duo card and the time to transcode an existing DVD collection...that's great...but at $15 plus a pop for UMD versions...they're absolutely nutzo.

mcsenerd said:

Here here...I fully support this comment. They are as much alike as a H2 is to a VW New Beetle TDI...Sure they both have wheels and they are both automobiles...but they sure can't claim to do many other similar things.

My only knock on the PSP is the over-priced (excuse me, ridiculously-priced) UMD Movies. If you've got the bucks to buy a big MS Pro Duo card and the time to transcode an existing DVD collection...that's great...but at $15 plus a pop for UMD versions...they're absolutely nutzo.

Click to expand...

I'm guessing the respective manufacturers probably did not intend the two to be competing products...as such...I'm guessing the initial poster felt it is. I can see how the two are competing products. Having a choice...I'd choose the PSP over the iPod...simply because it is so much more capable portable MP3 player.

But it also really depends on your needs. It's really a "needs" vs. "wants" war for the buyer. I'm going to get an iBook soon, but what kept me from NOT buying it half a year ago was (well, I didn't have money, and) I THOUGHT I wanted a laptop that could handle everything, and be able to play all the games out now, so I was thinking of shelling out $1000 more on an Asus W3V. After the infatuation of "what I could do," I realize that I don't even play games that often. If I do, I play them for a month or two, then I get bored of it. So why waste the extra cash/bulk for something that CAN do things that I don't really need?

So, think about it. If you get a PSP, would you actually use it to play games, watch videos on a mini-screen, make planes crash? Or do you just want it because it CAN do that? How often are you travelling, and can't you already play BETTER games on your PS2 at home, and watch movies on it as well? Don't buying something just because of it's bigger capabilities. Think if those capabilities will actually be used, or just played around with for a few days/months.

It comes subconciously (well, to me), that I would want something because of it's capabilities, but then later realize that I don't need it.

Considering that the PSP is cheaper, looks much cooler imo, does a whole lot more, and will play all your music (albeit some file types made need a prog) I'd get it over the iPod. Of course though, if you can I'd say buy both, otherwise just buy the one that you think will suit you more.

The PSP isn't any much cheaper once you add in a decent memory card, lol. Again, it would really help if the original poster gave us more details on his/her needs.

It all depends on what you want. If all you do is listen to music go ipod b/c obviously u can hold more music b/c it has a hard drive whereas you have to buy memory sticks(!) to hold music. As a music player the psp is too bulky to put in a pocket. The benefits of a PSP is versatility. If you like top play video games, NOTHING beats this little machine. I love the graphics and screen!!!! Yes, battery life is not great but this is the first generation model and for ipod users, we all know how much of an issue battery life was on the earlier ipods. I find battery life is decent enough if you are a commuter 2-4 hours but not so much if you are on long trips but i guess u have to purchase an extra battery. Photo viewing will be superior on the better SONY PSP screen as well. U can watch video if that's your thing. For people into gaming, the PSP can be hacked and modded. U can put games onto your memory stick & load it from there. the hacking potential on a psp unlocks its potential. Go with your own needs cuz both are great toys.

So it boils down to the question of want vs need. That's one way to shop...but not mine... True you may not need all the functions of the PSP...immediately... But wouldn't it be cool to have those around when you do need it? The price is not that far off. By the time you're spending ~$200-300 for a portable device...another $25+/-50 more or less is not going to make a darn bit of difference when you still got accessories to consider.

...and another thing...for those who say it's a none competing product. The ipod's got games...calendar...text reading abilities, address book, so and so on...not the same? I think just the same...just not as good as the PSP. I think the focus of the ipod shifted to music only cause that's all you can do with the chip...heck isn't the darn thing even handicapped from the ability to read WMA files? Just indicates to me what kind of person Steve is...

I think it would absolutely suck to spend that kind of $$$ on a gadget when you need a function and not have it available at all?

I don't have a PSP, but have an ipod...and thank gawd everyday this silly overhyped product was a gift. What a rip off. Nice reliable portable harddrive though...

As for portability...I tried jogging with my ipod (3G)...and can now see why the mini and the shuffle came out....the freaking thing is heavy!!! Portable? Ha! playing around with the PSP...I think they're both in the same league as far as portability.

:dummy:

the PSP need chips for songs, so i have 1.8gb of songs that 2 Chips to hold my songs, then i have to buy buy 2 copies of the same moive( one PSP and one DVD/VHS) then i need GBs for my Games/Calander/Text/ect,I need the Games( 50 a pop) and i have to take around all those GBs Chips, Games, Moives, And the PSP( many people like cases as well). I sure can't have all that crap in my pockets the whole day. And the $$ for each Game, Gb Chip,Moives and PSP, Thats al least 2 to 3 time as much as an iPod. I would rather have a Portable DVD( with a BIGGER screen) and a iPod to do all the PSP and do it better, becuz i would not use the Moive part of the PSP. The PSP does many things, it does many but only does gaming well.

zap2 said:

the PSP need chips for songs, so i have 1.8gb of songs that 2 Chips to hold my songs, then i have to buy buy 2 copies of the same moive( one PSP and one DVD/VHS) then i need GBs for my Games/Calander/Text/ect,I need the Games( 50 a pop) and i have to take around all those GBs Chips, Games, Moives, And the PSP( many people like cases as well). I sure can't have all that crap in my pockets the whole day. And the $$ for each Game, Gb Chip,Moives and PSP, Thats al least 2 to 3 time as much as an iPod. I would rather have a Portable DVD( with a BIGGER screen) and a iPod to do all the PSP and do it better, becuz i would not use the Moive part of the PSP. The PSP does many things, it does many but only does gaming well.

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Got some bad news my friend...it does movies (and other video by the way) very well. Now granted, it takes a real geek (or super gadget freak) to get the most outta a PSP but there's absolutely no need to purchase UMD movies for the PSP. Have you ever heard of transcoding video? I love it...I fly all the time and spend more time in airports than I do on the ground (ok...maybe not...but it feels like it sometimes) and I use my PSP to watch TV programs that I've recorded on my ReplayTV and then moved to my Mac and then I've ripped the commercials outta them. I've got a huge collection of King of Queens and Stargate among several others...I've got two 1 GB MS Pro DUO's and I can get at the very least 6 episodes on each stick. I don't use the PSP for music because I think it's not very good at that...I leave that to my iPod...but I'm sorry dude...if you think that a DVD player, all the dvd's you want to carry, plus the extra batteries and all the space you'd use to carry such things = PSP plus a few MS's....you're sadly mistaken. Stop player hatin'...the PSP does Games and Movies very well, the screen size is perfect for a single person (that's what it's designed for anyway), and it's easily smaller than any DVD combo you can find. By the way...watching movies from the MS is much more battery effecient than using UMDs so you even get a plus there as well.

i only use a portable DVD play on a long car ride or plane ride, you can not say that the PSP can play moives better then a Portable DVD player. The $$$ you spend on Memory Chip can really add up, The PSP is a good game system but the extra are not the best for want they do, the PSP has to much in one. And one could bring a Laptop and do all the PSP can do( oother then games), but more.

I think the PSP is a great idea but it suffers from a lot of the problems that any first generation machine has. I like the PSP because of the potential it shows for future machines like that. At this point...having to be a techno-uber-geek to take advantage of it is a bit of a downer for me.

Let's see...once again...Laptop/Portable DVD Player NOT EQUAL PSP. You're comparing Apples to Oranges (hee hee...). The PSP is meant for an INDIVIDUAL experience. Most 5"+ Portable DVD players are made with wide viewing angles to...accomodate multiple viewers. Yes...an initial expense in MS is high (~$200 for my 2 1Gb sticks, most could get by with less anyway, maybe 2 -512's) but they are infinetly reusable...I can change what's on them on a whim. So...yes I'm saying for a single traveller...yes, a PSP is superior to most portable DVD players. My only agreement is that yes...for the average non-nerd...it's pretty complicate to get it to perform the way it should...but hey...I'm not your average non-nerd.