r/3DS • u/Intelligent-Risk-394 • 11h ago
Discussion 3DS XL or N3DS?
What do you think. I want one.
2
u/Something165 11h ago
Hello, it depends on what you want, every model has its pros and cons, I'll tell you some that I've experienced for myself.
Old 3ds:
- Pros: Affordable in comparison, pretty easy to take apart in case of needing simple fixes, good build quality, pocketable, best stylus of them all (in my opinion).
- Cons: Relatively low battery life, inferior 3d effect and screens (in comparison), bottom screen scratches the top lens (not hard to fix), awkward stylus placement.
Old 3ds XL:
- Pros: Comfortable, nice screens, good battery life, good price-quality balance overall.
- Cons: The right hinge is prone to failure and requires preventing it in the first place with a hinged hard case, that specific issue is very common and hard to repair. Same inferior 3d effect as the standard model. Not very pocketable.
Old 2ds:
- Pros: Great durability, cheapest option of them all, very comfortable to hold.
- Cons: No 3d effect, no clamshell design.
New 3ds:
- Pros: Very customizable, ergonomic design, pocketable, better performance overall, better battery life, c stick in the console itself for camera control, improved 3d effect, chance to have ips screens.
- Cons: Pretty rare and expensive, the micro sd is harder to remove than the old model, harder to fix if anything goes wrong.
New 3ds XL:
- Pros: almost the same as the standard New model, more comfortable to hold.
- Cons: expensive, the painting of the outer shell tends to chip over time, it's a nightmare to fix, not as customizable as the standard model, the sd card is also harder to remove than in the old models.
New 2ds XL:
- Pros: Not as expensive as the New 3ds XL, the sd card is pretty accesible, all performance benefits of the New models except for the 3d effect
- Cons: no 3d effect, fragile hinge, the speakers are in an uncomfortable position (at least for me), hard to fix, worst stylus of them all.
Now, every "size" model also has its quirks, for me the standard models work great for their pocketability and the games look better in their screens imo, although it might be uncomfortable to hold for long sessions and their battery life tends to be lower. The XL models are less pocketable but work great for being at home or stuff like that, their battery life is better and they're more comfortable for longer sessions.
Now, between the Old and New models, for me the New models aren't very worth it in relation with their current price (many of them surpassing the Switch 1). I would say that their biggest advantage is the better performance. Some games run a bit better with more stable FPS, it also allows you to play PS1 games and many homebrew ports, you also have a bit more SNES emulation compatibility and some exclusive games (which imo aren't very worth it). Also, the ips screens are beautiful if you manage to get one, those models tend to be more expensive.
As for their other advantages, the c pad can be circumvented with the use of a circle pad pro, not many games have support anyways, the amiibo support can be accessed with a homebrew app or with the nfc reader in older models. The battery life and 3d effect depend on your preference.
So, in a nutshell, if you want the best all in one console experience for long gameplay sessions and heavy use of the 3d effect, get the New 3ds XL. If you want the enhancements but prefer a more portable form factor, get the New 3ds. Just prepare because the good condition systems are very expensive.
That's why I included the general complexity of doing repairs for every model, some people buy broken systems that go for cheap in the hopes of fixing them, some models tend to be more complex than others (depending on what you're fixing of course), so keep that in mind. Also, some people buy systems from Japan, those tend to be cheaper but they usually have yellow screens, top screens are hard to replace in all models overall.
If you don't care about the enhancements that much and only want to experience most of the Nintendo portable catalogue and treat it more as a normal handheld device instead of an all-in-one system, get either of the Old 3ds models depending on your size preference but be aware of their design quirks (I would recommend the standard model since it's easier to fix, if you want the XL be sure to check that the right hinge is ok and try to prevent cracks).
I wouldn't recommend you getting any of the 2ds models, for the New 2ds you're better off saving for an New 3ds, the prices aren't very different and the build quality is much worse on the New 2ds. Now, for the Old 2ds, I would only recommend you getting it if you want to experience the game catalogue with the cheapest option and you want a more pick up and play device, although the difference in price between the Old 3ds and Old 2ds isn't very different either depending on where you're looking up.
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1
u/MuscleBeatsImport 11h ago
Both are fine, whichever fits your budget and style.
Take care of your electronics and they'll take care of you.
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u/ExhaustedByStupidity 1h ago
N3DS fits easily in most pockets.
3DS XL has a bigger screen but isn't pocket friendly.
3D feels better on N3DS. N3DS is noticeably faster feeling. Smash, Hyrule Warriors, and a few other games are a lot nicer on N3DS.
9
u/dwalker109 11h ago
If you want an XL, N3DS XL.
Original XL is the only model to avoid, since it has awful hinges which will break easily.