Reviews

PSP 2000 Unboxing

September 10, 2007

As you can see, I got the limited edition Daxter Entertainment Pack with the Ice Silver PSP, because the Piano Black model won’t be out for another couple of weeks (September 24th). This pack comes with the Ice Silver PSP, battery, AC adapter, 1GB Memory Stick Pro Duo, the Dexter game, and a copy of the Family Guy Freakin’ Sweet UMD.

The packing this time around is completely different, and very frustrating to get in to. It does a better job of explaining what the PSP can do, with screenshots from the Dexter game and the Family Guy UMD plus pictures of people looking at pictures and listing to music on the go. You can actually see the PSP through a window in the box, which is pretty cool, but does increase the potential of damage (during shipment or in the store). The back of the box is pretty horrid, with nothing but very tiny, very hard to read white print in both English and French—all of the disclaimers and warnings and such.

Open the box and you’ll find a large plastic blister pack with the PSP and MS Duo at the top, with the box including the battery, UMDs, etc. at the bottom. There are also two loose packets with papers in them. One baggie has the Daxter game instruction manuals (both English and French), warranty cards, and a notice that some of the older PSP accessories will not work with the new slim model, including the original remote control, battery, and charger. The other baggie has the quick reference manual as well as a safety and support guide.

As you can imagine, the only way to get into that plastic blister pack is to cut off the sides; I cut off the left side and the bottom and was able to get everything out, though it took some work. I really hate blister packs! I quickly forgot all of that frustration when I finally got the new PSP out of the packaging—it felt so light I simply couldn’t believe it—more like an empty prop as opposed to a powerful handheld device. I know it will be a bit heavier once the battery, UMD, and MS Pro Duo are installed, but it’s obvious that this is a completely redesigned device.

I really like the smooth back (no ridges on the left and right), the larger analog nub, enhanced d-pad, and the repositioned headphone jack and WiFi switch. The UMD door is also easier to use, and there’s no more worry about UMDs flying across the room (the old model ejected them quite forcefully), but it does seem a bit more fragile than the original. I can see that some folks who treat their devices in a more cavalier manner may have trouble with it breaking if they aren’t at least a little careful; the original design felt more “bulletproof” than this one.

All we have left to unpack is the Dexter-themed box of smaller parts. The first thing you’ll come across is the battery, which is remarkably smaller than the original. Next you’ll find the Daxter game and Family Guy UMD, in cardboard sleeves, in a pocket on one side of the box. I know that some folks are disappointed that they aren’t in the standard retail packaging, but the sleeves are kinda nice and could easily be reused to protect other games and movies when you’re on the go if you’re too cheap frugal to buy a UMD storage case. The AC adapter is exactly the same as the original, with the same model number and specifications, but does have a different manufacturer.

That’s it for now—come back later in the week for a full review and comparison with the original PSP!

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