PSP is a really nice present for a retro fun. By tracking auctions on Ebay you can get the device for just 50 dollars in good condition for something 20 years old.
But how good is PSP itself by modern standards? Well, people from Reddit at r/PSP mention from time to time that PSP became an item of collecting rather than being a serious gaming device. Many people buy them, take photos and rarely even turn on driven by nostalgia.
Some players still actively play on original devices for authenticity, even more introduce some modifications to it and even more than that prefer emulators.
Since you can emulate PSP easily with relatively cheap android handhelds or PS Vita there are a lot of people who just enjoy PSP/PS2 games aesthetics. PSV and Android handhelds arguably provide better experience than the original unmodified PSP.
Why? Screen is the main answer. PSP of all 4 revisions are using TFT screen panels that looked extremely cool back in the days but now is simply outdated beyond any standards. PS Vita in comparison uses OLED panel in the first revision and high quality IPS in the second and it’s not just a step up it’s a huge jump in terms of picture quality over TFT.
Modding in PSP community became a norm. If you don’t care about authenticity of your experience it’s most likely will be the only way to play comfortably on this outstanding retro console.
For a long time better screens were available only for PSP-1000, but not long ago some easy IPS replacements appeared for PSP 3000. Though people report difference in color vibrancy because the original panel was maxed out in its settings and new screen is simply not optimally set up at the moment. Since the problem is bond to the software it may change in the near future.
Old PSP screens have huge problems with ghosting that was being reduced over revisions but it was still very noticeable. New upgraded panels remove this problem and fix brightness levels making PSP easier to play outside in sunny days.
PSP is probably the last mainstream truly portable console to this day. 4.3 screen and construction of the low profile analog stick allows the dimensions to be compact so you can easily fit it into your pocket. PS Vita in comparison uses 5.0 inch screen and hall effect analogs. It makes Vita more bulky and less portable.
Aside of the screen it’s not all ponies and rainbows. PSP is almost 20 years old. And these devices are old and even if they were well preserved they are failing because of the age – I’m writing these words as an active owner of PSP.
Expect to maintain it yearly or so. Stick is not the only problem, but also rubber pad under the D-Pad, power button, bottom layer of buttons (mine started to multi-click randomly with time) and so on.
If you get PSP for cheap there is a chance it will come with the original battery and all of them are dead by now. So you will need to get a third party one for proximately 20 dollars. So it makes sense to look for a battery information before buying – was it replaced or not and in which condition it is currently.
So, in conclusion, does it worth it to buy PSP in 2026 and how it stands its ground?
You will hardly be able to buy a good android emulator that runs PSP games flawlessly for 50 dollars even Anbernic. So if you don’t want to spend more than 100 dollars for a quality device and you’re okay with some repairs – yes, PSP with updated screen is a really good option with huge library of games and ability to emulate older consoles.
If you’re a fan of PSP – there is no questions, PSP is a good device. It feels nice even today but needs some care.
If you have money and consider just getting some quality handheld – sadly PSP is probably not the best option. Take a look on Anbernic or Retroid devices. They have powerful compact devices that will emulate PSP better than PSP can run its own games with better picture and some enhancements.
1 thought on “Should you get a PSP in 2026?”