Hacking DS Lite or DSi XL?

[R4Liam]

Alright i had the same problem as you, dsi or dsixl? i went for the dsi xl and i cant use it yet cause i gotta wait till my b'day next thurs

but anyway i chose xl because it will improve the whole homebrew experience for a start. Think about it, you can watch your favourite films in great qulity on that huge screen! you will never have to pan the screen as much on emulators like jenesis. The gba problem is solved by buying a scds2, get the bronze/dark brown colour btw. The life of dsixl is also longer than dsi. The dsixl looks sexier with the mix of matt/shiny finish. Just buy a dsixl man trust me youll love it!

 

[jlf278]

I received my DSi XL in the mail last week and have been very happy with the purchase. It took me a while to convince myself it was worth the splurge, having a DS lite that worked just fine aside from the "L" button. Let's face it, it's a decent chunk of change, even for those of us with decent jobs. I plan to keep the DS lite for 'on the go' and the off chance I want to play some gba before the DSTWO conquers that. However, most of my playing is at home, so there is really no downside to the DSi XL. The weight doesn't bother me at all...I'm used to holding a 9 lbs. baby for hours on end. I get a little light leakage around the screens, but that is only slightly annoying when the screen is very dark.

On the upside, the screens are great. If I hold the screen uncomfortably close (less than a foot), then the pixels become noticeable. Otherwise, resolution looks suprisingly excellent. Video gets a huge boost on the DSi XL from DS lite. There seems to be less banding and better contrast on my .dpg videos, but I didn't do a side by side comparison. Sound is a definite upgrade, but i usually play without sound or with headphones so as not to bother my wie or baby, one of whom are invariably asleep. Battery life is another big positive, especially with the drain some flashcards add and the fact that my DS lite's battery is probably at 3/4 capacity by now.

Overall, I'd easily recommend the DSi XL over any other handheld...and most consoles. It's only worth upgrading form a ds lite or dsi if you have cash to burn, hopefully it will come down in price...riiiight. The missing gba slot may be a moot point if gba emulation pans out on slot 1 cards. Pocket-portability is the only other concern and YMMV. The games that benefit the most are clearly ports from consoles that were originally designed to have a much larger display and can be very scrunched in on the smaller ds screens. However, I'm confident that most people will find their entire DS experience more enjoyable with a DSi XL.

 

[doeo]

I would NEVER replace my DS lite and NOR WOULD I give up on a precious DSi XL. You might as well earn it or save up for it to keep your Lite for the slot-2. I know, you already mentioned, you're not really going to consider keeping your lite just for slot-2 but believe me you should! I have no XL but I have a normal DSi and I'd commit suicide if either my DSi or Lite had to go. Seriously, they are both great consoles. Don't dump either one.

And if you're thinking to just keep the Lite and forget the XL, then whoa you're gonna miss out on a lot of DSiWare...
And
Flipnote Studio!
Think of it

 

[Shifty]

Wow, thanks ALOT for all the inputs! Really appreciated. Looks like I'm gonna be importing a white DSi XL Natural White from Japan at the end of the month.

spark1223: Your input is much valued. However, the Slot 2 has never really been important for me. I bought a few GBA games a while back to play it on my Lite, but it never happened. I don't think I even inserted a GBA cart in Slot 2, once. I guess I could keep my DS Lite purely for collecting purposes, as I reckon a used DS Lite won't sell for alot these days.

Also, I already own about 16 consoles and handhelds, so if I bought a GBA SP/Micro, it wouldn't really make a lot of difference. I admit it, I spend alot of money on games, Japanese imports especially (I'm up to around 300 Jap imports at the moment, and many of those are $100+ games).

I always find time to plug in and play one of my more retro Jap consoles and enjoy a Famicom or a Mega Drive game, for example, once in a while. I doubt I'd do the same if I were to buy a GBA though.
I've finally quit importing games for older systems, as I'm now mainly focusing on 360/PS3/PSP/DS, while trying to pick up the best of the newer, and soon-to-be-released Wii games. I wouldn't have time to play GBA games when I'm already buying new shit for the systems mentioned above, while also trying to prevent my older import consoles from gathering dust.

..Also, I don't pirate stuff, normally. I buy all my DS games, except for some Japan-only RPG's that have only been released over there and have a translation patch. I have a CycloDS for that, and I just might keep my DS Lite to play Soma Bringer (which I've completed two times already), ASH and the Tales games when the respective translation patches have been completed and relased.

Guess I've made up my mind about getting a DSi XL, much thanks to you guys. It's around $180 for a DSi XL from Amazon.jp, and I know a guy through a forum who is awesome if you want Jap stuff. He got me my Japanese 360 too. I'll hit him up and get him to order a DSi XL Natural White with the games Iwy the Kiwi and Jump Ultimate Stars for me. I don't have to pay customs either, as he mark the package as gift.

Anyway, again, thanks alot for all the inputs. Much appreciated!

 

[YayMii]

you will never have to pan the screen as much on emulators like jenesis.

Someone doesn't know what 'same screen resolution' is...

Anyways, I'm glad you decided to go for the bigger one. But I'm wondering, why did you go for the DSi LL? The menu is in Japanese (and can't be changed), and the Shop (which is Japanese) only accepts Japanese Nintendo Points cards. The included DSiWare is in Japanese (which if you don't speak JAP, renders them useless).

 

[monkat]

Hehe, if I didn't already have a Cyclo with my DS Lite I would get an XL in a heart beat. I would love to have a larger screen, even if the resolution is the same. Whenever I start my DS up, I always think to myself "Wow, did this screen shrink?" (I got into the DS before console gaming...TV screens changed my life T_T)

Yeah, if by any sort of magic the CycloDS ends up working on the dsi, I would trade it in in a second.

 

[Shifty]

Well, I most likely won't use DSiWare, or hang around in the shop at all, for that matter. I don't have WiFi and there's nothing there that really appeals for me. If stuff I'd want actually do come out some time, it wouldn't be a problem to get JP points. The menu isn't really a problem either, I'm only gonna play games on it.

 

[Infinite Zero]

If you dont have big hands, playing with the XL is hard as fuck
the buttons are still the same size as the DSi..

But honestly the DSi is better than the lite.
so why settle for less? well.. if you can afford

 

[YayMii]

If you dont have big hands, playing with the XL is hard as fuck

Since when? I have really small hands, and holding the XL is no problem for me. So unless you have freakishly small hands the size of a 6-yr old, you won't have any problems holding it.

 

[Infinite Zero]

If you dont have big hands, playing with the XL is hard as fuck

Since when? I have really small hands, and holding the XL is no problem for me. So unless you have freakishly small hands the size of a 6-yr old, you won't have any problems holding it.

It doesnt count for all people you know.. take for instance, you
Just sayin that because it's bigger it might cause some fatigue. But of course it depends on the person playing it

 

[Knyaz Vladimir]

Well, the DSTWO is out, so a DSi is now a better purchase.

 

[Shadow#1]

DSi XL is well worth it.