Nintendo DS Lite vs Nintendo DSi

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

DS Lite compared with DSi
NintendoDS LiteNintendoDSi
Overview
ReleasedMarch 2006November 2008
Performance
TypeHandheldHandheld
CPUARM9 CPU and ARM7 CPUNintendo custom ARM CPU
GPU–Nintendo TWL integrated graphics
Storage–256 MB
Disc driveNoNo
CPU–Nintendo's custom ARM CPU and GPU, marked TWL in iFixit's exact DSi teardown; Nintendo's public specification does not identify clock speeds
GPU–Integrated in the TWL chip (iFixit)
Storage detailGames on Nintendo DS cards or Game Boy Advance cartridges; no built-in game storage256 MB of Samsung MoviNAND flash memory with an integrated MMC controller (iFixit); downloaded software runs from internal storage, with SD/SDHC cards used for backups rather than direct game launching (Ars Technica)
Storage expansionGame Boy Advance cartridge slotSD and SDHC card slot
Display and video
Built-in screen3″ LCD, 256 × 1923.25″ LCD, 256 × 192
Built-in screenTwo 3-inch backlit TFT LCDs, 256 × 192 each, approximately 260,000 colours; four brightness levels and a resistive touch screen on the lower display (Nintendo Japan)Two 3.25-inch transmissive TFT colour LCDs, 256 × 192 each, approximately 260,000 colours; five brightness levels and a touch screen on the lower display
AudioBuilt-in stereo speakers and microphone; virtual surround in supported games; stereo headphone and microphone connectorBuilt-in speakers and microphone; DSi Sound plays unprotected AAC files with .m4a, .mp4 or .3gp extensions, 16–320 kbps and 32–48 kHz, and stores up to 18 recordings of up to 10 seconds each (Nintendo Japan)
Design and power
Battery life (maker's claim)Up to 19 hoursUp to 14 hours
Weight218 g214 g (better)
Battery life detailBuilt-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery; approximately 15–19 hours at lowest brightness, 10–15 at low, 7–11 at high and 5–8 at highest, varying by software; full charge approximately 3 hours (Nintendo Japan)TWL-003 user-replaceable battery pack; 840 mAh in iFixit's tested unit. Nintendo rates approximately 9–14 hours at lowest brightness, 8–12 at low, 6–9 at medium, 4–6 at high and 3–4 at highest; software, temperature, wireless and camera use affect runtime. Full charge approximately 2 hours 30 minutes
Power use–Approximately 2.8 W maximum while charging (Nintendo Japan manual)
Size133 × 73.9 × 21.5 mm when folded (width × depth × thickness)137 × 74.9 × 18.9 mm when folded (width × depth × thickness); approximately 214 g includes battery and stylus
In the box–DSi, AC adapter, two styluses, quick start guide, instruction manuals and support booklet (Nintendo Japan)
ColoursCrystal White, Ice Blue, Enamel Navy, Noble Pink, Jet Black, Gloss Silver, Metallic Rose and Crimson/Black (Nintendo Japan's series page; regional ranges vary)–
Connections
PortsNintendo DS card slot, Game Boy Advance cartridge slot and stereo headphone/microphone connectorNintendo DS card slot, SD card slot, AC adapter connector and stereo headphone/microphone connector
Wi-Fi and BluetoothIEEE 802.11 and Nintendo's own wireless protocol; nominal range 10–30 m depending on surroundings; supported games allow several consoles to share one DS cardWi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g (DSSS/OFDM), 2.4 GHz, nominal range approximately 10–30 m depending on surroundings (Nintendo's Japanese manual); WPA2 works for supported DSi functions, while older DS games retain their older wireless-security restrictions (Ars Technica)
ControllerBuilt-in D-pad, A/B/X/Y, L/R, Start and Select buttons; touch screen and stylus; built-in microphone with voice recognition in supported gamesBuilt-in D-pad, A/B/X/Y, L/R, Start and Select buttons, stylus and touch screen; two fixed-focus CMOS cameras, approximately 0.3 megapixels each (Nintendo Japan)
Backward compatibilityNintendo DS and Game Boy Advance games; no Game Boy or Game Boy Color cartridges. Game Boy Advance communication functions, link cable, Wireless Adapter, e-Reader+ and GameCube–GBA cable are unsupportedNintendo DS and DSi games and installed DSiWare; no Game Boy Advance games or DS accessories requiring the GBA slot. DSi Shop purchases and free downloads ended on 31 March 2017 (Nintendo UK); launch-era reviews describe the service before closure

More comparisons