About the Column

Many readers are often curious about what the editors at SSPAI actually buy. Through the “Editors’ New Toys” column, we hope to introduce the interesting gadgets and products that our team members have recently started using — and let them personally share what the experience of using these “new toys” has really been like.

Content Note: If any installment of the New Toys column includes commercial content, it will be clearly marked as “Advertisement” within that entry.

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@Tp：PSP 3000 IPS Display

Reference price: ¥240
When it comes to PSP modding, the more mature and common modifications are replacing the shell, removing the UMD drive to install a larger battery, or even going as far as dual-joystick mods and swapping the key internals for tactile switches. But screen mods have never really stirred up much buzz. As the PSP series ages, the original screens often suffer from yellowing, and for players seeking a better visual experience, replacing the screen has become an increasingly explored direction. A few years ago, some enthusiasts developed a modding solution that allowed the PSP 1000 to be upgraded with an IPS display. However, similar IPS screen mods for the 2000 and 3000 models never appeared (one explanation is that intense market competition discouraged the person who created the solution from releasing additional versions for later models).

That was the case until last month, when the PSP 3000 IPS screen mod finally arrived. Naturally, once it launched, I picked one up and installed it on my PSP 3000. This solution comes from the team behind “Nintendo Fans Group”, whose modding kits I’ve also used before — the Game Boy I modified earlier was done using their components.

The modding process is very simple: first remove the seven screws on the device. One of these screws is hidden behind the anti-tamper sticker inside the battery compartment, so if yours is an original unit, you’ll need to peel the sticker off to find it. Then open the PSP’s front cover and lift the clips on both sides of the bottom function buttons. On some PSP 3000 motherboards, the leftmost clip of the function buttons can’t be lifted unless you remove the screw in the silver lanyard loop, so it’s best to double-check when taking things apart.

Next, flip the screen upward from top to bottom. If you feel resistance, you can trace along the edges to locate and lift the clips. After flipping the screen open, carefully unlock the two ribbon cable connectors—one large and one small—on the right side, and remove the ribbon cables to detach the original display.

After that, simply reverse the process to install the new screen. Before putting the shell back on, it’s recommended to perform a power-on test to ensure the screen lights up normally.

Since this IPS screen uses a fully laminated design, you’ll also need to remove the PSP’s outer lens from the front panel. I personally recommend using a hair dryer on hot air mode to heat the adhesive from the inside of the shell, then apply pressure from the edges toward the center. Once the glue softens, it’s actually quite easy to remove. After that, reinstall the panel onto the device, and the modification is complete.

This IPS screen mod offers three very noticeable improvements over the original display: brightness, full lamination, and horizontal scanlines. The original screen only has three brightness levels when running on battery, while the IPS panel offers four. Even then, the brightest setting on the original is only about as bright as the second level on the IPS display. Simply put, the IPS screen is brighter—especially when playing outdoors, where the higher brightness makes the content much easier to see.

The addition of full lamination not only makes the screen look clearer and more transparent, with wider viewing angles, but also completely prevents dust from getting between the PSP’s inner and outer screens. When the screen is off, it also looks much deeper and darker.

The PSP’s original display uses interlaced scanning, which inevitably leads to horizontal lines—especially noticeable during fast-paced combat scenes. In contrast, IPS screens use progressive scanning, so you won’t see those horizontal artifacts. That said, for some players who pursue a “purely original” experience, this might not necessarily be a good thing. It really comes down to personal preference.

Since the PSP-3000’s screen doesn’t suffer from motion blur the way the PSP-1000 does, switching to an IPS panel doesn’t bring a dramatic, transformative improvement. In my view, the biggest appeal of installing an IPS screen on a 3000 model is the fun and satisfaction of “tinkering with hardware,” which gives you that extra 20% boost in overall experience. Especially considering the price—about 240 RMB—if you look around a bit, you can practically buy another PSP for that amount.

If you happen to have a PSP-3000 on hand, and at least two of the three improvements mentioned above appeal to you, then upgrading to an IPS screen is worth considering. Otherwise, I’d suggest waiting a bit longer—there might be an even better-value modding option in the future.

@克莱德：Ulanz QT01

Reference price: ¥267.63
On November 17, this thing popped up in my Twitter “For You” feed—a metal case for the M4 Mac mini that instantly turns the mini into a Pro once installed. The most important part is that the video posted by the creator looked exactly like a scam: magnetic grills, thumb screws, spiral support feet… My rational brain knew perfectly well that there was no real need to put my Mac mini into something like this, but that “it looks cool and I want it” impulse kept buzzing in my ear.

I searched the English name on JD and, unsurprisingly, it turned out to be a domestic brand. The price matched, so I placed an order on the spot.

The reason I said it “felt like a scam” is that the product actually arrives already assembled. All you need to do is use the included screwdriver to open the side cover, then put the Mac mini inside. The inner corners of the frame are padded with foam, so as long as you’re careful, you shouldn’t scratch the device.

After installation, by default the bottom of the machine becomes the left side, and neither the bottom nor the rear is covered, so all the rear ports remain fully accessible. But to access the front ports, you need to remove the magnetic front panel first. That’s the price you pay for aesthetics—I will say, though, when the room gets darker, the Mac mini’s front indicator light shining through those circular holes actually looks pretty nice.

Although the outer shell mimics the Mac Pro, I’m guessing the actual Mac Pro is far more refined (hopefully some enthusiastic colleague can gift me one so I can confirm). Look closely and you’ll notice plenty of rough “edges” on this case: the circular cutouts on the front panel aren’t smoothly painted when viewed up close; the top only has a decorative pattern and can’t actually be used as a handle; and although the gaps between different assembled sections are consistent, they’re still quite noticeable overall… The handful of thoughtful details include the magnetic front panel, which you can remove at any time during use, and the four corner screws on the base, which can actually be rotated to adjust the height (which is how I discovered that my desk isn’t level). Given that this isn’t a cheap little gadget costing a few dozen yuan, I do have to give its craftsmanship a negative review.

But if you’re simply after the looks, want to stand the Mac mini upright, prefer easier access to the power button, or just happen to like the Mac Pro aesthetic, then having a device like this on your desk does look quite pleasing from a distance—as long as you can accept the “kitchen potato grater” design. So here’s a belated “sorry” to friends with trypophobia.

@路中南: Byzoom Adjustable Dumbbell 25lbs

Reference price: ¥497
It’s hard to trust online shopping when it comes to dumbbells. If they don’t feel right once you start using them, returning them will cost a hefty shipping fee. The only brand I somewhat trust for buying fitness gear online is Keep (I mean, I’m not a professional after all 🤣). Keep’s solid cast-iron dumbbells tick all my boxes: the rubber-coated surface increases friction and feels safer in hand; the price is also acceptable. Throughout 2025, I gradually bought pairs of 2.5kg (ring-shaped), 5kg, 8kg, and 10kg (and that purple 10kg pair—absolutely love using them). All together, they were only around 700 yuan.

Sounds like a lot, right? Yet even then, I still didn’t realize how good Keep actually is.

Keep’s solid cast-iron line ends at 10kg—nothing heavier. After nearly a year of laid-back Fitness+ training, 10kg just isn’t enough for certain movements anymore, especially chest press and lower-body exercises. Later, I tried buying some cheap iron-sand/cement-filled dumbbells online, but I couldn’t stand their bulkiness and returned them almost immediately. Then, by chance, I came across this Byzoom pin-select adjustable dumbbell at Costco. The moment I saw it, it clicked—this was the dumbbell meant for me:

• It supports 5lb incremental adjustments, which means finer control. Basically, buying one dumbbell gives you five: 5lb, 10lb, 15lb, 20lb, and 25lb. Super exciting. And no more mental math with unit conversions when following Fitness+ coaches. (These correspond to 2.2kg, 4.5kg, 6.8kg, 9kg, and 11.3kg.)
• The dumbbell shortens as the weight decreases, avoiding the “lighter weight but same huge size” issue common with other adjustable dumbbells.
• The 25lb upper limit is a bit higher than my current 10kg.
• It comes with a dedicated base, and the pin-select mechanism means I can ditch three or four pairs of dumbbells, saving tons of space.

The not-so-beautiful part: a single dumbbell costs 497 yuan, and getting a pair pushes it close to 1,000 yuan—not easy to justify. Byzoom is a brand from Taiwan, and when I checked their official site, it was listed at 3280 TWD, which converts to about 747 RMB. Wait, does that mean I’m actually getting it cheaper here? That thought finally convinced me to bite the bullet and buy one.

I brought it home and started working out so fast I didn’t even stop to eat—and that’s when I finally realized how good Keep actually is. The build quality of the Byzoom dumbbell feels noticeably worse. For example, the edges of the cast-iron plates aren’t aligned, and one of them even has a clearly chipped corner. How did this even pass QC? The pin-select adjustment system is supposed to be their patented highlight, but it’s not comfortable to use at all: the silver part that touches your hand is actually plastic, the section fixed to the iron plates with screws is also black plastic, and worst of all, the entire adjustment mechanism isn’t smooth. It’s hard to change the weight in a single motion:

This kind of plastic pin design doesn’t inspire much confidence—though maybe I’m supposed to convince myself to feel confident? When assembled to the full 25lb, the iron plates aren’t one solid block; there are small gaps and a bit of wobble. Doing chest presses while lying down and watching that loose stack hover above my head is… not exactly reassuring.

Using an adjustable dumbbell also comes with practical issues. When following Fitness+, you typically use two different weights. Every time you switch, you need to place the dumbbell back on the base and adjust the weight, which is a bit tedious—especially since Fitness+ involves switching more frequently than a typical weight-training routine. Another issue is that some movements require holding the dumbbell vertically, as shown below, and adjustable dumbbells just aren’t ideal for that. Maybe I should simply buy one more heavy pair (like 25lb), or maybe I should just go to the gym? But going to the gym and working out at home with Fitness+ are completely different experiences—the latter doesn’t even require leaving the house, it starts faster, and it’s easier to stay consistent.

@万安: TEGIC Little Dinosaur Ultra-Slim Card Power Bank

Reference price: ¥259
As an iPhone 13 user, my needs for a power bank are simple: lightweight first, and just enough power to keep me taking photos freely when I’m out, until I can use a ride-hailing app to get home or back to the hotel. I previously chose a small-capacity, ultra-thin magnetic wireless power bank based on these needs, but in actual use I discovered several issues that bothered me a lot—slow charging efficiency, and heat buildup so serious it couldn’t be ignored. When taking photos, I couldn’t fully focus on framing; low-battery anxiety and overheating concerns kept pulling at my attention. Unexpectedly, this “little dinosaur” solved my pain points perfectly.

Its advantages are very clear to me:

• Magnetic wired design: it avoids accidental wireless charging entirely. Since it’s not MagSafe wireless charging, it won’t start charging by accident when kept in the same pocket or bag, wasting battery and generating unnecessary heat. At the same time, the magnetic attachment makes it easy to carry and store.
• Built-in lanyard hole: no more frustration from carrying a power bank but forgetting the charging cable.
• Aesthetics that hit the spot: the design fits my taste exactly. The moment I held it, it felt strangely familiar—almost like the LaCie external drives that used to be sold exclusively through Apple Stores years ago: simple, elegant, with a touch of industrial design. And the little dinosaur and cactus referencing the Chrome offline game are just adorable.

The three smart app-controlled features hit all my needs and turned out to be far more practical than I expected:

• Find-my-device: once connected via Bluetooth, if I can’t locate the power bank, I can simply open the app to trigger a sound alert. It takes just three seconds to find—no more digging through backpacks or drawers.
• I/O strategy settings: I can choose “Input First” or “Output First,” perfectly preventing the issue of reversed charging direction when two Type-C devices are connected.
• Parameter visualization: the app clearly displays detailed information like charging wattage, remaining battery, and usage status. The small screen beneath the dinosaur also allows you to display and adjust some of these app functions directly using the orange button on the right—such as battery level, comfort mode, battery optimization, sound alerts, and I/O strategy.