PS Vita to get five hours max battery, expensive memory card
updated 05:00 pm EDT, Thu September 15, 2011
Standard memory could cost only one-third as much
Sony, which recently disclosed that it will miss the holiday selling season in the US for its new PlayStation Vita, has also released some new product information that some of its potential users might find a disappointment. Sony has revealed that those gaming on the Vita may only be able to play for up to five hours before the battery runs down. The company also disclosed that the handheld console's proprietary memory card will sell for a substantial premium over conventional memory such as a generic SDHC card or a Memory Stick.
Battery life will depend on how the Vita is being used. Gaming will use up a charge in three to five hours. Video will play for five hours. The Vita will sustain up to nine hours of listening to music. Much of this has been pinned on the high-performance hardware, which can nearly match a PS3 in performance.
The Vita has no built-in memory or storage. Instead it will use proprietary memory cards, which will be available in 4GB, 8GB 16GB and 32GB versions. Memory will sell for 2,200 yen ($29), 3,200 yen ($42), 5,500 yen ($71), and 9,500 yen ($124) respectively. The price for the 32GB card is about three times greater than what conventional memory could cost.
Yesterday, the company confirmed for those enthusiasts awaiting the Vita's arrival, that it will begin accepting pre-orders in Japan on October 15, and will begin shipping on December 17. Those in the US will have to wait until 2012 before it becomes available. [via Ars Technica]
