[Nintendo Direct] 3DS XL (90% larger screen, 4GB SD, better battery) OP has details

VanWinkle said:
Huh? Not saying that I thought it would happen, but what do you mean not possible? PSP games look better on Vita than they do on PSP, and that has quadruple resolution. How's it not possible?
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You would need to go the Apple route and push x4 the pixels (need to keep the same aspect ratio), which means that your graphics chips needs to perform better, which means less battery, which means more heat, which means more cost. Basically.

EDIT: also include high res graphics for each games, to support both resolutions.
 
evilromero said:
Is the US version different? And is it now matte? I hate the glossy surface of the 3DS.
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it was just the colors. The two for the US version look worse to me than the NA. And the overall design (the black hinge, curved corners) just looks dated. Nintendo was on such a roll design wise when the Wii and DSLite hit but it seems they haven't progressed past that.
 
Ninja Scooter said:
If this were a new system, I could understand the hate for no 2nd analog, but as a revision, the lack of one makes it clear Nintendo isn't going to put any effort into supporting dual analog games so it's not really a big loss.
Click to expand...
I am assuming they are pushing for gyro aiming to be ubiquitous, and I don't blame them because I could still play RE:R on a bus without having to move alot (provided I do not get motion sickness from playing on a moving vehichle).

Anyways, I am in no hurry to get this thing. They won't have my desired colours at launch so I'll just wait until they announce the silver x black combination.
 
Hmm, Kotaku is reporting:

In North America, it will be released on August 19 for US$199.99 in Black, Black x Blue, and Black x Red.
Click to expand...

And has a press pic (I think?) of it up already.

Maybe' there's hope for Black after all.
 
BocoDragon said:
The games are designed for a specific resolution.

A higher resolution screen would literally do nothing to change the look of the games.

If you started re-rendering games in a new resolution, you'd need additional graphical hardware in there... and that's like talking about a new platform altogether.

No upgrade to a handheld platform has EVER had a resolution increase! No one should ever expect something like that! This is a crazy new meme or something, no basis in reality!
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I was only talking about the XL version, mind you. A resolution double wouldn't improve the visuals, but it would allow the larger version to retain the visual fidelity of the smaller version. How much more would you say?

But does it really require that much more power for a resolution boost?
 
Neiteio said:
So:

- Bigger screen, same res = fuzzy image quality? nope. Ever held an DSi XL?
- Screens still different sizes = scratching issue? nope. That was already fixed with later units
- No second stick = why no second stick? probably cost. I still dont like it but I doubt many more games will benefit from it

Old People 3DS confirmed.
Click to expand...

c'mon people.
 
Eh, the iStuff aren't revisions, they're all new systems that happen to be backwards compatible. It's kind of been a clusterfuck too, with many games having to have different "HD" versions made and what not, or the latest iPad having to cut down the graphics in some games because on the high resolution it wouldn't actually run them very well with all the bells and whistles on. Wanting Nintendo to take that route with the 3DS is, er, an opinion. XL is what it is, an alternative for certain audiences, not an upgrade.
 
Expected but quite disappointing.

No second analogue is weird, what is Nintendo going to do with the circle pad for those who want to use it? Are they going to make another one, only bigger?

Same resolution is a bad decision, the original resolution was poor already and the quality of the screen is not good, now they want to make it bigger without changing resolution? Even iOS developers with 0.99$ apps have to think on accommodating their games to different resolutions and Nintendo can't even bother to do that for their dedicated handheld and its 40$ games? Poor thinking.

No AC is a really strange and anti consumer decision, I don't think even the most ardent Nintendo fan can defend such a thing.

Between this and the region lock Nintendo sure it´s making me uncomfortable buying a 3DS. But there is no way I don't buy a system with SMT IV and Monster Hunter 4, so meh. I'll have to think about it.
 
x3sphere said:
Well, the XL isn't a true revision in my eyes, it doesn't replace the base model, it's just an alternative.
Click to expand...

It's still a revision, even if it's not a replacement. And if we turn to the dictionary:

"Revise: to look over again in order to correct or improve."

It is a revision.
 
Durante said:
That would be around 107 PPI.

This compares to other portable devices like such:
Code: 
107 -- 3DSXL
128 -- Original PSP
132 -- 3DS
163 -- Original iPhone
221 -- Vita
219 -- Samsung Galaxy SII
326 -- Retina iPhone

So 1 pixel ~= 4 pixels on Vita.
Click to expand...
Ouch

I think I'm going to need to see how this looks before I can seriously consider getting one.
 
original.jpg
Click to expand...

Red doesn't look bad...I hope Black is truly coming

Edit: NO BLACK
 
Durante said:
That would be around 107 PPI.

This compares to other portable devices like such:
Code: 
107 -- 3DSXL
128 -- Original PSP
132 -- 3DS
163 -- Original iPhone
221 -- Vita
219 -- Samsung Galaxy SII
326 -- Retina iPhone

So 1 pixel ~= 4 pixels on Vita.
Click to expand...

That's not good. Not good at all.

This is the era of ever increasing pixel densities for screens.
 
I'm unsurprised that the rumors from nikkei were correct, what I AM surprised about is that there's no second stick. Seems a huge oversight given that they have a crappy adaptor that many developers are using. Especially since the larger device surface area means they should have had room for it.

Also... kind of wondering who this is intended for, the same audience as the DS XL ? there's barely close to the level of casual ware available on the 3DS so the "older gamers" or whatever aren't exactly going to buy it and it costs more.

Perhaps they are trying to differentiate the 3DS a bit more ? I'm not sure... I was expecting to be floored by whatever re-design they came up with and this is leaving me a bit cold.
 
Neiteio said:
So:

- Bigger screen, same res = fuzzy image quality?
- Screens still different sizes = scratching issue?
- No second stick = why no second stick?

Old People 3DS confirmed.
Click to expand...
We'd all probably be fine with the Old People 3DS if it looked like a sexy milf like the DSi XL.
Instead we got the sexy milf's homely cousin with a blue wig. :(
 
theBishop said:
Yeah, I'll eat my hat on that, with a confused expression on my face.

Nintendo did the worst of both worlds here. If there's not going to be an XL frankenstick (lol @ the idea), isn't it just a dead peripheral now? That doesn't fit the conversation you and others were having when CCP was announced either. The debate was between 3DS having right stick standard, and 3DS having right stick optional. Not between standard and awkward peripheral with a 3-month lifespan.

Or do you think a new XL stick will be announced?
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There will probably an XL frankenstick. Frankenstick XXL!?
 
VanWinkle said:
Huh? Not saying that I thought it would happen, but what do you mean not possible? PSP games look better on Vita than they do on PSP, and that has quadruple resolution. How's it not possible?
Click to expand...

Vita is an entirely new generation of hardware. It's not a PSP revision.

If you want to talk about increasing the resolution of a much older generation of games, that's one thing (and it requires additional processing power... does that make sense unless its a new platform??), but adding power to upscale a current generation of games? That wouldn't make sense for consoles, that wouldn't make sense for Nintendo.
 
NateDrake said:
The real question is: Where is the stylus placement now.
Click to expand...

Where is the volume adjust? I always hit it on accident.

Also, I'm actually excited for this bigger screen but it does make it even more apparent how limited the visuals are. Would have been nice if they had gone with a slight resolution bump originally or a bit more power.
 
Wario64 said:
iPod Touch/iPad/iPhone :)
Click to expand...
No upgrade to a handheld platform meant to be a more or less static platform hardware-wise. iOS devices are more like computers (albeit prebuilt ones with no upgrade options) than consoles, which these are more like. And trying to change resolution would wreck havok on visual quality one way or another, not to mention the hardware has to be overhauled for it.

No, a resolution change is a terrible idea for segmenting the market and requiring a hardware jump to not trash performance. Better for them to do the next handheld with a high enough PPI so a size jump doesn't really need a resolution jump that badly.
 
Thoraxes said:
Hmm, Kotaku is reporting:



And has a press pic (I think?) of it up already.

Maybe' there's hope for Black after all.
Click to expand...

From Nintendo Facebook:

I just announced Nintendo 3DS XL which has a 90% larger screen than the original! It’s coming to stores on Aug., 19 for $199.99 U.S. MSRP. What color will you choose – Red or Blue?
- Regginator

The image of the black inside is what the red and blue look like inside.
 
ochobit said:
You would need to go the Apple route and push x4 the pixels (need to keep the same aspect ratio), which means that your graphics chips needs to perform better, which means less battery, which means more heat, which means more cost. Basically.

EDIT: also include high res graphics for each games, to support both resolutions.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Theoretically, couldn't the 3DSXL render the OS at a higher resolution with the graphics chip it has now and keep the games at their native resolution? Again, I didn't expect this to have a higher resolution, I'm just talking hypothetical.
 
Lonely1 said:
Yes, they are. That's why you aren't getting a res upgrade, unless you emulate and jeopardize compatibility (like Vita and the 360) or games were coded to support multiple resolutions from the start, like PC, iOS and Android games.
Click to expand...

And, of course, Nintendo hardware contains hardware from the previous hardware to keep compatibility perfect... Meh, I guess it's worth it for some.
 
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