Nintendo 2DS vs Nintendo New 3DS
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| Nintendo2DS | NintendoNew 3DS | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | October 2013 | October 2014 |
| Performance | ||
| Type | Handheld | Handheld |
| Disc drive | No | No |
| Storage detail | A removable 4 GB SDHC card is included in the European launch bundle; Nintendo's public specifications do not state the internal storage capacity | A removable microSDHC card is included; the Japanese standard bundle includes 4 GB, while the UK manual says to check the box for its capacity. Nintendo's public specification does not state the internal capacity |
| Storage expansion | SD cards up to 2 GB and SDHC cards from 4–32 GB; miniSD and microSD require an adapter (Nintendo's Australian manual) | microSD card slot beneath the rear cover plate |
| Display and video | ||
| Built-in screen | 3.53″ LCD, 400 × 240 | 3.88″ LCD, 800 × 240 |
| Built-in screen | Upper 3.53-inch LCD, 400 × 240; lower 3.02-inch touch LCD, 320 × 240; both display approximately 16.7 million colours. All games display in 2D | Upper 3.88-inch glasses-free 3D LCD, 800 × 240 (400 pixels per eye in 3D), with face-tracking Super-Stable 3D; lower 3.33-inch touch LCD, 320 × 240. Both display approximately 16.7 million colours; automatic brightness adjustment |
| Audio | Mono speaker, built-in microphone and stereo headphone output | Stereo speakers with pseudo-surround support, built-in microphone and stereo headphone output |
| Design and power | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | Up to 9 hours | Up to 10.5 hours |
| Weight | 260 g | 253 g (better) |
| Battery life detail | Replaceable CTR-003 lithium-ion battery, 5 Wh. Nintendo's Australian manual rates approximately 3.5–5.5 hours for 3DS games and 5–9 hours for DS games; the Japanese page gives 3.5–5 hours for 3DS games. Runtime depends on brightness, software, wireless use and temperature. Full charge approximately 3.5 hours | Replaceable KTR-003 lithium-ion battery, 5.2 Wh. Nintendo rates approximately 3.5–6 hours with 3DS software and 6.5–10.5 hours with DS software; runtime depends on brightness, wireless activity, software and temperature. Full charge approximately 3.5 hours |
| Power use | Approximately 4.1 W maximum while charging (Nintendo's Australian manual) | Approximately 4.1 W maximum while charging (Nintendo UK manual) |
| Size | 144 × 127 × 20.3 mm (width × height × thickness); approximately 260 g includes battery, stylus and SD card | 142 × 80.6 × 21.6 mm when folded (width × depth × thickness); approximately 253 g includes battery, stylus and microSD card |
| Colours | Black + blue and white + red at the European launch; later colours and regional bundles differ | Black and white at the Japanese and European launches; interchangeable cover plates sold separately |
| In the box | 2DS, stylus, AC adapter, SDHC card, six AR cards, quick start guide and operations manual (Nintendo's Australian launch manual); the European launch includes a 4 GB card | New 3DS, stylus, microSDHC card, six AR cards, front and back cover plates, quick start guide and operations manual (UK); Nintendo 3DS AC adapter sold separately |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | Game card slot, SD card slot, AC adapter connector and headphone connector; infrared transceiver with recommended distance within 20 cm | Game card slot, microSD card slot, charging-cradle connectors, AC adapter connector and headphone connector; infrared transceiver with recommended distance within 20 cm |
| Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g, 2.4 GHz; recommended communication distance within 30 m. Local wireless and StreetPass are distinct from the discontinued internet services | Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g, 2.4 GHz; NFC at 13.56 MHz; recommended wireless communication distance within 30 m (Nintendo UK manual) |
| Controller | Circle Pad, D-pad, A/B/X/Y, L/R, Start/Select, HOME, touch screen and approximately 98 mm stylus; sleep switch, motion sensor and gyro sensor. One inner and two outer fixed-focus CMOS cameras, 640 × 480 (0.3 megapixels) each | Circle Pad, C Stick, D-pad, A/B/X/Y, L/R, ZL/ZR, Start/Select, HOME and touch screen; motion and gyro sensors. One inner and two outer fixed-focus CMOS cameras, 640 × 480 (0.3 megapixels) each; KTR-004 stylus approximately 76.5 mm long |
| Backward compatibility | Nintendo 3DS games in 2D and DS/DSi games; New Nintendo 3DS-exclusive software is not supported. No Game Boy Advance slot or accessories that require it. amiibo requires the separate Nintendo 3DS NFC Reader/Writer. eShop purchases and new free downloads ended on 27 March 2023; most internet services ended on 8 April 2024, while redownloads and updates remain available (Nintendo) | Nintendo 3DS, DS and DSi game cards, including New Nintendo 3DS-exclusive games; built-in NFC supports amiibo. eShop purchases and new free downloads ended on 27 March 2023; most internet services ended on 8 April 2024, while redownloads and updates remain available (Nintendo) |
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