Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) vs SEGA Mega Drive

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Entertainment System (NES) compared with Mega Drive

	NintendoEntertainment System (NES)	SEGAMega Drive
Overview
Released
Released	1986	September 1990
Performance
Type
Type	Home console	Home console
CPU
CPU	Ricoh RP2A07 (6502-based), 1.66 MHz	Motorola 68000, 7.6 MHz, plus Zilog Z80
GPU
GPU	Ricoh RP2C07 PPU	SEGA VDP (custom LSI)
Memory
Memory	4 KB	128 KB (better)
Disc drive
Disc drive	No	No
CPU
CPU	Ricoh RP2A07, a 6502-derived 8-bit CPU at 1.66 MHz on PAL consoles	Motorola 68000 at 7.60 MHz on PAL consoles and Zilog Z80A for sound (SEGA technical overview)
GPU
GPU	Ricoh RP2C07 picture processing unit on PAL consoles	64 of 512 colours at once; 80 sprites and 2 scroll planes
Memory detail
Memory detail	2 KB work RAM, 2 KB video RAM and 256 bytes of sprite attribute memory	64 KB RAM for the 68000 plus 64 KB VRAM; 8 KB for the Z80
Storage detail
Storage detail	NES Game Paks (cartridges); some save on the cartridge	Cartridges; some save on the cartridge
Storage expansion
Storage expansion	–	Expansion slot (Mega-CD); extension control port
Display and video
Built-in screen
Built-in screen	No built-in screen	No built-in screen
Video output
Video output	256 × 240 picture; RF and composite outputs	A/V out; 320 × 224 or 256 × 224, with 240-line PAL and interlaced modes (SEGA technical overview)
Audio
Audio	5 channels (2 pulse wave, triangle wave, noise, DPCM sample)	6 FM channels (one usable for PCM) plus 3 PSG channels and 1 noise; stereo headphone jack
Connections
Ports
Ports	2 × controller ports	2 × control ports, headphone jack with volume, A/V out, AC adaptor input, cartridge slot, expansion slot
Controller
Controller	NES controller with D-pad, A, B, Start and Select	Control Pad with D-pad, three action buttons and Start
Backward compatibility
Backward compatibility	–	Master System games with the separately sold Master System Converter; some titles do not work (SEGA)