We were really spoiled with such great hardware but we didn't realize it. It was like 150 just before it died

The big problem was always that Sony treated their handhelds as 2nd tier devices. The consoles would get the big releases and the handhelds would get the lesser spin offs of the same games.
It's kinda funny how Nintendo and Sony had the exact opposite strategy. Sony ignored the Vita to focus on the PS4 and console business.
Nintendo 'saved' the 3DS and their handheld business at the expense of the Wii U.