PSP and the exploding battery problem: check yours before it's too late

The PSP was Sony’s first foray into handheld gaming. As such, it was much loved, and many of the great sagas associated with the PlayStation were released on this machine. However, it is also notorious for a widespread problem with a key component: its batteries, which tend to swell and in some cases burst over time. This is known as thermal runaway. If you own a PSP and have it in storage, the best thing to do is check the condition of the battery and store it in a safe place.

PSP and its common battery problem: check yours to avoid disaster for your collection

The PSP was launched in Japan in 2004 and in the rest of the world in 2005. It is a console that is twenty years old, and as such certain components can fail, especially if the machine has not been properly handled or maintained. What is not so normal is that the failures can reach such catastrophic levels. Broadly speaking, this handheld console has a problem in that its original batteries have a tendency to expand and crack, potentially posing a major risk to the console and the rest of our collection.

The problem appears to affect both the 1800 mAh battery in the PSP-1000 and the 1200 mAh battery in the later PSP-2000 and PSP-3000 models. Although it is not certain that all of them are affected, it is common enough to be considered a widespread problem. For several years now, many users of social media sites such as X and media such as TechRadar have been talking about the real possibility of PSP consoles becoming unusable due to these battery failures, serving as a sad reminder to other gamers to check their respective machines to avoid this potential disaster.

Lithium batteries tend to expand at high temperatures. Therefore, if the console has been stored in a place where it can get very hot, such as a storage room or in direct sunlight, this would accelerate the degradation process, culminating in rupture and cracking of the casing, which could also cause permanent damage to the console. In more extreme cases, it could even cause a fire. This process of overheating and degradation is called thermal runaway.

Considering the possible risks and the numerous reports from users who have suffered this mishap with their console batteries, a gesture as simple as checking the condition of the console battery, removing it and storing it in a safe, cool and dry place, away from sensitive elements such as shelves with other consoles and video games, can be essential to avoid a mishap.

What if I want to buy a new sealed PSP?

With the retro trend on the rise, it’s not hard to find new and sealed PSP consoles on buying and selling sites such as eBay and second-hand shops. Bear in mind that buying a sealed PSP at this stage can be a bit risky, given the well-documented problems with batteries. Obviously, if the battery shows signs of corrosion or wear on the box itself or the seal, we would advise against buying it.

Full screen

Unfortunately, even if the box of a console appears to be in good condition, there is always the uncertainty of not knowing the condition in which it has been stored, which can lead to an unpleasant surprise when you finally decide to buy one of these portable consoles.

In any case, use common sense and ask all the questions you need to make an informed decision, even requesting additional photos from the seller.