Even for those looking for Game Boy Advance consoles today, the DS Lite is often a cheaper entry point into the GBA’s gaming catalog. The DS Lite is probably the most sought after of the DS systems these days given its laundry list of pros. Backward compatible with the Game Boy Advance.Nearly twice the battery life (on the lowest brightness setting).Slimmer and sleeker than the original model.The prices aren’t typically all that different, so there is very little incentive to pick up the original over the DS Lite. Maybe there are people who are nostalgic for the original model – but other than that, it doesn’t offer anything you cannot get on another DS.
And the DS Lite comes in a much sleeker package, and with a few extra perks too (but we’ll get to that in just a minute).īottom Line: There is absolutely nothing wrong with the original DS, but there is very little that separates it from any of the later revisions. (It should be noted, however, that prices do tend to fluctuate, so visit our continuously updated article – How Much Is A Nintendo DS Worth – to stay up-to-date with the entire family of handhelds.)Īnd while backward compatibility with the Game Boy Advance library of games is definitely a plus, it’s an advantage it shares with the DS Lite. Yes, the DS is often the cheapest option, but none of these handhelds are too expensive. Honestly, the biggest problem with the original DS, at least in comparison to its successors, is that none of its pros are really that big of an advantage over any of the other iterations. The built-in web browser would be nice too, but Nintendo does offer a web browser cartridge (see pricing on eBay) so, that’s not much of a loss either. And while adjustable brightness is nice to have, it is certainly far from a necessity. Sure, it’s a bit bulkier than the other models, but design is more of a personal preference sort of thing anyway. For example, its battery life might be the worst in DS family of consoles, but 6-10 hours on a single charge is likely more than adequate for most users.
While there are a few knocks on the original DS, they’re all relatively minor. If you only look at the “pros” and “cons” section, it might appear that the original Nintendo DS isn’t worth buying – but that simply isn’t the case. Worst battery life of all the DS consoles.Not the most aesthetically pleasing Nintendo handheld.While those are the major differences between each of the various DS consoles, which is the best? Which is right for you? Well, when it comes to the DS family of handhelds, there isn’t necessarily a right or wrong answer – but there are certainly pros and cons to each iteration. Up to 14 hrs on a single charge (17 hrs for the XL)Īdditionally, Nintendo itself has made a handy chart to compare and contrast all of the technical specifications for their DS family of consoles (see the image just below).