Editor’s Note: The PSP is now a legacy system, devoted to only by nostalgia hounds and fans of a bygone era of gaming. In a sense, Sony never supported it, but it’s fun to look back and think about what could’ve been.

Sony Computer Entertainment’s PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld gaming console first launched in Japan at the end of 2004, followed by North American and European launches in the spring of 2005.

The PSP came in black, with a 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD that displayed full color (16.77 million colors) on a 480 x 272 pixel high-resolution screen. The dimensions were 170mm x 74mm x 23mm with a weight of 260g. It also came with the basic functions of a portable player, such as built-in stereo speakers, exterior headphone connector, brightness control, and sound mode selection. Keys and controls inherited the same operability of the PlayStation and PlayStation 2, familiar to fans all over the world.

The PSP came equipped with diverse input/output connectors such as USB 2.0 and 802.11b (WiFi) wireless LAN, giving players access to the internet, online multiplayer gaming via the PlayStation Network, and data transfers.

PSP used a small but high-capacity optical medium UMD (Universal Media Disc), enabling game software, rich with full-motion video, and other forms of digital entertainment content. The UMD was only 60mm in diameter but it stored up to 1.8GB of digital data. This data was protected by a robust copyright protection system that utilized a combination of a unique disc ID, a 128 bit AES encryption keys for the media, and individual ID for each PSP hardware unit.

PSP Product Specifications

  • Product Name: PlayStation Portable (PSP)
  • Color: Black
  • Dimensions: Approx. 170 mm (L) x 74 mm (W) x 23 mm (D)
  • Weight: Approx. 260 g (including battery)
  • CPU: PSP CPU (System clock frequency 1~333MHz)
  • Main Memory: 32MB
  • Embedded DRAM: 4MB
  • Display: 4.3 inch, 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD, 480 x 272 pixel (16.77 million colors), Max. 200 cd/m2 (with brightness control)
  • Speakers: Built-in stereo speakers
  • Main Input/Output: IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi), USB 2.0 (Target), Memory Stick™ PRO Duo, IrDA, IR Remote (SIRCS)
  • Disc Drive: UMD Drive (Playback only)
  • Profile: PSP Game, UMD Audio, UMD Video
  • Main Connectors: DC OUT 5V, Terminals for charging built-in battery, Headphone/Microphone/Control connector
  • Keys/Switches: Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left)Analog pad, Enter keys (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square), Left, Right keys START, SELECT, HOME, POWER On/Hold/Off switch, Brightness control, Sound Mode, Volume +/-, Wireless LAN On/Off switch, UMD Eject
  • Power: Built-in lithium-ion battery, AC adaptor
  • Access Control: Region Code, Parental Control
  • Accessories: Stand, Headphone with remote commander, Headphone with remote commander and microphone, External battery pack, Case, Strap
  • E3 Prototype Exhibition: USB Camera for PSP, USB GPS for PSP, USB Keyboard for PSP

UMD Specifications

  • Dimensions: Approx. 65 mm (W) x 64 mm (D) x 4.2 mm (H)Weight: Approx. 10gDisc Diameter: 60 mmMaximum Capacity: 1.8GB (single-sided, dual-layer)Laser wavelength: 660nm (Red laser)Encryption: AES 128bitProfile: PSP Game (full function), UMD Audio (codec ATRAC3plus™, PCM, (MPEG4 AVC)), UMD Video (codec MPEG4 AVC, ATRAC3plus™, Caption PNG)

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