The Sony PSP has been a premier mobile gaming platform for the past five years, but it was always a bit large for a portable system. Sony's answer: The PSP go ($249.99 direct), a shrunken-down version of the PSP that eschews the UMD optical drive and ...

More compact than previous-generation PSPs. 16GB onboard storage. Bluetooth

Expensive. Performance is identical to last PSP model. M2 memory cards. Slow 802.11b. Non-removable battery. Smaller display. No UMD optical drive: If you own PSP UMD titles, they must be repurchased as downloads

Sony's latest portable gaming console, the PSP go, may be almost as compact as an iPhone, but Sony took away more functionality than it added.

To the casual observer, there's nothing particularly slim about the new Sony PlayStation 3's ($299.99 direct) sleek black housing-it's only when you compare it with its nearly three-year-old counterpart, the previous-gen PS3, that you see how much ...

New compact and energy-efficient design. Terrific gaming performance. Integrated high-quality Blu-ray player. Hard drive is easily accessible for upgrades. Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. Support for HDMI CEC and DLNA

No memory card slots. Lacks support for Netflix streaming. Dedicated Blu-ray remote is not included

A long-overdue price drop, a hard-drive bump, and a compelling physical redesign make the Sony PlayStation 3 more desirable than ever.

The new Nintendo DSi portable game system ($169.99 list) follows Nintendo's new tack of making its consoles less about a given game and more about the overall playing experience. Other handheld gaming consoles, such as the Sony PSP focus on flashy ...

Improved Wi-Fi access. Dual cameras. SD Card Slot

No Game Boy Advance slot. Small library of downloadable games

The New Nintendo DSi is a lot of fun, but, like the Nintendo Wii, it's not for the hardcore gamer.

The Xbox 360 was one of the top gifts of the holiday season back in 2006 and could be again this year. Microsoft's new Xbox 360 Arcade ($199.99 list) is a stripped-down version of the game console that hits the pricing sweet spot that consumers are ...

Inexpensive next-generation console. Intuitive new interface and streaming capabilities. HD gaming

Barely enough storage to upload the new OS, let alone download games from Xbox Live Marketplace. No Blu-ray drive

The Xbox 360 Arcade is a fine entry-level, next-generation console, but its lack of storage makes game play feel like that of an Atari 2600.

It's been two years since Sony launched the PlayStation 3, and although the box itself looks the same today, a lot has changed. The price has dropped; developers have released dozens of cool new titles; and Blu-ray has triumphed as the high-definition ...

Terrific gaming performance. Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. Free networked gaming. Integrates a high-quality Blu-ray player. Supports Blu-ray Profile 2.0

Costs more than competing consoles. Sony has removed memory card slots. Online features lag behind Microsoft's Xbox LIVE. No dedicated Blu-ray remote

It may cost more, but as a high-definition gaming system and a high-quality Blu-ray player, the PlayStation 3 slays the competition.

Slimmed down and souped up, Sony's latest handheld gaming device, the PSP (model 2000) offers some welcome improvements over its predecessor. It boasts more RAM to make game load times a little faster and is now able to output video straight to your ...

Sleeker and lighter than the original. A/V output. Raised D-pad offers increased tactile feedback. Additional RAM makes load times faster. Displays photos. Plays video and music files. Built-in Wi-Fi and Web-browsing capabilities. Stunning widescreen ...

Unfortunate power button location is unchanged from the original. A/V output lacks gaming support for interlaced-only TV sets. USB charging alternative is inconvenient. UMD load times are still an issue. Screen smudges easily

Sony's "enhanced" new PSP (model 2000) is a no-brainer for all gaming enthusiasts who seek exciting entertainment on the go. The portable gaming device features a few improvements over the original that make it a win-win proposition for new adopters. ...

With worldwide sales tallying over 10 million units since its release a year an a half ago, Microsoft's Xbox 360 platform is poised to overtake its predecessor. Already, the adoption rate of Microsoft's online gaming/media service, Xbox Live, has ...

Elegant design looks stylish in most entertainment setups. Extensive digital media capabilities. Excellent games library. Robust online community. Powerful 3D graphics.

Like the original Xbox 360, the Elite generates a considerable amount of noise and heat. Console still lacks internal Wi-Fi. Power supply is way too bulky. No internal high-definition optical drive.

Even though the Xbox 360 Elite won't sway current owners to upgrade, its impressive feature set and strong online community make it the high-powered console to own.

Nintendo Wii review by PC Magazine

Innovative controller. Fun add-on channels. Engaging game play. Easy to use and understand. Full GameCube support.

Poor graphics. Can't back up saved games. Doesn't play DVDs.

The Nintendo Wii is a fun, engaging, wildly innovative game console that's dramatically different from the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, and way more affordable, too.

The Nintendo DS Lite ($129.99 list), announced in January, has finally arrived in the U.S. It's not so much a revolutionary device as it is a better version of the Nintendo DS (for dual screen), which was a pretty terrific portable game device already.

Bright screens. Lighter and slimmer than original DS.

Inserted Game Boy Advance cartridges stick out at the top slightly ; Watch the Nintendo DS Lite Video Review

The new, improved Nintendo DS Lite is worth the cost of the upgrade for fans of the original DS portable gaming device. It retains all the qualities that made the DS so much fun, and the bright new screens make a significant difference in the look of ...