Gaming "Fake" DS's

[Kouen Hasuki]

I've for some reason noticed recently there is many people who claim they have gotten a fake DS, now the DS Lite ML one on here ya that's some odd one right there, but there is many stories such as this

http://www.1up.com/news/ebay-sold-fake-ds

I looked through it and read it up and really I don't see it being Fake per say, its just a Chinese refurbish job, some of the replacement shells have odd blemishes like he describes

Even the ML on here I could probably imagine was a custom job rather than the Chinese clone artists actually took the time to clone the whole system and system software, My last reasoning for thinking that they cant be fake really is more the fact if there was wouldn't they be flooding the market with them just like they do with there fake games.

But whats everyone's take on it do you think that the Chinese have faked the DS system right down to them making even there own boards or do you think like me there getting them in bulk broken refurbishing em on the cheap and reselling for a profit

 

[L_o_N_e_R]

I'm pretty sure they take parts off broken DS lites and fix it and sell it as a new system. Those marks on the case from that website are from when someone screwing the screw a bit too tight, at least from my experience from changing the housing of a DS lite. I personally don't care if thats the case. If it plays games fine, I don't mind at this point

 

[Rydian]

It costs a lot more to clone a system like a DS than to clone a data storage chip and stick a battery on some RAM. If they are being fully-cloned, it's likely too risky or expensive for many people to get a foot in the door. Not much demand either. No clue on the profit margin.

I got my DSi repaired by Nintendo, and though they opened it and closed it to fix it, everything's still tight and snug, unlike the images they're showing. Even if the internals are mostly-refurb, they still got scammed as they were NOT sold what was advertised.

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

It costs a lot more to clone a system like a DS than to clone a data storage chip and stick a battery on some RAM. If they are being fully-cloned, it's likely too risky or expensive for many people to get a foot in the door. Not much demand either. No clue on the profit margin.

I got my DSi repaired by Nintendo, and though they opened it and closed it to fix it, everything's still tight and snug, unlike the images they're showing. Even if the internals are mostly-refurb, they still got scammed as they were NOT sold what was advertised.

Depends on the Auction in my opinion, if they state its Seller Refurbished then it is as advertised if they say its a new system then aye its not as advertised

 

[Rydian]

Yeah, in the linked case the seller said it was new.

Unofficial refurbs aren't that uncommon when it comes to devices that had long lives (meaning not your average cell phone or something), the issue is when official ones with low-quality replacement parts crop up and pretend to be real.

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

I have just been finding a lot of people crying out "FAKE!" then check things out and in above 50% of the time it states its refurbished in the auction somewhere.

Although then again to call a refurbished fake even when it was stated new doesn't make it a fake, dishonest yea not what there paying for, you bet but still doesn't make the unit fake ^^,

Now if they opened there box and got

OK, I'd be pissed and ya would say FAAAAAAAKE! xD

 

[BORTZ]

I imagine some of these are refurbished.​

 

[jamespoo]

I imagine some of these are refurbished.​

yes 99% are but check out this fake one i got


yes it works with all ds and gba games

 

[MelodieOctavia]

yes 99% are but check out this fake one i got


yes it works with all ds and gba games

This was discussed before. It looks to be a DS phat stuffed inside a "lite-alike" case. Fairly clever, I have to admit.

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

yes 99% are but check out this fake one i got


yes it works with all ds and gba games

Yea I remember, I mentioned it in my 1st paragraph

 

[jamespoo]

Yea I remember, I mentioned it in my 1st paragraph

oops i did not see that

 

[ISO-Man]

Sellers I see selling these units states that everything is new except PCB and lists the new parts as generic or not OEM. I know 1up and at least one other member of his crew (Mackey). Not the 1st time 1up made purchases without reading

Here is how I see it:
Buying parts to get your old lite looking like new (except PCB) would cost same/more than a generic refurbished unit I see on Ebay.

 

[kumpandjill]

A few parts here and there (hinges, whatever) is cost-effective, but a total make-over isn't. And (imo) it's ugly.