PSP Go unboxing

Sony's latest PSP turned up at the CNET Australia offices last week and we snapped a few pictures to find out what will be inside the box ahead of its 1 October Aussie launch.

Despite the fact that the Nintendo's DS family has outsold the PSP range (worldwide around 110 million versus 51 million), Sony hasn't given up on trying for the top spot. Its latest effort is the PSP Go, a significant reworking of the current PSP's look and feel. There's a slide-up screen, significantly slimmed down dimensions and Sony's proprietary UMD format has been junked in favour of digitally distributed software.

Feeling a bit like the apes at the beginning of

The PSP Go displays no visible signs of elation at its impending freedom.

Inside the Go's box you'll find the console itself, a mains charging cable, miniature power brick, USB PC sync cable and the new Media Go file management software to get content onto your device.

The PSP Go is about two-thirds the size of the current PSP-3000 model and rests comfortably between your hands without your fingers getting all knotty behind it.

The four iconic face buttons, D pad and analog stick have been hidden below the sliding screen, helping to save space and keep the PSP Go small.

Nothing to see back here. The UMD drive has been dumped, helping to keep the weight down to 108g; the PSP-3000 weighs 190g.

The top of the unit houses a backlight intensity toggle with three brightness settings, volume adjustment and a mute button, as well as the left and right triggers.

On the bottom, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack and the PSP Go's new proprietary connector. On the sides (not pictured) are toggle switches for Wi-Fi connectivity and power/hold, as well as a slot for an M2 Memory Stick.

At 3.8 inches across, the PSP Go's screen is slightly smaller than the old model, but it's nice and bright — perfect for watching educational videos on how to work your new toy or the finer arts of eating biscuits.

The original PSP pulls its smaller, younger sibling into its orbit.

The latest PSP model considerably thinner than the original PSP.

The PSP Go is about the same height as the original model, but it packs considerably less girth.

Direct size comparison between the Nintendo DSi and Sony's PSP Go, both closed.

For better or worse, the one thing the PSP still doesn't have is two screens.

Even with screens up, the PSP Go is smaller than Nintendo's DSi.

Will today's kids remember the PSP Go with the same fondness we have for the original Nintendo Game Boy?

Thankfully, a Pokemon version of the PSP will never happen.

The PSP Go takes on all comers, young and old. Stay tuned for our review, which will be up later this week.