Nintendo Game Boy vs Nintendo Game Boy Color

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Game Boy compared with Game Boy Color

	NintendoGame Boy	NintendoGame Boy Color
Overview
Released
Released	September 1990	November 1998
Performance
Type
Type	Handheld	Handheld
CPU
CPU	Sharp SM83 (8-bit), 4.19 MHz	Sharp SM83 (8-bit), 4.19 or 8.39 MHz
GPU
GPU	Nintendo DMG-CPU (built-in picture processing)	Nintendo CPU CGB (built-in picture processing)
Memory
Memory	16 KB	48 KB (better)
Disc drive
Disc drive	No	No
CPU
CPU	Sharp SM83 (8-bit) at 4.194304 MHz in the Nintendo DMG-CPU (mGBA documentation)	Sharp SM83 (8-bit) at 4.194304 MHz or 8.388608 MHz in double-speed mode, in the Nintendo CPU CGB (mGBA documentation)
GPU
GPU	Picture processing built into the DMG-CPU; 40 sprites, up to 10 per line (mGBA documentation)	LCD picture processing in the Nintendo CPU CGB; 40 sprites, up to 10 per line (Nintendo programming manual and mGBA documentation)
Memory detail
Memory detail	8 KB work RAM and 8 KB video RAM; compatible cartridges can add up to 128 KB RAM (Nintendo programming manual)	32 KB work RAM and 16 KB video RAM; compatible game cartridges can add up to 128 KB RAM (Nintendo programming manual)
Storage detail
Storage detail	Game Boy Game Paks (cartridges); saves on the cartridge	Game Boy and Game Boy Color Game Paks (cartridges); saves on the cartridge
Display and video
Built-in screen
Built-in screen	2.5″ LCD, 160 × 144	2.3″ LCD, 160 × 144
Built-in screen
Built-in screen	2.5-inch monochrome LCD, no backlight; 160 × 144; four shades; about 59.7 Hz (Nintendo and mGBA documentation)	2.3-inch reflective TFT colour LCD, no backlight; 160 × 144; 32,768 colours, up to 56 at once
Audio
Audio	Four channels (2 pulse wave, 1 wave, 1 noise); mono speaker and stereo headphone jack (Nintendo and mGBA documentation)	Mono speaker and stereo headphone jack
Design and power
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 30 hours	Up to 10 hours
Weight
Weight	220 g	138 g (better)
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	4 × AA batteries, up to 30 hours (Nintendo)	2 × AA batteries, up to 10 hours
Power use
Power use	About 0.7 W from the external 6 V DC input (Nintendo US manual)	–
Connections
Ports
Ports	Game Link Cable port, Game Pak slot, headphone jack, 6 V DC input (Nintendo)	Game Link Cable port, infrared port, Game Pak slot, headphone jack, 3 V DC input (Nintendo)
Controller
Controller	Built-in D-pad, A, B, Start and Select buttons; volume and contrast dials	Built-in D-pad, A, B, Start and Select buttons
Backward compatibility
Backward compatibility	–	Original Game Boy games