PS Vita vs PS Vita Slim

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Hi, Tigerfog here with a little article about my thoughts of the PS VITA SLIM.

Quite often, game companies will release improved revisions of their existing consoles on the market. Even if this practice isn’t as popular, sometimes these revisions come with interesting improvements compared to the previous iterations.

In the case of the PS VITA, I gave in to the temptation of getting that second version (which I’ll refer to as “SLIM” and “OG” for the old one) despite the fact I’ve already owned the original model for a while now.
As a matter of fact, my impulse purchase was caused by the fact the price of PS VITAs never seem to drop and, judging by what’s happening to the PSP GO, it might even go up and be harder to find as the hacking part gets better and better.

Anyway, I’ll just give my first impressions of the SLIM since there’s already tons of in-depth articles comparing the two PS VITA models.

I’ve primarily tested the ergonomy (look and feel) and the screens of both consoles by playing Super Meat Boy, a very colorful game that stresses me enough to hold the console with an iron grip.

Ergonomy-wise, the SLIM is slimmer (no pun intended) than the OG.
That means it’s easier to carry which doesn’t matter as much to me since I always put it in a case and then, in my bag.
However, after a few gaming sessions with Super Meat Boy, I started developing hand cramps with the SLIM, something I’ve never experienced with the OG.
Ironically, the thickness of the OG is essentially what’s making it more comfortable to hold.
On the other hand, the SLIM feels lighter in my hands so I may be in for longer gaming sessions.

Regarding the screen, the fabulous OLED screen that comes with the OG was replaced by an LCD one for the SLIM which isn’t so bad… for the most part.
The general tint of the screen tends to be yellower on the SLIM than the OG, something some people consider as “more natural”. Of course, that’s the kind of detail you easily forget once you start playing.
I, for one, prefer the higher contrast of the OG’s OLED screen.
While I was playing the levels featuring Bandage Girl in Super Meat Boy, the light rose color seemed to blend more with the gray background on the SLIM’s LED screen than the OG’s OLED one. Unfortunately, for a game that relies heavily on your character’s precise location on the screen at any given time in order to win, this can be a problem.
It was only in that specific case I’ve had problems though… with other games like Spelunky, I’ve had no issues with the SLIM.

In conclusion, no matter which revision you choose, you can’t go wrong with either of them.
The differences are so minuscule in the end, you’ll still have access to an impressive library of RPGs and visual novels as well as all PSP games currently available on the PSN Store… and even more if you decide to hack your console!

Share your thoughts on which PS VITA you’ll choose if you had to pick one or what’s your experience with it if you own one. See ya!