For those of you who are already members of the PMPB cult of PSP gaming, news that I finally got my hands on a new PSP Slim will come as no surprise. I just could not help myself, I was all over it like a chubby kid on a cupcake.

But is it really worth getting a new PSP if you already have an older model? Find out after the jump!

The short answer is: No. The games you can play are all the same, and minus some basic improvements, the two versions offer basically the same core experience. Now if your thinking about getting a new PSP, without doubt you want this latest one. Or if you really do game heavily on your current PSP, the new one does have some nice benefits.

Benefits:

1. Loading Time: Without question the new PSP cuts loading screen time significantly. I first noticed this major improvement while playing Marvel Alliance, which can be quite annoying with the loading times as you move from area to area.

2. TV Out: Hell ya! I admit I own a PSP because I am on the go a whole lot and I spend a fair amount of time in the hospital (ala last weeks PMPB shortage), but the ability to play my PSP exclusives and movies on a bigger screen does appeal to me. Especially for upcoming games like God Of War: Chains of Olympus.

3. Sound: Right off the bat you notice this new PSP was not built by a crackpot who thought it was a good idea to have the speakers pointed at the floor. The new PSP has speaker slots to the upper left and right of your screen. And the volume itself is noticeably higher. One of the big beefs I had with the older version was that it played games at one volume but UMD movies at a much lower setting.

4. Battery Life: I never really had a problem keeping my old PSP going with two batteries that I alternated, but even I admit the battery life of the old PSP was rather short. The new PSP is more energy efficient, meaning you can game at least 30-50% longer before you battery dies. And the new 2200mAh battery set for release in North America sometime soon will apparently double your playtime.

5. Weight: Well, duh, it is lighter, which is a bonus if you lug your PSP everywhere you go. But not really that big a deal for a gamer like me who once owned a Game Gear.

Negatives:

1. HomeBrew: These new PSP’s will make it even harder to use/create homebrew applications. Not that it will never happen (has happened?), just that it will be less common. Homebrew is evil anyway, so who cares, right? (*wink* *wink*)

2. Improvements: Despite the basic “finishing touches” that should have been in the core PSP in the first place, the new PSP Slim doesn’t really inspire any of the current PSP users to switch. A new CPU would have been nice, perhaps even a retooled screen for anti-glare and scratch protection.

All in all, I am happy, if a bit under-awed. I will be keeping my old PSP for some of its “extra functionality” (*wink* *wink*), but I will be doing my gaming on the new one without question.

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