Should you buy the new, slimmer and pricier PlayStation Vita?

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Saying it three times won't make things any easier, but that's where we come in. Sony's latest iteration of the PlayStation Vita handheld, which we're going to call the Vita Slim from now on (as seems to be the fashion), is coming to the UK, having previously only been available in Asia. It's up for pre-order right now and will launch a week from today -- so, do you want one? The choice is ultimately yours, of course, and it's a delicate one, but if the pressure is too much to bear, then head past the break where we explore how the Slim stacks up against the Vita of old, and whether it's really worth the extra £50 (or roughly $80, in US terms) for a console that delivers essentially the same experience.

HardwareNow, we're not here to tell you that the PS Vita is an essential purchase -- whichever version you're looking at. If you're unfamiliar with the handheld, or perhaps the PlayStation brand as a whole, then it's really a matter of how you like to game on the go. Are you more Killzone than Brain Training, more Need for Speed than Mario Kart, or maybe you're happy killing commute time with a bit of Angry Birds and don't need another device at all? If you're going in blind, then it's probably best to start with a quick browse of the Vita's game catalog, and check out our full reviews of the original and Slim models to get acquainted.

The Vita, in general, is serious and well-built hardware. Dual thumbsticks, a 5-inch touchscreen display, another touch panel on the rear, stereo speakers and two cameras facing forward and back. Most importantly, it delivers the best graphics of any handheld, verging on last-gen console territory.

As the Vita Slim isn't a sequel, you'll find everything mentioned across both iterations, so what's the hook? As you've probably guessed, the Vita Slim is everything the Vita is, but in a smaller package: 20 percent thinner and 15 percent lighter, to be exact. At 15mm thick and weighing 219g, it's still not pocket-sized by any means, but the nip and tuck's welcome nonetheless, alongside a few other minor revisions that make it more comfortable to hold.

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