Hacking NDS vs DSL

[imgod22222]

My DS phat is breaking (i opened it too much, and sprayed a silicon lubricant to help it (it also is made to stop erosion on PCBs, i take my DS out on our boat (saltwater) as an mp3), which made it really hard to put back together)
so now i need to get a new DS. But, i'm reluctant to get the lite, because it looks like it would break to easy, especially on the hinge, and since all a DSL does is look pretty and i have a SCSD which sticks out about a full inch, it'll be awkward to fit in my pocket and i fear for my SC breaking. But then again the DSL has bright lights and a longer battery life.

So I'd like to make a thread dedicated to making a list of differences between every aspect of hardware different between the NDS and the DSL, including things like bigger speakers, louder speakers, bigger D-pad, buttons small for big hands, which one is less prone to losing stylus', etc. And then upon the end of this thread I plan to make a list and possibly make it a sticky.
also, since it seems i can't make a poll at the end of your first post for this thread, please leave a note for which DS you are voting for. NDS indicates the old one, DSL indicates the lite.
thnx.

joe_gamer, i clarified the silicon spray now. However, i would like this thread to be serious because i really am debating and i want all the facts that I can get, and I'm sure others will like these facts after i turn them into a list.

 

[joe_gamer]

Silicon spray....hmm.....maybe you should get a PSP....no hinges

lol j/k


Go with the lite!!

 

[JPH]

Buy a Nintendo DS Lite, while you're at it, get a slot-1...

 

[Firon]

The lite's screen is so much better than the Phat's, that there's absolutely no reason to buy a Phat nowadays. Plus, the battery life is better.

 

[cheesyPOOF5]

Phat has better sound quality (from speakers, sounds the same with headphones), lite's sound quality is worse and is also softer
Phat's stylus falls out much easier and is smaller than the lite's
Phat has the option to turn the screen backlight on/off, lite has off, then for different brightness levels
Phat is....phatter. Lite is...liter
Phat looks like crap, lite looks sweet (opinion I guess...)
If you get a white DS lite, you could get a cracked hinge
Phat's buttons seem less cheap than the lite's, Phat's are also bigger.
Lite has a better battery than the phat

 

[Bridgy84]

Get a lite!!! As soon as you play your favorite game on its gorgeous screens you will fall in love with it. Not to mention how much better it looks ascetically.

 

[juggernaut911]

-Youngest GBAtemper...Currently playing- Legend Of Zelda: Twilght Princess & Windwaker ; Earthbound (SNES).

liar!! I'm younger son!!!!

 

[juggernaut911]

and I joined 1 day after you!!!! sweet coincedence... old man...

 

[skullstatue]

I hate my lite, just because it doesn't fit my hands, I can't play any games that require the use of the stylus and the buttons (any fps). I also can't really play any games that require use of the shoulders, my fingers keep slipping and it gets really annoying. It's probably because I have pretty big hands and I'm left handed on top of that. I love the bright screen and enamel painting, but that's alittle too much...

 

[bobbyk724]

Really there is no reason to get a NDS vs a DSlite. The speaker "issue" is not worth trading for the smaller form, LCD brightness and clarity improvements, on/off switch not being in the way, and better battery life.

Get a slot 1 if you are worried about your slot 2 solution breaking.

 

[TLSpartan]

a ds phat hurts if you hold in your hand for ages. my little brother has a phat and hes constatly losing his styluses.The mic is in the middle of the lite and the mic on a phat is on the bottom right. The power button a lite is on the side which sounds stupid but its slide on/off. Phats power button is on the top right really easy to turn off.

[/QUOTE]If you get a white DS lite, you could get a cracked hinge

i didnt know this. ihave a black so im fine

 

[cheesyPOOF5]

Cool, I always love to know that someone learned something new because of me

 

[Firon]

Phat has better sound quality (from speakers, sounds the same with headphones), lite's sound quality is worse and is also softer
Phat's stylus falls out much easier and is smaller than the lite's
Phat has the option to turn the screen backlight on/off, lite has off, then for different brightness levels
Phat is....phatter. Lite is...liter
Phat looks like crap, lite looks sweet (opinion I guess...)
If you get a white DS lite, you could get a cracked hinge
Phat's buttons seem less cheap than the lite's, Phat's are also bigger.
Lite has a better battery than the phat

The Phat's speaker isn't better quality, it's just louder. Same for the headphone output.
The Lite's stylus doesn't fall out very easily from my experience, plus it's stored in a better location and is more comfy.

The Lite's backlight can't be turned off in the firmware, but you should never need to, since the battery life is way better (plus, you can't see the screen with the backlight off in the select games that allow you to turn it off) in basically every brightness level.
The lite's smaller and lighter, and it's so much easier on your hands because of that for extended plays.
The Lite's buttons are fine, but the D-pad needs a bit more force than the Phat's.
The mic is in a much better place.
I've actually managed to accidentally turn off the Phat before because of the crappy location of the button.

And sorry, you're wrong: both the black and white DS Lites suffer from the hinge problem, it's just noticed less often on the black ones. The hinge problem isn't a dealbreaker, but it is kind of annoying.

skullstatue: I have huge hands (piano playing hands!), and I find that the Lite is just fine, even with games like Metroid Prime Hunters.

 

[imgod22222]

thank you everyone for the information, however i still feel like I need more info...
Toughness, prone of damage to common things, damage prone to dropping (how much damage), manufacturing errors (such as touch screen deadspots, etc), ergonomics (including whether or not moving the start/select buttons is convienient), how easy / hard it is to click all the buttons (shoulder buttons, D-pad, standard, start/select are all different) preferred materials (lite has rubber buttons i think, phat has plastic buttons which i'm used to) which stylus is more "precise" and at all/several/few angles, mic sensitivity, mic quality, LCD quality (different color depth? don't include backlight), any hardware differences (any and all whatsoever, such as different wireless adapter, audio "card", video "card", RAM, etc.), screen glare (such as playing out in the sun), shock resistance (which i think i mentioned earlier), water resistance (how wet can it get while playing, such as walking under a mist, having it and rain getting on it, opening it when its raining hell to check the time maybe leaving it in your pocket and it getting sent through the wash), exactly how many brightnesses can you get with the DSL(i don't know), cleanliness (stuff gets in the phat between the case and the touchscreen, does that happen with the lite?) and just about ANYTHING else you can possibly think of.

And as for people accidently hitting the PWR button on the phat, i don't really see how you do that because I've never done that before. However, when i was playing a game and a friend was watching over my shoulder, he hit the power button. (I almost attacked him)

And for the people telling me to get a slot-1, I have an R4 and a SC SD. I use both SIMUNTANEOUSLY. I don't like having to take stuff in/out, so I personally keep both cards in at all times.

 

[Firon]

I've seen various Lites and I've seen a pretty low amount of dead pixels, and I don't know anyone who had deadspots on the touchscreen. Besides, the warranty will cover defects like that.

All the buttons are easy to press, except maybe the start and select buttons (which games barely ever use). The buttons are plastic.

The Lite stylus is slightly thicker and longer and is in a MUCH more convenient place. Apart from that, it's about the same.

The mic is in a better location so it picks up stuff better, but it's really the same quality.

The Lite's LCD screen is significantly clearer, but the "penalty" is that it's not reflective at all. Basically, if the backlight is turned off, you cannot see -anything-, even in the sun. Of course, there's no reason to ever do that. There's no different besides that.

There's no real hardware difference between the two systems.

There's a lot less screen glare than with the Phat.

The Lite has 4 brightness levels. 3 and 4 are pretty much for playing in the sun; they're unbelievably bright.

It probably can't survive going through the wash. I've gotten it a little wet, but not much. I wouldn't risk it.

I haven't noticed stuff getting between the touchscreen, but stuff gets caught between the plastic see-through border on the system and the case. Still, it's not a big deal.

 

[gr33dy]

DSL.

-Better Screen
-Better Battery Life
-Better Comfort (Some will debate this)
-Physically Weighs Less/Less Bulky (More easy to conceal)
-More Stylish
-Better Resell Value

Take care of it and you have nothing to worry about.

 

[thegame07]

the nds has better built quality. it will last you longer. ds phat if your taking it out while fishing.

 

[Little]

I vote you go for the DSL with a water proof case =)

 

[imgod22222]

alright, its the weekend so if i'm lucky i'll get time to start compiling a list. To help with the comparison, i asked one of my friends who has a DSL if i can borrow it. Immediately i found many things i didn't like.
-The buttons move in the holes in the shell, including the D-pad
-none of the buttons seem very responsive
-the shoulder buttons seem a bit awkward to touch
-the lite's speakers are SIGNIFICANTLY softer
-the ultra-bright backlight leaves colors disgustingly SATURATED (The bright SP looks nice though... wtf)
-touching the back of the top half (when its open) hurts the top LCD
-moving the D-pad tilts the whole thing/you need to press more to move
-shoulder buttons are not wide enough

What I did like
-long battery life
-stylus is SOOO nice.

Hmm.. I will spend more time with the DSL and see if anything changes.
tell me if these thigns are common in DSL or not. My friend takes good care of it, he has a case and everything.

 

[TLSpartan]

games can go through the wash. i left my metroid prime hunters game in the wash.i left it for a hour. it didnt work the first time but then i cleaned the contacts and it worked perfectly. seriously though dont put your games in the wash