Have you ever loved a lesser SKU?

[AppleBlade]

I have a Series X and a Series S and though I like my Series X I LOVE my Series S. I remember having doubts about whether it would be a smart buy but I've done a complete 180!

I love the design. I find myself staring at it which is something I never do with my Series X. I love the shade and finish of the white that microsoft uses.

There is no noticeable downgrade to me when I go back and forth between my Series X and Series S.

I love that it was more affordable.

The storage is perfectly fine for my needs. I have over 30 games on the thing.

The Series X is very quiet but the Series S has it beat in my house. I have never heard it make a noise of any kind.

Anybody else feel like this or have ever liked the lesser trim of a product?

 

[My Blue Heaven]

i enjoy the light profile of my Series S and is the perfect investment for someone who doesn't care as much about the Microsoft ecosystem but still wants to access to things like Gamepass

 

[catboy]

switch lite is iconic

 

[mclem]

If we're allowing 'lesser SKU' to include 'earlier version released several years beforehand that iterated into the later editions while still arguably being largely the same piece of hardware':

I only ever owned the +2 edition (more memory, better sound chip, slight ROM changes, proper keyboard, built-in tape deck) :

But the original 48k Speccy is, for me, emblematic of a whole era of cheap-and-cheerful bedroom coding.

 

[SnazzyNaz]

Why do you own both an S and an X?

Anyways, I guess the PSP GO is mine. I adore the sliding mechanism and it's ultra-portable.

 

[ZeroX]

I mean I don't know if it counts as a lesser SKU, I certainly don't think it is, but I use a regular size New 3DS over the XL. But I mean that's just screen size.

 

[Serif]

I like the OG 3DS. ;_;

Well, all variants except the teal.

OG 2DS gives me Game Boy nostalgia and is an adorable wedge.

 

[mikhailguy]

I only ever owned the original grey brick ds. I normally prefer colorful things, but that one had some sort of soviet brutalist charm

 

[WhtR88t]

switch lite is iconic

Click to shrink...

Yup– I prefer it to my regular Switch. More solid feeling and lighter so it's easier to relax with it while playing.

I also really enjoyed my PS2 Slim. Amazing little device. I wish they'd do something similar with a PS4 Super Slim– make it all solid state, no optical drive etc. Make that thing tiny. Would be a great console to bring to places for multiplayer.

 

[MrFox]

Sadly it had compatibility issues with many old games, the A500 remained the most compatible.

 

[BAW]

If we're allowing 'lesser SKU' to include 'earlier version released several years beforehand that iterated into the later editions while still arguably being largely the same piece of hardware':

I only ever owned the +2 edition (more memory, better sound chip, slight ROM changes, proper keyboard, built-in tape deck) :

But the original 48k Speccy is, for me, emblematic of a whole era of cheap-and-cheerful bedroom coding.

Click to shrink...

The built-in tape reader made it ugly. Meanwhile the ZX Spectrum+ was a thing of beauty. I had one!

 

[StarPhlox]

I thought my partner would prefer the Switch Lite that I got for her but she liked my Mariko Switch better. I actually have come to prefer the form-factor of my lesser SKU :)

 

[An Army of Bees]

I liked the 2DS more than any 3DS model, until the 2DS XL came out.

 

[BigTime_2018]

The Basic Wii U. I prefer the look over the Deluxe's.

 

[LuigiMario]

It's technically superior, but with the removal of the GBA slot for the addition of more esoteric features, no one ever talks fondly of the DSi and views the DS Lite as the better system. But I always loved the DSi, it's matte finish and the aqua blue color were just perfect to me, I loved playing games on that thing.

I also really love the top loader NES, despite it's video output issues. The dog bone controller was how I grew up playing NES and using anything else just feels wrong to me.

 

[Alex840]

I've wanted to buy a Switch Lite since it came out but have never pulled the trigger. I tend to use it way more when I'm sitting on the couch or playing briefly before bed. The OG Switch is great, but it's quite big for a handheld and gets quite uncomfortable after a while.

 

[lord_of_flood]

Definitely the Switch Lite. Really like its form factor over the original Switch, which feels bulky in comparison. I use it far more than my original Switch because of that.

 

[Akira86]

for nomenclature we prefer Stock Keeping Unit over model?

 

[Link_enfant]

The very first Nintendo DS model is highly underrated imo.
The screens and battery life are not so great but man it feels so great to hold, the buttons are perfect and especially the D-Pad which is the best by far across all DS and 3DS models.
The DS Lite is amazing but I feel like a lot was lost regarding ergonomics, just like how the Switch Lite's D-Pad is so disappointing and doesn't work properly with diagonals; a shame for a Nintendo console.

 

[Lashley]

Switch Lite

 

[PianoBlack]

Yeah, I feel the same about Series S vs X. But I'm also a complete sucker for clean, white designs with black accents.

 

[Fiksi]

I quite liked the PSP Go at the time, which in a way was lesser for not having the UMD drive, I suppose.

Looking it up I also remembered PSP Street was a thing, huh.

 

[Allietraa]

2DS was my go-to over the regular 3DS back when they were new. It was so cheap and it managed to deliver a more pleasing form factor to my hands while still playing all my 3DS games

 

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

does the gameboy micro count as a lesser sku? if so, yes

 

[logash]

The Series S is the best looking next gen console by far. I love compact hardware and man is that thing compact. I really can't wait for the mid gen refresh of the PS5 cause I am just not a fan of the size.

As far as me loving less SKUs, I have always been a big fan of the 2DS XL and the super slim PS3 (Which people seem to generally hate). I also thought the the Xbox One S was a beautiful console.

 

[SigSig]

does the gameboy micro count as a lesser sku? if so, yes

Click to shrink...

I'd argue so due to the vastly inferior shoulder buttons. Still my favorite Gameboy ever.

 

[cowbanana]

My original PS4 >>>>>>>> My PS4 Pro piece of shit jet engine.

The classic PS4 looks better and feels more premium overall, the system is also still quiet after all these years. I don't use the Pro anymore at all, as it is a giant piece of noisy shit. Judging by the coil whining, rattling PS5 it seems that Sony just can't manufacture a quality system anymore in terms of build quality.

 

[Ain't Nobody]

for nomenclature we prefer Stock Keeping Unit over model?

Click to shrink...

Makes you feel like an insider who knows what they're talking about when you use industry lingo instead of regular people words.

 

[Deleted member 79517]

Switch Lite is my favorite portable device of all time. So solid, so comfortable, and it's not bad looking either.

 

[Golbez]

I grew to love my PSP Go back in the day. Felt like I was the only one lol.

Also the PS2 Slim but that is a given I'd say, most people I know owned that instead of the original Fat model.

 

[Alvis]

I like the small New 3DS much more than the New 3DS XL

 

[Zen_Master]

Not sure if it fits the definition of a lesser SKU (in some respects it probably does), but I've always preferred the sleeker lines and smaller size of the Mega Drive II over the original one:

 

[Deleted member 11008]

I liked the 2DS more than any 3DS model, until the 2DS XL came out.

Click to shrink...

I want New 2DS XL, the only models I love are the OG 2DS and the (non-XL) New 3DS. Right now I don't have a 3DS and I'm thinking which 2DS model should get <_< doing WFH make the OG 2DS a good option for me.

 

[c bweezie]

Why do you own both an S and an X?

Anyways, I guess the PSP GO is mine. I adore the sliding mechanism and it's ultra-portable.

Click to shrink...

I own both. I have my S in my bedroom so that i can play games in there when i want to play a bit before bed. I don't need the power of the X because i'm far enough away from the screen that it doesn't make a difference resolution wise.

 

[balohna]

I like the OG 3DS. ;_;

Well, all variants except the teal.

OG 2DS gives me Game Boy nostalgia and is an adorable wedge.

Click to shrink...

Yeah I switched over to a New 3DS XL, but there's something nice about that original model. The screen feels sharper, probably just because it's smaller. And the buttons are all nice and clicky.

 

[Link_enfant]

Switch Lite is my favorite portable device of all time. So solid, so comfortable, and it's not bad looking either.

Click to shrink...

I'm surprised the D-pad issues (mostly with diagonals) almost aren't discussed at all. You don't have any problem with it in this regard?
I'm wondering if that's actually a defect on mine (Pokémon S&S edition), diagonals work but I need to press it so hard it starts to hurt pretty fast, and it's just uncomfortable in many games that need them.

 

[julia crawford]

Well the Switch Lite would be called lesser by some... and they would be wrong

 

[Deleted member 29691]

If the og 2ds counts those were hella cute

 

[Harmony Friends]

I'm one of those weirdos that adores the ps3 super slim. like, yeah, you can tell it's the cheapo model, but there's something so charming about that slide-top disc drive, and it's the last manual disc load playstation ever

 

[RM8]

I'm surprised the D-pad issues (mostly with diagonals) almost aren't discussed at all. You don't have any problem with it in this regard?
I'm wondering if that's actually a defect on mine (Pokémon S&S edition), diagonals work but I need to press it so hard it starts to hurst pretty fast, and it's just uncomfortable in many games that need them.

Click to shrink...

Nah, diagonals are not great. I think I'm pretty used to it since I pay lots of fighting games on my Lite.

Anyway I'll always choose the smaller version of a system, so GB Micro, Switch Lite, Series S, non-XL DS and 3DS models, etc.

 

[infinityBCRT]

Thought this was going to talk about games on lesser powered systems. The two that came to mind were Splinter Cell: Double Agent on Xbox and Test Drive Unlimited on PS2-- I actually liked the next-gen versions and only played those ones, but remember lots of talk about the previous gen versions of these games being better.

 

[ghostcrew]

I had the choice of getting a white (basic) or black (deluxe) Wii U and I went with the white, basic model because the console just felt like it was meant to be white to me. I guess because the Wii (that I had, anyway) was white.

It only had 8GB storage (compared to a still tiny 32GB of storage on the black model) but I knew I'd be using USB storage with it anyway so it didn't bother me taking the lower model.

 

[bushmonkey]

OG PSVita (amoled) > revised PSVita (LCD)

 

[DazzlerIE]

I much prefer the Switch Lite over the launch SKU. I mostly play switch in bed so lighter and portable only suits me perfectly

 

[Noema]

If I didn't already own a PS5, things would be different, but for me a Series S made more sense than a Series X. Quiet, inexpensive, tiny, and looks like it was designed by Dieter Rams.

Only caveat is that expanding storage is a must, but even an inexpensive HDD works wonders since stuff can be moved back to internal so quickly.

 

[AppleBlade]

Why do you own both an S and an X?

Click to shrink...

I have 2 kids (and my wife games occasionally). The Series S is the "family Xbox" and is in the living room. The Series X is "my Xbox" and is in the gaming room (mancave/basement).

A two xbox household makes GamePass's value that much better because the Series S is loaded up with more family GamePass games and my Series X is loaded up with more of my mature single player games and we can play GamePass games on both machines at the same time. We can even do online multiplayer at the same time in GamePass games on both Xbox's.

 

[Stuggernaut]

Not gaming related, but I still have and love my 120gb Zune ... I personally do not consider it a lesser SKU but the rest of the world seemed to ;)

 

[Phonzo]

PSP Go instantly came to mind.

 

[Rodney McKay]

The Gameboy Advance Micro is one of my favorite GBA variants, even though it lacks the GB backward compatibility and the screen is so small.

I just love the feel of its d-pad and buttons, they are so, so good.

I like the OG 3DS. ;_;

Click to shrink...

I do miss my old black launch 3DS, but it had a few too many issues to say I prefered it over the n3DS systems.

The hinge was floppy as hell and it had that "top screen touching the bottom half when closed" issue, and the n3DS eye tracking for the 3D is pretty necessary.
But I liked the color and the feel of it quite a bit. Making the top half a little bigger made it a little easier to open which I appreciated.

 

[Deleted member 79517]

I'm surprised the D-pad issues (mostly with diagonals) almost aren't discussed at all. You don't have any problem with it in this regard?
I'm wondering if that's actually a defect on mine (Pokémon S&S edition), diagonals work but I need to press it so hard it starts to hurt pretty fast, and it's just uncomfortable in many games that need them.

Click to shrink...

I don't, but that's probably because I don't use to D-Pad much at all. I got so used to using the analog sticks on my original Switch due to the lack of a real D-Pad that I haven't really gone back. I only use it for turn-based games, so I don't really need to press it diagonally.