Technical Specifications

PSP CPU Core
MIPS R4000 32-bit core
128-bit bus
333MHz
32MB Main Memory
4MD Embedded DRAM
2.6GB/sec bus transfer rate
FPU, VFPU (2.6 billion flops)
3D graphics extended instructions
1.2V

PSP Media Engine
MIPS R4000 32-bit core 128-bit bus
2MB eDRAM submemory
90nm CMOS manufacturing process
1.2V

PSP Graphics Core
512bit Bus, 1-166 MHz
2MB VRAM
5.3GB/sec bus transfer rate
3D curved surface and 3D polygon engine
664 M pixels/sec
max 33 M polygon/sec (T&L)
24bit Full Color: RGBA
Support for compressed textures, hardware clipping, morphing, bone, tessellation, bezier, b-spline (NURBS)
1.2V

Display
4.3 inch, 16:9 Wide screen TFT LCD
480 x 272 pixel, 16.77 million colors
Maximum luminance 180 / 130 / 80cd/m2 (when using battery pack)
Maximum luminance 200 / 180 / 130 / 80cd/m2 (when using AC adaptor)

Sound Core
VME (Virtual Mobile Engine)
Reconfigurable DSP engine
166MHz
128-bit bus
5 billion operations per second
CODEC capabilities
3D sound, 7.1 channels
Synthesizer, effecter, and other abilities
ATRAC3 plus, AAC, MP3 for audio
1.2V

Main Input/Output
IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi)
USB 2.0 (mini-B)
Memory Stick Duo™
Infrared Port
Stereo Headphone Out


Disc Drive
UMD (Universal Media Disc) (Read only)
60mm-diameter disc
660nm laser diode
1.8GB capacity (dual-layered disc)
11Mbps transfer rate
AES crypto system
Unique disc ID
Shock proof

Main Connectors
Memory Stick Duo™ Slot
USB connector
DC IN 5V connector
Headset connector

Power
Lithium-ion Battery
AC Adaptor

Codec
AVC(H.264) Decoder
Main Profile
Baseline Profile
@Level1,Level2,Level3
2Hours(High Quality) - DVD movie
4Hours(Standard Quality) - CS Digital
[Video]: "UMD": H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile Level3
[Video]: "Memory Stick": MPEG-4 SP,AAC
[Music]: "UMD": linear PCM,ATRAC3plus™
[Music]: "Memory Stick": ATRAC3plus™,MP3(MPEG1/2 Layer3)

Security
(Encryption) 128bit AES (Copyright protection technology) MagicGate™

Access control
Region, Parental Control

Wireless communications
IEEE802.11b
Infrastructure mode
Ad hoc mode (connection up to 16 consoles)

Clearly, there is a ton of technology packed into this thing. Not all of it, however, is meant for gaming. While the PSP is backed by the PlayStation hype machine, many of the attractive features are borrowed from Sony’s other consumer devices.

The ability to watch full-length movies and videos comes from Sony’s portable DVD players. Playing music encoded in ATRAC3 and MP3 is straight from Sony’s Network Walkmans. And the ability to display photos could be something tossed in from the digital camera division.

Sony definitely had more than just games in mind when designing the PSP.