Nintendo DSiLL
December 10th, 2009 @ 1:31 pm by KunoichiZero
It’s been slightly less than a year since the Japanese release of the DSi, and already they’ve put out a new version. Is it worth bothering? Well…maybe.
Every new version of the DS has moved toward shaving a little bit more off the case size while making slight increases in the size of the screens. The DSi seems to have found the point of equilibrium, where Nintendo couldn’t make the screens any bigger without increasing the size of the case, and they couldn’t decrease the case size without making the screens smaller. And yet there are people like me out there who find themselves squinting in order to see even the DSi’s screens, which definitely lessens our enjoyment of the games. This is perhaps the one area, unofficial modifications notwithstanding, where the PSP holds an advantage over the DS (it certainly isn’t the game library).
This is where the DSi LL(XL over here) comes in. Each screen is a full inch bigger than the DSi’s, which may not sound like a lot but when you’re dealing in things that were small to start with, an inch makes quite a big difference. The downside to this is that the case had to be upsized proportionally to hold those larger screens, which makes the DSiLL so large that it almost hardly qualifies as portable anymore (depending on the size of your pockets). It’s also noticeably heavier than the DSi. Just how big is it? Well let’s have a look:
Here’s the two of them together
Opened up, the size difference becomes really apparent.
From the side you can see the LL is thicker as well
By the way, that strap is from the original DS, with that crazy little strapon thumbpad that was guaranteed to destroy your lower screen. I’ve put it on every new DS I’ve had since, though I’m not sure why. That’s another concern for those considering the DSiLL – at the time of this writing, there are no screen protectors available in that size (I had to trim a TomTom screen cover down, and it doesn’t look or work all that great).
So, as you may or may not be aware, apart from the size, the DSiLL has the exact same specifications as the DSi. It even uses the same firmware (though being that this one is Japanese it means I’m restricted to Japanese DSiWare). So basically, it plays the same, only bigger. The screens have a slightly warmer color tone than the DSi’s, and this can’t be adjusted. But since the screens have the exact same resolution as the DSi’s, it means that up close, you can see both the individual pixels and the spaces between them quite clearly. Here’s one good thing, though: Nintendo claims that the larger screen size will not affect the battery life. In practice I’ve found the DSiLL’s battery lasting a bit longer than the DSi’s. So there’s one point in the LL’s favor, though perhaps that’s where the extra weight of the LL comes from. Another minor point for the LL is that it has a scratch-resistant laminate-type coating on the top half of the shell, which also covers the external camera lens.
This is a (not very good) screenshot from the original DSi.
This is the same screen from the LL. Looks almost the same here, but take my word for it, the pixel pitch is more noticeable.
But then I thought, “You know, I bet this system is even bigger than the PSP.” And guess what: it is. Check it out:
Here’s the DSiLL compared with the PSP Slim.
Sidelong you can see the LL is thicker than the PSP as well.
Here’s the PSP Slim on top of the DSiLL, just to really illustrate the size.
But how do the screens compare? Observe:
As you can see, if you actually measure them, the DSi has more screen than the PSP. The PSP just seems bigger because it’s all one horizontal piece rather than being divided into two vertical sections.
The DSiLL, though, can make even the PSP’s screen seem small without having to measure.
So back to the main point of this article: Is the DSiLL worth it? This is a difficult question to give a simple ‘yes/no’ answer to, because it depends greatly on one’s individual needs and desires. If your pants have big pockets (or you have a purse or bag to put it in), and you’ve ever found yourself squinting to see your DS/Lite/i, wishing the screens were bigger, then the DSiLL may be worth the extra price, especially if you don’t already have a DSi. But if you do have the DSi already, and/or seeing isn’t that big of a problem, you may be happier saving both space and money.
Objects pictured:
Nintendo DSiLL Wine Red, $279 from Play-Asia.com (expected US price $220).
Nintendo DSi Matte Black, $169 from Amazon.com.
Sony PSP Slim Silver (Entertainment Pack), $199 from Amazon.com.
If you just can’t wait for the official release and are considering importing the LL, one thing to be aware of is that you’ll have to screw around with FCC forms to get it through Customs. Your Tax Dollars at Work…
