To buy PS vita or not

A lot of people will be asking themselves, “Should I get the PlayStation Vita?” after seeing or hearing about the new handheld gaming device from Sony.

The PS Vita is definitely sweet, but you shouldn’t jump into a purchase without thinking about the pertinent factors beforehand. The first thing to consider is whether you can afford to get a Vita. It’s not just the upfront cost you need to worry about; you should also factor in the cost of amemory card, games, and accessories. Second, make sure that you’ll actually use the Vita once you buy it. And third, don’t forget to decide whether the Vita is really the best portable gaming choice for you!

Is the PS Vita the Best Handheld Choice?

So you’ve got room in your budget and your life for a new gadget. Now it’s time to figure out if the Vita is the one that will suit your needs the best.

• Consider the available games. The variety of available games is a huge deciding factor when choosing a gaming device. Luckily, the Vita has this one in the bag. It has everything, from puzzle games to adventure titles to even fighters and shooters. The controls give you great options for gameplay, and the touchpads feel natural in-game to a generation of touch-sensitive junkies.
• Consider other options. The elephant in the room here is the 3DS, Nintendo’s latest entry in the portable gaming market. The 3D effect really is stunning, and can easily be switched off if you’re worried about any sort of visual discomfort. Basically what it comes down to is that whether you buy a DS or a Vita will depend on which games you prefer to play, and whether 3D or heavily integrated touch controls are more important to you. And don’t forget the other available gaming options; everything from phonesto tablets to traditional stationary consoles are competing for your gaming dollars.

Will the PS Vita Fit My Budget?

Depending on which options you decide to go with – WiFi only Vita for about $250, WiFi and 3G Vita for about $300, or WiFi/3G Vita with memory card and Little Deviants for about $350 – your original outlay will vary. That won’t be the end of expenses associated with the Vita, however.

• Consider game costs. A gaming console is only as good as the games that you can play on it. Unless you get the First Edition bundle and Little Deviants is enough to keep you entertained for a good, long while, you’ll have to purchase new games at some point. If you get three to five new games within the first few months, add an extra $90 to $250 to your projected total.
• Consider data costs. WiFi only Vita owners won’t have to worry about data costs (except for the normal price you’d pay for your existing wireless system.) Data costs will be a not-insignificant factor though for those taking advantage of the Vita’s 3G capabilities. According to Gamezone, 3G will cost the same on the Vita as on other devices (source), that is, $15 to $25 a month depending on your data usage.
• Consider accessory costs. Accessories are usually considered optional, but there’s one thing at least that you’re pretty much required to buy (unless you get a bundle): a memory card. You’ll need a memory card to get game patches and access other downloaded data, and perhaps most importantly, actually save your game progress. Shelling out for a proprietary Vita memory card will unfortunately set you back $10 to $100.

Will the PS Vita Fit My Lifestyle?

If you’re a hardcore portable system user, you probably already know you’re going to get the Vita, and thus you’re reading this article only for its entertainment value. But this system isn’t just for hardcore users. As gaming becomes more and more mainstream, people who never would have considered themselves “gamers” will find themselves turning to handhelds, potentially without considering how exactly that transition will work out.

• Consider your free time. Playing video games is guaranteed to eat chunks of time out of your day. If you have time to spare – for example, if you carpool, commute on public transportation, or spend long periods of time waiting at the laundromat or for the kids to get out of school – a handheld gaming unit will fit you perfectly.
• Consider your aptitude and interest for handheld gaming. This is a tricky one, because it’s hard to tell if a Vita will be worth the expense without having one to mess around with on a regular basis. Some casual gamers who are looking to graduate from gaming on phones or tablets will love the added complexity and commitment that a handheld device brings; others will long for the days of being to put their devices down after a round of Sudoku or Angry Birds.

PS Vita Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Gorgeous, 5 inch, 960×544 million-color OLED screen
• Unique dual touchpad controls
• “Sixaxis” accelerometer/gyroscopic control integrated into a variety of games
• quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor
• Front and rear facing cameras
• GPS capability (3G version only)
• Expandable memory
• Great variety of well-made games
• WiFi or optional 3G capabilities
• Backwards-compatibility with PSP games
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Excellent specs (you can see a breakdown on the PlayStation website here)

Cons:

• Cost
• No 3D
• Short battery life
• Width makes it a little unwieldy
• Have to purchase a separate memory card