• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.

What is the absolute best DS model?

The best DS console model

  • Original big block DS

    Votes: 46 3.8%

  • DS Lite

    Votes: 429 35.2%

  • DSi or DSi XL

    Votes: 236 19.4%

  • 3DS original including the XL

    Votes: 46 3.8%

  • 2DS including the XL

    Votes: 53 4.4%

  • New 3DS regular and XL.

    Votes: 408 33.5%
  • Total voters
    1,218
It’s Time To Go

It’s Time To Go

Member
Dec 2, 2017
20,611
For the sake of argument, this includes the 3DS as well. You've got

DS Original, that was often described as looking terrible at launch as I recall.

xtajhxAyj68bQq5UAD7hs9-1200-80.jpg.webp


DS Lite

41XE082RSXL._AC_.jpg


The DSi including DSi XL (my favourite)

41xLVwUS0LL._AC_.jpg



9243064.jpg



The Original 3DS including the XL model (Easily my least favourite)

nintendo_3ds_metallic_red.jpg


Nintendo-3DS-XL-angled.jpg



The 2DS, including the XL model.

gaming-nintendo-2ds-2.jpg


140949-games-review-review-nintendo-2ds-xl-preview-image1-fvrcggcje7-jpg.webp


New 3DS, including the Normal and XL model.

new-3ds-xl-2.jpg


new_nintendo_3ds.png
 
waddledee123

waddledee123

Member
May 22, 2018
80
I'd say OG Phat for actual comfort and design but DS lite wins it because those screens are so beautiful. The 3DS is the best bang for your buck currently tho as they can play all off the DS line of games. I love GBA more than DS tho so the lite and phat are my go to's. I cherish my DS collection as it is one of my favorite handhelds.
 

Deleted member 11008

User requested account closure
Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
6,627
Uhmm, I guess New 3DS for me. I'm still sad and salty it got robbed from me. I want a New 2DS XL because many say it's the most comfortable model.
 
Aeana

Aeana

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,924
For DS games? DSi XL. For 3DS games? New 3DS XL or New 2DS XL depending on whether you want the 3D or not.
 
Radnom

Radnom

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,016
DS Lite is perfect. Then DSi XL, then the New 3DS (smaller size).

Then: New 2DS XL, DSi regular, New 3DS XL, 2DS, 3DS XL, 3DS, OG DS
 
Uzupedro

Uzupedro

Banned
May 16, 2020
12,234
Rio de Janeiro
I love the ''Base'' DSi(idk the official name), I have the light blue one, my grandfather gave it to me for xmas on 2009. Never had the XL model tho, it's probably better.
6873899147537SSdt.JPG

dsi_mblue_closed2__44571.1599786421.500.750.jpg
 

Deleted member 11008

User requested account closure
Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
6,627
topplehat said:
New 3DS (non-XL), but for playing DS games it's the DSi XL.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

ClearMetal said:
The line peaked with DSi XL. Good size and it had a certain robustness to it. I always thought the 3DS XL felt too plasticky in comparison.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

It was that good? I had 3DS XL models (both OG and New) and, despite I like them more than OG 3DS, they are not my favorite models because the games get blurry. I thought DSi XL was the same.
 
brinstar

brinstar

User requested ban
Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,262
DSi XL and N3DS XL. N2DS XL is pretty great too (I love the cartridge cover and easily reachable SD card slot) but N3DS XL felt like the best of those models to me. Sadly mine's screen broke so I had to replace it with a N2DS XL :(.
 
dock

dock

Game Designer
Verified
Nov 5, 2017
1,367
I find it kinda fun how every single Nintendo handheld and iteration does at least one thing worse than the previous one.
 
Shiranui93

Shiranui93

One Winged Slayer
Member
Mar 7, 2018
429
I'll never understand why people like the DS lite so much. I have both the lite and the original one and I honestly think the lite is worse in every way except for the brightness-selection.

The buttons and the dpad feel much cheaper, the colors on the screen are painfully oversaturated and the sound quality is worse. Immediately went back to the original model.
 
Dolce

Dolce

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,235
Radnom said:
DS Lite is perfect. Then DSi XL, then the New 3DS (smaller size).

Then: New 2DS XL, DSi regular, New 3DS XL, 2DS, 3DS XL, 3DS, OG DS
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

The DS Lite was not perfect because most of the models had atrocious d-pads that could not do diagonals at all and the mic was worse than the phat DS and made games like Spirit Tracks worse than it should have been.
 
CasuallyDressed

CasuallyDressed

Member
Jan 13, 2020
1,334
The DSi is easily the best-looking. Matte finish, more squared edges and those sleek-ass LEDs and flush camera. Absolutely beautiful handheld.
 
Enduin

Enduin

You look 40
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,470
New York
DSi/XL without question. Such clean lines and some great color options. 2DS XL with better color options would be great looking, but N3DS beats it on on that front despite being a bit less refined in layout.
 
Green

Green

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,410
As a DS, it's the New 3DS XL for me. Why would I take anything else?

But as a straight up handheld... I guess the DS lite as it was the last one that still did GameBoy games.
 
topplehat

topplehat

Member
Oct 27, 2017
905
Austin, TX
asagami_ said:
It was that good? I had 3DS XL models (both OG and New) and, despite I like them more than OG 3DS, they are not my favorite models because the games get blurry. I thought DSi XL was the same.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yeah, the scaling on the 3DS makes DS games blurry (you can run them at a native resolution but they are super tiny on the screen). DSi XL has IPS screens too.
 
Jane

Jane

Member
Oct 17, 2018
1,253
I must be one of the few people in the world who likes the look of the OG 3DS. I like the bright colour and shiny finish. I voted for DS Lite though.
 
oneils

oneils

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,084
Ottawa Canada
I'm surprised by the results. I have a DS Lite, a DSI XL, and a new 2DS XL and I prefer the new 2DS XL. Mainly due to ergonomics. Feels better in my hands. I also bought a grip for it that works well. Even without the grip, it is my favourite model.

I am talking about the hardware.
 
disparate

disparate

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,904
I'd say the New 3DS and the DS Lite. The latter retaining the GBA slot is why I disqualified the DSi.
 
ClearMetal

ClearMetal

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,272
the Netherlands
asagami_ said:
It was that good? I had 3DS XL models (both OG and New) and, despite I like them more than OG 3DS, they are not my favorite models because the games get blurry. I thought DSi XL was the same.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I feel that was mostly a 3DS issue. There's probably some minor loss of quality on the DSi XL compared to the DSi or Lite. But I think DS games still look very good on it, certainly a lot better than on the blurry as fuck 3DS XL.

I could try take pictures to demonstrate, though I don't know how well they will capture the quality of the screen.
 
mattiewheels

mattiewheels

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,107
Something about the original DSi makes it the best they've designed, I think it's the crisp edges and matte finish that make it feel great. Definitely the most minimalist they've gone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.