Hardware 3DS Xl better than 3DS?

[KoopaHax35000vr]

Is the 3ds xl any better than a 3ds if your playing RPGs and racing games?

 

[Redhorse]

That's a matter of opinion I would say...​

I only got the XL because of New Art Academy, I couldn't imagine using the zoom button to paint with, and now that Im playing Fire Emblem Awakening, I couldn't imagine THAT on a regular, 3ds, although I really liked the reg. size and model more due to portability (with 3 power grips I NEVER ran out of power..)​

Since I have not played the new F.E. in the reg, 3d, it may make no diff. anyway, I don't know that..​

​

In addition to size consideration; I found a really good cover , metal, micro thin almost paper thin, but felt lined-aluminum, requiring NO HINGES to break, in ALL colors, so the colors of the handheld, became a moot point and it adds, no noticable weight. With that addition, I'm happy with the XL, the cover conceals so much surface, that the only area you can see the original color is a small piece match-stick wide, near the SD card cover. Definately not bulky & heavy like past gen. covers...​

 

[TripleSMoon]

It depends on the size and shape of your hands. I upgraded to the XL because the original was flat out too small and cramped up my hands really badly.

That said, I think it's only fair to mention that the triggers and dpad are complete garbage on the original, and loads better on the XL. Furthermore, DS games display more accurately on the 3DS XL.

 

[Dork]

The design of the original 3DS is better looking to me, plus I use StreetPass a lot so I like the portability of it.

 

[signz]

That said, I think it's only fair to mention that the triggers and dpad are complete garbage on the original

Huh, I think they are fine enough. But maybe that's just because I jumped from DS Phat to 3DS directly.

 

[emigre]

The Dpad on the 3DS is terrible. It feels really cheap and has a horrible shitty feeling to it.

 

[McHaggis]

The Dpad on the 3DS is terrible. It feels really cheap and has a horrible shitty feeling to it.

Not to mention creaky. Is the XL's d-pad better then?

 

[UltraHurricane]

the 3DS XL does seems nicer with the bigger screen and fact that there's actual start/select/home buttons instead of the weird membrane crap in the orginal, other then that it's really a matter of portability

 

[emigre]

Not to mention creaky. Is the XL's d-pad better then?

It is. Though, I'm not too crazy on the XL dpad altogether. It really could be better.

 

[Eerpow]

Not to mention creaky. Is the XL's d-pad better then?

The XL dpad is great, it's the same as the DSi one iirc, it's large and slightly clicky.

PROS:

- bigger screens
- the anti reflective screen coating really makes a world of a difference
- nicer 3D
- longer battery time
- better DS 1:1 mode due to the larger screens
- better Dpad
- more comfortable to hold
- better start/home/select buttons
- the stylus position is better
- and the plastic finish looks really nice


CONS:

- the speakers (the original 3DS has much louder and clearer speakers)

- warmer screens (this is just my preference but I prefer the original cooler ones) Actually playing a little bit with the XL and going back to the original makes the standard 3DS 's screens look really blue, almost purple even because of how your eyes adjust.

- the matte interior finish (unlike the original 3DS which you easily could wipe clean, the XL is prone to get shiny stains around the ABXY buttons over time like the DS lite did. However I solved this by applying a thin black carbon fiber skin round that area, you can hardly even tell it's there)

- portability (yeah that speaks for itself)

- The second click the system does when closing/opening it gets annoying, I never found the first screen position usable at all.

Both systems definitely have their ups and downs which is why I kept my old one when I got my XL. But if you must choose one of them then, yes, XL is the way to go.

 

[Count Duckula]

Unless its too large to meet your requirement for portability, I'd say go for the XL. IMO it's certainly the better console unless the size bothers you.

The loose hinges on both (I had a 3ds and traded it in for an XL) is the most annoying aspect to me but both suffered from it. Compared to a DS-lite they are far too loose and wobbly, even when 'clicked' into place.

 

[Dork]

Compared to a DS-lite they are far too loose and wobbly, even when 'clicked' into place.

The 3DS hinge was made looser on purpose to avoid the hinge-cracking issue the DS Lite had.

 

[Count Duckula]

The 3DS hinge was made looser on purpose to avoid the hinge-cracking issue the DS Lite had.

Yep, that's what I've heard many times also. I have a launch dslite with no issues, and none of my friends who have/had one ever had the issue. The blokes I've talked to in game stores all said its pretty much exclusively an issue affecting consoles owned by kids.

Making the hinge wobble is one way to solve that 'issue', another would be to make the thing with higher quality materials or better design.
Sure the XL's hinge also has more weight to support, but I do not believe they are incapable of making a hinge that's up to the job without such an awful (IMO) compromise.

To me, explaining away the problem as being due to the DS lite is just them admitting they took the cheaper, easier, but much shittier option.

I went through 3 XLs before giving up. First had really loose hinges, 2nd had 2 stuck pixels (nintendo support consider this fine, most consumers dont so I returned it to the store), 3rd has hinges almost as loose as the first but a little better.

 

[Eerpow]

Making the hinge wobble is one way to solve that 'issue', another would be to make the thing with higher quality materials or better design.
Sure the XL's hinge also has more weight to support, but I do not believe they are incapable of making a hinge that's up to the job without such an awful (IMO) compromise.

Read some Iwata asks and you'll see that they used a much higher quality resin for the 3DS to avoid the problem and if you take a look at the 3DS you'll see that it's much beefier around the hinge area this time. The hinge issue was a real issue that not only happened to kids, I've replaced housing on two of my friends DS lite's because of it. Some people just don't take enough care of their systems, Nintendo did what they could to prevent it, a different plastic simply wouldn't cut it if the top screen was too tight.

They've dropped that thing in several tests to make sure that it's doesn't break. Making the hinge slightly looser is just taking it one step further to avoid the problem completely. I personally never had any issues with loose hinges at all with my systems.

Looks like it worked for them too, I just did a quick search and I can't find a single 3DS with a cracked hinge on the web.

 

[porkiewpyne]

Yep, that's what I've heard many times also. I have a launch dslite with no issues, and none of my friends who have/had one ever had the issue. The blokes I've talked to in game stores all said its pretty much exclusively an issue affecting consoles owned by kids.

I used to think that too until it happened to me recently. Right hinge snapped after many years. And to think I was always very careful with it TT^TT

 

[Rydian]

I used to think that too until it happened to me recently. Right hinge snapped after many years. And to think I was always very careful with it TT^TT

Same sort of issue with the L/R triggers on my DSi. "I don't treat it like shit it'll never - Oh damnit they're not working." Sent back to Nintendo, they repaired my unit (or sent me a replacement with an exact system transfer done as it still had my DSiware and pics in the right order) haven't had issues again.

Furthermore, DS games display more accurately on the 3DS XL.

Nope, same resolution and same scaling options.

 

[McHaggis]

It is. Though, I'm not too crazy on the XL dpad altogether. It really could be better.

Yeah, it's a shame. Nintendo have a history of great d-pads IMO, the 3DS broke the tradition.

 

[Eerpow]

Nope, same resolution and same scaling options.

Weird way to word it but he just means that running games at a native resolution on the XL screens is a more accurate way of playing DS games since the larger screens have around the same pixel density as a normal DS.

 

[TripleSMoon]

Exactly. I never said anything about the resolution. It's basically unanimous among anyone who's used both that DS games indeed look better on the XL.

Also Eerpow, the hinge on my original 3DS cracked, and progressively got deeper as weeks wore on. Thank God GameStop didn't care when I traded it in for the XL (I even pointed it out to them,and they said it wouldn't matter).

 

[Rydian]

You said "accurately", but the 3DS XL displays the exact same image as the 3DS.

People who haven't used both systems might not know this.