While the system still suffers from the limitations of its proprietary technology, unintuitive software and steep price, my experience with the U.S. version has me hopeful for the future of Sony’s new portable platform.
In terms of the hardware, the U.S. version is identical to the Japanese unit I imported in December, save for a few small changes to the model identification on the rear panel. As noted in my review in January, despite having an all-plastic build, the PS Vita has a premium look and feel with silver, metallic-finish accents and edge work. The focal point of the design is the massive 5-inch OLED display, which delivers the best visuals of any handheld and even rivals the iPhone 4S’ retina display. Even at its lowest brightness setting, the screen is crisp and vibrant, producing millions of colors.
In order to keep the overall footprint of the system low, the d-pad, action buttons and joysticks that flank the display are small and placed closely to each other. Although considerably smaller than a standard DualShock, the controls are just as effective. The buttons are tightly mounted and responsive. The shoulder buttons are springy and loose but detect depressions accurately.
Overall, the touchscreen and rear touch panel are fairly accurate, though performance varies by application and game. For instance, swipes and taps are detected 1:1 on the main user interface, but gesture controls in games like ModNation Racers: Road Trip are slower to respond.
The system also makes use of built-in accelerometers and a gyroscope to detect motions such as tilting for control input. In some cases, the sensors can be a bit too sensitive and need to be adjusted, but otherwise it works well across most applications. Those who prefer traditional controls will be relieved to know that the touch- and motion-based controls are used as optional alternative control schemes that can be disabled.
The only substantial flaw with the design is the high-gloss finish of the front panel, which is so reflective that the unit is hard to use in direct sunlight. What’s more, the display collects smudges and dirt after only moments of use.
The PS Vita comes in two flavors--a Wi-Fi-only model and a 3G model, priced at $249 and $299, respectively. The 3G model’s service is furnished by AT&T in the U.S. and offers constant connectivity to the PSN, turn-based multiplayer, the system’s mobile browser and social functions. Leading up to launch, we outlined the benefits to investing in the 3G model, as well as some more cost-effective solutions, but now that we’ve been able to test it extensively, there are performance factors to consider.
As expected, enabling 3G increases energy consumption, but the impact on battery life is actually far greater than I would have expected. While I was able to get close to 5 hours of juice out of the Wi-Fi only model, 3G connectivity diminishes battery life to roughly 3 hours per charge. Disabling the 3G function and changing other settings, like lowering the brightness, returns optimal battery life to the 5 hour range. Obviously, having 3G enabled all of the time isn’t necessary, but having to turn it off and on in order to preserve the battery is less than ideal.
The speed of the 3G connection also is also inconsistent. Network performance is largely dependent on your location, but during my testing in San Francisco, I achieved speeds as little as 1.3Mbps and up to 1.7Mbps. Basic messaging between friends was speedy, but web browsing and other media-rich activities were slow. Low data speeds and network congestion limits the features accessible via 3G to messaging, downloads from the PSN that are 20MBs or less and asynchronous (turn-based) multiplayer. In the United States, AT&T is charging $14.99 for an entry-level 250MB monthly plan or $29.99 for 3GBs of data, and based on the impact on the battery and the range of apps that use it, it doesn’t seem worth the cost.
As our camera tests illustrated, the PS Vita’s front- and rear-facing cameras leave much to be desired, falling short of the quality offered by the Nintendo 3DS or even the iPhone 3G, which was released in 2008. Still, they are sufficient for augmented reality games like Little Deviants and for apps like Skype and Twitter. In a recent software update, Sony added support for 640x480 video recording at 29 frames-per-second. Images and video produced by the cameras are grainy with washed out colors, so the PS Vita won’t be replacing your smartphone camera anytime soon.
And then there’s the PS Vita’s primary UI, which remains one of the system’s biggest weaknesses. Each menu, application and game is presented as a bubble icon that, when tapped, opens a new window that displays links to DLC on the PSN, recent friend activity and the a button for launching the game or app itself. While the utility of these shortcuts can be handy, having at least two steps between the main menu and every function is anything but quick and intuitive.
What’s more, the system ships with a variety of app-style functions that seem to overlap. Here’s the full list of functions:
- Near - A GPS-based social app that shows nearby Vita users and allows users to gather Game Goods, like unlockable add-ons in ModNation Racers: Road Trip.
- Maps - A Google Maps app that provides directions and GPS data.
- Photos - The system’s camera and photo/video viewing app.
- Party - Connect with other PSN friends with voice and text chat.
- Friends - Friends list viewer.
- Group Messaging - Basic text communication with friends and PSN users.
- Trophies - View yours and others’ trophies.
- Video - The system’s viewer for downloaded or synced video content.
- PS Store - Direct access to the PSN Store.
- Browser - Basic web browser.
- Content Manager - An app that allows you to copy content to/from your PS3 or PC.
- Remote Play - App that allows you to access a paired PS3 remotely via Wi-Fi.
- Settings - Primary system settings interface.
- Network Operator (3G Model Only) - App that allows users to setup and adjust the unit’s 3G connection.
The promise of the PS Vita is console-quality experiences on the go, and it delivers with games like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Rayman Origins and ModNation Racers: Road Trip. But it also offers bite-sized content, such as downloadables like Escape Plan and Plants vs. Zombies. It is easily the most versatile handheld available, but with the market for dedicated gaming devices shrinking rapidly in favor of smartphones and tablets, it is facing stiff competition.
Sony is betting on the PS Vita’s unique gaming experiences as a means of attracting adopters, but at $249 and $299, the cost of the hardware is still a huge barrier. Adding in the price of the system’s expensive proprietary memory cards and the games themselves, the problem is compounded further. The system is priced as high or higher than the PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS and most smartphones (albeit with a 2-year contract). If the company hopes to truly compete, it needs to drop the cost of the PS Vita to a more aggressive price point.
Despite the challenges of the price, there’s plenty of potential in the platform. The system has the capacity to allow players to start a game on their PS3 and finish it on the go or pair with console to use the PS Vita as an auxiliary display. Hackers have even allegedly been able to access and play games like Battlefield 3 using Remote Play. If Sony can build upon the PS Vita’s cross-platform functionality with the PS3, the value offering would be incredible.
As much as I would love to judge the PS Vita for what it could be, I have to critique it for what it is. Right now, the PS Vita is an amazing piece of hardware with an impressive launch lineup and software that hints toward a bright future, but until Sony addresses concerns about the price, it is destined to appeal to only a niche audience.
