I may be a bit of a noob as my gaming comrades here at Tech2 tell me, but I've been playing since I was four. I may not be totally into them or ever hope to be as good as they are, but that’s cool with me. I'm more the handheld sort, though I haven’t owned many consoles in my time and only recently bought a PSP which is the pride and joy of my life.

But being a mobile fanatic, I know how easy it is to jazz up a mobile phone (something I shared with you guys). So when a reader who goes by the name of Sphinx suggested we do something for the PSP as well, I sat down to write this. And let me be straight with you; these tips may be familiar to many, so let's just say this is meant for my fellow PSP noobs.

External
Screen protector
As soon as you get a PSP, get yourself a screen protector. This is a thin transparent sticker for your screen that prevents scratches. Believe me, the last thing you want is play a game wondering if those are bullets coming at you or just scratches on your screen. I suggest you have a professional apply it for you. Make sure the screen is thoroughly cleaned so no dirt gets trapped. Also avoid bubbles from forming. It should set you back around Rs 150-400.

Image Source : Amazon

Case
There are plenty of PSP cases. Those from Logicool would cost you around Rs 250, while originals from Logitech (PlayGear Pocket) would be anywhere between Rs 400 and Rs 600. These transparent, hard plastic cases have soft rubber-like interiors to prevent damage in case of minor falls. I wouldn’t recommend you test this though! The rubber interiors come in different colors. Don’t use a wet cloth to clean it as it would get a bit sticky. Use a damp cloth and let it dry before you put your PSP back in.

There are cases that cost a bit more, and are more like hard-cased pouches. The good thing about these is that you have room to store extra memory cards, battery packs or UMDs. These would cost you between Rs 800 and Rs 1000. It will also make your PSP look bulkier, almost twice its size. But they aren’t heavy, which is a good thing.

Image Source: Amazon.com

Strap
There really aren’t many PSP standard straps available as such, but you can use others instead. A mobile phone strap is easy to find and costs not more than Rs 50 off the street. It’s advisable to buy a short wrist strap. It’s not like you’re going to be walking around with it round your neck right? I’d recommend you buy a thick wrist strap and always have it strapped on when you begin to use the PSP.

Earphones/Headphones
If you’ve bought the deluxe pack you’ll get a set of Sony PSP earphones included in that price, along with a case and strap as well. If they don’t measure up (which I doubt) you can use your own since it takes any standard 3.5mm pin. Check out Laiq's and Siddharth's recommendations for headphones under Rs 1000 on Tech2 and their buying guide. A good set of earphones can serve to liven up your PSP experience – from games to music and videos.