ok...this accessory has gotten a bad rap since the get go. Faulty wiring,bad speakers,and constant charging of the PSP causing an always dead battery. But n ow this case has been reborn! In a stunning decision Nyko, instead of just stoping production and saying "tough,you bought it...you deal with it" has entirely redesigned the internals and made themselves a viable product!
Durablity-98 This has always been a sturdy case. Brushed aluminum, with neoprene lining (a little thin but usable). A redesigned latch holds it closed better than the last version. The outer hinge is a little loose, if you hold the case while using it the lid will flop forward but its not too annoying. The interior cradle is thin plastic but not too bad or cheap feeling. The major gripe in this catagory is the grey rubber plug covers in the front..they dont seem to want to stay closed but a little double sided scotch tape on the inside of the piece and they hold just fine.
Sound-90 I used to use the Intec speaker dock but these speakers are much richer sounding. The highs and mids are good and the bass is nice but not quite up to that from the Logic 3 speakers...but theres no subwoofer so its understandable.Its more than loud enough for movies and games and very little if any distortion at high or full volume. And of course as I said above Nyko has addressed the "buzzing" or "hissing" of the former model...and included a switch to turn the amp off for headphone use...saving alot of battery life. Also included is a white audio cord for playing the PSP while out of the cradle...about 3 1/2 feet long more than enough to lean back and enjoy.
Battery-98 This thing will either extend the battery life of the PSP in the cradle for 7 hrs with its li-ion internal battery. Or if just left alone without using the power for speakers recharge your PSP from dead to 100% 3 1/2 times before the low battery indicator (a red flashing led on the front just below the charging indicator) tells you the case has to charge. The case takes 8 hrs first time charge but 5 1/2 hrs after that since the unit is shipped totally discharged. Included is a charge cable that can be used in conjunction with the audio cable for play or movies out of the cradle. For those that want to know, yes you can use this case with or without cords to power your PSP without the battery pack installed so you can use a separate charging device for it while you play. As stated before in this new version the flaws are fixed. In the last version if you chose to store your PSP in this case without pluging it in it would constantly charge the PSP until the cases battery was exhausted. The fix is a switch on the bottom of the unit that switches off the charging feature to the PSP as long as the case is not plugged in. When plugged in the case will always charge the PSP first if its in the case and then the cases internal battery.
Price-100 This was the real killer for most people when buying this unit. With a list price of 79.99 at launch it scared alot of people away. Well this too has been fixed. Most retailers offer this at 39.99 to 49.99 I believe at Nykos request. (EB Games=39.99) Now that Nyko fixed all the problems there were with this item...39.99 is more than reasonable.
Summary- This is a kickass case with well done features by a company that was willing to admit its mistakes....and fix them and not make the consumer pay extra for the fix. In fact I have heard of many making a request and being able to send their old version back to Nyko and having a new version sent to them at no cost...thats responsibility my friends. In a world where accessories almost never live up to their names ...or brands this was a plesant suprise!
I have to say nice review! I own this case and agree 100%. I had one of the faulty cases to begin with and I called the company. They took it back NO questions asked and sent me a NEW <still in plastic> one and THEY paid shipping! This case really DOES what it says and is perfect for long trips. I've used it to recharge my psp overnight at hotels and while riding in cars.. The speakers sound is really good and it passes the 'would you buy it again test', easily. Lastly, take a look on ebay.. you can find these pretty cheap, and they're a worthwhile accessory. Peace.
I do actually have this case. It's excellent! Being able to watch your psp without having to grasp it in your hands! I truly truly do reccomend this case if you are looking for one.
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