Hardware 3DS room for improvement

[epicCreations.or]

-Friend notifiers, so if someone adds you it'll tell ya.
-The top screen should have been made with the same material as the bottom -_- Too many fingerprints.
-Some way to stop the bottom from making marks on the top.
Dunno lol

 

[person66]

Definitely needs a better friend/messaging system, hopefully this can be added with a future update.

Stylus needs to be moved.

Better headphone jack position would also be a nice plus.
Camera quality doesn't really bother me, it is fine for the 3DS screens, and it's not like I would use it as my main camera.

Battery life, the more the better!

It would be nice if a future model used a screen with a larger 'sweet spot' but I don't even know if that's possible, without head tracking (which would suck up the battery)



Well, I think all of those have been mentioned already, I just thought I would share my opinion.
Still, the 3DS is amazing, by far the best handheld I have owned.

 

[DiscostewSM]

I dunno about the add friend notifier, mainly due to the potential random person keeps trying to add random person(s). Kids, strangers and such. For people like us, we have GBATemp and PMs.

 

[person66]

I dunno about the add friend notifier, mainly due to the potential random person keeps trying to add random person(s). Kids, strangers and such. For people like us, we have GBATemp and PMs.

It wouldn't be much different than PSN or Xbox live, and I havn't seen anyone complaining about those (at least, not for that reason)

 

[Th3_r0cK]

I really dislike the buttons for the Select - Home - Start since sometimes when I'm playing in the dark, I hit the wrong one. Would be neat if they all lit up to fix this.

 

[JoyConG]

Better Cameras

Better battery

Better Friend system for matchmaking and messaging

Resolution, but it's a long way from the DS so you get a pass Nintendo; looks great

EDIT: Possibly a way to bring 30 frames in 3D up to 60? I hardly play street fighter in 3D as a result

 

[MaxNuker]

better battery is hard to get... in order to improve your battery life on a lithium-ion battery is to by either: improving it ( means more space) or reducing the power consuption of the console... (basically underclocking the console) so... the 3ds doesnt have room to get a bigger battery... or else it would be bigger...

 

[DiscostewSM]

EDIT: Possibly a way to bring 30 frames in 3D up to 60? I hardly play street fighter in 3D as a result

3D doesn't necessarily mean frame rate is halved. There's just a lot more rendering it has to do, and so for consistency, rather than allowing it to jump between 30 and 60 fps (and all in between), they force a limit on it. It's not an uncommon technique.

Now, improving the GPU would allow the games to make that jump from 30 to 60fps.

 

[Kimura]

- better battery
- other select/home/start buttons
- multitouch
- higher resolution for both screens
- other stylus position

that were my wishes for an improved version

 

[KingVamp]

Actually maybe a new 3DSV will come out 5 years down the line and would have vertical 3D.

 

[Nebz]

Just got my 3DS earlier... The only things I would want different are a better battery and a better spot for the stylus. As a lefty, it's current placement is alright but I'm kind of tired of reaching around and searching for the damn thing -__-

Other than that, I absolutely love it so far and I'm waiting to see what comes in the future

 

[trumpet-205]

I see a lot of people asking for better battery life. Truth is battery itself cannot be improved unless Nintendo,

* Use another battery chemistry and/or
* Increase physical size of the battery (this would also increased the unit size, calling for a XL version).

Without touching the battery, Nintendo would have to reduce power consumption of the unit itself. This can achieved by,

* Better screens with less power draw
* Reduce die size
* Smaller fabrication process and/or
* Underclock its hardware.

 

[gumbyx84]

Does the bottom screen really scuff up the top screen? First I've heard about it.

 

[dicamarques]

Video output (to tv or to record)

 

[Boster27]

Wow, I guess you guys are not as critical as me xD There's a lot I would change. Here goes:

- Make the case be a single body. Just by looking at it, you can tell it has a bazillion little different pieces of plastic. That adds thickness and weight. Look at the top half: protective plastic for the screen, then the actual plastic for the screen, then the outer plastic, then a protective transparent plastic for the outside. And don't get me started on the bottom half. But please keep the same smooth material. I love it.
- Move the stylus location. That is a no-brainer. Maybe even make it contract and expand automatically as you put it in or out of the system.
- Unify the notification LEDs. Really, and please. Six LEDs is too much, specially if they're all in different places. You got your On/Battery Status LED, charging LED, notification LED, Wireless LED, 3D LED and the camera LED. Too much.
- D-pad could be a little larger. When switching from the Circle Pad, I always find it way too tiny.
- Make the Start, Select and Home buttons easier to press, maybe making them touch sensitive, and/or glow a little to make them easier to find.
- Add the hole for the wrist strap again. I miss it.
- Since we can access the Home menu anytime, I would do away with the physical Wireless switch and put it as a software switch, maybe even in the same place where you control the screen brightness.
- Better speakers, higher volume. IMO, the DSi has better speakers.
- I know this one may seem like too much, but the first thing I noticed when I opened my 3DS is that the upper screen is not vertically aligned in the top half. It's a little lower than center. I know I'm being complainy, but I couldn't help but notice xD

All that, of course, besides the other obvious advantages that the "3DS Lite" should have, like improved battery life (by means of lower power consumption and a bigger battery), better screens (with better viewing angle, luckily), hopefully 720p 3D video recording (Fingers crossed!!) and/or cameras that can at least take a decent pic in medium lighting.

And where's my 3D video player?! xD!

 

[KingVamp]

Wow, I guess you guys are not as critical as me xD There's a lot I would change. Here goes:

- Make the case be a single body. Just by looking at it, you can tell it has a bazillion little different pieces of plastic. That adds thickness and weight. Look at the top half: protective plastic for the screen, then the actual plastic for the screen, then the outer plastic, then a protective transparent plastic for the outside. And don't get me started on the bottom half. But please keep the same smooth material. I love it.
"All that plastic" doesn't even add that much to the weight, it all the stuff built in to it and at the same time weigh less than the phat. Not only that "all that plastic" is there to protect the system.
- Move the stylus location. That is a no-brainer. Left-hands rejoice.

Maybe even make it contract and expand automatically as you put it in or out of the system. How?
- Unify the notification LEDs. Really, and please. Six LEDs is too much, specially if they're all in different places. You got your On/Battery Status LED, charging LED, notification LED, Wireless LED, 3D LED and the camera LED. Too much.
All those LEDs mean different things and would confused people and cluster over each other . Notification and power on has the same color. "Well they can use different colors."Why spent all that time and money trying to find color LEDs when they can used the same ones? "Well the screen is on we don't need a power LED."
Yea, but if the system is on and the power LED off may indicate something wrong with the system plus it tells you when the 3ds is dieing. Even notifications and 3D have the same color.Having them all in one spot will cause to much confusion and too many different colors.
- D-pad could be a little larger. When switching from the Circle Pad, I always find it way too tiny. Maybe not way too, but OK.
- Make the Start, Select and Home buttons easier to press, maybe making them touch sensitive, and/or glow a little to make them easier to find.
There not that hard to press.

Glow? More LEDs!

- Add the hole for the wrist strap again. I miss it.

Spoiler

- Since we can access the Home menu anytime, I would do away with the physical Wireless switch and put it as a software switch, maybe even in the same place where you control the screen brightness.
Why go all the way to the menu, when I can just switch off/on from there?
- Better speakers, higher volume. IMO, the DSi has better speakers.
IMO they don't :/
- I know this one may seem like too much, but the first thing I noticed when I opened my 3DS is that the upper screen is not vertically aligned in the top half. It's a little lower than center. I know I'm being complainy, but I couldn't help but notice xD
I didn't see it. Specially when it has to be close to the bottom screen anyway because how ds game are made and there a camera right above.
cameras that can at least take a decent pic in medium lighting.
Only real problem for the cameras are to much light or no light. Any better cameras will make the price higher.

And where's my 3D video player?! xD!

Maybe you get that later due update.

 

[Exotica]

Nitpicking here, but I'd like to see a spring loaded stylus.
Also, matte-finish and obligatory battery life expansion.

 

[Slyakin]

Does the bottom screen really scuff up the top screen? First I've heard about it.

Unfortunately it does. I get little lines when I close my 3DS for periods of times. I have to clean them off each time, and I'm afraid that the screen can get scratched.

 

[Windaga]

All of my issues with the 3DS can be resolved with firmware/software updates. Other than the battery life, of course.

 

[leeday100196]

And where's my 3D video player?! xD!

Maybe you get that later due update.

They demonstrate it with a Limited Time Only video after you first update the system. They'll probably add the option to download select videos from the e-shop after that becomes available. (I bloody well hope so) Also, everyone is complaining about battery life. Solution: lowest brightness, Wireless OFF wherever possible, Power saving mode ON, and (optional) 3D OFF wherever possible. That way it lasts about 4 days if you play it as much as i do.