Whilst the 3DS was the latest handheld gaming console released, we always saw the forthcoming NGP as a “console in your hands” rather than a handheld console.
That may not be the case any more, reports 1up via the French site 01net. They claim that the RAM has been halved, down from 512MB to 256MB, with 128MB of graphics memory still being proposed. To bring down the costs even further, the 16GB of flash memory is now apparently gone, with room for external memory instead.
The reason for these compromises, they say, is to bring the price down and make the NGP a direct competitor with Nintendo’s 3DS.
It makes sense, really; having two consoles competing is good for both of them, as I could see a lot of people ignoring the NGP due to the 3DS’s low (in comparison) price, or ignoring the 3DS because the NGP has far better specs.
What do you think, then? Will the NGP become the next PSP – good but not quite there, and does the fact this console may not be a handheld PS3 like we were hoping make you less likely to buy it?
A cheap price is good, right?
Peter Rushton
If this is the case than I’m dissapointed!
leon
Same here was looking forward to the Super Spec
hol
Not going to worry about rumours regarding the NGP’s specs until it get officially announced, as with all rumours, no-one really outside of Sony really knows for sure!
dogthedog
I belive many people can afford pricy but top spec gadgets,and many not.Its time to satisfy both sides,and release 2 different specs.I willing to spend few hundred box on a top handheld,and less interested in a lowered spec one.
colmshan1990
As far as I’m concerned, that’s what they’re doing.
The lower-spec version is already out, and known as PSP.
Foxhound_Solid
Bet two versions come out.
October91
Dare I say it but maybe they are doing this so they can get more money? I mean with internal storage a lot of people wouldn’t have bothered with buying external cards, but this forces people to and most won’t be smart and buy a large card, they’ll just keep buying smaller and cheaper ones…
gazzagb
If they’re downgrading it, then they better well make it a decent price to reflect that. I bet 8 months down the line, they’ll announce an NGP-2000 which will have the original specs.
spooner_22
Why not just make two different ones?
This is a strange decision if true I think.
Can see what you’re saying about making it compete with 3DS though.
Lewis Murray
Sony are damned if they do, damned if they don’t
The media will cry that the console is too expensive, or they will crow about what NGP “could have been”.
Whatever Sony do, the pathetic Sony hating media will crow about how they should have done the other. That’s how it works here and most other places these days.
sparkyscrum
They’ve already said there’s going to be a 3G and a non 3G one so now sure they’ll do a 3rd/4th copy. But maybe if they release a 3G 16GB NGP and a Wifi only with no internal memory they can supply both end of the market.
Personally Ive got a PSP Go with a 16GB card and Ive already filled both internal and the memory card so if I do go to NGP I want to atleast be able to take my games with me.
Amir29
Good question, but easy to answer if we look at the PSP and DS. The DS, in regards to specifications, wasn’t anything to right home about when compared to the PSP.
I think where the PSP failed is not in it’s specs, but in the quality of it’s games, and more importantly, it’s design. The PSPGo would have been a step in the right direction had it not been a download only device.
Unfortunately, I don’t see the NGP having much success.