Due to so many misinformation, false claims and confusion that goes around the web I've decided to make this quick comparison of all backup enabling tools, hackable vita firmwares and which one you should be using and why.
Date of last update: 20.08.2018
| NoNpDRM Rips | Vitamin / MaiDumpTool Dumps | |
|---|---|---|
| All original files untouched | ✅ | ❌ |
| Support Retail DLCs | ✅ | ❌ |
| Support Ripped (NoNpDRM) DLCs | ✅ | ❌ |
| Support Dumped (Vitamin/Mai) DLCs | ✅1 | ✅ |
| Can be updated from pkg or livearea | ✅ | ❌ |
| Does not have saving issues | ✅ | ❌ |
| Does not introduce game breaking bugs | ✅ | ❌ |
| Support console suspending | ✅ | ❌ |
| Support Game and DLC Modding | ✅2 | ✅ |
| Support Eboot Modding | ✅3 | ✅ |
| Can be Dumped/Ripped on All Hackable Firmwares | ✅ | ❌ |
| Can be converted from Rip to Dump or Dump to rip | ✅ | ❌ |
| Are supported by NPS | ✅ | ❌ |
1 2Using RePatch
3Using RePatch+FAGDec
Conclusion
STOP using Dumped Games and tools for dumping all together. Those tools are obsolete and broken to their cores, due to the way how they work. Eboot and Modules are altered in order to keep everything together, which introduces a handful of bugs. For best Vita Experience use NoNpDRM rips.
| 3.60 ENSO | 3.65 ENSO | 3.68 H-ENCORE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permament Hack on boot | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Allow Homebrew and Plugins | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Can use SD2vita/PSVSD/USB drive as main storage | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Have PSN Access | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Activate Console & Allow PSS Downloads | ✅1 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Doesn't require memory card on FAT console | ✅2 | ❌ | ❌ |
| Allow playing games requiring (up to) 3.68 | ✅3 | ✅3 | ✅ |
| Can reinstall firmware and hack | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| TLS 1.2 Support | ✅4 | ✅4 | ✅ |
| Support (NoNpDrm or NoThemeDrm) Retail Themes | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Support Custom Themes | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Can play PSP/PSX Games5 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Can play NoPsmDrm Games | ✅ | ✅ | ✅6 |
| Can Play Vita-only titles on PSTV7 | ✅ | ✅ | ❔ |
| Support decrypted contents in /patch/ | ✅ | ✅8 | ✅8 |
1This is recent change. No one can tell why SONY allowed 3.60 hacked consoles to use activation servers again. Use with caution on 3.60.
2Using MLTHaKu
3Using Compability Packs
4Using iTLS-Enso
5Using Adrenaline
6Only on original ux0 (memory card or internal)
7Using Anti-blacklist/Whitelist
8Using RePatch through /RePatch/ directory
Conclusion
Your best option are ENSO firmwares, but depending what FW you have installed you might be limited to 3.68 h-encore only.
Personally, I do suggest 3.65 ENSO, but you might need to stay on 3.60 if you have a fat console without memory card.