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Nintendo DSi vs Nintendo Switch Lite

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

NintendoDSiNintendoSwitch Lite
Overview
ReleasedNovember 2008September 2019
Performance
TypeHandheldHandheld
CPUNintendo custom ARM CPUNVIDIA customised Tegra processor
GPUNintendo TWL integrated graphicsNVIDIA customised Tegra processor (integrated GPU)
Memory–4 GB
Storage256 MB32 GB
Disc driveNoNo
CPUNintendo's custom ARM CPU and GPU, marked TWL in iFixit's exact DSi teardown; Nintendo's public specification does not identify clock speedsNVIDIA customised Tegra processor (Tegra X1-based ODNX10-A1, according to iFixit)
Memory detail–4 GB LPDDR4X in two 16 Gb Samsung chips (iFixit; not published by Nintendo)
GPUIntegrated in the TWL chip (iFixit)–
Storage detail256 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)32 GB; about 6.2 GB is reserved for the system
Storage expansionSD and SDHC card slotmicroSD, microSDHC and microSDXC cards
Display and video
Built-in screen3.25″ LCD, 256 × 1925.5″ LCD, 1280 × 720
Built-in screenTwo 3.25-inch transmissive TFT colour LCDs, 256 × 192 each, approximately 260,000 colours; five brightness levels and a touch screen on the lower displayCapacitive touch screen; 5.5-inch LCD; 1280 × 720. Nintendo doesn't publish the refresh rate
Video output–None
AudioBuilt-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)Stereo speakers; 3.5 mm headset jack
Design and power
Battery life (maker's claim)Up to 14 hoursUp to 7 hours
Weight214 g275 g
Battery life detailTWL-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 minutesAbout 3 to 7 hours (Nintendo support); the product page says more than six hours depending on the game (roughly four hours in The Legend of Zelda - Breath of the Wild); 3570 mAh; charges in about 3 hours
Power useApproximately 2.8 W maximum while charging (Nintendo Japan manual)4 W while gaming
Colours–Blue, Coral, Yellow, Grey
Size137 × 74.9 × 18.9 mm when folded (width × depth × thickness); approximately 214 g includes battery and stylus–
In the boxDSi, AC adapter, two styluses, quick start guide, instruction manuals and support booklet (Nintendo Japan)–
Connections
PortsNintendo DS card slot, SD card slot, AC adapter connector and stereo headphone/microphone connectorUSB-C (charging only)
Wi-Fi and BluetoothWi-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)Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.1, NFC
ControllerBuilt-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)Built-in controls with a +Control Pad; Joy-Con can be paired separately
Backward compatibilityNintendo 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 closureNintendo Switch game cards only; games must support handheld mode

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