The Sony PSP 3000 packs an immense amount of fun in a very small package. At just over 7oz (200g), it features a UMD (Universal Media Disc) drive, memory stick slot, and a stellar screen to make game playing on the go an outstanding experience. It measures just 2.8" high x 6.6" wide and 0.6" thick. Yet within that small frame it houses not only the slots mentioned above but a 4.3" screen, Wi-Fi, and many other extras.
Despite its small size, that screen produces very faithful color with only modest ghosting and jaggies. They're there, as they are in any small unit, but you'll quickly become so immersed in the games you'll hardly notice them. Glare reduction is good though playing in full sunlight might be a challenge. The 'wide' and 'standard' color options are appreciated.
Around that screen are numerous controls with a very solid feel. With a layout based on the classic PlayStation controller, you can adapt easily between the two. On the bottom left there's an analog thumbstick that regular gamers will take to without effort. Of course, there are the standard Select, Start, Volume, Brightness, and Home buttons. But while the functions are standard, the PSP 3000 offers an unusually usable feel.
The extras are superb. The UMD may not be universal (it's only on the Sony PSP), but it holds over 2GB of software and data so you can load games with ease. There's no onboard storage, but a 4GB Memory Stick Duo solves that problem and makes your storage portable at the same time. Both slots are easy to manipulate.
But that is only the beginning of this feature-packed hand-held game unit.
Along the bottom edge is a headphone/AV jack that supports any standard 3.5mm size gear. The unit also has stereo speakers, so the headphones are not mandatory. It can also be used to connect the PSP 3000 to a TV to turn the unit into a full-sized game console. Proprietary Sony cables are required for that, however.
A USB port is onboard that can be used to connect the device to a PC. That won't be necessary very often, though, thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi wireless connectivity feature. With the PSP 3000's built-in Skype and microphone you're all set to go online.
The Sony XMB (Cross Media Bar) interface provides a convenient, easy-to-navigate layout. You'll be using it often, too, with the PSP 3000's D-Pad and control buttons. They provide a means to use the web browser that gives you access to the hundreds of outstanding games.
One of the newer, more popular ones is available in a special edition of the PSP 3000 called the Ratchet and Clank Entertainment Pack. It features a silver game unit with a Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters UMD game and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets UMD movie. It comes with a 1GB Memory Stick Duo card, as well as a voucher for Echochrome (a downloadable game available at the online PlayStation Store).
But no matter what color your PSP 3000, you'll find yourself lost in gaming world as soon as you get your hands on one.