The PSP is still an absolute powerhouse. It came out in Japan 22 years ago, 21 for the rest of the world, and it still surprises me how powerful and capable it is in 2026. Like the Vita that succeeded it, it was way ahead of its time, and I love the fact that there's still a dedicated modding and developer scene for the handheld even though we've moved on technologically since its release. It was only recently that we covered the new music player that's come from members of the PSP community, and now there's a browser that trumps the old one that came with the handheld back in the early 00s.
The fact that it had wireless network capabilities and a browser was impressive back in 2002/3, but the browser wasn't exactly something that we're all sitting here feeling nostalgic over. A PSP lover called Steve Janovitz (thanks for the heads up, Hackaday), has created Tilefinch to give the PSP the browser it always deserved, running on the handheld's 333 MHz MIPS32 processor and 64 MB of RAM.
Tilefinch allows users to browse the web, play videos and games, input text, and much more. To get it up and running, you'll need a PSP that runs homebrew (custom firmware) and has the 64 MB memory mode. This can be the PSP-3000, the PSP-2000, or the PSP Go. The 1000 and E1000 Street won't cut the mustard, I'm afraid, so avoid these. You'll also need around 20 MB free on the Memory Stick for everyday browsing and updates, and a Wi-Fi network the PSP can join.
Here's how to install Tilefinch:
- Download the PSP install
.zipfrom the latest Tilefinch release. - Extract it and copy the whole
TILEFINCHfolder toPSP/GAME/on the Memory Stick. The launcher should end up atPSP/GAME/TILEFINCH/EBOOT.PBP, withslot-a,slot-b,data, andNOTICESbeside it. - Safely disconnect the PSP, then start Tilefinch from Game → Memory Stick.
- If you have not already, save a Wi-Fi connection in the PSP's Network Settings. Tilefinch uses connection profile 1 unless you choose another in Settings → Device & storage.
Head to Steve's GitHub to get started!
