PlayStation Vita 3G is £279 on Vodafone

Vodafone is flogging the 3G version of the PlayStation Vita for £279, chucking in a 4GB memory card to boot, and Wipeout 2048 thrown in as a free download if you top-up £5's worth of data. But is that a good deal, and will you get enough data when the Vita launches on 22 February?

If you want to use the Vita's online features while away from a Wi-Fi connection, you'll need to buy the 3G version. Price-wise, Vodafone's deal isn't bad, but it's hardly blown our minds either.

As Vodafone is the only phone network selling Sony's massive toy in the UK -- for now at least -- your only other option is to buy the 3G-enabled console SIM-free (currently just shy of £270 on Amazon) and stick your own card in it.

Not enough data?

Vodafone equips your Vita with a pay as you go SIM card, and every time you top up £5 you'll get 250MB of data, lasting up to 30 days. That's not a lot of Internet juice, and we suspect if you indulge in dollops of web browsing or downloading games on the go, you'll quickly rattle through your allowance. Even if you buy it from Vodafone though, it's unlocked, so you can go elsewhere after a month.

You can buy a data-only SIM card and do yourself a better deal, especially if you need more data. Three offers deals explicitly for tablets, but they'll work just fine in the Vita. You can get 5GB of data per month for £15.99 or -- probably more suitable -- 1GB for £7.50. O2 will do you 1GB plus unlimited Wi-Fi for £10.21, but you'll need a little plastic caddy to make its micro-SIM fit your Vita.

Vodafone throws in a memory card, which is handy, as the Vita is a little shy when it comes to internal storage. 4GB is the smallest capacity card available, but getting it chucked into the bargain will save you splashing out on one separately.

We've already reviewed Sony's latest console, awarding it a reasonable three stars, but noting that it's very expensive, bulky, and isn't doing much to ward off the likes of Apple. It's a very impressive piece of kit, but we reckon there are much better value alternatives for gaming on the go.

The Vita comes out in the UK on 22 February -- will you be throwing down notes to acquire one? Or is it not the right gadget for you? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below, or over on our Facebook wall.