Nintendo Game Boy vs Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

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Game Boy compared with Entertainment System (NES)

	NintendoGame Boy	NintendoEntertainment System (NES)
Overview
Released
Released	September 1990	1986
Performance
Type
Type	Handheld	Home console
CPU
CPU	Sharp SM83 (8-bit), 4.19 MHz	Ricoh RP2A07 (6502-based), 1.66 MHz
GPU
GPU	Nintendo DMG-CPU (built-in picture processing)	Ricoh RP2C07 PPU
Memory
Memory	16 KB (better)	4 KB
Disc drive
Disc drive	No	No
CPU
CPU	Sharp SM83 (8-bit) at 4.194304 MHz in the Nintendo DMG-CPU (mGBA documentation)	Ricoh RP2A07, a 6502-derived 8-bit CPU at 1.66 MHz on PAL consoles
GPU
GPU	Picture processing built into the DMG-CPU; 40 sprites, up to 10 per line (mGBA documentation)	Ricoh RP2C07 picture processing unit on PAL consoles
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)	2 KB work RAM, 2 KB video RAM and 256 bytes of sprite attribute memory
Storage detail
Storage detail	Game Boy Game Paks (cartridges); saves on the cartridge	NES Game Paks (cartridges); some save on the cartridge
Display and video
Built-in screen
Built-in screen	2.5″ 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)	No built-in screen
Video output
Video output	–	256 × 240 picture; RF and composite outputs
Audio
Audio	Four channels (2 pulse wave, 1 wave, 1 noise); mono speaker and stereo headphone jack (Nintendo and mGBA documentation)	5 channels (2 pulse wave, triangle wave, noise, DPCM sample)
Design and power
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 30 hours	–
Weight
Weight	220 g	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	4 × AA batteries, up to 30 hours (Nintendo)	–
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)	2 × controller ports
Controller
Controller	Built-in D-pad, A, B, Start and Select buttons; volume and contrast dials	NES controller with D-pad, A, B, Start and Select