PSP v PS Vita

[Myliferocks]

Can anybody explain the difference between a PSP and a PS Vita and how they compare to a Nintendo DS.
DS1 has asked for a PS Vita for christmas but they're a bit pricey. I was going to see if he wanted a PSP instead.
He already has a Nintendo DS ( not a DSi ) and an Xbox.

Thank you for any help given!

PSP and PSP Vita are both much more powerful than the DS. Bigger screens, more memory, faster processors etc. The PSP is quite old though and I don't think any (or, at least, not many) new games are being produced for it. There's still a good number of older titles for it though.

The PSP Vita is the PSP's replacement and adds touchscreen capabilities, motion-sensing, better online capabilities and other whizzy new features. PSP games will work on the Vita if you can physically get them loaded on to it. Original PSP games came on tiny CD-ROMs. The Vita doesn't have the miniature CD-ROM drive and requires games to come either on memory cards or as downloads. PSP Vita games won't run on a PSP.

Being charitable one could say that the Vita's sales have been disappointing. Being a bit more frank, its utterly bombed on the market. Which is a worry as if the punters aren't buying it then the games producers won't bother making games for it.

To be honest, I'd try to avoid buying either right now. If sales of the Vita don't pick up markedly (which, so far, seems unlikely) then I suspect it's going to be a bit of a dodo.

The handheld game console market is in a bit of a mess all round at the moment. Many customers are moving to smartphones for portable gaming rather than dedicated games machines. If you can buy a good game for your iPhone or Android phone for a couple of quid, who's going to pay £35 for one on a DS or Vita?

Thank you Snorbs!

I spoke to my son tonight and he definitely would like the PSP as a boy he met on holiday had one.
He's looked at the games available and has seen some that he likes that aren't to expensive.
We have a games shop in our town that sells new and used games.
Are used games for the PSP like used Xbox games in that none of the levels are unlocked when you start to play or are they more like the DS used games where you can see where the previous person has got to with the game? Iyswim.

Thank you from me too Snorbs. Was having the same debate, but interestingly arrived at the idea of letting ds2 use my ancient iPhone 3GS instead while we figure out what to do. Which is pretty much what you're saying Big thanku!

He was after a iPod touch like his sister and I have which I think would be better but he seems to prefer playing games with proper controls rather than touchscreen. Iyswim.
I'm sure whatever we get him it will end up being wrong.
Sod's law and all that!

If anyone in your house is a little techy you can actually set up emulators on your PSP to play other console games mostly old stuff like the GBA/Megadrive/C64 but its very very fun

You lost me on emulators! .

Not one techy person in our house and there's 7 of us!