| Soundwave said: The cost of a second touch panel is not immaterial, touch panels + LCDs are hands down the most expensive components in a handheld, and they don't come for free, removing the second panel can be the difference between the main processor being far more powerful or having double the RAM. If Nintendo wants a Wii U level handheld, and I think that is what indeed they are going for, then there are thermal/heat concerns to worry about too, even Apple can't put the Apple A8X processor into the iPad Mini just yet because it runs too hot, so having that space freed up from the second touch panel for heat disperation and/or a much larger battery (which in turn allows for a much more powerful chip) would definitely be vital. This concept (not exactly like this, but the general idea) of a twist screen DS that uses one large touch panel
Could work. Maybe not exactly like that, but there's probably a way to get the display to swivel or even be repositioned by the user vertically. It would save Nintendo money that could be put back into having a better chipset/more RAM/better battery. There's a reason why the 2DS has a single panel display ... because it's cheaper. |
Honestly, my issue with that concept is that that limits the size of the screens. I like the XL for a reason, and clearly the majority of 3DS owners prefer the larger size based on sales. That kind of swivel design just doesn't work when the screens need to be so wide. If they can figure that out, good on them. If they can't? Well, I can't say I don't think they'd go that route, but I definitely don't want them to, or I'll be a very late adopter in the hopes that they release a different model with a flip screen again.
