Hardware Buying N3DS: Go for regular or XL version?

[danielllb]

Hi everyone! I've been reading this forum now and then, but only now I've decided to create an account as I would like some advise. A few years ago I owned a 3DS, but not much later I decided to sell it. Now that I've started using my DSi quite a lot, I'm interested in buying a New 3DS as it has better 3D and a lot more interesting games than when I owned one.

So, it is decided that I want the new version, and I thought I had decided to go for the smaller version, but as the price difference is only about 20 euros between the regular and the XL, I started to have doubts. I've never owned an XL DS before, and although I really like big screens I'm looking for some answers to some questions I have before I can make up my mind.

First of all: is the glossiness of the XL very annoying? Or can it be wiped clean very easily? And does someone have experience which one shows finger prints less much: the blue or black XL?
Second: is there a big difference in screen resolution between the N3DS and the XL or does the bigger screen really make up for that?
And third: is the XL portable enough to prevent fatigue in the hands or does this not really differ from the normal version?

I'd really appreciate some opinions as the price difference doesn't really matter much, I'd just like the best possible experience when returning to 3DS gaming Thanks!

 

[Hayleia]

I have a 3DS XL (white) and a New 3DS XL (black).

Well, the New one is glossy, yeah, but only on the outside so you shouldn't be bothered with fingerprints while playing (you don't see them). And I just tried to remove them right now with a tissue, it works. I don't know about the difference between colors though.

No, the screen resolution is the same. Which means less dpi for XL versions. But I don't know why people care about that. When I played on a small 3DS (at conventions or on friends'), I couldn't focus on something so small so I had to stretch my neck so the screen fills more of my field of vue, which resulted in me seeing the pixels the same way I would on a XL 3DS but with neckpains on top of that.

I have really long fingers so I can't really tell about the third point. Playing on a non XL version just bothers me because I have to do weird things for my fingers not to be on top of each other too much so yeah, portability is actually better for an XL than for a non XL as far as I am concerned... And if you're asking if it's light enough, well I played MH4U with a CirclePadPro on my 3DS XL for more than 500 hours and never complained.

 

[DaftMink]

Since your asking on this forum I take it you may want to run custom firmware on the device?.
If so look on eBay for a N3DS XL with firmware under 9.2, the North America New 3DS released on 9.5 and stores are way past that for the XL.
The price will probably be about $50 more then new, if you want cheaper look at older systems.

 

[maczilla]

do you want playstation emulation, and better snes emulation, more game support get new3ds under that certain firmware. if you dont mind those things get a O3ds for cheap used even. make sure its 9.2 or lower so u can cfw it.

 

[danielllb]

Thanks for the replies all! This afternoon I'm going to a game shop to get my hands on both models, I think I'm leaning more towards the XL now but I will see once I hold it in my hands haha