NGP In Prototype Phase, So No Price Or Battery Estimate

For now, we can only guess at the price of the Next Generation Portable, but there's a reason for that- the device is still in the prototype phase.

Sony boss Kaz Hirai told Impress Watch (via BeefJack) that until they've finalized all the technology, they can't accurately predict a price or estimate the life of the battery. He does say they'll "make sure it's all in line with what's expected from the market," but as a direct comparison, remember that Nintendo's 3DS will have a battery life of 3-5 hours and have a price tag of $249.99. The NGP should be able to come in around there, right? Many seem to be a little disappointed at the 3DS battery life and price so maybe Sony's ultra-advanced little unit is in good shape at this point. Of course, EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich told us it's "unfair" to compare the NGP to the 3DS but let's face it...everyone is gonna. For our part, we're hoping it doesn't cost more than $299, and the battery life is a good 5 hours. If the games are there, that would make the NGP worth the investment, in our eyes.

But everyone has different requirements and requests when it comes to stuff like this, and there's no chance of satisfying every consumer in the world. Let's just hope the NGP satisfies quite a few.

Tags: ngp, next generation portable, ngp price, ngp battery

1/31/2011 10:34:30 AM Ben Dutka

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Comments (46 posts)

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Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 10:48:55 AM
Reply

I saw a suggestion that the battery life would be about the same as the original PSP, but I think that may be more common sense than inside information. The exclusion of the UMD mechanism certainly leaves room inside the casing as does the use of an OLED screen which is very thin, so a bigger battery is a possibility. On the other have a quad core A9 with a quad core GPU is a power hungry combination. So I expect that the battery will be bigger, but the high power draw from the CPU/GPU will cancel out the extra size and the battery will average 4 hours, with slightly longer if the game is less demanding and the screen isn't at the highest brightness, and slightly shorter for a demanding game and maximum brightness.

Price? Well, a lot depends on the cost of three main items. Motherboard, chipset, and screen. I think that the chipset will be the biggest determining factor for the price.

1 up, 0 down

kevinater321
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 10:58:35 AM

I bet it would eat up battery if you have full screen brightness up and 3g connection on.

0 up, 0 down

SmokeyPSD
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:12:04 AM

OLED is more efficient aswell, though I'm not sure how much gains we're talking with a portable device.

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Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:15:53 AM

I think that the lack of a UMD and the potentially larger size of the battery should balance those things out. Certainly both WiFi and 3G are power drains, so the battery will have to be a bit larger to give any decent life. Since Sony have another 6 months or so before they pretty much have to have units in production for a fall release, there is time for another spin on the chipset, they may be expecting some power gains there too.

Still I think that a larger battery taking advantage of the larger physical size of the unit and lack of UMD could even out.

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 12:56:56 PM

Do i see two Shions?

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Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 1:16:33 PM

You do, one from Episode 1 and one from Episode 3. Shion from Episode 3 isn't quite a brunette in the traditional dark brown sense, but brown is brown, and Shion in Episode 3 definitely has brown hair. It was mentioned in another thread that a brunette was missing so.....

0 up, 0 down

shadowscorpio
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 2:27:23 PM

@ Highlander

Who's the one in the center? Is she from the "xeno" franchise? I don't recognize her.

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Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 2:53:25 PM

Left to right we have;

Mizuho Kazami - Please Teacher
Shion - Xenosaga (briefly seen in Episode 1, this is also seen in the anime series)
Sophitia - Soul Calibur 4
Shion - Xenosaga again (episode 3 this time)
KOS-MOS - Xenosaga (episode 2).

Each one is individually removed from their background (except Mizuho and KOS-MOS), the background from the two end characters is stretched and merged. The characters are layered into the image, over the background, with additional layers for cutouts as needed to give the impression of one being in front of the other. Then the entire thing is save with all the layers merged from the top down to a single layer image, finally that image is cropped a little and resized to the avatar file.

The source image is quite large 4800x1200, that let's me clean up the final single layer version each time before resizing it to avatar size. By the time it's shrunk to 50% or less of the original size, the joins are completely seamless.

1 up, 0 down

IronFace2
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 5:33:15 PM

I think NGP should have nano batteries. You have up to 10 times the power density of conventional lithium-ion batteries. It recharges much faster, approximately 60 times faster than the typical lithium-ion batteries and it only loses 1% capacity after 1,000 cycles of discharging and recharging. Its small so no worries for taking too much space.
Longer lifetime, less time to recharge, it cant get any better.

0 up, 0 down

Dancemachine55
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 7:46:27 PM

Actually, OLED is used in some Samsung mobile phones, and the technology tends to consume more power when producing white or bright images.

So the whiter or brighter a game is, the more battery it will consume. The darker the game, the less amount of battery consumption. Quite a common problem with OLED screens, unless Sony has found a way to circumvent it.

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Qubex
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 9:06:18 PM

Will wait to see how this machine turns out. It seems pretty complete as a prototype though. It would be devastating if Sony start removing features before it is even released... and continue with the trend they started with the PS3. Granted it is a prototype, but hell... most people would want it as it is... sigh!

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

Last edited by Qubex on 1/31/2011 9:06:45 PM

0 up, 0 down

Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:22:59 PM

@Ironface,

Nano batterys and Ultracapacitors are both interesting technologies for the future, but neither is ready for primetime. Fuel Cells are a possibility, especially for a small portable poerpack you can use as a charger in the field.

@Dancemachine,

Indeed, OLEDs are LEDs and like anything that emits light the brighter the image the more power used. In an ordinary LCD screen, some of the light is filtered and you lose some of the intensity, so you have to supply sufficient brightness to compensate for the effect of the filter. With an OLED screen there's no filter to reduce the brightness. It's always going to be true though that a bright white screen on an OLED screen will draw the maximum power possible.

@Qubex, the only things I remember being removed from the PS3 design prior to launch were the rumored built in wireless router and the second HDMI port. I don't think either were particularly necessary to the system, and both would have drive the cost even higher. I'm not so worried that they'll change something significant as I am the product could slip in terms of launch past the point where it's technology is truly advanced and market leading. The sooner this can launch, the better.

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IronFace2
Tuesday, February 01, 2011 @ 3:22:40 AM

@TheHighlander

This is the future. In 2005 Toshiba made a new Lithium-Ion battery with nanostructure that recharges incredibly fast. So I dont see a problem for sony to make one aswell. Theire both japaneese anyway.

Last edited by IronFace2 on 2/1/2011 3:24:10 AM

0 up, 0 down

NazzyQ
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 10:58:43 AM
Reply

Don't forget Highlander, that there are a couple things that suggest a good battery life for the NGP. The absence of UMD, not only creates room for a bigger battery ( as you said), but it also means that battery power is no longer being used to spin those clunky UMDs. Also, OLED screens have a fantastically low power consumption compared to standard back-lit LEDs.

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kevinater321
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:02:02 AM

I read somewhere that the OLED screen only uses less power when showing dark images like a night scene. You seem to have a better knowledge on this technology than me so, is this true?

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SmokeyPSD
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:14:59 AM

In the end these positives are offset by the immense processor and video power though.

Perhaps we will be able to manipulate power options even further, like a laptop. To be honest the same amount as a psp would be great to have but perhaps even more is warranted with battery life. Even less is really taking it away as a portable device.

1 up, 0 down

Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:36:37 AM

@kevin,

Power use on an OLED screen is nearly directly proportional to the brightness of the screen. Displaying a pure white pixel at maximum brightness being the most costly for power.

In general, I think the power hogs in this system will be the chipset and the chipset.

Last edited by Highlander on 1/31/2011 11:37:17 AM

0 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:49:38 AM

Remember that the psp without umd did have the exact same battery life, so the energy spent on the umd seems to be a lesser share of the total than what one may expect.

0 up, 0 down

Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:54:13 AM

That's a good point because the disc isn't spinning all the time so the power used is sporadic. Even though UMD only takes power when it's operating, games that reduce that time last longer. Games that used the RAM cache on the PSP-3000 and PSP-3000 last a bit better. Games that let you do an install to the memory stick last longer and downloaded games last even longer still. I've played installed games or downloaded games for at least 6 hours on a charge before (PSP-2000).

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Fane1024
Wednesday, February 02, 2011 @ 4:57:52 AM

Isn't the reason the PSP go's battery life is the same as PSPs with UMD that its battery is smaller, with less capacity?

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kevinater321
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:00:46 AM
Reply

I just want to know when i can get my hands on this beauty of a machine, and how much it will be. When they tell you how long the battery last- they normally exaggerate. For instance on my iPhone 4, the battery doesn't last nearly as long as apple claims.

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matt99
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:11:56 AM
Reply

I'm not so worried about the price and battery life, based on their inclusion of nearly every technology rumoured, Sony does indeed seem to understand what the market wants.

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marcusfrommo
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:11:58 AM
Reply

When i saw it on the website, it appeared to be of similar quality to the 3ds. They should have made it equal to or slightly better than the ps3. I think people would pay 400.00 dollars for it, at least.

Sidenote, no info on dc universe? The very, very, very, little you had to offer was a joke. The very first mmo for this console? Are you freakin kidding me?! Gamespot and ign had more coverage. I thought this website was suppose to be everything interesting about the playstation.

1 up, 1 down

Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:16:51 AM

If it's anything like the original PSP, the first units will be extremely well made and have casings that can survive just about anything. My PSP-1000 is like a rock compared to the PSP-2000 and PSP-3000 models.

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NazzyQ
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:12:51 AM
Reply

@ Kevin. I have heard that the power consumption can be higher when displaying whites ( e.g in documents, web pages). This could be an issue that Sony's engineers may have to work around. I doubt I will be browsing the web much on my NGP though, I've got my iPhone for that :)

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Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:35:26 AM

OLEDs are completely dark when not displaying, and draw next to no current even when active, but not displaying anything. As the brightness increases so does the power drawn. For a white pixel, all three colors have to be lit to equal brightness, so a white background on an OLED screen will definitely use more power. Obviously if you have a white background and maximum brightness you'll drain the battery more quickly.

The battery in the original PSP was 1800mAh (and even smaller still on the PSP-2000 and PSP-3000). Even if the battery in the NGP was twice that capacity (and size) it'd only be 3600mAh.

For example, let's assume that the NGP uses 4 watts an hour (at most) that's a life of just over 3 hours at maximum power drain with a 3600mAh battery.

We don't know how much power the NGP uses in reality. The original PSP was able to go about 4 hours on it's battery which works out as a power requirement of just over 1 watt. That includes the older less efficient 4.3-inch screen. Even though the new OLED screen is bigger and brighter, I'd expect that it won't use any more power than the standard LCD in the original PSP.

The big question marks for the power are the battery size and the power used by the chipset.

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Zorigo
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:49:30 AM
Reply

ohh... pricing is gonna be long to have to wait for ¬_¬

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sha4dowknight05
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:51:03 AM
Reply

I hope for around $300 and 6 Hours battery life yes i kjnow i am demanding but still it's 2011 SONY!!!!

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AcHiLLiA
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 2:20:48 PM

yah, if they get the NGP up to 6 hours that will be good, considering I traveled to California to New England and the flight was between 5 to 6 hours. Then again up to 8 hours will even be better.

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FatherSun
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:54:39 AM
Reply

NGP price will be $199 and will incorporate 3D!

That would terminated the 3DS. In afford-ability and technology. 3D may only be a gimmick but no one can deny the BUZZ that it is generating. It WILL pull in the casual market.

Ok, maybe I am dreaming but just imagine if SONY introduced this magic machine at that price. Everyone and their mother would buy one. I have already decided to purchase one as soon as pre-orders go up. The only way that can be stopped is if they went over $400. Sony would be shooting themselves in the foot if they went over that price range. The tech is definitely worth it but the market simply wont buy into it in a large scale.

Battery will most likely at least match that of the PSP. If not it should at least match that of the closest competitive device the 3DS.

I wont dismiss portable 3D until I have had the opportunity to sample it myself. Even then I would not consider it a necessity but I will look at it from the casual perspective that it is aimed at.

SONY is transforming right before our eyes.

Last edited by FatherSun on 1/31/2011 11:58:01 AM

2 up, 0 down

SmokeyPSD
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 12:05:29 PM

As much as I think sony have learned from the go, that price point is pretty unrealistic for an initial release for what is being released.

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FatherSun
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 12:33:30 PM

@SmokeyPSD, A $199 price point would be devastating to all contenders. Definitely unrealistic. My guess is that the NGP will be priced at $300-$350. That would be more than reasonable considering the tech involved.

Last edited by FatherSun on 1/31/2011 12:38:46 PM

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robinhood2010
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 11:58:38 AM
Reply

I reckon maybe £300 will net you the console as well as a game or two at launch.

But this price will mean it is more expensive than the PS3, and I cannot see the majority of people buying into it.

£250? More acceptable for some?

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Highlander
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 12:42:44 PM
Reply

You know, considering it's a 'prototype' still, the unit that they showed at the conference was remarkably well integrated and functional. It was also interesting that some, or all, of the people on stage hadn't seen the software running on a real unit before. That was a comment I remember from the presentation. That shows you just how far in advance development kits can be made available, and how game development can begin even without a working unit. Still for that to be the case, Sony has to have set what the minimum specifications of the NGP are otherwise the devs wouldn't have a hard target in mind when developing and games could end up not working on the real hardware.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 12:58:12 PM
Reply

Bundle me up with one of those no-plug rechargers while you're at it Sony!

1 up, 0 down

AcHiLLiA
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 2:27:03 PM

your joking right?, you need AC current to charge up battery packs.

1 up, 0 down

Nlayer
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 1:00:32 PM
Reply

If this is more than $300 then I might just buy another PS3 instead, next year. I wonder if that would be a good idea...Gah, I hate choosing!

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Ignitus
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 1:23:03 PM
Reply

Either way, this generation I learned to never buy a new game system al launch (expensive, no bundled games, posible defects/failures), so if I ever get one (I'm not into portable gaming) it will be later on. Why? Less $$$, more likely some good game will be included, the defects/failures will have been ironed out, a new game library with discounted games.
While that happens I can continue to finish playing my backlog of PS3/360 games that continues to grow every month, too many games coming out.

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daus26
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 2:21:23 PM

You're right, except that portable consoles are actually really reliable...almost and if not, as reliable as cell phones. I never really heard about portables defecting/breaking, and if I do it's due to mistreatment. I've had my PSP-1000 for awhile, and it's been through tough times like dropping, sitting, grinding, etc. It still runs perfectly.

However, my ps3 fat, in which I treat with the utmost respect, died. Not sure if I'll ever buy consoles at launch anymore.

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sha4dowknight05
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 1:31:24 PM
Reply

I don't like the sides and how they look. I wish it was more cureved like the psp's edges. The ps button, start and select don't do well with me either so yeah, i hope they redesign that. Not too fond of the menu but not bad, would rather stick with the traditional XMB as well. However, o hope to see how well this thing sells on launch!

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shadowscorpio
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 2:30:08 PM

As far as the XMB goes, it would be nice to have the new and the traditional as in the option to switch between the two.

I think it would be kinda cool if they included it through firmware update for the PS3 too.

1 up, 0 down

Fane1024
Wednesday, February 02, 2011 @ 5:04:52 AM

The new one looks too much like iOS for my tastes. I'd use the XMB if given the choice.

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Alienange
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 1:50:07 PM
Reply

You may be right. The 3DS ridiculous price point and weird reliance on 3d gimmickery might just be enough for the PSP to push ahead, if it produces more than 3 games worth playing.

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daus26
Monday, January 31, 2011 @ 2:46:13 PM

I agree, but Nintendo might rely on its games more than its 3D. At least they should be. My assumption is that 3D is just something that many will turn on and off, depending on their mood. It's just something cool to have, but not essential on gaming. They're lucky that they have games that a lot of people buy like Mario, Pokemon, Zelda, Dragonquest, etc. They'll also have MGS now, so that might increase some more interests.

Sony seems to rely on technology and specs more. I'm not saying they're ignoring the games, but compared to Nintendo, Sony has few franchises that would guarantee multi-million in sales and revenue. They're gonna have to depend on Uncharted, Killzone, LBP, and such... but how many people are aware of those games compared to Mario and Pokemon games? The sad truth is that just because a game is top quality (or as you say, worth playing), doesn't necessarily mean it'll attract the most attention.

I hope that someday for Sony's sakes that their franchises will be as big of a name as Nintendo's. Not that it needs to be, but it'll make them really, really successful. Their franchise is still young and most of them are born this gen.

And WOW, I intended to just type two sentences, and the next thing I know, I wrote this much. Sorrrrryy.

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___________
Tuesday, February 01, 2011 @ 1:53:54 AM
Reply

price is everything with this, i just hope sony realize that!
well, judging by the ps3 and PSP go were not exactly off to a good start!
anyway, apparently kaz said that the battery is going to be internal, IE not removable.
BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
how can you call this portable, if you constantly have to carry a charger and a power station with you?
whole point of this thing is for entertainment on long journeys, so what if your journey lasts longer than say 4 hours?
what if your going on say a 26 hour flight?
portable my a$$!

0 up, 1 down

LanceNLT
Thursday, February 03, 2011 @ 5:35:41 PM
Reply

I agree that I reeeaaally don't want the price to go above $299.99 because that's how much I spent on my PS3. It's not worth it to me too pay much more for games similar to those on PS3 just so I can play them on the go. As for battery life I'm not too concerned. As long as it's around where the 3DS is with 3-5 hours on the brightest screen setting (not to compare the systems) it should be fine. I don't have the screen turned all the way up on my DSi 99% of the time any way and I imagine I could pull that off with the NGP and 3DS too.

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