Sony released a new PS Vita, downgrading the OLED to an LCD display

Last month we reported that Sony is set to update the PS Vita, and now the company indeed announced the new PS Vita PCH-2000 (Vita 2013). Sadly, the display is a 5" 960x544 LCD instead of the 5" AMOLED display in the original Vita. Sony says that recent changes in LCD technology enabled them to showcase more native colors.

Sony PS Vita 2013 photo

The new Vita is lighter and thinner than the previous model, and extends the battery life by an hour. It features a quad-core ARM CPU, 512MB of RAM, 1GB of internal storage and two cameras. It will launch in October in Japan for ¥18,980 (about $190) and will come in several colors.

It is strange that Sony opted for an LCD. Especially since so many reviewers and users loved the OLED displays in the original Vita. It may be that they wanted to lower costs (indeed the new Vita is more affordable). Perhaps Samsung wouldn't commit to enough production capacity as they need all the OLEDs they can make for their own Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear.

Source: 
Engadget
Tags: 
Sony OLED
Competing technologies
Posted: Sep 09,2013 by Ron Mertens

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/09/2013 - 16:31

It's actually not an downgrade but simply a change.

Submitted by Ron Mertens on Mon, 09/09/2013 - 17:02

Yes, well, as an OLED evangelist it's a downgrade...

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/09/2013 - 21:36

"Recent changes in LCD technology enabled.....more native colors"

Does this indicate that the new Vita will be using the same QD technology Sony showcased at CES in their high end LCD TVs? If so this could deal quite a blow to OLEDs in the mobile market in the long run.

Submitted by Danny (not verified) on Tue, 09/10/2013 - 01:51

I completely agree its a downgrade. I was waiting for the next version of the Vita but if they are going to be using LCD then i'm going to have to go with the Original version.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 09/10/2013 - 09:21

never got a hard look at the vita but given the time of release it porbably didn't had a very good OLED screen to begin with, higher end LCDs are known to beat out most mobile OLED in some critical areas, as for disadvantages with the with the LCD at least in the visual sense it will have less contrast but that's probably about it

Submitted by Ron Mertens on Tue, 09/10/2013 - 09:24

Actually the Vita's screen was thought to be excellent (by users and reviewers) and it was quite advanced for its time (it was the first OLED to use a green PHOLED, for example)