The case is again in piano lacquer look like the first 3DS. Looks fancy, but is also immediately covered with visible fingerprints. I found the matte version of 3DS XL better. A Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, as they have many smartphone displays today would have been handy, but is not there also.
The slots for cards, everything has deteriorated. The Micro-SD card (4GB continue doing as the old 3DS XL) can be reached only with a screwdriver (alternatively you can share them via Wi-Fi network with a very low speed). And the game cartridge is seated front left. That looks just the black device from ugly because the front now a light gray bar is shown. Was back at the old elegant models.
The 3D camera is still very poor. Even the cheapest mobile phones have a much better quality of the images. As a small gimmick ok, but otherwise useless. Too bad, would have been precisely because of a certain 3D USP.
Finally the Circle pad has been integrated that would have to make the Nintendo 3DS XL already. The implementation is technically very well done, the little nub leaves a surprisingly good control to. Something strange seems that Nintendo has incorporated a dent on the tip of the thumb on the knobby in the hinge. Acts as a quick workaround in case design, you would surely be able to implement more elegant. The Delle you can even see from the outside when the flip is closed New 3DS.
The colored button label (A, B, X, Y) is in the Super Nintendo colors. Nice in itself, but not well thought out. Evening in a dark light can X and Y no longer recognize. Colorful buttons like the small New 3DS would have been better.
The spongy keys for Home, Start and Select buttons were finally replaced by reasonable with real tactile feedback, just much better at home button.
Processor and graphics chip have been replaced by faster copies. A few new games take advantage of the offer and discreetly better graphics than on previous models. The menus react a little faster. Nice, but not particularly striking.
The display remains unfortunately outdated. Although the colors are a little bit better, but the resolution per eye rests with tiny 400x240 pixels. According to rough looks and everything you can see every single pixel very clearly. In 2015, when even cheap smartphones are much finer resolution, which acts badly outdated. Since you have always upgraded the hardware, a quadrupling or doubling at least would have been appropriate. Then at least new games that utilize the faster CPU / GPU would, look better, the need to go anyway double track technically for 3DS and New 3DS. Old games would look identical to pixel doubling / quadrupling.
If software like Dolphin or the then backward compatibility of the Xbox 360 you look at the first Xbox, would also be quite a finer resolution for old games that were originally designed only for 400x240, been unthinkable.
For me, completely incomprehensible decision remains with the power supply. It is again not there. In itself not a problem if Nintendo could at least finally decided to MicroUSB, but no, it is again this senseless, proprietary connection. Here at Amazon there are of Hama USB cable with 3DS connector on one side. I did and that I can also charge the 3DS notebook. MicroUSB would be technically no problem at all. Instead, again this stupid to not compatible connection and delivery without power supply - why, Nintendo, why?
