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[NateDrake]

Here is an update on battery life based on these settings: mid-level brightness, no 3D, with no wifi, power save off. Total time via the system's log: 4:43.

If you have any wonders as to what software was played during this time: Super Street Fighter IV, PilotWings, and Lego Starwars Episode 3.

 

[Neuromancer]

All right that does it, clearly I need to buy one of these bad boys:

I just wish they came in Cosmos Black.

 

[Fusebox]

Are you flying from Montreal to Australia ever day or something?

Play a bit in the taxi on the way to airport, play a bit in the lounge waiting for the flight, play some more in the air and for my average flight I'd be lucky if I had any battery left by the time the seatbelt light turned back on for our descent.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

All right that does it, clearly I need to buy one of these bad boys:

I just wish they came in Cosmos Black.

That might compromise the portability of the system.

 

[AceBandage]

That might compromise the portability of the system.

You mod it with wheels, obviously.

 

[Neuromancer]

That might compromise the portability of the system.

Nah see the frame and the straps? It goes on your back!

 

[Donnie]

Here is an update on battery life based on these settings: mid-level brightness, no 3D, with no wifi, power save off. Total time via the system's log: 4:43.

If you have any wonders as to what software was played during this time: Super Street Fighter IV, PilotWings, and Lego Starwars Episode 3.

Thanks for the update, so it seems that test posted at the end of the last page wasn't on lowest brightness, as I guessed having power save on overruled the brightness setting.

Is it possible sometime for you to try the absolute minimum:

Lowest brightness
3D off
WiFi off
Power save off.

I know it can't be much fun for you so I'm sorry to ask, would be much appreciated though

 

[bigswords]

I am ok with the battery life. But do you need that "base" to charge the 3DS?

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

I am ok with the battery life. But do you need that "base" to charge the 3DS?

No.

 

[AceBandage]

I am ok with the battery life. But do you need that "base" to charge the 3DS?

Nope, you can plug the AC cord right into the system.

 

[Lonely1]

I am ok with the battery life. But do you need that "base" to charge the 3DS?

No, it uses the same charger as the DSi, I believe.

 

[NateDrake]

Thanks for the update, so it seems that test posted at the end of the last page wasn't on lowest brightness, as I guessed having power save on overruled the brightness setting.

Is it possible sometime for you to try the absolute minimum:

Lowest brightness
3D off
WiFi off
Power save off.

I know it can't be much fun for you so I'm sorry to ask, would be much appreciated though

Yeah, sure. I'll try to have some results by this time tomorrow for you on that.

 

[Donnie]

Thanks a lot!

 

[sfried]

But it can definitely last more than a day with WiFi on and still be in the green with regards to battery power.

Are you sure you have a DSi, because I'm dead certain it was a blue light.

 

[eastmen]

Of course I know about hardware shrinking. I had no accurate data about the differences between DS, DSL and DSi so thanks for those. I can only talk about DSL and DSi and I own the first and my gf owns the other, and I repeat that the DSi battery life compared to the DSL is disappointing. The DSi screen may be brighter but it's actually lower quality, sadly.

the dsi was twice as fast and had 4 times the ram along with having a smaller battery

I'm glad we agree on the battery development not being as important as actual hardware development. But I think you should know too that the process is not everything that matters, the architecture is important as well (er, I think). Of course when you're talking about the same hardware, making it smaller results in a direct impact. That's why I said grabbing a GBC and using with some eneloops for example would last marginally more than a decade ago, with batteries from that time. Obviously, if you replicate GBA hardware with today's technology, you could run it for days or even weeks with a li-on battery. The 3DS hardware architecture should be a lot more power efficient than the DSi, even if it used the same process.

The 3DS hardware is alot more power efficent than the DSI but its not because of the way its designed , its because of a process node. A 100mm2 chip on 90nm will use the same power no matter how you design it unless you design it for low power consupmtion but then you get low performance.

Look at the atom cpu. Its on 32nm and some models of it uses a single watt of power while sandy bridge is on the same process and uses alot more power , but the performance delta of each is vastly diffrent.


If you take a look at any device on the market your going to see the more poweful the device the shorter the battery life


There is no way to make the jump from DS level graphics to 3DS level graphics and end up more power efficent. Esp not when you throw in larger screns and 3D

I hope they can reduce 3DS manufacturing process AND use a better battery in the future. Six to seven hours (more likely six due to the drop in voltage) with 3D disabled is now what I was expecting in the successor to the DS.

What better battery ? Seriously what better battery tec his there.

Even if they move down a process node they will only be able to at best hit 40% power drop.

 

[bigswords]

Thanks guys! So you can just plug it in to that same socket. All is good then.

 

[eastmen]

Thats the ipad's battery , if you fold it on itself its about half as thick as the 3ds , its wider than the 3ds and longer than the 3ds .


Its absolutely huge. The ipad is able to hvae such a large battery because its basicly the iphone 3gs hardware and a 10 inch screen so there is alot of empty space in it.


Even with such a large battery you only get 6 hours of plants vs zombies.

 

[Busaiku]

Are you sure you have a DSi, because I'm dead certain it was a blue light.

Yeah, mine is blue too.

 

[Brazil]

We need nuclear batteries for handhelds ASAP.

 

[flintstryker]

Am gonna hook up mine directly to the sun, will also be perfect for portability too since the sun is everywhere i go.

 

[Busaiku]

Am gonna hook up mine directly to the sun, will also be perfect for portability too since the sun is everywhere i go.

What if you go to Andromeda.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

What if you go to Andromeda.

Or Seattle.

 

[GDGF]

I like this eastmen guy. We need more techies around.

 

[MrMephistoX]

What's the point ? Is this control damage or what ?

People keep mentioning this, "I'll buy a 3DS but won't use the 3D".

Damage control indeed. 3DS is growing on me after taking it for a few spins but there's no reason to own a 3DS without 3D. Nintendo has been remaking the same games since the gamecube days (Galaxy, Zelda and Kirby's Epic Yarn excluded) with only slight deviations from the formula. I dont need another Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Animal Crossing, Mario Sports, portable or otherwise if there's nothing to distinguish them from their predecessors. 3D has the potential to add a lot of gameplay depth and without it you might as well get an iPad or NGP.

 

[Wolf Akela]

Can anyone on GAF who actually owns a 3DS debunk this?

Wireless off
Screen power save on
Brightness 1
Sound off
Nintendogs+Cats

3 hours 38 minutes into the test and 2/4 bars showing in battery life.

Oops it died within an hour later. I'll have to dig up the game play stats today, I think to see how long it actually lasted. But it between 4 to 4.5 hours. I have a feeling nintendos 3~5 hour gameplay call holds true for realistic gaming settings, not full blast.

Need to plug the 3DS into something before I can check the stats.

Yeah 4.5 hours was right, now that I've got home and recharged the 3DS.
Heres a photo of teh screen.

Not sure why it got that yellow tinge at the bottom right area but...
プレイ時間　= Play time
分 means minutes if you didn't figure that out yourself, so essentially theres four full bars of 60 minutes and the other two total another 30 so 4.5 hours

link1
link2

If this is true I think I'll just wait for a revision.

 

[Truth101]

Can anyone on GAF who actually owns a 3DS debunk this?





link1
link2

If this is true I think I'll just wait for a revision.

Already has been

Here is an update on battery life based on these settings: mid-level brightness, no 3D, with no wifi, power save off. Total time via the system's log: 4:43.

If you have any wonders as to what software was played during this time: Super Street Fighter IV, PilotWings, and Lego Starwars Episode 3.

 

[Wolf Akela]

Revision it is. :S

Or that Nyko battery pack.

 

[Emitan]

there's no reason to own a 3DS without 3D

Can you imagine those poor saps who bought the DS? No 3D and worse graphics! I bet no one bought the DS at all...

 

[Wolf Akela]

It's different. The main selling point of the 3DS is 3D.

Better analogy is to buy a DS without ever using the touchscreen.

 

[MrMephistoX]

Can you imagine those poor saps who bought the DS? No 3D and worse graphics! I bet no one bought the DS at all...

What distinguishes the DS from the 3DS aside from an increase in graphics quality then? Mario Kart DS is probably the best in series so by your logic why bother playing a sequel if the only innovation to be had is in visual fidelity? 3D is the only reason this console exists otherwise Nintendo would be happily riding out the DSi and XL.

 

[Busaiku]

What distinguishes the DS from the 3DS aside from an increase in graphics quality then? Mario Kart DS is probably the best in series so by your logic why bother playing a sequel if the only innovation to be had is in visual fidelity? 3D is the only reason this console exists otherwise Nintendo would be happily riding out the DSi and XL.

So games aren't a reason to own a system?
Just the gimmicks?

 

[Fusebox]

What launch games are worth ugrading from the DS to the 3DS if you don't take the 3D into account?

 

[Door2Dawn]

Some of you people need to learn how to manage your time. :/

 

[sonikokaruto]

omg what i am gonna do omg i cannot be without my 3ds omg waaaaaaaah!


geta fucking life, how much time are you actually gonna be able to spend outside?

let's see, you're going your typical day


1 hour on the bus/subway
8 hours at work/school
maybe half hour at lunch, (don't count if you have any friends)
1 hour back

then it's back to charging, right?

how much of that time are you gonna be playing it? maybe 1 hour before sleep?


stop being such fucking wansies

 

[whitehawk]

So, when are we gonna get the OT for the 3DS? Launch is a week away!

 

[Dreamwriter]

If anyone's wondering, here's a system with Nyko's $20 PowerPak+ installed:

See how it bulges out the back? The standard 3DS back is perfectly flat even along that light grey edge. So that is how it doubles the battery life - it makes the system significantly thicker, so it can fit two batteries in there instead of just one (I think they could have fit a third battery in there too, but maybe they didn't want it to be a $35 battery pack or something). It also makes it impossible to use the standard 3DS cradle, so if you still want to use a cradle, Nyko is gonna sell one for an additional $30.

 

[Busaiku]

I seriously still cannot understand the point of the cradle.
Someone explained to me that supposedly it's due to the ease of use, yet how is plugging it into the AC adapter any harder?

 

[antonz]

If anyone's wondering, here's a system with Nyko's $20 PowerPak+ installed:

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/nyko-power-pack-2011-03-09.jpg

See how it bulges out the back? The standard 3DS back is perfectly flat even along that light grey edge. So that is how it doubles the battery life - it makes the system significantly thicker, so it can fit two batteries in there instead of just one (I think they could have fit a third battery in there too, but maybe they didn't want it to be a $35 battery pack or something). It also makes it impossible to use the standard 3DS cradle, so if you still want to use a cradle, Nyko is gonna sell one for an additional $30.

To be fair the cradle comes with a battery pack.

 

[Dreamwriter]

I seriously still cannot understand the point of the cradle.
Someone explained to me that supposedly it's due to the ease of use, yet how is plugging it into the AC adapter any harder?

First you find the end of your AC cable (possibly on the floor), then fit it in the hole in the back of the system, realize it's upside-down and try again...or you can just set the system down. Which of those two sounds like less work?

To be fair the cradle comes with a battery pack.

You're right, the article I read on Engadget didn't mention that, had to check out the press release.

 

[Throwaway123456789]

What distinguishes the DS from the 3DS aside from an increase in graphics quality then? Mario Kart DS is probably the best in series so by your logic why bother playing a sequel if the only innovation to be had is in visual fidelity? 3D is the only reason this console exists otherwise Nintendo would be happily riding out the DSi and XL.

Why the hell did people even update from the original Xbox to the 360?

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Perhaps the battery is designed to be crappy to avoid the 3D affecting your eyes too much. /conspiracy

 

[Door2Dawn]

omg what i am gonna do omg i cannot be without my 3ds omg waaaaaaaah!


geta fucking life, how much time are you actually gonna be able to spend outside?

let's see, you're going your typical day


1 hour on the bus/subway
8 hours at work/school
maybe half hour at lunch, (don't count if you have any friends)
1 hour back

then it's back to charging, right?

how much of that time are you gonna be playing it? maybe 1 hour before sleep?


stop being such fucking wansies

Hey don't be a jerk man. That ain't cool.

 

[wwm0nkey]

Yeah Im just going to buy that Nyko pack. Sucks it wont be out a week after the 3DS though.

 

[daffy]

So, when are we gonna get the OT for the 3DS? Launch is a week away!

Monday apparently. Someone posted earlier that the guy who's making it confirmed it'll be up then.

 

[Kai Dracon]

The 3D in the 3D is primarily serves two real (not Nintendo PR speak) purposes:

1. Get people intensely curious to check out the 3DS, with a fully unique visual effect that can only be seen in person.

2. Disrupt Sony / everyone else's push for 3D w/ glasses; they've laid it on THICK about how 3D with glasses is just stupid.

However, there's no way around the fact that in ever other way the 3DS is Nintendo's sequel to the DS; it is the next primary hand-held platform. Its capability upgrades are too severe. Proper digital distribution with accounts (I thought?). It effectively rolls out WFC 2.0 with proper friends list, notify, and game invite systems. It is powerful enough to enable full AR gaming with the cameras. It is very disingenuous to say that the only real point of the 3DS is the primary display's optional 3D mode.

Games like Animal Crossing and Mario Kart should benefit tremendously from 3DS editions; the hardware and online function are more advanced than even the Wii. Mario Kart will be able to have sophisticated online play (we saw the MK team was already the online play leader on the Wii, doing the best possible with what they had), stuff like Animal Crossing can be severely upgraded in functionality.

I'll lay odds right now we have a good chance of getting a 3DS Smash Bros, and if we do, even it will be capable of much better online functionality.

Creating backlash/anti-hype at this stage over battery life or the 3D being the only worthwhile feature of the platform ignores most of the real hype build-up that has taken place to this point. When Nintendo whipped this thing out, people did a double take at no-goggles 3D, but what really built excitement was the laundry list of other features and enhanced conventions.

 

[Kai Dracon]

I seriously still cannot understand the point of the cradle.
Someone explained to me that supposedly it's due to the ease of use, yet how is plugging it into the AC adapter any harder?

The cradle is a psychological mechanism. Nintendo's demonstration videos and lifestyle commercials drive home the idea of always dropping it in the cradle when you're at home/not using it while around the house.

Like I said earlier, it shows they were indeed concerned about the battery life, thus encouraging people to adopt "good habits".

 

[The M.O.B]

Is there a side view? I would love to know exactly how thick it is. And thankfully its beveled.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Also FYI:

http://www.nyko.com/products/product-detail/?name=Charge+Base+for+3DS

According to their site the battery/charging dock is a combo package for $30 total.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Can somebody test the 3DS' battery life as a media player?

Spoiler

I'm assuming you can run MP3s off the card.

Since I won't be buying any games at launch, I'll be using it for media playing until they bring out something I want.

 

[Lupin the Third]

If anyone's wondering, here's a system with Nyko's $20 PowerPak+ installed:

*Pic of 3DS With Nyko PowerPak+ Installed Goes Here*

What I don't understand is why they need a separate charging dock. Is it just so you still have a dock like the vanilla 3DS's userbase? I assume you can still charge it with a DSi/3DS AC Adapter, since it really just replaces the original battery instead of being some weird external-only solution like the DS Battery Grip, right?

Hmmm....after thinking about it, I guess it makes sense that the battery HAS to function without a Charging Dock because they sell it separately.

Just waiting for this accessory on 3DS, then (times two!):