How Many Models of PS Vita Are There? A Deep Dive for Enthusiasts
As a lifelong PlayStation fan and self-proclaimed handheld gaming nut, one question I get asked a lot is around the different models of Sony‘s PS Vita system. Officially there were two main iterations, but let‘s dive deeper into their histories and tech specs!
The Original OLED-Rocking PS Vita (PCH-1000)
Released in late 2011, this was the original PlayStation Vita model that kickstarted Sony‘s new handheld gambit. It sported a gorgeous 5-inch OLED display packing 960 x 544 resolution at around 220 PPI.
What does that translate to for gamers? Deeeeeeep blacks, vibrant colors, and high contrast—key for immersive gaming visuals on a small screen. The colors pop beautifully and visuals had excellent motion clarity thanks to the OLED panel‘s quick response times.
In terms of form factor, the original Vita clocks in at 7.2mm thick and a weight of about 260g. It feels dense and high quality with its injection molded plastic case. The matte finish resists fingerprints well in my experience across black and white models.
Now one odd design choice was Sony‘s use of proprietary memory cards rather than standard formats like SD. This let them eek out more performance but at a high cost per GB for gamers. More on that when we get to the Slim…
Battery life was fair but not fantastic—ranging from 3-5 hours from its 2210 mAh cell depending on screen brightness and game intensity. The hungry OLED screen likely contributed to this limitation.
All in for enthusiasts like myself, the Vita 1000 remains in the conversation for greatest portable gaming hardware ever engineered. But how did its successor slim down the formula?
Slimming Down with the PS Vita 2000
In 2013, Sony introduced an updated model dubbed the PS Vita 2000 in Japan and the PS Vita Slim in the rest of the world.
The marquee change here was swapping in an LCD display. This brought better battery efficiency and lower cost, but at the sacrifice of those delicious OLED visuals. Resolution and screen size were identical at 5 inches and 960 x 544 pixels.
However, with the LCD panel, you lose that ultra dark black level and get a slight washout in the shadows and colors. For portable gaming it still looks excellent, but I‘d give the visual edge to the OLED Vita 1000.
Form factor saw more noticeable changes—the Slim model shaved the thickness down to 6.6mm and got the weight down by about 33% to 219g. The rounded shape also flattened out. This portable felt great to hold for long play sessions.
Sony also wisely moved from proprietary to micro USB charging and ditched the old memory card format. The Slim included 1GB of internal storage to get gamers started. Memory cards up to 128GB could be added over standard micro SD. Less fragmentation and lower storage prices were a win.
The battery got bumped up to 2800 mAh, edging typical gaming life to 4-6 hours. Combined with the lower drain LCD, it represented a nice endurance boost over the original Vita.
Now for some market context between models…
Sales and Market Performance: A Tale of Two PS Vitas
Despite critical acclaim for the powerful portable hardware, neither Vita model would move the sales needle enough for Sony against mounting competition from mobile gaming.
Here‘s how the worldwide lifetime sales compared between models:
| Model | Launch Year | Lifetime Sales |
|---|---|---|
| PS Vita 1000 | 2011 | ~10 million |
| PS Vita 2000 | 2013 | ~5 million |
Looking at the trajectory, you can see why Sony eventually cut bait in 2019 and now focuses efforts exclusively on the still successful PlayStation 4 ecosystem.
However, for fans like us, the PS Vita remains a canceled classic. Just one with two distinct models in the collectors market!
Hacking and Homebrew: Pushing Boundaries of Both models
No article targeted at gaming enthusiasts would be complete without touching on the now vibrant homebrew and modding scene that has emerged around the PS Vita platforms. I won‘t link directly here, but know that there are options for unlocking more from both units long after Sony ceased official support.
Broadly speaking, current exploit methods have better compatibility with the OLED 1000 models versus the LCD 2000 models. Chips below a certain manufacture date range can still pose challenges. But where there is desire for more Vita capabilities from fans, know that a community has your back!
The Lasting Legacy of PS Vita Hardware
As we just passed the 10 year anniversary of the original PS Vita‘s launch, I can‘t help but pour one out for Sony‘s discontinued handheld platform. The last dedicated device of its kind from a first-party maker.
While mobile chipsets and the app ecosystem continue evolving quickly, the limitations of battery, thermal, and controls still constrain the experience in my opinion. Dedicated devices like the Vita (or Nintendo‘s persisting Switch) fill an important gap.
Here‘s hoping that game streaming to lighter hardware can someday approximate the same degree of immersion. But for now, tracking down one of these impressive relics to add to your retro collection comes highly recommended! Just weigh your preferences around display tech and portability to choose a model.
Did I miss any other key details around the Vita models, their histories, or homebrew capabilities? Let me know in the comments below! This retro fan loves geeking out over gaming hardware.
