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Nintendo DSi Impressions and Comparisons
We get our hands on Nintendo's new DS and give our full impressions.
By Justin Epperson, 11/01/2008
The Nintendo DSi finally went on sale today for 18900 yen (around 190 dollars) and we got a chance to compare the DS Fat, Lite and the new I first hand. Before we got to that though, we opened the box, and in true post-Gamecube Nintendo fashion, the packaging was quite nice and easy to open.
First up we are going to talk about the superficial hardware differences of the 3 DS versions. To start we have colors. The DS Fat and Lite have a pretty wide array of colors, from blue, to pink, to combinations like black and red. The DSi released with only black and white. Simple.
Next up, Screens. This is where each of the three models differs from each other, with the fat being the clear loser.
Pictures pretty much tell the tale here. The poor DS fat looks like it's dying in the back there. The DS Lite and DSi at their max settings, at least in this picture, seem about the same, but in reality there is quite a big difference.
On the left we have the DS Lite on its brightest setting and the DSi on its brightest setting on the right. You can see that the DSi's colors are a little bit lighter than the Lite, and actually a little bit more yellow. You can see the color difference a little more clearly here: (DSi on the right)
Turning the DSi brightness down seemed to fix the color issues, and in fact the DSi's second brightest setting (which happens to be the Lite's brightest) actually looks better than the Lite. (DSi on the left)
Here you can also see the size difference in the screens. While in the picture it may only look like a few centimeters, when seen in person it looks quite a bit bigger.
The screens aren't the only things that have changed with the DSi; there have been some changes to the outer casing as well. Along with taking away the dual screen bevel on the front of the system, they changed the finish from glossy to matte.
This means no more finger prints all over your DS, but it seems you trade the thumb prints for scuff marks, which can be pretty easily remedied by rubbing your finger on the scuffs. Mind you, this is only after a day of using it; there is no telling how bad the scuffs can get over a long period. In theory though, if you are the type that takes care of their hardware then there won't be a problem.
With that being the main change to the DS's appearance there are a few smaller cosmetic changes, like the volume control going from a sliding bar to up and down buttons for volume and screen brightness. The power button was moved and changed from being a sliding switch on the side to a really stiff button next to the bottom screen. The SD card slot is now where the old power switch used to be.
Nintendo also changed the plug for the AC adapter -- we're not really sure why, but it seems to be bigger than the DS Fat and DS Lite's adapter and has a different plug.
In terms of size, there isn't much difference between the DS Lite and the DSi, but when you compare weight, the DSi is a considerable amount lighter than the Lite. For those of you who own a PS3, the difference is basically like the difference in holding a SixAxis and a Dual Shock 3. Speaking of controls, the DSi's D-Pad is considerably better than the Lite's.
To be honest, there's not much of a difference in the outward appearance of the systems, and if that's all you are interested in, it might be better to just stick with the Lite. The biggest change to the DS with the DSi, though, isn't a superficial one. The DSi now allows for downloadable software, includes 2 cameras for taking pictures, and allows for saving of voice recordings using the system's mic. All of the above can be saved to the DSi's internal memory or SD via the new port.
Like the Wii, the DSi now has the ability to connect to an online shopping channel. Connecting to this channel will allow you to access various types of software ranging from Japanese train layouts to mini games taken from the Made in Wario series. Unfortunately though, at the time of launch the only thing available was the free (and honestly kind of slow) web browser. Accessing the store was really easy, and even has its own "Store Music" for making the experience that much more enjoyable (like on the Wii).
One of the biggest changes to the DSi is the inclusion of two low res cameras. These cameras have provided for quite a bit of confusion since the system was announced, so let us clear the air.
1. Both cameras are low res.
2. They are low res so they can easily be used in applications.
3. There is no flash on either camera, but there is compensation for darkness, much like any medium quality web cam. This also means that the video feed gets choppier and is more susceptible to blur in low light situations.
With that said, the camera would be nothing without the applications, and the ones that come with the DSi are pretty cool -- they can all be done on the fly. There are 11 different effects you can use in all, with two being "multiplayer" effects that allow you to compare and morph your face with someone else's:
The other effects allow you to stretch and pull parts of the picture:
Add graphics:
Frames (and custom made frames):
Mirror effects:
A weird facial expression changer:
And you can add and remove color. All of these work really well except for the add/remove color effects -- it seems that plain colors and bright light are necessary for getting these effects to look nice. The camera's face recognition algorithm is pretty good, as it can track your face as you move, which makes some of the effects extra fun.
The music player/sound recorder isn't as fun to play with as the camera, but it does have its moments. You can speed up, slow down up the pitch and lower the pitch freely when listening to sounds or music, which can be pretty fun for about 3 minutes or so. The advertisements claim this feature is for practicing foreign languages and stuff, which might be a good idea for those who are trying to up their listening skills. You can also add goofy effects to your voice like 3 part harmony, a tunnel effect, turn yourself into a parrot, or even a trumpet. These effects will probably become more useful when the animation tool comes out later this year.
There are a few firmware things that have been improved from the earlier DS models, too. The big one being that you don't have to restart the machine after you change your system settings. You can also removed and insert games in the main menu without turning your system off. Doing this in-game will just cause it to freeze, but you can tap the new power button to reset the system back to the main menu. The visual layout has changed and is more similar to the Wii channel layout, just with one long row instead of several.
