Tech head-to-head
Nintendo DS LitevsSony PSP-3000
Nintendo DS Lite edges Sony PSP-3000, 7.8 to 7.4. The 5 axes split 4-1, widest on Value at 1.0.
Nintendo DS Lite
Nintendo
7.8
Two libraries in one slim body, with a Game Boy Advance slot. Inspect its hinge before anything else.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens current listings on eBay. eBay listings come from individual sellers: condition, battery health, and what's in the box differ from one to the next, so read the listing and the return terms before you buy.
Sony PSP-3000
Sony
7.4
The last full-size PSP and the best screen in the line. Old batteries and UMD drives are what fail.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens current listings on eBay. eBay listings come from individual sellers: condition, battery health, and what's in the box differ from one to the next, so read the listing and the return terms before you buy.
Where they diverge
The widest gap is Value, Nintendo DS Lite ahead 8.6 to 7.6. They come closest on Performance, 7.8 to 7.6. Left of center is Nintendo DS Lite, right is Sony PSP-3000.
Which one to pick
Take the Nintendo DS Lite
Leads on Performance, Value, Ease of use and Design.
- You want the DS library and GBA cartridges on one device with a headphone jack
- Battery life matters more than screen size
- You want the lowest cost of entry on this page for a large library
Take the Sony PSP-3000
Leads on Durability.
- Your interest is the PSP library itself, from Monster Hunter Freedom Unite to the Persona ports
- A wide single screen for video and games appeals to you
- Your UMD collection already exists, or you're about to build one
What each one gets wrong
Nintendo DS Lite
- The hinge photos are missing or show any white stress lines at the corners
- You only play Game Boy and Game Boy Color, which the DS Lite cannot run
Sony PSP-3000
- Photos show a bulging back cover, which means a swollen battery
- Faint horizontal lines on fast motion would bother you, an interlacing effect owners noted on this model's screen
Specs, side by side
| Spec | Nintendo DS Lite | Sony PSP-3000 |
|---|---|---|
| Screens | Two 3 in LCDs, 256×192, bottom resistive touch | — |
| Plays | DS cartridges, Game Boy Advance cartridges (Slot-2) | — |
| Brightness | Four levels | — |
| Battery life | 15 to 19 hours at lowest brightness (Nintendo) | — |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack | — |
| Screen | — | 4.3 in LCD, 480×272 |
| Media | — | UMD discs, Memory Stick PRO Duo |
| Extras | — | Built-in microphone, video out by cable |
| Battery | — | Removable lithium-ion pack |
Rankings they both appear in
Questions
- Nintendo DS Lite or Sony PSP-3000 — which should I buy?
- Nintendo DS Lite leads on Performance, Value, Ease of use and Design. If Durability matters more to you, take the Sony PSP-3000 instead.
- Is 0.4 a real difference?
- Barely. Nintendo DS Lite averages 7.8 and Sony PSP-3000 averages 7.4, and the total is the plain average of 5 axes, so 0.4 is what one axis moving 2.0 looks like after averaging. The axis split, 4-1, tells you more.
- Which one ranks higher in "Retro handhelds: the five worth buying used"?
- Nintendo DS Lite sits at #3 in "Retro handhelds: the five worth buying used", Sony PSP-3000 at #4.