The Next Generation Portable (NGP) will launch in Japan later this year (and in other regions in 2012), but are we getting a slightly lesser machine?
According to French tech site 01.net , the non-3G models of the NGP will be priced competitively with the Nintendo 3DS. Therefore, consumers can expect to pay between $250 and $300 for the device. That sounds like good news but apparently, in order to reach that price point, Sony had to make a few sacrifices- it seems the NGP will now have 256MB of RAM instead of 512MB, and to compensate for that, Sony cut the size of the OS impact on memory. 26MB of that 256 is high-speed RAM that can be utilized for certain tasks that require faster access to memory. The unit still boasts 128MB of graphics memory, but the intended 16GB worth of internal flash memory has been removed; now we'll get "cheaper external storage."
So does this news, if accurate, impact your excitement? And will any of these technical alterations mess with the games we've already seen displayed on the NGP?
On board RAM and VRAM have apparently been cut in half to 256MB and 128MB respectively.
The consequences of such a change will apparently not be too significant especially, it says, if the access speed for the machine's external memory card is fast enough.
so no worries.
VRAM wasn't cut. It was always rumored to be 128MB. What everyone needs to remember is that Sony never confirmed any of these specs; they were simply rumors and estimations. What we effectively have here is a rumor about another rumor. This rumor is only acceptable if one accepts the previous rumor as fact.
How very logical of you. =)
Excitement not impacted too much. Still has dual sticks, trophies, touch screen front and back, and upgraded visuals. It's got it ALL! =D
Last edited by Claire C on 5/26/2011 9:28:02 PM
I don't care, I still want one.
It's unfortunate but I understand it had to be done. Just get a ton of developers on board. If it's anything like my PSP experience I will be extremely happy owning an NGP.
Hey limited, what psp games do you recommended? I plan on picking up secret agent clank but i want someone who really likes the system to give me some heads up.
It depends what genres you like. Some of my favorites games are:
-The Syphon Filter games
-GTA Chinatown Wars
-Crisis Core
-Daxter
-Valkyria Chronicles 2
-Jeanne d'Arc
-PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe
-Hot Shots
There are so many more and a lot of the games can be found for really low prices on ebay (ask World, he was late to the PSP party and it didn't cost him much).
There are a ton of great Mini games and PS1 classics too.
some of my favorites to add:
-Disgaea
-Final Fantasy Tactics WotL
-Star Ocean 1, 2
-Ys Oath, 7
-Lunar Silver Star Harmony
-GTA VC Stories, LS Stories
-Metal Gear Solid PW, PO
-Lumines
=^.^=
Kevinator,
Not sure what genre you're into, but here's what I've got so far in my PSP collection….
Ace Combat: Joint Assault
Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
Archer Maclean's Mercury
Brothers In Arms: D-Day
Call Of Duty: Roads To Vivtory
Chili Con Carnage
Coded Arms
Code Lyoko: Quest For Infinity
Daxter
Dead Head Fred
Death Jr.
Driver '76
Dynasty Warriors
Every Extend Extra
Fading Shadows
Field Commander
Frantix
Gangs Of London
G-Force
God Of War: Chains Of Olympus
Grand Turismo: 5 PSP
Infected
Iron Man: 2
Killzone: Liberation
LocoRoco 2
MACH: Modified Air Combat Heroes
Madden: 06
Medal of Honor: Heroes
Mercury Meltdown
Metal Gear: Acid 1
Metal Gear: Acid 2
Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel
MGS: Portable Ops
MGS: Portable Ops: PLUS
Metal Slug: Anthology
Miami Vice
Monster Hunter: Freedom
Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite
Need For Speed: Most Wanted 5-1-0
Obscure: The Aftermath
Patapon
Patapon: 2
Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
Pixeljunk: Pixeljunk Monsters Deluxe
Prince Of Persia: Revelations
Prince Of Persia: Rival Swords
PQ2
Pursuit Force Extreme Justice
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Reel Fishing: The Great Outdoors
Resistance: Retribution
Scarface: Money-Power-Respect
Silent Hill: Orgins
Smart Bomb
SOCOM: FireTeam Bravo
SOCOM: FireTeam Bravo 2
SOCOM: Tactical Strike
Space Invaders Extreme
Spiderman: 2
Star Wars: Battlefront-Renagade Squadron
Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow
The Godfather: Mob wars
The Hustle: Detroit Streets
Tiger Woods: PGA Tour 07
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Essentials
Twisted Metal: Head-On
Warhammer 40000: Battle For Atluma
Warhammer 40000: Squad Command
Wipeout: Pure
Worms: Open Warfare
BTW, they're all pretty cheap now, so I hope this info also helps you out.
Hmmm. I'd sooner lose the back tracking sensor or gyroscope stuff before sacrificing the RAM.
Make no mistake, the NGP will not out do the PS3's premium offerings, as some would like to believe. With this RAM cut, it can't. 'nuff said.
I'll want one either way.
I'd say this decision has something to do with the recent rather serious hikes in many Japanese branded electronic components. Memories being one of them. Lots of crap can happen between the time you buy the parts for a prototype and the time it's a go for full production.
Can't say it affects me either way though. Most likely not going to be buying one.
That's kind of a bummer, but portable gaming always the lowest form of gaming on my totem pole anyway so whatever.
exactly
I'm still excited for it, though I'm kinda disappointed that it doesn't have internal memory anymore.
Graphics would still look a lot better than the competence.
I was more worried if they cut the second analog stick.
512 seems a bit excessive for a handheld anyway. remember the ps3 only has 256 ram and 256 vram. seems like 256 and 128 would be sufficient enough
I thought that the internal hard drive was going to be an SSD. Cutting that in favour of a more typical flash memory will make little difference outside of slowing down load times, and will cut the price by quite an amount. It's understandable. As for the memory cuts.. too bad, but it had to happen.
Peace.
unless they are using some expensive form of RAM for the system there's really no point in cutting the system and video memory. Dropping the internal storage might be an option, though I would prefer to see additional SKUs with, and without the 16GB internal memory.
One possible reason to drop the amount of memory would be to save battery. Plus if you look at the history of the PS3 and other consoles, the prototypes generally have about double the amount of memory in the final units, and until the system software is nailed down, the final amount is generally not set.
That makes me feel a little better. I wish they would have thought of something else to take out, maybe the front camera.
I would pay more money for a higher end model with more RAM, SSD, etc.
still a day 1 purchase for me =) but that kinda sucks that its been downgraded..
It really hasn't been downgraded. The product doesn't really exist yet, so we can't really talk of downgrades before it arrives. That's really kind of like making your mind up to be disappointed before something arrives.
@highlander
true true, especially since they improvised. either way it still seems awesome. i hope they release it earlier than 'the end of this year' (atleast late october)
I think I would have not known about this at all. That way I won't keep thinking about what could have been.
It'll still be ahead of generally everything else though.
Very unfortunate!
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
they should have made a base model where price is competitive, and then have custom made ones with the specs available for it. where you can add what you want, like the 3g, wifi, bluetooth and so on
Wow, they had to scrap that much memory to bring the lacking-3G NGP down to around $250-$300? That's lame as people were amped up that it would cost $300-$350 (and willing to pay for it) with all the specs intact. Inferior products for the sake of whom?
🙁
i guess my idea of playing ps3 games on the go might of been a bit ambitious.
🙁
what happened to the good old sony who went all balls for leather?
god dam it they have turned into freaking conservitives!
since when did the japanese turn into the french?
Hehe! 😉
I know it's an English site and all… but there are Canadians in here… and one of our official languages is… you guessed it… French.
I'm just saying, I know of a few members here from Quebec which is primarilly a French speaking population.
Ne soyez pas un imbécile.
Last edited by Underdog15 on 5/27/2011 9:35:21 AM
lol apparently this site can't handle accentegu's!
Well at todays exchange rate that makes just over £150 and £180. Thats preeeetty darn sweet. might even pick up the 3g model if it stays at that price. Probs save myself the 30 quid and just get the normal.
Yeah I wish they would cut something else than the core specs, like for instance removing one of the cams as mentioned, or even lower resolution on the cams, noone will use the psp to take photos anyways, I've never understood why they were there in the first place but I suspect the cam directed at the player is there for actual gaming purposes.
Or they could remove bluetooth support or other stuff that frankly is of less importance to me. Communication with the ps3/ps4 could be done via the wifi anyways, right?
Not that it matter. I've had so much fun with the psp over the years that I *will* get the ngp regardless. That is one thing that is for sure even though I've not yet seen any games listed for launch that is a system seller for me.
But I put my faith in that Mass Effect will be there at launch. If so, then: Hello NGP! 🙂
Last edited by Beamboom on 5/27/2011 5:08:48 AM
I'm not going to lie, I am not that bothered over the NGP. I find the PSP still satisfying. All these PS3 ports just do not interest me. I'd rather juts play them on a big screen.
The PSP is perfect for PS1 games, they look so sharp and crisp. But on a HD TV even with the upscaler on many PS1 games just don't look good, all the FF titles pre-rendered backgrounds just look pixelated, which isn't nice.
Other than playing PS1 games I don't have much need for a portable console, some of the PSP exclusives like Crisis Core, Peace Walker, Dissidia, 3rd Birthday are great and I have enjoyed playing them, but the main use of my PSP is PS1 games. Which is a good thing, I hope the NGP does not get too many good exclusives so I don't have to buy one, luckily FFXIII: Type-0 is heading to the PSP so i don't think i'll have to worry for a while.
I guess, like everyone else i'll just have to wait untill e3 to where i pressume Sony are going to push the console forward.
As for RAM… whatever, I didn't even know what the previously rumoured specs were. Although, it's worth noting that my phone should not have 3 times the RAM as my 'Next Generation' Portable… just sayin. And I am disappointed that there's no internal flash memory, I thought that was a must for NGP.
I'd certainly rather have internal storage than a gimmicky touch pad on the back. I swear, I'll only ever use that back pad when the game I'm playing requires it, and I'll probably be annoyed.
I think I'd rather have the option of a higher price point for a 'Premium' Model, but that's understandably difficult for Sony because then they have two versions of the same system with different capabilities, no fun for developers. Make me a 16Gb or 32Gb version for $30 – $50 more and I'll bite on it Sony, I promise.
Oh well, anyway you cut it… I'm buying one! My PSP has seen a lot of love and it's served me well.
I actually commend this news, if it's true. The specs will still be awesome, and now the system will be more affordable. Dropping 400-plus dollars on a portable is just insane, even a hardcore dude like me would have to really think it over before dropping that kind of cash.
I'm going to dwell on the rumour part of this.
Ok i stand that. instead of eliminating the original specs of what it was why not make two different models available?
keep the price for this model but whatever the price is for the original still offer that but make less of the originals……. i mean when the thick ps3s was on shelf u had 3 different versions & i spent the best $712 for a piece of entertainment(60g) & if it was still offered today with higher but reasonable price over the present ps3s i would still chose it…..
Well as long as they have the non competitive option for other people to buy than I don't care 🙂 Bring on the $600 portable beast!!! m/
the alarming part is where they say non 3g. that to me signifies sony is taking the NGP/psp 2 to contract carriers. meaning verizon more likely if the xperia play is any indication. on the plus side, the external memory part sounds like them just saying youll need a SDHC card to boost memory. the 3g comment worries me more then the specs. personally i feel as though we are becoming too dependent upon contracted services, cable, television, internet, car loans, and now PS gaming on a cell carrier for a launch system? the xperia i can understand it allows you to buy from the ps store like the windows 7 phones do for xbox live but this is taking it too far…