Charger Grip for PSP-2000 Series

 

Though Sony's second iteration of the PlayStation Portable (PSP), the PSP-2000 SLM or PSP "Slim," boasts a much sleeker, more waifish form factor, it's similarly slimmed Lithium-ion battery only affords some 5 hours of non-stop gameplay -- about half that of the original PSP-fat. As such, if you're prone to toting the thing around in public, you only look cool for a short while before the big tangle of battery charger/power cord comes out of the backpack to rectify, and you sit there on the floor of some airport lounge, guarding or playing the thing while the battery recharges. Nerd.

Or, you buy Nyko's new Charger Grip for PSP, a collapsible, vaguely-form fitting housing that clamps on to the PSP from the back, offering at the same time a pair of DualShock-like handles for a much friendly grip on the whole system, plus another Lithium-ion battery that plugs in to the PSP to keep the first battery topped up for an additional 8 hours of juice. Plugging the Grips in the wall will charge both.

Pretty smart, almost genius, in fact, were it not for one glaring flaw: the thing doesn't actually "grip" at all. More like "tentatively grasp."

Turns out, the PSP Slim is all about svelte curves, with nary a straight edge for the Charger Grips to clamp on to with any sort of authority. As such, the entire PSP is prone to squirting out of the Grips sideways, particularly when you hammer down on the circle button on the far right or the left directional button on the far left, or squeeze either shoulder button with exceptionally enthusiastic vigor -- all of which you're likely to do in a single level of, say, God of War: Chains of Olympus, a game that's hard to play with the otherwise-required light touch, unless you're also a neurosurgeon in your spare time.

In short: Annoying as all get out.

Still, an extra 8 hours of battery life is nothing to sneeze at and the oversized game controller chassis affords a more natural, ergonomic hold on the whole kit and caboodle, so it's not all bad.

Of course, alternately, you could just buy a second (and third?) PSP battery to swap out as necessary. Those are about $25 each...

Details
Reviewed: Apr. 15, 2008
Type: Gear
From: Nyko


Pictures
   


Related Gadgets
Review: Cord-Free for Wii Nunchuk
Review: PSP Charger Grips
Review: Zero Wireless for PS3

Your Opinion
Have you used this product?
Yes. It was Excellent.
Yes. It was Ok.
Yes. It was Awful.

Search