Gp2x/psp Comparison - My Own Opinion

[Tetedeiench]

I thought i might just start a topic, giving my own opinion on the "psp Vs gp2x" question. I want to make sure everybody understand the purpose of this thread : i DO NOT HAVE THE UTMOST TRUTH EMBEDDED IN MY BRAIN. It is just MY OWN OPINION. You can rightly disagree or have different view of those things, it is perfectly understandable and it reflects your needs for portable gaming, and rightly so.

So, let's start

1- Looks
The gp2x feels rather plastic and lightweight. While this is a plus for some people, it had a too fragile feeling for me, like it can be broken easily if dropped. The gp2x design is ok, but does not go anywhere near the psp. It is a revolution, hands down, in my opinion, almost as important as when the ipod was released : you jump out of the "plastic" toy to jump to the professionnal tool.

gp2x : plastic, lightweight, smaller
psp : professional, heavier, bigger

I'd say psp wins this round, just because of the high-tech feeling and the solidity of the thing

2- Ergonomics

While the psp is bigger, i personally don't like the way it is designed. I personally liked the way the g2x fit in my hands. In fact, i could hold my gp2x with my whole hands and still have easy access to the buttons. With the PSP, i'm forced to use my fingers... and it is a bit tiresome. i find the side buttons are of easier access on the psp.
As for controls, i'd say psp wins ! The crappy gp2x stick just revealed itself after you used the psp classic controls. While the square button feels a tad weird on the psp, they have a wide space between each other, making it, for me, easier to handle. The analogic stick is craptastic on the psp.... but the gp2x has none, so well.

I'd say gp2x for how it rests in hands, and psp for the controls.

3- LCD screen

I was really disappointed by the gp2x screen. Flickering, scanlines, wavelines... all that made me feel i had a cheap, low cost LCD screen in front of my eyes. looking back at it, i really feel like it was OK in terms of contrast, brightness and precision, but the lines just kills it, as it gave me headache when i used it. The PSP is crystal clear, period. No lines, nothing. However, it has a blurring effect that is disturbing, and the resolution of the thing just doesn't make it good for emulation, as you will get interpolation and such.

I'd thus say psp for the screen, as it is properly implemented and doesn't have scanlines/such. Besides everybody claiming those are sftware problems on gp2x, i really don't think that eing able to tell between ixels by seeing a black line between them IS software.

4 - Emulation

There is the real meat. What can i get to run ? I feel like the psp is, right now, much better for emulation than the gp2x. First of all, it has a near-perfect SNES emulator. It runs pretty much everything, smoothly, with savestates, sounds and such. It has performance issues on SNES hardwired effects such as Mode 7, but not that bad. OK, playign mario kart is a no-no, but it is enough to get around on the map in RPGs like Secret of mana. ScummVM is pretty good too, MD seems complete ( haven't tested it yet), and there's a basic port of MAME.
The gp2x seems to be at the very same point, emulation wise. However, the SNES emu is not as good as the PSP one.
PSP can run PSP games too ( obviously), which is a GREAT asset. Those games are really impressive, graphics wise, and this is obviously a plus.
The gp2x has already much more homebrew games too, like quake, duke3d, wolfenstein, sudoku, and such.

I'd say, in my gaming-orientation, that the psp suits my needs better. SNES and MD emu was all i was asking for, savestates too, and the PSP games are just too great ( WipeOut pure especially).

5 - Long term

Here, i'd say the gp2x has a higher chance of being supported on the long term. While the psp scene has to make alot of efforts to hack the system with the new firmware versions, the gp2x is basically open. Thus people get more time working on the rograms, rather than hacking the box. If you addthe possible 'void warranty' on the psp that may arise if sony finds a way to identify hacked psp... i'd say the gp2x wins here

6- Autonomy

Psp. Period. 4 hours 3d gaming Versus 2 or 3 on the gp2x.

7- functionnality

It basically ends to a "Wifi & infrared Vs TV-out". I'd rather have the TV-out, but multiplayer via the wifi medium is real nice... 50/50

8- movies

The gp2x can play movies without resizing, even if there's alot of trouble getting a nice screen for viewing them ( see previous points), i'd still give the advantage to it. Re-encoding is just boring.

9- Price

There's, with the very same functionnality, a 100$ difference on a PSP Vs a gp2x. if you add the hidden costs on the gp2x ( tvout cable, power supply, rechargeable batteries, and the case), it gets thinner. OK, memory stick are cstlier than SD cards.... but that still doesn't make it. I'd say, in the end, a psp is 40-50$ costlier than a gp2x.

11 - Hassle

Getting something to work on the g2x is just HELL. While i'm skilled on linux, i HATE how programmers come up with different standards thatjust kill any organisation you can have on your SD card. Want to put your games in the games folder ? No, you have to put quake at the root directory. Want to put your roms in emu/roms folder ? NO, DrMD frces you to make a Roms/MD directory. Hey, come on, it's not that hard to customize paths... and it would make it muuuuch easier. Plus, you don't have to install any obscure libraries to make things work on the PSP.
If you add to that the SD cards recognition problems, and the "cold boot hang-up" problems... I'd really give the psp a huge plus here.

10 - Conclusion

I definitly don't regret selling my gp2x. The screen was too big a problem for me to keep it. The stick, even if i found it OK back then, is just killed by the psp classic cross-directional button. Emulation wse, the psp is at about the same level than the gp2x, with a small advantage due to a near-perfect SNES Emu. It looks better, has better controls, has a much higher autonomy and alot of features.
I'd advise the psp to anyone who wants gaming before everything. I'd advise the gp2x to people who wants to program, to develop, to have an underground "unique" feeling, but not to those whose gaming is their sole purpose.

PS : i'm sure i made ALOT of english mistakes above. English is not my native language, that's why ^^ sorry about that

 

[woogal]

Want to put your games in the games folder ? No, you have to put quake at the root directory.

​

Wrong. Read the instructions, modify a script, and you can put it wherever you like. I make a point of ensuring all my software can run from any location.

 

[mongolito404]

No, you have to put quake at the root directory.

You didn't read the readme ? Did you ?

qlaunch.gpe assumes that you have the main executable in a folder called quake which is in the root of the sd card. If you move quake somewhere else (or change the folder name) make sure you update the /mnt/sd/quake lines to point to the new folder location. Eg, if you decide to create a games folder and put quake in there then change the lines to say /mnt/sd/games/quake.

 

[Tetedeiench]

No, you have to put quake at the root directory.

You didn't read the readme ? Did you ?

qlaunch.gpe assumes that you have the main executable in a folder called quake which is in the root of the sd card. If you move quake somewhere else (or change the folder name) make sure you update the /mnt/sd/quake lines to point to the new folder location. Eg, if you decide to create a games folder and put quake in there then change the lines to say /mnt/sd/games/quake.

​

My bad, didn't see that part. The DrMD issue is still there

 

[chris_r]

I personally like the "retro" look to the gp2x, I think it fits in better with the emulation scene.
And gph tested out different styles before launch and the community decided against the shiny look like the psp, so that's why it looks the way it does.

I don't know why you class being bigger and heavier in a handheld a good thing. My gp2x fits nicely in my pocket albeit with a bit of a battery bulge, but a psp sticks out the top of my pocket.

I agree with you on the screens. The scanline are becoming my main annoyance with the gp2x now. Although after playing a psp for the first time the screen is very clear and the blurring gives the screen a more ambient feel. But once you're out of the menu with all the floating swirling backgrounds and into a fast paced game, you realise that ambience is not what you want. It made be realise how crisp the 2x screen, despite it's scanlines.

I think the main future depends on what you are looking for in your console. Commercial games makes psp an instant win if that's what you want.
But while emulators on psp might be better at the moment, the gp (and dreamcast) community has a load of devs truly commited to their console and squeezing every last bit of power out of it. That is something you find find on the psp.

And while wifi or the like would be a nice addition to the 2x, it is not much of a bother to me. I've never found anyone with a gp32 or gp2x near me so I would never use it anyway.

 

[beanfarmer]

i didnt have to rename nething to run quake in my games folder it just work go figure?

 

[Tetedeiench]

i didnt have to rename nething to run quake in my games folder it just work go figure?

​

Me neither. I just didn't see it was possible to instal it on a different folder by editing a script. Likewise, you can ask yourself the question : how easy is it to edit a script for the average user ? Mind you, i bet that the avergae gp2x user has a much higher Linux background than the average psp, and a much higher level in computer science.

Anyway.

 

[chaos engineer]

Tetedeiench, I think your comparison is fair, although I prefer the gp2x.

I heard that Sony does not earn any money by selling the psp console. The profit is supposed to be generated by selling games and by licensing the format to other companies. This means: buying a psp without buying any UMDs causes damage to Sony.

 

[Silberstein]

I thought these scanlines was a firmware bug or something?

 

[jimi.vicious]

I recently sold my PSP before I ordered the GP2X. The main reason was cost. £35 per game? No thanks. £20 for movies? Which I can't event play on my TV if I want to? Sod that!

My GP2X arrived this morning and although I haven't had chance to put it to the test properly, my first impressions are pretty good:

Yes, the case does feel cheaper than than the PSP, but this is understandable. It's certainly a lot more comfortable than the PSP though, whose analogue stick was a bitch to reach.

The 2X's joystick, which I've heard so much about, doesn't feel as bad as I've been lead to believe. It could do with better grip perhaps, but so far I'm happy with it.

As for the screen, I haven't noticed any of the lines or flickering that people have complained about. The only niggle (and it really is a very small point) is that it seems a little too bright. Colour in the MD emulator seems slightly washed out when compared to the PSP.

Overall all I'm prepared to put up with the 2X's very minor faults, because like you say, it's an open system. Sony are really shooting themselves in the foot by locking the firmware on the PSP. I had to wait for it to be hacked before I could downgrade to fw 1.5 and run homebrew, which also meant losing features of the newer firmware. I am not prepared to choose between open-ness and new features. Call me greedy, but I prefer the best of both worlds.

I give the 2X a big thumbs up! <_<

 

[chris_r]

I heard that Sony does not earn any money by selling the psp console. The profit is supposed to be generated by selling games and by licensing the format to other companies

This is true for pretty much every console except open source consoles. Seeing as they won't sell any games they have to try and make a small profit on their consoles instead.

This is a good idea though for commercial systems (back to the non profit consoles topic) because if they can drop their prices on the consoles then it makes the console more inviting to the customers despite the fact they will make a loss. But then say you buy about 30-40 games at about 30 quid each then suddenly their profit is skyrocketing because the dvds/cds/umds are only consting a few pence each to manufacture.

This is also why sony keeps trying to squash homebrew, because if everyone bought consoles without any games they would lose a ton of money

I thought these scanlines was a firmware bug or something?

​

Yes they are but dignsys hasn't even attempted to fix them yet. Maybe anytime someone mentions the scanlines to dignsys they think we mean the wavy diagonal lines.

 

[Rayek]

The only company that seems to be making a profit off thier systems is Nintendo. I heard that wasn't the case for Microsoft and Sony, but Nintendo does consoles very well, and as I remember, so did Sega, when it was being produced.

But isn't it curious that even though Nintendo manages to forge a profit from their systems, they're always cheaper than the competition? How do they do it?

 

[deepmenace]

for me its a gp2x win hands down.

psp=£180+£50 for a mem stick = £230
gp2x=£125+£35 for an sd card+£20 for batts and charger= £180

but the clincher for me is the cost of PSP games, i dont play handhelds enough to warrant £30 a go on a recent title.

So, a year down the line, the gp2x will have cost me maybe £230 if i figure in a few donations but ownership of the PSP will be closer to £500.

Also, i love the hardcore, non-shiny look of the gp2x. I like the way i can just toss it into my bag. I laugh at my friends while they handle their psp like its a nuclear device.

Also, as nothing serious as ever happened to my gp2x ( brickings, firmware problems, etc ) i acutally like the quirkiness of it. Its a proper adventure.

Finally, DaveC's new joystick cap = no further control problems.

 

[mittens]

Well, I believe there are some biases, especially about the 'autonomy' and the 'price'

If you really compare these two machines about what you call 'autonomy', you'd better consider the 'price' and the 'mobility' also.

If you plan to use your psp always under the 4 hours (and it will be getting shotter) , that's ok.
But if you want use further, or use it during your trip, that would be totally different problem.

So, be fair, GP2x win, no doubt.


And about price, I don't think PSP is just $40~$50 more expensive. jimi.vicious already pointed it clearly, I don't feel I need explain it again.

Yes, that cost is for 3d-top-notched new softwares, not homebrew, but a lot of them are just ported ones and it is because the differnces between the main purpose of PSP - the commercial game - and GP2x - homebrews.

Again, be fair, for gaming experience, PSP costs too much.

 

[chaos engineer]

I
My GP2X arrived this morning and although I haven't had chance to put it to the test properly, my first impressions are pretty good: As for the screen, I haven't noticed any of the lines or flickering that people have complained about.

​

I guess this is because GPH improved the production of the screens. I got a First Edition GP2X and I am not able to solve the scanlines problem with any lcd cpu settings.

 

[subin]

I guess this is because GPH improved the production of the screens. I got a First Edition GP2X and I am not able to solve the scanlines problem with any lcd cpu settings.

well, my production date is.. 12/12, and i dont really notice any scanlines. sometimes if i move it slightly and strain my eyes to see them i can see them slightly.. but otherwise, they dont really affect me.

 

[Gandalfjip]

scene of psp is dead, ok?

 

[Zeon X]

Dont you need to buy GTA for the PSP now to hack it? Thats another £30

 

[Ranger X]

Honestly, if you no longer own a GP2X or GP32 (or plan to own, develop), you have no business in these forums.

 

[Mikey242]

I agree with Chris r. The Dreamcast and GP2X communities are absolutly booming.

The console situation is similar to the way printers work. You can buy a decent printer for less than £50 nowadays, but the cartridges are what kills your wallet, and what brings the profit.

Edit: spelling