Gamertell

I’ve always seen my PSP as more, delicate than my DS. Perhaps it was the construction of the flimsy-feeling UMD tray. Or maybe it was that very large, very vulnerable screen. Either way, I found myself worrying over the system, and taking greater care in storing it - putting it in a separate little coin purses, with an old eyeglass cleaning cloth wrapped around the screen. (The DS, on the other hand, gets tossed into purses and backpacks without a second thought.)

My primary concern for Sony’s handheld system is the screen. Its big, beautiful and a magnet for fingerprints and scratches. When I got my PSP Slim, it was fairly new here in the US and there weren’t many protection options available. So I, and my friends, resorted to importing to keep the screen safe.

So today, Important Importables looks at six imported options for keeping your PSP’s screen protected. Four of the options are simple screen clings, that you place only over the PSP’s screen. The other two are hard case options, that can be used to protect the entire face of the PSP or the entire system’s surface.

Nozomi Guard Filter Portable
Price: $7.99
Brand: Hori
Quality: Its a somewhat opaque, thin screen guard applied over the screen that is designed to stop reflections on the PSP’s screen and also keep other people from looking at what you’re doing.
Durability: My friend put one on his PSP in March, 2008 and removed it in September, 2008 to switch to a standard, clear screen protector.
Details: It works, but it can also get a bit annoying. Reflections will be stopped, and people won’t be able to see the screen as well from the sides, but it also seemed a bit difficult to look through. I preferred a clear screen protector, and so did my friend. It does do what it is supposed to though.
Overall: 3/5

Super Guard
Price: $2.99
Brand: Gameson
Quality: Its a thin, clear screen guard which can be applied over the screen. It doesn’t really attract dust and it doesn’t have any sort of coating which obstructs your view of the screen.
Durability: I purchased and put it on my PSP in November, 2007. It is still on my PSP now and still perfectly protecting the screen.
Details: It was cheap, easy to apply and perfectly does its job. I did have trouble getting all the air bubbles out, so there are still one or two tiny ones in the corner and around the edges of the system, destined to stay there forever since I don’t intend to remove the Super Guard. When you turn the unit on though, these air bubbles and lines become unnoticeable. Unfortunately, the Super Guard is out of print/stock at Play-Asia, so if you really want this protector you’ll have to check at other sites.
Overall: 5/5

Taku Professional Screenguard
Price: $4.99
Brand: Capdase
Quality: It is a thin, clear screen like the Super Guard, but stops reflections like the Nozomi Guard Filter Portable. It can attract dust, and be a bit difficult to install, but is completely see-through.
Durability: My friend put one on between October and December, 2007. He removed it around August, 2008 and replaced it with another Taku Professional Screenguard protector.
Details: The Taku Professional Screenguard is a great and affordable screen protector option, now that the Super Guard is largely unavailable. As long as you install it properly, you’ll have no problem seeing through it and it will stop reflections. My friend also noted that it left no residue when he removed it, and he was so impressed with this screen guard that he purchased a second one to replace the first one.
Overall: 5/5

Liquid Crystal Filter Portable
Price: $5.99
Brand: Hori
Quality: Same as the Super Guard and Taku Professional Screenguard basically - its a thin, clear sheet that protects your screen. It doesn’t stop reflections.
Durability: I purchased one in November, 2007. I later removed it and replaced it with a Super Guard later that month.
Details: I wasn’t impressed with this Hori screen protector. After three tries at applying it, I still had small air bubbles and dust trapped beneath it. I also found that it didn’t completely cover my PSP-2000’s screen. It was completely clear when applied, but the bubbles and size made me change to the Super Guard.
Overall: 2.5/5

Face Cover Portable (pink)
Price: $1.99 on sale, Face Cover Portable 2 is available for $7.99
Brand: Hori
Quality: Hard plastic and flips down over the face of the PSP after being attached to the top via screws. Feels flimsy, but does a good job of covering. Has a soft , rubbery bit of material between the face of the PSP and the underside of the cover.
Durability: I’ve had it on my PSP since November, 2007 and it still is attached and works. It occasionally has to have the screws re-tightened on the top.
Details: Its pretty sturdy and does cover the PSP’s front. Its best used in conjunction with a plastic screen protector. The Face Cover Portable is out of print/stock, but Hori now has a Face Cover Portable 2 which is nearly identical and costs $7.99.
Overall: 4/5

Capdase Luxury Hard Case
Price: $14.90
Brand: Capdase
Quality: Its a sturdy, yet slim aluminum case that surrounds the PSP. The front latch lifts up for play, and there’s a back latch over the UMD case so you can access the UMD and play without removing the PSP from the case. You can also flip the front lid back and use the case as a platform for watching movies on the system.
Durability: Its durable metal and it seems and feels like it would last years. It would definitely protect the surface of the PSP from scratches, but I’m not sure if it would offer much protection if the unit was dropped say, three feet or more to the ground.
Details: Its a bit expensive for my tastes, but a friend of mine purchased this protection option and allowed me to borrow it for a week to see how it compares to my cheaper face cover portable. It did seem to work quite nicely, but I can’t see paying $14.90 when the $7.99 Face Cover Portable 2 is just as good at protecting the screen.
Overall: 4/5

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Portables talks about Hello Kitty and some of her most memorable game appearances.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables put together an import game holiday wishlist.

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