DS Phat vs. DS Lite

[Roto13]

It kinda came up in the DS vs. PSP topic. Someone said they wanted a Lite, I said I prefer my Phat. I'm just curious about what you guys thing.

I like the Phat model more than the Lite model. The only thing I really prefer about the Lite is the brighter screen. I like the size of the Phat more (while playing. :P), and I don't like dead pixels at all, which the Lite seems to have a bit of a problem with. Luckily, Nintendo fixes them for free, if I'm not mistaken. The Lite casing seems to smudge pretty easily, too. Personally, the biggest problem with the Lite is the GBA slot. I don't like that GBA games stick out of the bottom.

Anyway, other opinions?

[Dreddz]

I own an original model, I dont prefer it over the Lite, I just dont have the money to get a Lite. When the Lite is cheaper, and Im playing a DS more often, then Ill consider getting one.

Between the two, Lite wins.

[Rainecloud]

The buttons on the original DS console aren't that great. Try playing Mario Kart DS for a four hour multiplayer session and you'll see exactly what I mean. Last time I tried that one, I had an imprint of the 'A' button on my thumb for the next twelve hours. The pain was quite bad, actually. =/

The DS-Lite has much more comfortable controls, not to mention the nice, bright screen. *votes for the lite*

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

The original DS's size and weight are downright unwieldy in comparison to the Lite, but what has me sold on the design revision above all else is the brighter screen. As soon as I had a chance to see my games in perfect clarity, there could be no going back. Least of all over the casing getting smudged or a cartridge sticking out a bit.

[Jowy]

It's the d-pad on the Lite that does it for me.

[JKTrix]

Indeed. The lite almost makes the original DS completely obsolete. The screen is definitely the best improvement. The redesigned buttons feel better in most situations, and it also 'matches' with Nintendo's new design for their d-pad/buttons. The Dpad on the GBMicro, DSlite and the Wii are all the same design, and possibly the same size.

I have a dead pixel on my Navy Blue DS, which is a normal thing for LCDs. One will happen in every several screens, it came up a lot in the DS lite because they sold so many of them :P

About gripping it, it takes a little adjusting to get used to it (especially after over a decade of Gameboy), but if you hold it lightly in your fingers instead of jamming you palms into it, it's much better. I mentioned this before :P I had a pic
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f128/JKTrix/dsgrip.jpg

The DSL has a more powerful battery, to accomodate the brighter screen settings. It actually lasts a lot longer than the DSP when the screen brightness is at its lowest (which is still brighter than DSP's).

I mentioned that it *almost* renders the original DS obsolete. If you already have the original DS, you're still getting the same games and all that. It's a strongly reccomended upgrade, but if circumstances prevent you from doing it it's fine to wait. If you never had a DS though, there's no reason to get the original, especially if they're the same price.

Smudges are minor, I just rub it between my t-shirt and it comes out shiny again. The GBA slot is a bit of an eyesore, but I can deal with it. If I am intending to play a GBA game though, I would usually bring my Micro with the game in there. Some of the DS expansions have been and will probably continue to be released in 2 versions. The DS Rumble Pak was re-released in a 'lite' size in Japan, as well as the DS Opera Browser. Only my 'Daigasso! Band Brothers' expansion pak is normal GBA size.

[NINJA_Ryu]

When the DS lite costed 130 dollars, and the DS phat costed 150, i know which one i went for. And dead pixels, would they be by any chance pixels that are just like other colors, and dont help with picture quality at all? since when i got my DSL, it had one pixel colored red, and its not a big deal, though i will ask for it fixed once something goes wrong with my DSL in about 5 years. As for smudges and other things, i am a total neat freak when it comes to new, exspensive things, and it has never lost its shine ^ ^.

[Malboro_Menace]

DS Lite. I have a Lite and two of my friends have a Phat and I very much prefer the Lite.

[Ichimonji]

I definitely prefer the DS Lite, no question. I've never blown a pixel on my DS Lite; I've blown pixels on my PSP, but not my DS Lite. My two best points about the DS Lite is the brighter screen, and it's beautiful. The Phat DS is really friggen ugly to me. It's huge, clunky, and doesn't appeal to me.

[Rostum]

DS Lite, looks a lot more sleeker and the buttons are better. Not to mention the brighter screen.

[Bunny]

GBA SP.

The Nintendo DS is kind of a terrible system. I have both versions though.

[Skyblade]

I'd have to go for the Lite as well. Brighter screen, lighter weight, more comfortable controls... What's not to like?

The only real problem I have with the DS Lite is its GBA slot. Not only is it an eyesore, but it has caused me some gameplay problems with some of my games. Games won't always be recognized if they are pushed in all the way, and I may have to fiddle with some of the games for a minute or two to get them to work. This may be a problem with my games, and not my DS Lite, since some of my games are pretty worn out (and the only reason I picked up my DS Lite was because I had completely worn out my SP, I occasionally [though not as often as with my DS] experienced a similar loading problem sometimes, and the shoulder buttons didn't work anymore), but I thought I'd mention it. Does anyone else have a problem like this?

[JKTrix]

I'm sure it's not a fault of the DS. One of my GBA games were dropped in a toilet once, and ever since it's been a bit wonky with loading, both on the GBs I have and the DSes. I've tried one or 2 old GBA games that I haven't played forever, and I have to blow it a couple of times before it works, but that's always been like that.

The GBA lot stick-out is my main problem as well, but it's really not that bad. It just looks bad, and doesn't slide into my pocket quite as easily.

[Ashi]

I own both a regular DS and a DS lite. I dislike DS lite's outer surface because there's always fingerprings on it, but its screen is brighter (by a lot) so I prefer to use it.

[Xander]

Hmm. Yeah, like Ashi, the outside of the DS Lite bugs me it's so shiny and smeary and annoying. DS never got that... to be honest I miss the old DS a little, haha, my friend got a pink one, the old sort and it's actually very cute!

Although the bright screen, I wouldn't go back cos of that... but I dunno. I'm not big on the idea that things always have to get smaller (phone, gameboys, DS..) I like to have something larger to hold... I think the old DS was actually more comfortable to me. But meh, I havent even played a game much on the DS lite yet, kinda abandoned it with my friend for a while. But yeah if they could make a matte one, I'd much prefer it.

[Reine]

As ive never really played a DS before, at the game shop I asked if I could try out the two models.

The normal DS was horrible to hold, it was sharp and pointy and the buttons and corners were downright terrible, and the screen was horrible. The DS Lite was weird to hold, but it was so much smoother and nicer than the original. Plus theres the screen.

The GBA slot annoys me to no end though. Especially as it sticks out the front, rather than the back. Nethertheless, I will get the DS Lite over the DS anyday.