An unconventional study performed by polling group WaveMetrix, based on data collected from online discussion, suggests that while Sony's PlayStation Portable is generating more discussion and buzz than the Nintendo DS -- accounting for 64% of handheld-related chatter as opposed to the DS's 36% -- the DS has an overall more positive view in the eyes of online community posters.
Though no hard data such as the number of communities examined or the number of opinions counted is available in WaveMetrix's report, the survey does indicate that the DS comes out ahead in a number of individual categories. According to the survey, consumers feel that the quality of games is higher on DS, with a larger proportion of the system's titles getting favorable reception than the PSP's library.
The DS also came out on top in overall value, due to its lower price and a generally lower game cost. Both systems scored overall negatively in terms of screen quality and dead pixels, though the PSP still came out worse in both regards; online posters cited its easily-scratched screen, low battery life, and high rate of dead pixels as minuses in its column. (Pluses and minuses in bar graph columns being the only data WaveMetrix's report offers.)
The report's "actional insights" offered are to increase the variety of games offered, improve the system specs, and use more scratch-resistant screen material on the DS; while for the PSP WaveMetrix suggests to increase the overall quality of games, institute stricter quality control to eliminate hardware problems, and to improve the "imprecise and uncomfortable" analog stick. A full copy of the report is available via
WaveMetrix's official website.
