PSP Gripdock

About a week ago, I saw the PSP Gripdock at Target, and thought it might help with the less than ergonomic design of the PSP, so I picked one up yesterday, and gave it a go. It costs about $40, but was placed in the automotive section, rather than the gaming section.

You flip open the top "Safety Clip," then plug the PSP in to the headphone jack and power jack.

Obviously, its main function is to give the PSP a better grip, more resembling that of a regular console controller, so that your hands don't cramp up after hours of play. It does add some other bonus features, as listed in its manual:

• Ergonomic design and cooling fan with multiple air vents for a comfortable, steady grip when gaming
• Two premium built-in speakers enhance the audio experience
• Internal backup battery pack doubles PSP runtime
• Charges PSP in 2 1/2 hours
• 12 Volt DC Charging Adaptor included
• LED Battery Charge Status Indicators
• Dual headphone ports for shared private viewing, listening or gaming
• Convenient drawstring backpack stores GripDock and PSP
• Safety Clip and recessed latch to hold PSP securely in dock

There was no "drawstring backpack" that came with the package, and I couldn't find any references to it in any of the online stores, so I guess they decided not to include those after printing the manual. The "double PSP runtime" requires fully charged batteries, as well as using headphones so that you don't use the speakers, and use without the fans.

The "battery pack" is basically 4 rechargeable AA NiMH batteries.

The DC adapter is a car charger, it doesn't come with one that works with a regular wall outlet, although you can use the normal PSP adapter that came with the system.

There power switch is located on the top of the device, along with the dual headphone ports and the power plug. In the center, you see the fan vent, while the fans themselves are located on each grip to help cool your hands, should you be the type of person who has sweaty palms while you game.

You turn on the fans by pushing the switch at the bottom. You can also see the speakers located on the grips in this pic.

As you can probably tell, with the size of the PSP, the gripdock is quite large. Here's a size comparison with the Gripdock, a PS2 dual shock controller, a N64 controller, and a Sega Dreamcast controller. It probably rivals the size of the Xbox controller.

The gripdock does make the PSP much easier to hold, so it succeeds in its primary function.

Pros

• Better grip for the PSP.
• Rechargeable NiMH batteries to extend the battery life of the PSP.
• External speakers to make the PSP more audible (louder).
• Dual headphone jacks.
• Car charger.
• Fans to keep hands cool.

Cons

• Adds a lot of bulk to the PSP, reducing portability.
• So-called "premium" speakers crackle at high volume settings.
• Must remove PSP from dock to switch game, Memory Stick Duo, or PSP battery.
• Must turn on Gripdock for sound.

Conclusion

If you don't mind the bulk, and would like to have a more "console-control-like" feel to your PSP, then the Gripdock is a pretty good solution. If you want better sound quality, however, look elsewhere. Or just use the headphones.