Topic: To SP or not to SP...

[GerrySM]

Hi everyone.  I was recently at Wal-Mart and saw the Gameboy Advance + E-Reader kit for 97$ (Canadian) and next to it was the Gameboy Advance SP for 136$.  I was just wondering if I should go for the SP or not.  Does it have enhanced graphics/sound or anything of that sort?  Or is it just smaller with the light?  

[Bill Aurion]

The SP is smaller, it folds so you don't damage the screen, it uses a rechargable lithium battery, and it has a built in front light.  The visuals are obviously no different.

[mouse_clicker]

On the downside, the colors are slightly washed out, the square design gives you cramps after extended play (similar to the NES controller), the trigger buttons are in very awkward positions, and the buttons feel very strange. That's all when compared to a normal GBA, though, so if this is your first GBA, you probably won't find most of those things a problem. Still, though, in my opinion the advantages of the SP don't warrant the extra price in this case- I'd personally go with the normal GBA and the e-reader, and then buy a game or two with the money you save.

[GerrySM]

One thing about the SP that worries me is the battery it uses.  I hear it has a tremendous life span but how would you change it after it does die?  I was also worried about the screen on the first GBA but aren't there covers you can put over it while you're not using it?

Thanks for the info so far  

[CaseyRyback]

I wanna get an E-Reader bundle and an Afterburner kit so I get the best of both worlds

[GoldShadow1]

Gerry - The SP's battery works marvelously.  It comes with a power cable to charge it up in a standard socket, and it can recharge hundreds of times.

[TOY]

The battery can be replaced, Im not sure if nintendo is selling them yet, But you shouldnt need one for a long time. Mouse Clicker is entitled to his oppinion, But personally I think the shoulder buttons on the original gba suck. They were to hard to reach. With the SP on the market I wouldnt take the original if you gave it to me. But thats just my opinion. And if you do get the original you should definitly look into the afterburner light.


TOY

[Pale]

Quote
Originally posted by: mouse_clicker
On the downside, the colors are slightly washed out, the square design gives you cramps after extended play (similar to the NES controller), the trigger buttons are in very awkward positions, and the buttons feel very strange. That's all when compared to a normal GBA, though, so if this is your first GBA, you probably won't find most of those things a problem. Still, though, in my opinion the advantages of the SP don't warrant the extra price in this case- I'd personally go with the normal GBA and the e-reader, and then buy a game or two with the money you save.

I too thought the clicky buttons on the gba were weird at first, but after 400 plus hours in pokemon sapphire, 30-40 hours in wario ware, and 10-15 hours into pokemon pinball.....  The original gba buttons now feel spongey and bizarre.  The shoulder buttons can be very comfortable if I am sitting properly, but i have to admit, when i am lying on my stomach in bed playing, i fingers do hurt going to the shoulders.  The perfect position for playing is sitting normally looking down into the gbasp...at least for me anyway.  The afterburner is a pain in the ass to install and you will never be quite happy with it unless you do a perfect job.

Basically my point is this... The GBA SP is awesome and I think it would be silly to get a regular gba.  It really bugs me that people think the battery is a downside....its the greatest freaking thing in the world.  I've saved so much money without having to buy AAs anymore....and it charges so quickly, (bout 2 hours for 10 hours of play) you really can't go wrong.  It is easily replacable and last i checked Nintendo was selling them for relatively cheap in their online store.

[PIAC]

i sware my SP battery lasts longer than 10 hours

i like both GBA's, i've played both extensivly, and i personally feel the SP is the clear winner, purely for the light and the battery, most nights i'll lay in bed with the lights off just before going to sleep playing through some advance wars 2, the light is STRONG too, i use it to find stuff in my room when it's in near total darkness (my pc gives off alot of light), and the battery, oh i could hug it, i usually got about 12 hours off regular AA batteries in my GBA, but with the SP you get 10 to 18 (depending on light usage).

i think the GBA is more comfortable to hold, only because i have biggish hands, but i still play my SP every day and it doesn't feel uncomfortable, just the GBA is more comfy.

[Ms.Pikmin]

^^^^^ What he said.  Except the big hands part.

[Pale]

Using the pokemon internal clock, I timed it and found i get about 10:18 with the light on the whole time...so yeah, you'll get more if you don't use the light.  =P

[benomoth]

I love my SP. I like the design more and the rechargeable battery is a very nice feature. I like the folding design so it does not scratch and easily fits in my pocket. And the light helps so mucj. I would never go back

[mouse_clicker]

Meh, suit yourself, guys, but I've always preferred getting games over extra features. I'd heavily suggest, Gerry, getting a regular GBA and buying some extra games- you won't be thinking about battery life or lighting at all when you're engrossed in Golden Sun, or Wario Ware.

[PIAC]

untill you can't see it due to poor lighting and then run out of money from buying batteries the SP isn't much more expensive than the regular GBA, a GBA coupled with rechargable batteries and some form of light = more expensive than the SP.

ask your self, which feels more comfy, and what sort of budget you will have for portable gaming. we can only offer our own opinions on the two products, and as you have seen we can't agree, meaning we arn't any help, THE POWER.. IS YOURS!

[- NintendoFan -]

I would just get an Gameboy Player if you have a Gamecube already and if you are worried about lighting and battery power, unless you want to bring your Gameboy with you. If thats the case, then go with the GBA not SP. The non-light isnt that much of an issue and you can get a couple of games with it.

[beccaslovah]

Personally I would go with the SP, because my GBA, while it is comfortable to hold, it is damned near impossible to see what's going on on my screen. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have an insanely hard time with it, so yeah, plus, I think the SP is perfectly comfortable, but I have small hands, so ya know, whatever. Anyway, as PIAC said, we can only offer our own opinions, and all you can really go by is your own, after testing both and seeing which one would suit your needs the most.  

[MarioFoxZelda]

Has anyone else had the problem where the space around the screen to the edge on the inside of the GBA SP gets little tiny scraches all the way around the screen? And around the controls? It is pi$$ing me off and im wondering if it is all GBA SP's that have this problem or is it just mine.

I think that the little spacers that are supposed to keep a gap between the 2 halves arent big enough.

[TracerX]

Well, coming from a person who imported the original gba from Japan and bought the SP the day it came out I must say that you couldn't make me go back to my gba. I have largish hands also and thought that the sp might be to small for me but the shoulder buttons fit well on my fingers and after using the sp for awhile I actually liked the new shoulder buttons better. I can understand the games over hardware argument but in this case there is such a great difference in the hardware. For me the light alone made all the difference in the world. And yes, the light issue did bug me w/ my old gba, I just didn't like having to realign myself 20 times to find just the right spot with enough light but not too much glare. Go with the SP, you'll be happy you did.

[Nightingale]

Batteries for GBA SP are sold on third party too, same with cell phone batteries, but I can't guarranty the quality, just for info.
Using After Burner Kit for GBA should cut the original case.
so I prefer on SP