Playstation Vita: THE hardware review

There is something extravagant about a new game console release. The promise of new and previously unheard of game experiences, hardware that is faster, better, and more capable. It is something that will be around for years, and thus promises a level of quality generally reserved for far more expensive equipment.

But the times…they are a changin’. Consumers expect more from electronics than ever before. Over 50% of Americans own smartphones that not only make calls, but run applications, play games, and are quickly replacing standalone media players. Even Sony has experimented with a smartphone game console in the Xperia Play, which has found only limited commercial success.

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 In 2011, the gaming industry saw a huge rise in mobile gaming apps and a new focus on adding social and multiplayer features to old favorites.

Even amid such fierce competition from products like the iPhone, Android smartphones and tablets, there is still a burgeoning market for portable videogame consoles. The Nintendo 3DS has sold over 15 million units worldwide in less than a year, making it the fastest selling videogame console in history. Can Sony match that success with the more expensive, better connected and higher-quality Playstation Vita?

At first glance the Vita appears almost identical to the PSP. It shares nearly all of the PSP’s dimensions, but the Vita couldn’t be more different. The Vita is sleek, bold, and immediately stunning, unlike the plastic frame every PSP model has shared. The eye wants to look at the Vita’s gorgeous glass front, very crisp labeling, and expertly crafted controls.

The front of the Vita is almost exclusively made of glass, a design shared by Apple’s iPhone 4. The Vita doesn’t look like a kid’s toy; it looks like a serious gadget, a futuristic piece of technology. It isn’t soft around the edges nor does it feel childish. A plastic frame is glossy but easy to grip, and on the back are two finger rests to grip the Vita.

From top to bottom the Vita looks and feels solid. I carried it around in a bag and pockets, and though the glass front did give me pause, the Vita is a stable device. It is huge (3.3″ x 7.2″ x 18.6″ h/w/d and 9.8oz), so don’t expect to carry it in tight jeans or small bag pockets. The build quality is very high, and I had no trouble or worry when holding it in a pocket.

The Vita has a very similar control layout to the PSP and Dualshock controller: a d-Pad and analog stick on the left, four face buttons on the right, as well as a Playstation (home/return) button, start and select buttons, two shoulder buttons, volume controls, and power. The Vita is the first portable games console with a second analog stick, which makes it easier to play traditional home console style titles on the Vita. Nintendo’s 3DS will receive an attachment with a second analog stick, but the Vita has two unique features over the 3DS: a 5″ OLED touchscreen display and an equally large rear touchpad.

The Vita has an OLED display. Not AMOLED, not SuperAMOLED, and not any of the other OLED technologies touted by companies galore. This seems like a questionable design choice; though Sony first brought OLED into the home with the 11″ XEL-1 TV, OLED displays have been consistently lambasted for a lack of visibility outdoors.