PSP-3000 battery life diminished by new screen, Sony suggests buying a bigger battery

According to a GameSpot interview with Sony's US director of hardware marketing John Koller, that new PSP-3000 screen may look a bit better... but it's going to cost you about 20 minutes of battery life. Luckily for you gamers with endless pockets out there, Koller assures that minor wrinkle will be offset because, "We're going to have the extended life battery that's still available for consumers, so we're still going to get the eight-to-ten hours out of that battery." So just to make that clear, the regular battery life will be diminished, but you can buy a new, larger battery from Sony to extend your gaming time. Got that? Good. Watch him say it for real in the video after the break.

[Via T3]

[Michael @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:03AM]

"but it's going to cost you about 20 minutes of battery life"


What is the big deal about 20 minutes when in the same story they say it has a life of 8-10 hours? Is 20 minutes really a big deal?

[Rakar @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:27AM]

The 8-10 hours is from the Extended battery pack. If you watch the video he says that the standard battery only lasts around 3 1/2 hours.

[v3xx @ Sep 3rd 2008 2:07AM]

@ rakar
if you are playing more than 3.5 hours at a time then you need to:
a) do you homework
b) get a job
c) get a girlfriend
d) get a new hobby.

i bet half the gamers here think developers play games all day. they dont. they're laughing all the way to the bank while fat ass 40 year olds lay on the couch with crumbs on their second chin. i know, my friend just finished at the art institute. if you cant tell games died for me. everything after the 64 is just a poor remake of an older classic. has anyone over 18 really had more fun with mario galaxy than with super mario 64. the final straw for me was banjo kazooie for 360. they took my favorite game and fucked it up like ratchet and clank. go ahead and rank me low but i realized years ago that theres more to life.

[Rakar @ Sep 3rd 2008 2:19AM]

calm down buddy
I was just pointing out a fact.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Sep 3rd 2008 3:11AM]

v3xx,

Music, movies, video games on an airplane.

'nuff said.

[russ d @ Sep 3rd 2008 3:24AM]

Exactly. Apparently he doesn't fly that often. Try a twelve hour flight without three charged batteries and you'll find yourself bored out of your mind. Skymall gets old really quick.

[jahcriado @ Sep 3rd 2008 9:27AM]

v3xx,

Dude, seriously, calm down. Have you ever read much on the gaming industry? They might not play all the time but thats because they are freaking programing all the time. On big games, especially as the final months before deadlines draw near, they are at work 12, 16, 18 hrs A DAY. And many of them are hard core gamers. A game programmer not being a gamer is like a musician who doesn't ever listen to music. Anyways, yes, a lot of games get overused & diluted but some games rock & get better. Ninja Gaiden for the xbox was so much better than the originals from the NES. Pretty much every GTA is better than the last. I do think FFVII was best but the news are, almost, always compelling & fun. Leave your bitterness, it only leads anger & anger leads to the dark side.

[mrpoo @ Sep 3rd 2008 9:34AM]

Actually, anger leads to hate. Then hate leads to suffering. Fear is the real path to the dark side, bitterness is just the path to being a douche. Calm down, v3xx must.

[Casper42 @ Sep 3rd 2008 5:32PM]

Does anyone else find humor in the fact that they axed the extended battery and less than a month later they are recommending it?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/09/sony-says-goodnight-to-psp-extended-life-battery-kit/

[Unknown @ Sep 4th 2008 12:55PM]

to v3xx:
if you have been spending all your time trying be be a jerk on the internet, then you need to:
a) do you homework
b) get a job
c) get a boyfriend
d) get a new hobby

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:05AM]

Since its screen is brighter than the previous models, you can always tone down the brightness by one notch to have the same brightness as the previous models as well as the same battery life no?

[required @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:30AM]

I don't see why not. You can choose to constantly rev the engine or just coast.

[ridestp @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:05AM]

Looking at the comparison pictures.... totally worth it.

[yelohbird @ Sep 3rd 2008 2:42AM]

Yeah...people here are willing to sacrifice hours of battery life for 3G phones with larger, brigher screens, higher resolution cameras, GPS, and better video processors, and yet get all hyped up for losing 20 measly mins of battery life for a beautiful screen on a dedicated gaming console. I don't get it.

[jitty @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:08AM]

Arg, I hope the 8 hour battery is not that normal psp-1000 battery. I don't want that huge bulge on the back of my psp. That would suck. WTF sony, you kinda half assed the 3000. You should have given it a better screen AND at least the same battery life =\

[Jeremy K. @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:18AM]

It's not possible man!

[Hardcore @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:26AM]

And make me toast, bitch!

[iofthestorm @ Sep 3rd 2008 2:48AM]

It's possible, Nintendo did it with the DS Lite.

[Jose El Maton @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:08AM]

"So just to make that clear, the regular battery life will be diminished, but you can buy a new, larger battery from Sony to extend your gaming time. Got that?"

Whoa, what's with that tone? You sound like you think it's unreasonable. That first guy's right, 20 isn't all that bad. I'm still on my PSP-1000, THAT battery life is something to bitch about. I don't believe this is the anti-consumer attitude from Sony you're trying to convey, I think you're wrong.

[mick @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:56AM]

as i was pritty much guna say but then read this comment at the bottom of the page and he/she sums it up nicely.
Zorque @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:31AM

As small as 20 minutes is, this is the exact same attitude Sony takes with every one of their products. Launch-era PSP screen cracking? Don't press the square button, stop asking us to change it! PS3 doesn't have backwards compatibility? Buy a PS2 from us, it's only another hundred dollars!

Stop being so arrogant, you corporate assholes.

[XIYL @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:24AM]

Wanna complain about battery life, the slim only gets 3 hours with the battery it comes with. I went out and got the extended life battery kit 2 weeks ago and now I'm getting almost 12. The bulge is nothing to complain about, I got used to it within the first hour. If you really cant stand the bulge pick a different portable, cause this one isn't for you.

[BigD145 @ Sep 3rd 2008 2:23AM]

Sony wants you to pay for a regular old battery, but if you want to actually get the sort of playtime the other PSP's get, that will cost extra. What do you do with the other battery you payed for? I don't know. Stick it where the sun don't shine? Thanks Sony. Next time swap out the slim battery for a thicker one and only tack on maybe $5 to the price. Or just tape a thick battery onto the outside of the box and tack $20 on to the price, but don't give us the option to not have that thick battery. Doing it the way you're doing it now will only make the consumer angry at both the retailer and yourself when they return their "defective" new PSP a couple days after xmas.

[Kamokazi @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:08AM]

"...Koller assures that minor wrinkle be offset because..."

Seriously, is it that hard to take 3 minutes and have another human being read the article before clicking submit? This is becoming more common, as opposed to improving.

[Carl Vitullo @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:14AM]

What? That's acceptable grammar.
He's saying THAT minor wrinkle, with "that" being the article for wrinkle. "That the minor wrinkle" or "That that minor wrinkle" would work and probably sound a little more natural, but it still works as is.

[John @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:22AM]

uh... the issue is that it should be "WILL be offset". But thanks, ace.

[Carl Vitullo @ Sep 3rd 2008 7:23AM]

Oh.

Dammit.

[Kspraydad @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:14AM]

Yep...from what I've seen so far 20 minutes is well worth being able to play this in normal light conditions. And with the 20$ I save not buying a MIC I can put that towards a new battery or game. Win Win Win.

[Eric @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:30AM]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that last week they announced that they would stop selling the "Extended Life" battery.

Maybe I actually made that up...

[Eric @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:33AM]

All right... not quite last week, but at least I didn't make it up:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/09/sony-says-goodnight-to-psp-extended-life-battery-kit/

[Zorque @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:31AM]

As small as 20 minutes is, this is the exact same attitude Sony takes with every one of their products. Launch-era PSP screen cracking? Don't press the square button, stop asking us to change it! PS3 doesn't have backwards compatibility? Buy a PS2 from us, it's only another hundred dollars!

Stop being so arrogant, you corporate assholes.

[FelipeCalderon @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:40AM]

I think you are the only one that got the point of the article.

[required @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:44AM]

For a second there I thought you were talking about Apple. As long as Sony doesn't get as nasty as that (proprietary hell hole) I'm slap happy.

[Jose El Maton @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:45AM]

@ Felipe,

Don't think so, I think people just don't really care for the 20 minutes given the improvement to the screen. It's not that big a deal.

[rippinhonda @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:33AM]

I wish my dog didnt eat my psp. well now i have a reason to buy another one

[andres @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:58AM]

sony trains your dog
dog eats your psp
???
profit.

[WTF @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:55AM]

WTF is up with SONY and all these different versions of the PSP?

Where the heck is the PSP 2?????
'

How is this any better graphics wise compared to the original?

[Haikibutsu @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:56AM]

My PSP was stolen a couple years back. Ive been holding back for a PSP for a while. Hopefully, it will integrate nice with my PS3.
I have the money, I have 400 bux i've earned from lawnmowing, but I still see it as an investment.
Should I get a PSP 3000, or wait for the PSP2

Also, although almost unrelated, I'd just like to say 'ADD ANOTHER ANALOG STICK' is stupid. This is a PSP redesign people, not a PSP2. If Sony is going to add another stick, they will probably do it on the next revision.

Same for dropping UMD.

[jaalin @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:23AM]

i'd say to wait until dax can work his magic, but if you wait too long there's probably gonna be a PSP-4000 in the works. i don't see any sort of PSP2 coming out for at least another 3-4 years (theres just no point).

[Vagrant @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:56AM]

Has Sony ever officially/unofficially stated that a PSP2 was coming? I've read tons of posts all over the place, mostly complaints, wondering where the PSP2 is. I've seen mock-ups too, but never heard a peep about a PSP2 from Sony. I think people heard a rumor it ran wild.

Anyways, purchased the PSP and 1SEG TV add-on, just so I could watch some favorite TV shows/events when I'm not at home. (Cheaper than getting a regular 1SEG TV) I also purchased a PS3, just to watch Blu-ray movies, but with the obvious gaming features built in and the ability to work well with each other, and they do, I'd say pick up the 3000 and enjoy the new screen and microphone. Better than nothing at all.

I play games on the PSP more often than I do on the PS3.

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Sep 3rd 2008 10:03AM]

Seeing game library and overall sales of PSP, I think that Sony might have to release PSP2 sooner than later.

Yet, all what they say and do (updates to PSP1) indicate that they have nothing new at the moment.

Of course having a normal salary biases my judgment, but if that were only money in questions, I would have easily forked $200 on PSP. (But fortunately I already have DS).

[Ronald Hicks @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:57AM]

I guess Sony can make crabby sarcastic comments about buying a bigger and more expensive battery from them. I mean you do truly love your PSP and lay your life down for it;)

[Virtuous @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:07AM]

Gamers wonder why PSP retail shelf space keeps shrinking. Sony = Incompeent

[dreamscape86 @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:21AM]

Spelling = Incompeent. ;)

[camjam6446 @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:14AM]

hmmmm, so i have to buy a new psp AND an extended battery?
no thanks, i'll stick with my phat for now.

[Vagrant @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:41AM]

You can use your phat battery in the 3000/2000 series. You will need to pick up a cover though. Ask a friend who has purchased the extra battery. Two covers come with each one.

[Vagrant @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:21AM]

I purchased the extended battery already for my Slim. Not that big of a "bulge". I'd say a few millimeters.
Between the two batteries, they easily cover flights across the Pacific for movies and games.

I'm not sure I'd buy the 3000 series, unless they've done more than improve the screen.
- Bluetooth? (I'd really like this, but with the inclusion of the microphone...I doubt it will happen.)
- 802.11g?
The microphone for Skype is great and all, but at least give it some 802.11g love. It works great with my PS3 for watching video, streaming music, or even thumbing through pictures, but some extra bandwidth would be nice, or at least not having to set my router to work with 802.11b would be fine.

Still, their support totally dropped the ball with their 1SEG TV issue. After like 4.02 update, or something like that, the secondary audio simply doesn't switch over. After two meager E-mails from them, I never heard back after they said they'd even call me on the phone. (Not that this matters to most other PSP owners in the world.)

[Striker @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:24AM]

ANOTHER Apple fanboi... *sigh* You seem different, you actually kind of criticized an Apple Product! Good job, denial of what Apple has brainwashed you into is the first step back from Appleitis.

[LDTG @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:35AM]

this is all irrelevant, the fact is these part by part updates of the psp are a joke. I sincerly hope sony has someone putting time and effort into a new version of the psp, not a half-assed tweak.

[sinjinn @ Sep 3rd 2008 8:03AM]

they sold like 30 killion psps and you think think they will just throw away that usr base and start again so early? the psp2 is not gonna be here before 2012 , get used to it.

[MastrCake @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:43AM]

I kinda abandoned the whole PSP thing after my games kept on getting destroyed. And then my PSP eventually got stolen (much like my Xbox 360... Christ I have bad luck).

But this whole "Slimmer, brighter PSP" seems like something to boost sales about 1-2 years before the PSP 2 comes out, kinda like the smaller "PSone" and the Slim PS2.