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It is very frequent the questioning of people less knowledgeable on the subject about which is the best console to buy. Mostly between the lines Playstation e Xbox (currently in versions Playstation 4 e Xbox One). But when it comes to portable consoles, who gets the better of the small giants of Sony and Nintendo?
Let's now make a comparison between the 2 current weight consoles on the market: Nintendo 3DS and Sony Playstation Vita.
DESIGN
The design of the PSVita is more sober, with the greater air of seriousness that he tries to bring to his games, while that of Nintendo 3DS tries to be more cheerful, showing that he is there to bring you fun.
O 3DS it has an analog directional pad and a cross on the left side, A, B, X and Y buttons on the right side and the L and R shoulder buttons. the power button. At the top of the console we have the screen that brings 3D technology, 2 stereo speakers, a slider that regulates the depth of the 3D and the front camera. On the external side of the device we have 2 cameras, which simulate human eyes, thus being able to shoot 3D images, but it is recommended to use it only for applications that use AR (Augmented Reality) due to its low quality. On the lower part of the body, on the upper side, of the console we have the slot for the game cartridge, charger input with 2 side conductor plates to allow the use of charging base and IR port. At the bottom we have just the headphone jack. On the left side we have the volume slider, while on the right a button that activates and deactivates the Wi-Fi function, the SD memory card slot and the stylus pen that is used on the touch screen.
No Play Station Vita we have directional pads and analog stick on the left side of the screen, next to the Home (PS) button. On the right side of the screen we have the classic Playstation buttons (x, ?,? and ?), a second analog, the Start and Select buttons. On the front we also have the 2 speakers that, unfortunately, can be easily covered with your fingers while playing, and the front camera. At the top we have the shoulder buttons L and R, the input for the cartridge and an input that serves as a docking for accessories, in addition to the Power and volume buttons (+ and -). At the bottom we have the Sony proprietary memory card slot, the headphone jack, the input for the USB adapter cable (which can be used to connect to the PC, PS3 or wall charger) and the brackets to hold the PSVita. On the back we have the grip, which is very narrow, a camera (same recommendation as the 3DS camera: AR only) and the Touch Pad.
SCREEN
At this point we have one of the watersheds. THE Play Station Vita came with a wonderful 5″ OLED screen, touchscreen capable of up to 10 simultaneous touches and a qHD resolution of 960×544, generating a density of 221 ppi.
The 3DS has 2 screens, one with glasses-free 3D technology and the second with resistive touchscreen technology. The top screen, 3D, has a resolution of 800×240 (400×240 for each eye), a resolution that on the 3DS is low, with its 3,53″ (generating a density of 132ppi) and on the 3DS XL it is very low with the 90% increase of the screen, rising to 4,82″ (generating density of 97ppi). But despite the large pixels, they do a great job when it comes to depth. In games like Super Mario 3D Land, where the 3D is exceptionally well-crafted, the sense of depth is perfect, and the game even feels close. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D have also made great use of 3D features, giving a pleasant immersion feeling while playing. The bottom screen has a resolution of 320×240 and has resistive touch technology, which only accepts one touch. But compared to other screens with the same technology, the 3DS stands out strongly.
GAMBLING
The 3DS buttons, in both versions, are softer, and the analog, despite being just one, is concave, which gives greater comfort and prevents the finger from slipping more. The buttons of PSVita they are harder, fuller of “clicks”, and the analogs, despite being convex, have a rubberized surface that makes it difficult for the finger to slide. The range of the analog sticks is very short and accurate, but there is a slight feeling of fragility.
Several sensors are present on both consoles. From the camera, used in AR, to the gyroscope, accelerometer and other sensors that help the console to orient itself, making it possible to aim through the console's movement, as seen in the poster boy brought by Uncharted - The Golden Abyss.
Some games also make use of the microphone and ambient lighting. Briefly speaking: The amount of options and tools that developers have at their disposal is enormous, and the interactivity can significantly evolve in relation to its predecessors (PSP e Nintendo DS).
PERFORMANCE
Both 3DS e PSVita received many upgrades over their predecessors: Screen, connectivity and, above all, processing. The upgrades were so many that, although the batteries grew as well, the autonomy of the consoles dropped to approximately half of the previous generation.
Thanks to the processor unique and exclusively dedicated to 3D, the 3DS has an autonomy of approximately 5 hours, while in the 3DSXL this duration can reach 7 hours. The autonomy of the 2DS, which has not been tested by our team, should surpass that of the 3DS, considering that they have the same battery and that the 2DS does not have the 3D processor, thus reducing consumption.
Meanwhile, o Playstation Vita gained a larger and brighter screen than its predecessor. Now it has 2 touch surfaces to handle and a processing power that makes any portable console very envious. Getting to match its big brother, the Playstation 3, in terms of graphics and outperforming it in other tasks (such as accessing the store and other applications). The connectivity of PSVita is also a factor against: There are more services that can be used in the background that help with battery consumption (this is the case of Near, Messages, Friends, etc.), things that were not present in PSP.
USABILITY
Like almost all current technology, consoles also gained new functions to differentiate themselves from the competition. Functions such as internet browsing, chat with friends (including Video-Chat), viewing video services (Youtube, Netflix etc.), calendar, access to social networks, stores, among many other things.
In this aspect the 3DS is more specific and stays focused on games. We have access to the store, browser, Friends (who have another 3DS), messages (to friends with another 3DS), notebooks that can be used with games in the background (very useful if you have a game with things to remember), SpotPass (which serves to exchange game information with others 3DS upcoming), Nintendo character-themed calendars, etc.
O PSVita in turn, it is a more social console, more companion for all hours. We have access to PSN, friends (who have a PSN account, both for PSVita, PS3 or by PS4), messages (with a much higher efficiency than the 3DS), Near (which has a similar function to SpotPass in 3DS), video streaming services (Nexflix and PSN Unlimited), Social networks through their own applications, Skype (only with call or video call function) among other applications that can be found on PSN.
GAMES
The main theme. After all, we are comparing consoles, not tablets or smartphones. In this aspect the Nintendo is more sedimented. We have the biggest franchises Nintendo can provide for your portable console in totally exclusive games, for example: Mario, Legend of Zelda, Kirby, Pokémon, Lego City, among others, many others. The library of games available for the 3DS, in any store that can be visited or accessed, is at least 3 times larger than that available for the PSVita.
The Playstation Vita is still experiencing difficulties in this regard. In many presentations Sony seemed to show that the PSVita was made for Indie games, however, some titles totally betray this idea. When we talk about Uncharted The Golden Abyss, Soul Sacrifice, Dynasty Warriors Next and Gravity Rush we are not talking about simple or superficial games, but great titles comparable to those of the desktop consoles, with spectacular graphics, fantastic and innovative gameplay and deep and touching stories, which shows that the Play Station Vita It's a console with absurd potential that still has a lot to show for it.
COST BENEFIT
O 3DS can be found in 3 versions: 2DS, 3DS e 3DSXLFrom R$ 400,00. The version 3DS original comes with a 2GB memory card while the versions 2DS e 3DSXL comes with a 4GB card, which already fits a lot, but can be expanded up to 32GB. The games can already be found at prices from 60 to 170 reais in retail stores and, considering the multitude of titles, it's certainly not a console to get sick of quickly.
O Play Station Vita, on the other hand, is a more robust console, something that raises its price considerably compared to the 3DS. The current version of PSVita can be found for up to R$699,00, however it is necessary to purchase a memory card, which is proprietary to Sony. The price of the cards ranges from R$59,90 (the 4GB one) to R$259,00 (the 32GB one). It is also recommended to buy a protective case to carry it around and, thanks to the touch, a protective film for the screen.
CONCLUSION
At the end of the day, it all comes down to the games: It's no use buying one Playstation if you like to play Pokemon, or a DS if what you want is to venture through the golden abyss.
The correct answer to this never-ending question is: Review the list of exclusive games for the consoles in question. The one that you like the most will be the console that will make you happy.
