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3DS

List of 3DS Specifications

by Andy Goergen - June 17, 2010, 2:58 pm EDT
Total comments: 34 Source: Nintendo

Here are the on-the-record specifications for Nintendo's newest handheld.

Part of Nintendo's Tuesday announcement of the Nintendo 3DS involved a partial reveal of the system's specifications. We say "partial" because a lot of the exact details, such as processor and graphics chip information, were not listed.

Nintendo has put "TBA" for pre-installed software, leading to the logical conclusion that they intend to launch the 3DS with some sort of pre-installed games or applications. Nintendo has also not specified the battery life or color selection of the handheld, stating that it will be determined later when the handheld is closer to completion.

Size (when closed)

Approximately 5.3 inches wide, 2.9 inches long, 0.8 inches tall.

Weight

Approximately 8 ounces.

Look

Final design is TBA.

Top Screen

3.53-inch widescreen LCD display, enabling 3D view without the need for special

glasses; with 800x240 pixel resolution (400 pixels are allocated for each eye to

enable 3D viewing).

Touch Screen

3.02-inch LCD with 320x240 pixel resolution with a touch screen.

Cameras

One inner camera and two outer cameras with 640x480 (0.3 Mega) pixel resolution.

Pre-Installed Software

TBA

Nintendo 3DS Game Card

2 GB Max. at launch.

Wireless Communication

Can communicate in the 2.4 GHz band. Multiple Nintendo 3DS systems can connect via a local wireless connection to let users communicate or enjoy competitive game play. Systems also can connect to LAN access points to access the Internet and allow people to enjoy games with others. Will support IEEE 802.11 with enhanced security (WPA/WPA2). Nintendo 3DS hardware is designed so that even when not in use, it can automatically exchange data with other Nintendo 3DS systems or receive data via the Internet while in sleep mode.

Game Controls

Touch screen, embedded microphone, A/B/X/Y face buttons, + Control Pad, L/R buttons, Start and Select buttons, “Slide Pad” that allows 360-degree analog input, one inner camera, two outer cameras, motion sensor and a gyro sensor.

Other Input Controls

3D Depth Slider to adjust level of 3D effect (can be scaled back or turned off completely depending on the preference of the user), Home button to call system function, Wireless switch to turn off wireless communications (even during game play), Power button. The telescoping stylus is approximately 4 inches when fully extended.

Input/Output

A port that accepts both Nintendo 3DS game cards and game cards for the Nintendo DS family of systems, an SD memory card slot, an AC adapter connector, a charging cradle terminal and a stereo headphone output jack.

Sound

Stereo speakers positioned to the left and right of the top screen.

Battery

Lithium ion battery details TBA.

Languages

TBA

Parental Controls

Parental controls similar to the Nintendo DSi system will be included.

The Nintendo 3DS is rumored to be launching in Japan near the end of 2010.

Talkback

3DS will require a different power supply and a different headphone jack.

FACT.

ShyGuyJune 17, 2010

Why are 800 pixels only need for the horizontal resolution? Does the 3D not have any effect vertically?

Actually, if it had double the pixels vertically, the 3D resolution would be 800x480, the same as my netbook.

I think my post is going to confuse the issue.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorJune 17, 2010

Quote from: Halbred

3DS will require a different headphone jack.

FACT.

Really?  Why? :(

TurdFurgyJune 17, 2010

why would the headphone jack be different?

King of TwitchJune 17, 2010

They did with the SP, but only to make it smaller.














And to sell headphone adapters

Mop it upJune 17, 2010

A different power supply makes sense, because it will have a different battery. But why a different headphone jack? The SP had it removed because there was no room for it; is that the same case here?

I'm being sarcastic. They like selling headphones.

SheckyJune 17, 2010

802.11 what?  bgn?

AVJune 17, 2010

They kept the Crap-Tacular cameras of the DSi. I was hoping a bump up to at LEAST 1 mega pixel. I still have a digital camera from apple (1st gen Quicktake 150) that has the same resolution and that digital camera was made 15 YEARS AGO !!! It's nice to take pictures in 3d with it but damn why keep such a horrible resolution. It doesn't have to be some huge 10 MP quality but damn. I guess the pictures aren't meant to be used outside of the 3ds but really now

Mop it upJune 17, 2010

I'll bet that old camera of yours is also three times the size of the 3DS. It also serves only one function: it takes pictures. The 3DS is a gaming machine, with a camera as an added but unnecessary feature. There's no reason to increase the camera's quality beyond what the system's screens can display.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorJune 17, 2010

Quote from: Mr.

They kept the Crap-Tacular cameras of the DSi. I was hoping a bump up to at LEAST 1 mega pixel. I still have a digital camera from apple (1st gen Quicktake 150) that has the same resolution and that digital camera was made 15 YEARS AGO !!! It's nice to take pictures in 3d with it but damn why keep such a horrible resolution. It doesn't have to be some huge 10 MP quality but damn. I guess the pictures aren't meant to be used outside of the 3ds but really now

I don't care about the quality of the camera as much... I would like to be able to import my own photos to the DS to use as wallpapers and such.  I wish some genius hacker would come up with some kind photo editing software that would let you "format" the picture so the DS would recognize it.

greybrickNathan Mustafa, Staff AlumnusJune 17, 2010

Quote from: Halbred

I'm being sarcastic. They like selling headphones.

I still have those GBA SP headphones, ah the glory days.

On another note, I really want to know about what kind of internal storage the 3ds will have.

ToruresuJune 17, 2010

Dumb question:

Is a "telescoping stylus" the same as a normal stylus? O.o

Mop it upJune 17, 2010

It means the stylus can extend and contract, similar to a telescope.

Quote:

Will support IEEE 802.11 with enhanced security (WPA/WPA2).

Praise be to Iwata.

EasyCureJune 18, 2010

Quote from: Mop

It means the stylus can extend and contract, similar to a telescope.

I dunno why I find that so cool.. maybe cuz I don't like the small styuls of the DSL? Maybe cuz i like telescopic things? Who knows.

nickmitchJune 18, 2010

Quote from: Mop

I'll bet that old camera of yours is also three times the size of the 3DS. It also serves only one function: it takes pictures. The 3DS is a gaming machine, with a camera as an added but unnecessary feature. There's no reason to increase the camera's quality beyond what the system's screens can display.

The DSi lets you send photos straight to the facebook. That's enough reason to increase the quality past what the screens can display. Besides, I don't think it's asking for much to go from VGA to 2 or 3 MP when everything else with a camera has that.

Mop it upJune 18, 2010

So can your cell phone. Just use that. Use the 3DS for games.

Shorty McNostrilJune 18, 2010

Quote from: EasyCure

Quote from: Mop

It means the stylus can extend and contract, similar to a telescope.

I dunno why I find that so cool.. maybe cuz I don't like the small styuls of the DSL? Maybe cuz i like telescopic things? Who knows.

Don't get too excited.  Unless it is a proper stainless steel stylus with a nylon tip it will be very flimsy.  But I have a feeling that there is a lot more to the stylus then we know about.  I just find it extremely suspicious that noone has seen one yet. 

ThePermJune 18, 2010

theres a movie record mode!!! I'm guessing its only limited by your sd card size..i wonder what resolution. Its up to 640x480...we are in business. :P


ive heard some complaints about the screen resolution, but it has a decent resolution
800pixels/3.53inches =226 pixels per inch horizontal resolution
240pixels/2.12inches=113 vertical resolution per inch

the horizonal resolution is nearly printed digital photo quality(300dpi),
the vertical resolution is better than a 13inch screen at 1024x768(about 72ppi)

its got a widescreen resolution, but its only slightly wider than it is tall, so the pixels should still be itty bitty.
It will have the illusion of more pixels than are there.

if i did it right, this is about what movies will look like on 3ds
actual screen size on a 16 inch 1280x1024 screen 1x browser zoom
http://i46.tinypic.com/sfw001.jpg

SheckyJune 18, 2010

Quote from: Shaymin

Quote:

Will support IEEE 802.11 with enhanced security (WPA/WPA2).

Praise be to Iwata.

Well, this assumes that it's not like the DS and the game has to handle the wireless.  The comments about aggressively seeking out wireless connections regarded of loaded game suggests that the unit itself is now capable of handling wireless - which speaks to an extended OS.

HOWEVER, I bet that when you fire up a DS game things might change.  Meaning that the system might go into a compatibility mode and relinquish control over the 802.11 while the DS game is loaded.

SheckyJune 18, 2010

Quote from: ThePerm

theres a movie record mode!!! I'm guessing its only limited by your sd card size..i wonder what resolution. Its up to 640x480...we are in business. :P

A friend at work yesterday noted that it could take full resolution videos.  That was the first I heard of it and don't know his source.

Quote:

ive heard some complaints about the screen resolution, but it has a decent resolution
800pixels/3.53inches =226 pixels per inch horizontal resolution
240pixels/2.12inches=113 vertical resolution per inch

Ah, but the "800" isn't really 800 right, that's just beaming 400 into each eye.  When you move the 3D slider all the way down I don't think you get a double resolution screen, but rather a 400x240 screen.  3D means a 400x240 screen to each eye.

ThePermJune 18, 2010

yeah your correct, i just measured one of the screen shots, and that is what they are(400x240), makes alot more sense, ...so thats about 226/2..which is about 113 ppi which is still better than standard monitor resolution (72ppi)

a note PSP's(original) resolution is 480x272 at 3.8 inches which is 126ppi, that makes 3ds less then psp, but then again 3ds will have 2 screens, also..its really not that different in size. The newer improved pspgo only has 111ppi, but at 4.3 inches

i thought 800x 240 was ridiculously widescreened. still kinda an interesting thing for video application use as opposed to 3D

RizeDavid Trammell, Staff AlumnusJune 18, 2010

Quote from: ShyGuy

Why are 800 pixels only need for the horizontal resolution? Does the 3D not have any effect vertically?

It's basically two 400x240 screens vertically interleaved.


By the way, the technology probably doesn't work sideways.  i.e. the "book mode (holding the DS sideways)  is probably not an option for 3D games.

Book mode games use the touch screen, anyway, and that isn't 3D.

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorJune 18, 2010

That is a good point Rize makes, it won't work in book mode.

But yeah, as others said, it only has 400 usable pixels.  It goes to show that that screen is a high tech screen though.  It would be nice if they stuffed some more into the touch screen.

I'm intrigued to see what effect viewing something in 3D has on the screen door effect I hate so much on the DS.

BlackNMild2k1June 18, 2010

How do you know it doesn't work in Book mode? Has anyone bothered to ask a Nintendo official? have they shown a game in book mode?

If it's using the Sharp Screen like we assume it is, then it is stil;l very possible that it works in bookmode and Nintendo just didn't want to show it off yet (like the port in the back, the OS or UI, the Stylus, the internal storage, Virtual Console, Movie Service or the Wifi).

ThePermJune 18, 2010

well because in book mode, your left and right eye arent looking at seperate pixels, to work in book mode it would have to be 800x480

the 3ds kinda works like those laser 3d holograms, but like not

and to be more correct its not 400 usable pixels..its 96,000

GoldenPhoenixJune 19, 2010

The size of the carts is what impresses me a lot about DS, instead of using a terrible medium like a UMD, they are sticking to carts but these carts hold 2gbs at least!

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorJune 19, 2010

Quote from: BlackNMild2k1

How do you know it doesn't work in Book mode? Has anyone bothered to ask a Nintendo official? have they shown a game in book mode?

If it's using the Sharp Screen like we assume it is, then it is stil;l very possible that it works in bookmode and Nintendo just didn't want to show it off yet (like the port in the back, the OS or UI, the Stylus, the internal storage, Virtual Console, Movie Service or the Wifi).

As perm said, it would need double the vertical resolution too.  Greg dug up an article from IGN that discusses some of this and the possibilities.  Essentially the screen could do it, but Nintendo opted to design the device in a way that doesn't allow it (lack or resolution) to keep costs down.

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorJune 19, 2010

Well to be totally honest, it may be possible on the device but you'd have to cut the resolution in half.  120 pixels would make it next to impossible to make a functioning (and pretty) game.

SheckyJune 19, 2010

Don't most of the book type games want you to be focusing on the touch screen anyways?  Even a "book like" game held in the normal mode (like the Ace Attorney series) would have a hard time with 3D.

Quote from: GoldenPhoenix

The size of the carts is what impresses me a lot about DS, instead of using a terrible medium like a UMD, they are sticking to carts but these carts hold 2gbs at least!

To be fair, 2GB cartridges were probably much too expensive to be practical back in 2004. UMD has about the same amount of storage on a double-layered disc (1.8GB) and the 3DS is only matching that in cartridge form six years later. Sony was ahead of the curve in that respect, not that it did them any good.

Sony was ahead of the curve in terms of size, but they did that at the expense of battery life and durability, two things that are very important in a handheld. Nintendo may not be increasing capacity much over what the PSP did 5 years ago, but they're getting to that point without those trade-offs.

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