PC Magazine got a "display expert" from DisplayMate Technology to evaluate the screen performance of the DS Lite and the PSP. To a casual observer, both have stunning displays. But how do they fare when they're analyzed by the same methods used on high-end HDTVs? The report is incredibly thorough, so I'll just give you some key highlights:

• Both the DS & PSP screens feature incredible DPI (dots per inch): 110 for the DS, 130 for the PSP. The PSP is the clear victor here, cramming in more pixels into its screen per square inch. (For reference, a 19" LCD monitor has a DPI of 86. So both screens are quite impressive.)
• The DS Lite's brightness is no joke: it can go as high as 200 cd/m². The PSP, even when plugged into an AC outlet, can only produce 148 cd/m². When running solely off of battery power, the brightness drops even further to a maximum of 115 cd/m². (Clearly, Nintendo wants to destroy your eyes faster than Sony.)
• Although the DS Lite is much brighter the the PSP, it has an extremely limited viewing angle. The PSP outclasses the DS in terms of viewability, earning it "first place among all of the mobile displays." (Clearly, Sony wants everyone on the subway to be able to see the smut you're watching on the go.)

Joystiq, the attention-craving parent site to PSP Fanboy, recently compared the sizes of history's greatest handhelds. When looking at the handhelds in size order, one can see that the PSP sits smack in the middle.

• Game Boy micro: 5.6 cubic inches
• Game Boy Advance SP: 9.81 cubic inches
• DS Lite: 12.96 cubic inches
• Wonderswan: 13.33 cubic inches
• Wonderswan Color: 14.1 cubic inches
• Wonderswan Crystals: 14.68 cubic inches
• Neo Geo Pocket Color: 17.35 cubic inches
• Sony PSP: 17.52 cubic inches
• Game Boy Advance: 17.64 cubic inches
• GP2X: 19.61 cubic inches
• DS Phat: 22.01 cubic inches
• Game Boy: 26.39 cubic inches
• Gamepark 32: 26.83 cubic inches
• Sega Nomad: 49.36 cubic inches
• Game Gear: 50.86 cubic inches
• Atari Lynx: 68.53 cubic inches

We should be thankful that the PSP is no monstrosity like the Game Gear... Then again, I did love my Game Gear (pictured).
[Thanks, Zebulunite!]

[Update 1: Whoa, how did that HTML glitch happen? It totally wasn't like that when I typed it. Anyways, fixed.]

More analysts are joining the Sony-bashing party. In-Stat revealed that Nintendo's recently been making DS Lites at an incredible pace of 2.2 million units a month. By infiltrating the homes of the elderly, women and children, Nintendo has been planning to launch Skynet has been maintaining a healthy lead over the PSP. According to Mr. O'Rourke, he predicts the DS will outship the PSP by 25 to 30% this year.

Like many other analysts, Mr. O'Rourke predicts that Sony will cut the price to somewhere in the 150 to 170 dollar range, which is similar to other estimates. Honestly, I don't think the PSP needs a price drop, but Sony will inevitably have to slash prices (even if they don't want to), or do a redesign to get all this negative press away from them.

[Via TG Daily]

Those damn Japanese are at it again with their never-ending obsession with the Nintendo DS Lite. Last week, it seemed the PSP was possibly staging a comeback, but a surge in DS Lite sales that almost topped 200,000 nipped any thought of that in the bud.

- DS Lite 196,719(19,866)
- PSP: 41,289(1,315)
- PS2: 26,547 (96)
- GBA SP: 3,051(822)
- Gameboy Micro: 2,031(265)
- Xbox 360: 1,204(1,042)
- Gamecube: 940(99)
- DS Phat: 934(596)
- GBA: 23(14)
- Xbox: 6(5)

I'm tired of thinking of reasons to why the DS Lite is handing the PSP its ass. Sony is going to have to do something to turn the momentum back in its favor very quickly, or any thought of winning in Japan will be lost. Maybe Sony can start by getting some games on its system that will compete with the DS Lite's. Oh well, there's always next week, right?

(Via PSP Advanced)

People love talking about a redesign of the PSP. Heck, PSP Fanboy ran a contest to see fans make up their own crazy contraptions. Well, a very believable scan of PlayStation Magazine seem to suggest that Sony's working hard on one, and it's coming very soon: March 2007, two years after the US release of the handheld. The article states that Sony's taking a page from Apple (very much like Nintendo), and will provide the same core functionality, while providing a new aesthetic and non-game affecting additions. The biggest changes appear to come in size and memory: the theoretical system will have 8GB of hard disk space, be smaller, and have a retooled UMD drive, all at the same price as the current model. EyeToy will also be integrated into the system, and function as the upcoming external version for current PSP owners.

A redesign has worked wonders for the DS, and Sony's portable can certainly benefit from the same image boost that Nintendo received when retooling their handheld. Sony just has to remember one thing: ensure that a redesign doesn't interfere with current PSP owners from playing future games. Also remember, until Sony confirms otherwise, we're taking this story as a rumor.

Read - Page 1 of magazine scan
Read - Page 2 of magazine scan

[Via QJ]