Hardware When will New 3DS price bottom out?

[Negatronic]

Just thinking out loud here. Nintendo just announced it is moving to a unified Switch platform. We all know that means 3DS will not be on store shelves much longer, right?

I remember I was in at a black Friday event in Walmart, probably 2004, 2005. They had a pallet of GBA micros for $40. A sealed one is worth around $250 today. I have invested so much time and effort into the 3DS scene. Maybe not as much as some of you, but I have made a little hobby of it and had a blast. I don't want to let it go. Its unlikely that nintendo will ever release a 2 screen device, so if we want to play these games, we'll need to have hardware, unless you want to play on PC :/.

I could see 3DS prices going way up in the coming years, but where is the bottom? I think it can't be too much farther off. I've gotten a few cherry new 3DS consoles in the 100-120 range in the last 6 months or so. Will it come down more? Probably not a whole lot more, right?

I think the used 'New' 3DS market may already be seeing a spike based on the recent Nintendo announcement. I was finding nice used ones in the $110-115 range a couple on months ago. Now struggling to find anything decent < $130. I say 'New' 3DS, obviously because if you wanted to have one for the long term, you would probably want a 'new' 3DS XL or a 'new' 2DS XL in order to be able to play any game and use any feature. Older DS hardware is found much cheaper of course, and is a viable option on a budget.

 

[CeeDee]

I don't believe they're still in print, Amazon doesn't seem to be selling them new, but for a time, SNES-design New 3DS XL was $150 new on Amazon.

 

[E1ite007]

Here in Mexico, the only 3DS consoles that you could find new still to this day, are the special editions.
The regular editions as @CeeDee are likely to be out of print by this moment.
This is probably the last year Nintendo releases new first-party games for the 3DS.

 

[comput3rus3r]

You're even more out of luck if you're looking for n3dsXL with IPS screen. In general thought I don't think they're prices are going to get any cheaper.

 

[Negatronic]

You're even more out of luck if you're looking for n3dsXL with IPS screen. In general thought I don't think they're prices are going to get any cheaper.

How can you tell if it has the IPS screen? Is it a different model number?

 

[comput3rus3r]

How can you tell if it has the IPS screen? Is it a different model number?

You look at the screens from an angle. if the colors wash out they're not IPS. Some are dual IPS, some are top ips bot TN and others are Top TN, bot IPS. Best is dual IPS, next is Top IPS (since most games are played on top screen) and third would be Top TN, bot IPS> but the majority of them are dual TN screens.

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You look at the screens from an angle. if the colors wash out they're not IPS. Some are dual IPS, some are top ips bot TN and others are Top TN, bot IPS. Best is dual IPS, next is Top IPS (since most games are played on top screen) and third would be Top TN, bot IPS> but the majority of them are dual TN screens.

I found a few Top IPS models by going to gamestop and asking the employee to let me see the screens on before I bought.

 

[Negatronic]

You're even more out of luck if you're looking for n3dsXL with IPS screen. In general thought I don't think they're prices are going to get any cheaper.

You look at the screens from an angle. if the colors wash out they're not IPS. Some are dual IPS, some are top ips bot TN and others are Top TN, bot IPS. Best is dual IPS, next is Top IPS (since most games are played on top screen) and third would be Top TN, bot IPS> but the majority of them are dual TN screens.

Yeah so I just googled it. I didn't know there was any difference. Apparently I JUST sold my only IPS system today. Oh well.

 

[comput3rus3r]

Yeah so I just googled it. I didn't know there was any difference. Apparently I JUST sold my only IPS system today. Oh well.

I don't sell my consoles anymore. The last one I sold was a sega saturn.

 

[Negatronic]

I don't sell my consoles anymore. The last one I sold was a sega saturn.

Last one I sold was SNES. HUGE mistake obviously. My EX sold my GBA and box of games. Wench. But as far as 3DS, I still have 3 working systems. Always buying and selling. But maybe I should slow down on the selling part.

 

[comput3rus3r]

Last one I sold was SNES. HUGE mistake obviously. My EX sold my GBA and box of games. Wench. But as far as 3DS, I still have 3 working systems. Always buying and selling. But maybe I should slow down on the selling part.

you never noticed that one of your 3ds's screens looked different?

 

[Negatronic]

you never noticed that one of your 3ds's screens looked different?

I mean in retrospect, yes, it was super clean. I've never had a brand new 3DS, so I chalked it up being in better condition.

 

[Kwyjor]

I remember I was in at a black Friday event in Walmart, probably 2004, 2005. They had a pallet of GBA micros for $40. A sealed one is worth around $250 today.

I was kind of hoping there would be a stage like that for the Wii U, but it would seem Nintendo has learned their lesson and that probably won't be happening with the 3DS either. I never even really saw Wii Minis being chucked around for cheap. It's probably why they ended up being so stingy with the production run for the SNES Mini and NES Mini.

 

[Hayato213]

Well used one price would go down as year past, but in general, it also comes to supply and demand, if the available amount of supply is lower than what people out there demand, then the price would go up. That how come a sealed GBA is like 250 like what you stated @Negatronic because it is harder to find a sealed one.

 

[Negatronic]

Well used one price would go down as year past, but in general, it also comes to supply and demand, if the available amount of supply is lower than what people out there demand, then the price would go up. That how come a sealed GBA is like 250 like what you stated @Negatronic because it is harder to find a sealed one.

Right, like the Wii price fell pretty hard and never came back. It doesn't do anything that Wii U can't do, other than play Gamecube.

Thats why I think the New 3DS XL would be a good one to grab a few if we can. It is the pinnacle of 30 years of Nintendo handhelds, and it doesn't look like there will be another one with backwards compatibility.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

You can still buy black and galaxy edition n3DSXL for $190 at B&H Photo Video. Check my sig.

 

[EmulateLife]

Bout a week ago bought a N3DS XL used on Ebay for $100 + $8.75 shipping. Sold my old 3DS + original DS Lite which made up for the cost of it. Pretty happy.

 

[Negatronic]

Bout a week ago bought a N3DS XL used on Ebay for $100 + $8.75 shipping. Sold my old 3DS + original DS Lite which made up for the cost of it. Pretty happy.

Yeah you did well. I got a few of them around that price a couple months ago, but having a hard time finding a clean one in that price range now.

 

[Negatronic]

You can still buy black and galaxy edition n3DSXL for $190 at B&H Photo Video. Check my sig.

That's a pretty great deal.

 

[Steel-Winged_Pegasus]

Was pretty lucky to get a regular sized New 3DS, the Pokemon 20th anniversary edition, too, and tons of extra goodies for $270. Despite being in a used condition, it looks amazing, it actually looks brand new, TBH. The goodies (traveling case, hardshell case, 32 GB micro SD card, FE Fates face plates which are normally hard to find and expensive) AND dual IPS screens made up for the price. Plus, both Pokemon face plates came with it, so that was a delicious cherry on top in addition to Pokemon Blue and Red being on the console.

 

[Negatronic]

I think I'm going to keep buying, modding, and flipping them until I find another dual IPS by chance.