https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TkOdFbj1Eo
Sony have just announced a new model of the PS Vita at their pre-TGS conference. While there’s no RAM changes as expected, the system has had a bit of a cosmetic makeover – it’s less shiny, with six new colours. It’ll be named the PCH-2000.
It’s also 20% thinner and 15% lighter, which is very impressive for what the system has achieved through Killzone: Mercenary recently. The new colours look good, too, with lime green, light blue, pink, white, beige and black all being available.
It’ll even have a longer battery life, allowing for around an hour more of gameplay, and it’ll charge via a standard micro USB port rather than the Vita’s strange connection. This will come at a cost, however, with Sony ditching the OLED screen in favour of LCD.
It comes with a 1GB memory card bundled in, but for those looking for much more space, Sony are introducing new 64GB memory cards along with the system on the 10th of October.
This is all just for Japan and Asia now, but we hope that they’ll come to the West soon. As for price, we’re talking 19,929 yen for the new Vita and 9,980 yen for the memory card.
Jones81
Everything about this screams as being specifically designed for the Japanese market
lighter and thinner> good for smaller hands> japanese people do tend to have smaller hands
longer battery life> handy for long commutes> the japanese are known to spend a long time commuting due to very overcrowded cities, and people commuting from rural areas.
I wouldn’t expect to see this come to the west anytime soon, although it may be good for kids (having said that the Vita isn’t exactly the most child friendly handheld, as the size and shape isn’t ideal for kids, although being thinner/lighter may help)
Other than that I’m very sceptical about the screen, for me OLED is one of it’s main seling points
I also don’t think it will be all that comfortable, I get cramp playing the Vita for too long as it is
Jones81
Quite pissed off at the way they’ve handled the memory card announcement.
They announced card prices were coming down, left it a few weeks while letting this announcement generate more sales, and then announce a bigger version after god knows how many people (myself included) rushed out and bought a new 8/16/32gb one.
To be fair this sort of thing is obviously just standard business practice/marketing but it still seems a bit of a dirty tactic
Airiaen
Its about time a 64GB memory stick was announced and I think they had a Black & red Vita there.. so yeah? insta-buy. (if it ever makes it too the Eu)
Andrewww
Just feels a bit odd I’ve just ordered a vita and a 32GB card, after waiting for ages. Wouldn’t have minded the extra hour of playtime, but if the screen is better in the old model I’m fine.
hazelam
ooh, just realised, it comes in pink. ^_^
sparkyscrum
If it comes in lime green why is there no shots of it apart from a dark pale green?
The Von Braun
From what i’ve been reading on various forums, the much vaunted OLED screen is’nt perfect, been reading of the ‘Mura’ effect (dark splodges on screen etc when display is showing black, ie dark room, only 1 light source etc), so, if Sony have gone for a crystal clear LED screen, maybe it won’t be such a big issue?.
Don’t think the PSP-3000 interlacing issues were an issue to the extent it ‘harmed’ PSP sales, so cannot see change of Vita screen doing future Vita sales much harm.
Fruitbat1919
64gb cards are the best news ever for myself. I will be buying one whatever the price. I have enough to fill the 64gb card and will leave me about 15gb left on my 32gb card. Roll on 128gb!!!
The new PS Vita seems a good idea if the price is reasonable, but I will admit to being more interested in the Vita TV!
Kennykazey
I spent £100 importing a 32GB card, can’t wait to import a 64GB one….
coruscant
Why are Sony’s redesigns always uglier and strip out features?