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PSP2 Will Feature Double The RAM Of Xbox 360, No UMD
Though the long-rumored PlayStation Phone seems to exist, a proper successor to Sony's PSP handheld device remains shrouded in mystery. Some leaked information this week may have us closer to knowing Sony's plans, though.
According to a couple of reports from Kotaku, various sources that met with Sony during the Tokyo Game Show earlier in the year have begun to spill details regarding the PSP2. Most notably, the handheld is ditching the UMD discs that the original PSP used, and it will apparently be extremely powerful.
Kotaku's sources say that the PSP2 will feature 1 GB of RAM, as compared to the PSPgo's 64 MB and the Xbox 360's 512 MB. Nintendo's upcoming 3DS handheld is rumored to have 64 MB of RAM, so although it's significantly more powerful than the current DS, Sony's new handheld would still be the most powerful handheld gaming device on the market.
As for UMD, Sony is taking at least one element from the mostly-failed PSPgo and chopping out the UMD drive. One source says games may be stored on a memory stick, though it's unclear if they will be downloadable only or sold at retail. Other sources say Sony is still figuring out what form of storage the PSP2 will use.
Also rumored to be undecided is the system's final design. Developers were supposedly shown two different versions of the device, one that looks like the PSPgo (pictured above) and one that looks like an older PSP. Sony was reportedly open that they had not yet decided on the final look, although it was clear that the system will include two analog sticks and a mousepad-like "touch panel" on the back of the system, as has been previously rumored.
We asked Sony about the rumors but were told simply and unsurprisingly that they will not comment on rumors or speculation. For a look at what we would like to see from the PSP2, check out our Drafting the Dream PSP2 feature.
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