AceKard 2 Review
Featuring advanced features, low price and seemingly good support, the acekard 2 seems to be one of the best cards on the market. But is it really?
The AceKard 2 has a lot of features to offer and one of the best menu systems on the market, but a main downside is spreading like wildfire, and makes the card useless.
Original Packaging and a 4GB microSDHC card. Notice the bump on the sticker.
The Card (Design Quality)
The card itself seems okay. The build quality is quite poor – You can see a 'bump' that comes out of the sticker. The card is kept intact with 4 clips, no screw.
One more thing is that you can see the green pcb from behind.While it won't bug most people, it is to me.
Also, it's pretty hard to get the SD card in and out of the AK2, and the AK2 itself won't enter the DS smoothly like a normal DS card.
Backside of the card.
Menu and Usage
The menu is pretty good. You have a lot of skins to choose from, and if you don't like any of them, you can create easily a one of your own with a pc app.
(Doesn't come with the AK2, I'm not sure if it's an AK official)
You have the obvious things – games/apps (100% compatibility, and you can update if a new game won't run), patching system (soft reset, cheats, DSL backlight, etc.), and the card settings/options.
The menu is easy to navigate and use, and it's programmed pretty good so you can get to all of the functions easily and from any point within the menu.
Once you turn it on you can choose if to load the games list from an SD card, or a GBA slot device, from there, you can enter folders as you like.
You can switch between sorting by file name (with, or without .nds extension), game/app name, and viewing only nds files, nds+sav, or all files.
DPG, music, and GBA files will open with the appropriate program if you have Bliss' custom OS and plug-ins.
Considering you have an updated cheat database (you can get one at gbatemp), you can press X on any game and select the cheats made for it, and other patches, specially made or not for the game.
You also have the option to trim a rom.
The AK2 menu doesn't have a scroll bar, but it does scroll when you move the stylus.
Great skins, many options in general.
Stability (Hardware Build-Quality)
Ah. Here is the downfall of the AK2.
If you haven't seen any discussion about the AK2, so you may not know it, but now it's known that once you buy an AK2 it's about 50% that it's life time will not pass 3 weeks.
AK's factory has been manufacturing bad units for a pretty long time.
Once you start to use the AK2, it's basically a matter of time.
There are several errors reported – from "FAT Error" with any SD card in it, to a freeze on the help and safety screen and errors on loading games.
Sadly, you can't solve this issue on your own, so if you eventually experience a breakdown, you'll need to send it to your seller, and wait until he gets it and sends another unit back to you.
(Some manufactures will actually agree to send you another brand)
Won't get past the health and safety screen when the defective card is in.
Official Features
*Perfect Compatibility. No need to convert, No need to flash.
* Write save file directly to TF card. No more save type selection.
* Auto patching DLDI. Run homebrew programs without convert.
* Support Soft-Reset. Support Download play. Support Wi-Fi.
* Support microSD and microSDHC microSD card. No maximum file limit.
* Support Action Replay. Built-in editor.
* Low power consumption. Long playing time.
* Easy operation. Support pad and touch screen control.
* Multi-languages. Support Customize Skin.
* Support launch slot-2. Support expand package.
* 4 level brightness adjustment.
* Support reading text files, listening mp3 and watching movie.
Upsides
+ mSDHC support.
+ Very easy-to-use and make skins.
+ A lot of skins to choose from.
+ Good and easy to use cheating and patching system.
+ Multi language support (and easy to create more).
+ Good 3rd party GBA slot cards support with custom firmware.
+ No more lags for Castlevania with low class SDHC's, with the latest firmware (a lot of cards still have this issue).
+ Multi save-slots on custom firmware. (Don't know how many cards have this function, but I find it pretty useful for some games)
+ Recent updates from the official team.
+ Built-in Trim Rom option.
Downsides
- Very high failure rate at the recent batches. Most chances are that your card will stop functioning properly after 2 weeks or so, if you order it these days.
- Low build quality.
- Pretty hard to get the microSD in and out of the AK2.
MicroSD's will get stuck in the AK2, requiring pulling which I don't think are healthy for those little cards.
Other Thoughts / In between 1
* Alternative OS's – Bliss, YSMenu. 2
* No more custom firmware updates from Bliss (although it could not have effect on the compatibility issue, as Bliss' latest firmware can now use the official loader as an external one).
* No AKAIO after all. 3
Conclusion
I won't recommend you getting an AK2 soon.
The upsides could've overcome the downsides, but the bad batches issue pretty much kills the card. Think of it as a RROD.
I own 3 AK2's. One already stopped working, and the other two will probably also die eventually.
The store I've ordered them from can replace a defective AK2 for a functioning one, or for any card you want, considering the price.
Overall, considering the recent failure rate of the cards, the fact that AKAIO probably won't come out soon if at all, and that Bliss' announcement of ending the updates for his custom firmware, it seems that there are now better choices in the market for the price of a AK2.
As for me, it's pretty clear that I won't get another AK2 as a replacement soon, and I suggest you do that too, or at least wait to see if the technical issue reports calm down a bit.
I believe the AK2 issues will eventually be solved (other option - they'll manufacture a new card, for about the same price), as the net is flooded with bad reports and discussions about the card.
The AK team is losing from all the negative buzz around those bad batches. But for the meanwhile, it is a fact that those defective cards are still being sold.
Don't be the victim. Don't get these soon.
If you do want specifically the AK2 menu, you can get an AKRPG.
It's pretty much like the AK2, only that the official menu is open-source, and it has built in NAND memory of 1GB in addition to the SDHC support, so pretty much lag-less gameplay.
I dream of a better future for you two.
1 Those don't have direct connection to the official AK team.
2 Some of the features mentioned in the review may not be exactly like stated or may not be at all in the official acekard2 menu.
If so, they are available at one of the alternative menus designed for the Acekard2 - Bliss Custom OSMenu, or YSmenu.
3 AKAIO was meant to be a custom os with new features, like slow-motion, to function on the AK2 and AKRPG.
It is basically an upgraded version of AKBBS, with new features and support for both cards. I was waiting for it mainly because of the slow-motion option.
Apparently the project has been canceled.
Review by Ben L., "RoD"/"RoD131"
Featuring advanced features, low price and seemingly good support, the acekard 2 seems to be one of the best cards on the market. But is it really?
The AceKard 2 has a lot of features to offer and one of the best menu systems on the market, but a main downside is spreading like wildfire, and makes the card useless.
Original Packaging and a 4GB microSDHC card. Notice the bump on the sticker.
The Card (Design Quality)
The card itself seems okay. The build quality is quite poor – You can see a 'bump' that comes out of the sticker. The card is kept intact with 4 clips, no screw.
One more thing is that you can see the green pcb from behind.While it won't bug most people, it is to me.
Also, it's pretty hard to get the SD card in and out of the AK2, and the AK2 itself won't enter the DS smoothly like a normal DS card.
Backside of the card.
Menu and Usage
The menu is pretty good. You have a lot of skins to choose from, and if you don't like any of them, you can create easily a one of your own with a pc app.
(Doesn't come with the AK2, I'm not sure if it's an AK official)
You have the obvious things – games/apps (100% compatibility, and you can update if a new game won't run), patching system (soft reset, cheats, DSL backlight, etc.), and the card settings/options.
The menu is easy to navigate and use, and it's programmed pretty good so you can get to all of the functions easily and from any point within the menu.
Once you turn it on you can choose if to load the games list from an SD card, or a GBA slot device, from there, you can enter folders as you like.
You can switch between sorting by file name (with, or without .nds extension), game/app name, and viewing only nds files, nds+sav, or all files.
DPG, music, and GBA files will open with the appropriate program if you have Bliss' custom OS and plug-ins.
Considering you have an updated cheat database (you can get one at gbatemp), you can press X on any game and select the cheats made for it, and other patches, specially made or not for the game.
You also have the option to trim a rom.
The AK2 menu doesn't have a scroll bar, but it does scroll when you move the stylus.
Great skins, many options in general.
Stability (Hardware Build-Quality)
Ah. Here is the downfall of the AK2.
If you haven't seen any discussion about the AK2, so you may not know it, but now it's known that once you buy an AK2 it's about 50% that it's life time will not pass 3 weeks.
AK's factory has been manufacturing bad units for a pretty long time.
Once you start to use the AK2, it's basically a matter of time.
There are several errors reported – from "FAT Error" with any SD card in it, to a freeze on the help and safety screen and errors on loading games.
Sadly, you can't solve this issue on your own, so if you eventually experience a breakdown, you'll need to send it to your seller, and wait until he gets it and sends another unit back to you.
(Some manufactures will actually agree to send you another brand)
Won't get past the health and safety screen when the defective card is in.
Official Features
*Perfect Compatibility. No need to convert, No need to flash.
* Write save file directly to TF card. No more save type selection.
* Auto patching DLDI. Run homebrew programs without convert.
* Support Soft-Reset. Support Download play. Support Wi-Fi.
* Support microSD and microSDHC microSD card. No maximum file limit.
* Support Action Replay. Built-in editor.
* Low power consumption. Long playing time.
* Easy operation. Support pad and touch screen control.
* Multi-languages. Support Customize Skin.
* Support launch slot-2. Support expand package.
* 4 level brightness adjustment.
* Support reading text files, listening mp3 and watching movie.
Upsides
+ mSDHC support.
+ Very easy-to-use and make skins.
+ A lot of skins to choose from.
+ Good and easy to use cheating and patching system.
+ Multi language support (and easy to create more).
+ Good 3rd party GBA slot cards support with custom firmware.
+ No more lags for Castlevania with low class SDHC's, with the latest firmware (a lot of cards still have this issue).
+ Multi save-slots on custom firmware. (Don't know how many cards have this function, but I find it pretty useful for some games)
+ Recent updates from the official team.
+ Built-in Trim Rom option.
Downsides
- Very high failure rate at the recent batches. Most chances are that your card will stop functioning properly after 2 weeks or so, if you order it these days.
- Low build quality.
- Pretty hard to get the microSD in and out of the AK2.
MicroSD's will get stuck in the AK2, requiring pulling which I don't think are healthy for those little cards.
Other Thoughts / In between 1
* Alternative OS's – Bliss, YSMenu. 2
* No more custom firmware updates from Bliss (although it could not have effect on the compatibility issue, as Bliss' latest firmware can now use the official loader as an external one).
* No AKAIO after all. 3
Conclusion
I won't recommend you getting an AK2 soon.
The upsides could've overcome the downsides, but the bad batches issue pretty much kills the card. Think of it as a RROD.
I own 3 AK2's. One already stopped working, and the other two will probably also die eventually.
The store I've ordered them from can replace a defective AK2 for a functioning one, or for any card you want, considering the price.
Overall, considering the recent failure rate of the cards, the fact that AKAIO probably won't come out soon if at all, and that Bliss' announcement of ending the updates for his custom firmware, it seems that there are now better choices in the market for the price of a AK2.
As for me, it's pretty clear that I won't get another AK2 as a replacement soon, and I suggest you do that too, or at least wait to see if the technical issue reports calm down a bit.
I believe the AK2 issues will eventually be solved (other option - they'll manufacture a new card, for about the same price), as the net is flooded with bad reports and discussions about the card.
The AK team is losing from all the negative buzz around those bad batches. But for the meanwhile, it is a fact that those defective cards are still being sold.
Don't be the victim. Don't get these soon.
If you do want specifically the AK2 menu, you can get an AKRPG.
It's pretty much like the AK2, only that the official menu is open-source, and it has built in NAND memory of 1GB in addition to the SDHC support, so pretty much lag-less gameplay.
I dream of a better future for you two.
1 Those don't have direct connection to the official AK team.
2 Some of the features mentioned in the review may not be exactly like stated or may not be at all in the official acekard2 menu.
If so, they are available at one of the alternative menus designed for the Acekard2 - Bliss Custom OSMenu, or YSmenu.
3 AKAIO was meant to be a custom os with new features, like slow-motion, to function on the AK2 and AKRPG.
It is basically an upgraded version of AKBBS, with new features and support for both cards. I was waiting for it mainly because of the slow-motion option.
Apparently the project has been canceled.
Review by Ben L., "RoD"/"RoD131"
