I own a (pink )DS, a PSP, and a GP2X, and I love them (almost )equally.
I will try to point out as many as I can of the positive sides of my machines.
My PSP:
My first seventh-generation handheld. I really think this thing is beautiful. I own a 2 gig and a 512 gig stick. Sony have permanently banned all significant homebrew in recent firmwares. Modchipped or old PSP is required to run homebrew.
The screen is really nice for 3D games(the "ghosting" actually makes many games look better), but not for 2D gaming. I used this machine as a emulator device for some time, but I upgraded. The viewing angle is great. It has an analog stick which is nice, but the D-pad has trouble facing diagonally.
It is about 30 grams heavier than the DS.
I use it as a multimedia device because:
- It has a remote.
- Easier to convert(PSPvideo9)/download(Google video...) movies for it at this point.
- Better placement of headphone port, so you can stick it in your pocket without worrying about breaking the stereo jack.
- I own a nice speaker add-on.
- The screen is big.
I know there are downsides too. I also see that you own a multimedia device so this should not appeal to you.
It boots fast. The UMDs can be a bit slow at times, but it has a hibernation mode. Just pull the power switch and it saves all essential data, so that you will resume where you stopped playing when you turn it back on. This can be unstable though. I reccommend you pause the game before doing it. There are enough good commercial games to keep me satisfied, but this costs money.
Conclusion: My PSP is not for you.
My DS:
My second seventh-ganeration handheld. The pink color is symbolic. Getting storage and utilities for this device is hard.
The DS folds together, so that the screens are protected. But if you look at the screens from the side, below, or above you won't see a thing. Only one person at the time can see what's going on. Also, you can see the space between the pixels. But the screens are sufficiently bright and clear. The touch screen and microphone gimmicks are allright.
The speakers are a tiny bit louder than the PSP's speakers. It is a bit larger, and has longer battery life than the PSP.
It is not a multimedia device. Running homebrew is not easy, nor worth it. You need to buy games( or an expensive semi-illegal RW cartridge and launcher card) to do anything, and this costs money. I do not think that the games are that good, but this is personal.
Conclusion: My DS is not for you.
My GP2X:
My third seventh-generation handheld. I got it not long ago. Cheap SD card storage lets you save and run anything. The machine is all about homebrew, so essentially this is a super-portable linux PC. This is a one-time investment. Get the console and storage and you won't have to buy anything else.
The screen is nice. Nice viewing from any significant angle. Nice resolution. Bright, clear, and good size.
The speakers are relatively silent. It uses AA batteries, which can be aquired anywhere. Rechargables recommended. Smaller and much lighter than the others. TV-out can be enabled without big investments.
The GP2X can play almost any format, as long as someone bothers with making a player. It emulates any old machine well.
Get a GP2X:
- If you're poor
- If you're not interested in new fancy 3D games
- If you want good homebrew
You seem to fit nicely for all these, so get it.