We at AltChar expected the Nintendo Switch to be Charon to the 3DS. Slowly bringing it across the river to the land of dead Nintendo consoles where it will rest with the Gamecube, the N64 and the rest of them, including the Virtual Boy. But alas, although our knowledge of Greek mythology is superb, our market analysis is not.
Nintendo appear to be behind the 3DS with their announcements at E3. This year we have Metroid: Samus Returns, Pokemon Gold and Silver, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon, Yo-Kai Watch 2 and Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions. The 3DS has a large and varied library of games and the device also has backwards compatibility for the original DS. So picking one of these up is a great idea. But what version should you buy?
Versions
There are a lot of versions of the 3DS:
- 3DS
- 3DS XL
- 2DS
- New 3DS
- New 3DS XL
- New 2DS XL
Different versions of Nintendo 3DS.
And you guessed it! The ones that say 2D don’t have the 3D functionality which was a big selling point of the console. But do you actually need 3D to play games? Not necessarily. It has always been an optional extra that you could contro, and due to the technology used, not everyone could see it, so not every game makes it a must-use feature.
Storage
The original 3DS has a 2GB SD Card included. The 3DS XL and 2DS come with a 4GB SD Card. All of these can be expanded up to 128GB via SD, SDHC and SDXC cards.
Nintendo
The New systems have a 4GB Micro SD Card included and are expandable up to 256 GB via Micro SDXC card slot. However, Nintendo recommends the 32GB Micro SDHC card.
Weight and dimensions
Unlike traditional consoles when buying a portable - the weight and the dimensions matter. It’s got to be sturdy but light. Big but not too big. Here's the official weight of each console:
- 3DS = 235 grams
- 3DS XL = 336 grams
- 2DS = 260 grams
- New 3DS = 253 grams
- New 3DS XL = 329 grams
- New 2DS XL = 260 grams
Display size
All of the versions can support approximately 16.77 million colors. With the lower screen being 320 x 240 QVGA.
Nintendo
The upper screen is where we have the main difference in sizes. Starting from the lowest:
- 2DS = 3.52 inches
- 3DS = 3.53 inches
- New 3DS = 3.88 inches
- 3DS XL, New 3DS XL and New 2DS XL = 4.88 inches
Battery life
One of the most important features for anyone is the battery life, which is determined by screen brightness, WiFi, sound volume and 3D effect.
- 3DS = 3 - 5 hours
- 3DS XL = 3.5 - 6.5 hours
- 2DS = 3.5 - 5.5 hours
- New 3DS = 3.5 - 6 hours
- New 3DS XL = 3.5 - 7 hours
- New 2DS XL = 3.5 - 6.5 hours
Graphics, Memory and Processor
All of the 3DS family use a 268 MHz Digital Media Professionals PICA200 as the GPU. It’s with the memory and the processors that the difference happens:
- The original systems have 128 MB FCRAM @3.2GB/s
- The new systems have 256 MB FCRAM @ 6.4 GB/s
- The original systems use a 268 MHz dual-core ARM11 & 134 MHz single-core ARM9 as the processor
- The new systems use a 804 MHz quad-core ARM11 & 134 MHz single-core ARM9
This difference in processors makes all the difference when it comes to playing the games, which, of course, is the most important thing.
Games
All of the consoles support the original DS and DSi Game Cards. For the virtual console they can all play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Gear and the original Nintendo.
Nintendo
The New versions have the added benefit of playing Super Nintendo games from the virtual console and some exclusive titles like Xenoblade 3D and Fire emblem Warriors.
Conclusion
So after all of that, we recommend going for the New 3DS XL, if you want a 3DS. The old versions are good quality and on the cheaper side but the extra cost is getting you access to great games, a better battery life and a better display. We suggest getting a 3D version over the 2D because some games work nicely with it and it’s a really cool feature.
