DS vs DS Lite question

wageslave

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I'll be doing a side job administering a test at a college next weekend and will end up with a spare $190 to blow through. I do this 4 times a year just for play money. It's probably been asked a million times but is it worth the money to upgrade to a DS lite? Does the lite have a better screen? Are the hinges still cracking on the lite? My DS is the console I use the most, but my old one seems okay except for being bulky.
 
I'd probably just keep the old DS. Look at it this way, in a few years, your DS won't be in the best shape so if your going to buy a DS Lite anyway, you can get the most for your money by doing it later. And who knows, the price might drop by then or a 3rd DS revision might be out. But don't get me wrong, your not blowing $130 if you were to buy a Lite now.
 
If you have the original packaging and everything you should be able to get close to $100 (maybe more) on eBay for the phatty. Assuming you do that an upgrade is a no-brainer IMO.
 
If it were me, I'd find the $190 better spent on games for your Phat than upgrading. But then, I'm one of the few holdouts who haven't felt like upgrading.

Edit: But wubb does make a good point. I just don't feel like bothering with that because that means I'll have to try to put on a new screen protector on a new DS. :D
 
between the Fat and lite, I like the Fat better... It feels more sturdy, until the hinge cracked :whistle2:( But according to the repair logs it's being fixed as we speak :)

I would hate to have a less sturdy DS lite in which I cannot cover it completely just like the fat to protect it. :)
 
I sold my Fatty DS with 2 games (Mario DS + Mr. Driller for 140 shipped) before Xmas, used the money to buy myself a DS lite.

The DS Lite you need to be a lot more careful with.
 
I have DS Lite but I still play my NDS games on PHAT DS.

Does the lite have a better screen? Are the hinges still cracking on the lite?

Just make sure to open your NDS Lite before leaving store. But I don't care because I always like to open a new console at home
 
I have both, and the DS Lite offers much better brightness and controls, plus the colors are much more vivid. I got the Onyx (black) Lite. I dunno, having both, i still use both for different games, i use the old one for MP:H because of more vigorous controlling and the DS lite for FFIII because the controls are more relaxed. That's just me
 
[quote name='hiamiyumi']I have DS Lite but I still play my NDS games on PHAT DS.[/quote]

Why do you have a Lite, then?
 
The only thing I regret about selling my original for the Lite is the speaker volume. Phoenix Wright was a blast to play on the original because the music was so kick ass.
 
[quote name='Kendro']The only thing I regret about selling my original for the Lite is the speaker volume. Phoenix Wright was a blast to play on the original because the music was so kick ass.[/quote]

Just use headphones in any case. The speakers for both versions of the DS suck in comparison to ANY headphones (even earbuds). You'll find that the sound design of DS games is actually much higher quality than the systems's speakers can output (pretty amusing tidbit).
 
I bought the DS Lite cuz' I am big on any little electronic gadget ever. I love gadgets. I am an Electronics Technician by trade and i love to take things apart, maybe this has something to do with it? I am also big on modifying little gadgets......
 
Personally I found the upgrade to be worthwhile. If you thought the sp was a worthy upgrade you'll think this is too.

Also consider ebay. If you sell your system you aren't going to waste much at all on the upgrade. DS phats are still selling very well on ebay if yours is in good shape. I sold mine for 115 before christmas.

example from today (doesn't even have a box and is going for over $100): http://cgi.ebay.com/Nintendo-DS-Handheld-game-system-Rare-Ship-today_W0QQitemZ330076481276QQihZ014QQcategoryZ62054QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
Totally worth the upgrade. I said for months I wouldn't upgrade, but the first time I saw and played the lite I new I had to upgrade.

The screen is night and day difference. It's so much brighter and games look so much better I replayed several just for that reason.

Add in the nicer look, and smaller design that is more comfortable to hold and easier to lug around and it's well worth the money.

I just kept my old Phat DS. My g/f has it and my copy of brain age for the time being, and we've used them to play some two player games a few times.
 
[quote name='bortle']Personally I found the upgrade to be worthwhile. If you thought the sp was a worthy upgrade you'll think this is too.

Also consider ebay. If you sell your system you aren't going to waste much at all on the upgrade. DS phats are still selling very well on ebay if yours is in good shape. I sold mine for 115 before christmas.

example from today (doesn't even have a box and is going for over $100): http://cgi.ebay.com/Nintendo-DS-Handheld-game-system-Rare-Ship-today_W0QQitemZ330076481276QQihZ014QQcategoryZ62054QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem[/QUOTE]

Wow, I should have waited till closer to Christmas to sell my old Teal DS (which was in mint condition). I got an Onyx DS Lite and sold my Teal for $115 in October or so. Oh well... I was able to score an original silver DS from GR for $100 (new - they were clearing out the back room) and sell it for $160 though right before Christmas, so that made up for it somewhat :lol:.

It is definitely worth getting the Lite - the biggest improvement is the larger stylus (though of course you could always use the new stylus with the old DS, you just won't be able to store it in the DS). However, I do still have an old dark blue DS for the kids to use. It is a bit more sturdy for their use so I won't upgrade them to a Lite any time soon. I was really hoping old DS's (blue, not the silver I did find) would go on clearance (only one was the Amazon bundle clearance which is where I got the blue one in the first place) and I'd be able to get a backup one for them (or a second for them to play some 3-player Clubhouse Games with me). But the phenomenal success of the DS has put a crimp in that plan. I doubt the original DS will ever be cheap again new, and won't be cheap even used for quite a while.
 
[quote name='62t']well the ds lite is horrible for playing GBA games. The original is much better.[/QUOTE]

Good point.

Yeah, I haven't even tried that yet. I did like the old DS because I could just keep a GBA game in there at all times (in fact you kind of have to to fill the gaping hole ;)). The form factor of the Lite makes me not even want to try putting on in there (would have to remove the nice cover, have the GBA game stick out, etc).
 
[quote name='62t']well the ds lite is horrible for playing GBA games. The original is much better.[/quote]

The only difference is it sticks out a little. If that makes it "horrible" then okay, but I could say the ds phat is horrible for ds and gba games because of the crap backlight and poor screens and generally ugly aesthetic.
 
[quote name='62t']well the ds lite is horrible for playing GBA games. The original is much better.[/quote]

The only difference is it sticks out a little. If that makes it "horrible" then okay, but I could say the ds phat is horrible for ds and gba games because of the crap backlight and poor screens and generally ugly aesthetic.
 
[quote name='62t']well the ds lite is horrible for playing GBA games. The original is much better.[/quote]When push comes to shove, any DS is horrible for GBA games. You're much better off with a GBA SP2. Really, I wish we had an option to get an GBA SP2 / DS Lite / Micro quality screen in the original GBA shell. I think that would be most comfortable option.

I paid more than $300 for a Lite when they first hit Japan. Stupid? Perhaps. But I don't regret it at all. The Lite's screen let you actually see which the Phat forbids. While the Phat always felt top heavy to me, the Lite always feels perfectly balanced.

It's totally up to you, but $130 for the Lite is a wonderful value. When you factor in selling the Phat for $100 or more on eBay? It's, as was said above, a no-brainer.
 
[quote name='io'] I was able to score an original silver DS from GR for $100 (new - they were clearing out the back room) [/QUOTE]

Time to short BBI! Sheesh. (Seriously though GR is probably small potatoes for them, but if they are going to do ridiculous crap like that, they should just fold up shop.)
 
[quote name='wubb']If you have the original packaging and everything you should be able to get close to $100 (maybe more) on eBay for the phatty. Assuming you do that an upgrade is a no-brainer IMO.[/quote]

That's exactly what I did.
I sold my blue fatty with everything in mint condition with Tony Hawk and got about $130 for it on ebay, and then went out and bought a Lite.

It's no contest once you see the difference in screen brightness settings and size. I enjoyed the DS, but LOVE the DS Lite.
 
[quote name='bortle']The only difference is it sticks out a little. If that makes it "horrible" then okay, but I could say the ds phat is horrible for ds and gba games because of the crap backlight and poor screens and generally ugly aesthetic.[/QUOTE]


Exactly. I'd think the better screens and size easily offset the gba cart sticking out.

I've pretty much quit playing GBA games though. After playing DS games that fill both screens, it's tough to play the windowboxed GBA games on either DS. I've pretty much played every GBA game I had interest in anyway.
 
Nintendo needs to solve this problem by making TRANSFORMING DS/SP!

chih-chuk-chi-chih-chuck-chii (transformers sounds)
 
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