Review Nintendo DS Lite Pro Stylus

[Toni Plutonij]

<!--coloro:red--><span style="color:red"><!--/coloro-->GBAtemp.net review of the...<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->

<b><span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'><!--coloro:#08608E--><span style="color:#08608E"><!--/coloro-->Nintendo DS Lite Pro Stylus<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></span></b> <img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/Mini-preview.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />

aka: Battle Stylus, Battle Stylus Pro
Manufactured by: <a href="http://www.pdapanache.com" target="_blank">PDA Panache</a>
Review samples supplied by: PDA Panache

By <a href='http://gbatemp.net/member.php?name=<b>Toni Plutonij</b>' target=_blank title='View profile for member <b>Toni Plutonij</b>'}><b>Toni Plutonij</b></a> - 11th April 2009.


<b>Review Contents & Index:</b><ul><li><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="#a">Introduction</a></li><li><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="#b">Packaging</a></li><li><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="#c">Quality</a></li><li><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="#d">Functionality</a></li><li><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="#e">Conclusion</a></li></ul><div class="reviewbreak"><a name="a">Introduction</a></div>
The stylus is a crucial part of the DS, and required for many games. That being said, many people simply aren't satisfied with the default one (actually, two) that come with the handheld. They are too "plasticy", and the tip tends to wear out after a few months of usage. (At least that happened to me, and I'm extremely careful with my stuff.) It's also very light and doesn't give you that "feeling" while holding it, so lots of people end up buying an alternative stylus for a more pleasurable experience while playing. Some people prefer a pen-like stylus, some people prefer the retractable type, while others enjoy using special styli that come as a free bonus with certain games. This review is for the DS Lite Battle Pro Stylus made by PDA Panache!

PDA Panache is a company dedicated to making high quality styli for PDAs, Pocket PC and basically any device with a touch screen. They have been in business since 1994, and have managed to build their brand due to great customer service and a commitment to customer satisfaction -- they stand behind all of their products with a 30 day, money back guarantee.

<div align="center"><img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/10.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>

<div class="reviewbreak"><a name="b">Packaging</a></div>
The stylus comes in a very simple package. I assume they use the same package for all of their styli, only the label on the bottom is different. You can find some basic information on the packaging, the most important being their address. Nothing special, nothing flashy, just functional. It kept the stylus and its tip safe -- all the way from New York to Croatia! You also receive a free PDA Panache branded stick stylus with every order. It's a promotional stylus the same shape and size as a pen, which is a very nice addition, especially for use at home.


<div class="reviewbreak"><a name="c">Quality</a></div>
The Battle Stylus has a full brass body, a chrome finish and two different colored tips to choose from. Black (which kinda looks better if you ask me) and EasyView (much more practical) which is actually a bright orange color. It makes playing with the stylus much more enjoyable, especially in games like Elite Beat Agents, as the color of the tip really stands out, and you can see it much better on the screen!

<div align="center"><img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/9.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>

The tip is the best part of the stylus, and the part that you should be the most interested in. It's smooth and of very high quality, it feels like it could never scratch the screen, not in a million years! According to their site, the tip is made of DuPont Delrin brand acetal plastic resin, which is of the highest quality. It has properties including strength, impact and chemical resistance, stability and has natural lubricity. You will be very surprised at how heavy it actually is. It's a few times heavier than the original stylus, but it's very well balanced. When you hold it, it fits quite nicely in your hand, and is a real joy to use.


<div align="center"><img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/1.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>
<div align="center">Comparison of bunch of styli (see how Battle Stylus stands out). From left to right (bottom-right picture): <i>PDA Panache promo stylus, Battle Stylus, Official Nintendo black stylus, Third party (Logic 3) replica of original black stylus, Official Nintendo white stylus, Third party (Logic 3) replica of original white stylus, Extractible Metal stylus from DealExtreme, Multi-Functional Pen stylus</i>.</div>


<div align="center"><img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>

<div class="reviewbreak"><a name="d">Functionality</a></div>
The Battle Stylus is the same size as the original stylus, meaning that it fits perfectly in the DS Lite's stylus slot. The end of the Battle Stylus is a bit thicker, so it sticks in the DS really well. It won't fall out, unless maybe you try to run with your DS and swing it around in the air. In any case, your stylus should be just fine in the DS Lite's stylus slot!

<div align="center"><img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/3.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /> <img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/4.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>

I have used this stylus for a couple of weeks before writing this review, and compared it to a few other available styli, no stylus comes anywhere close to this one! I really mean it. Playing a game with this is so much better, that it actually improves the experience. The Legend of Zelda, ASH, Elite Beat Agents, Ninja Gaiden, Final Fantasy, Picross, I've played all of these games with the Battle Stylus, and accuracy and speed is much more noticeable than with any other stylus I've used before!

<div align="center"><img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/6.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>


<div class="reviewbreak"><a name="e">Conclusion</a></div>
I've heard about this stylus, and I've read about it. Ever since I knew about its existence, I wanted to get one and try it out. This is where I get to the only con about the stylus. (Not the stylus itself.) PDA Panache doesn't ship worldwide. They do ship internationally, but only to the places listed in their site. The price of the stylus at $15.95USD in my opinion isn't that much at all, not for the experience you're getting. However, combined with shipping (especially if you order from somewhere far outside of the USA) this stylus can become an expensive luxury accessory. Getting one stylus at this price over a pack of four retractable ones for $4.00USD from DealExtreme would make many people think, but from my personal experience, this one stylus is worth more than 20 retractable ones!

<div align="center"><img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/5.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /> <img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/7.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>

It met all my expectations and then some! I am really surprised that more people aren't using it, and why it isn't listed as a "must have" accessory for the DS Lite, because using it makes the the whole DS experience a lot better!

I recommend it to everyone that can get one!

<div align="center"><img src="http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/plutonij/GBAtemp%20Personal%20Pic/Battle%20Stylus%20Review/8.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>


<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green"><!--/coloro--><b>Pros:</b><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green"><!--/coloro-->+<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Same size as the original DS Lite stylus, so it fits the slot perfectly
<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green"><!--/coloro-->+<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Heavier, and therefore more accurate
<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green"><!--/coloro-->+<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> High quality screen protecting tip, with a lifetime guarantee
<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green"><!--/coloro-->+<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Beautiful

<!--coloro:red--><span style="color:red"><!--/coloro--><b>Cons:</b><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
<!--coloro:red--><span style="color:red"><!--/coloro-->-<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Price combined with shipping makes for an expensive stylus upgrade


<div class="reviewbreak"><img src="http://gbatemp.net/up/award_gold.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></div>


<b>Where to buy:</b>
- <a href="http://www.pdapanache.com/products.asp?PID=NDSLT" target="_blank">Directly from PDA Panache</a>


This review was written by <a href='http://gbatemp.net/member.php?name=<b>Toni Plutonij</b>' target=_blank title='View profile for member <b>Toni Plutonij</b>'}><b>Toni Plutonij</b></a> (with a little help from <a href='http://gbatemp.net/member.php?name=lilsypha' target=_blank title='View profile for member lilsypha'}>lilsypha</a>) for GBAtemp.net ONLY. The article and all included photos are property of GBAtemp.net.
If you see this review on any other site please let us know via e-mail - costello [@at@] GBAtemp [.dot.] net

 

[Toni Plutonij]

Q: Does it fit well in a Phat stylus slot?
A: No, you can use this stylus with NDS Phat, but you can't store it in the stylus slot. There was a model made prior to this one, http://www.pdapanache.com/products.asp?PID=NINDS however, unfortunately it's no longer in production and is unavailable for a purchase.

Q: Does it fit well in a DSi stylus slot? (added pictures)
A: I don't own a DSi, so I couldn't test it on my own, however I did get confirmation from some members about this stylus fitting snug into DSi.

By Golds:

Just thought I'd let you know that it does fit tightly in the DSi slot, but it sticks out from the side about 1-2mm.

Spoiler

A BIG thanks to Golds for pictures and info!

Q: Will there be a DSi model released?
A: I just got an confirmation that there WILL be a DSi model released, very soon.

Q: Was the price factored in with the score?
A: Price WAS factored in with the score..
As I said, this stylus is worth every cent of this $15.95..The problem with pricing is when you add shipping..
You have to take in consideration that PDA Panache offers a lifetime warranty on the tip, and they DO stand behind it.

Q: Is the little lump (like on the original styli that keeps the stylus from falling out of it's slot) present in Battle Stylus?
A: No it's not..however, even tho this stylus lacks the "nib" to secure it in it's place in NDS, the whole top part is a bit thicker, so it's naturally stuck in.
Some people did report that their stylus doesn't want to stay in place, but comes off easily, and it appears to happen with Silver NDS Lite, Polar White keeps it tight and secured.

Q: Were you using this stylus with a screen protector?
A: Yes, I used it both on NDS with screen protector (the Crimson/Black NDS you see in the most pictures), and other NDS (white/transparent that you can see on one picture) without it, and in both cases screen was unscratched after couple of weeks using it.
I was playing Ouendan and EBA on hard, as well as Ninja Gaiden on hard (I wasn't playing trough the games, but more like testing them), and I heavily used stylus..No scratches, however, I did clean my screens before every playing, and also, cleaned the tip of my stylus with that glass-cleaning-tissue (can't remember the right term).
Screen was moving perfectly smooth over the screens on both NDS's, but I kinda got the feeling that it does move a bit smoother over the clean screen..It could have been my imagination tho.

Q: Did you test out the promo pen-sized stylus they sent you, and is it the tip of same quality?
A: I didn't checked it too much, as I oriented and concentrated on the Battle Stylus, however, I did used it a bit, it's very pleasurable to use when I'm at home, tip was black, so I couldn't compare it directly, and tell if it's the very same quality as Battle Stylus, but from what I see, it doesn't feel the same, it feels like Nintendo's officially stylus, a bit more "plastic"..But trough the time I was using it, it didn't made any scratches!

Q: Is it just me, or does the tip look like it's actually glowing?
A: It's just you. It's not glowing, but it can give away that feeling at some angles..Orange tip is very bright, and it "glows" in pictures because of the flash (and a bit of my radioactive energy

)..

 

[Toni Plutonij]

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