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3ds durability.

C

chickdigger802

Banned
Is the 3ds as durable as a ds lite? Had that thing fly out of the window after the car flipped over during an accident a few years back and it got a fair bit of scratches yet still worked fine.

I know nintendo has a history of making durable handhelds, but for some reason I feel that my 3ds is a bit more fragile.

Any 'exciting' experiences with 3ds that confirms my fears?
 
it doesn't seem durable at all to me. mine flexes a lot under pressure and turns off (taking all time & date data with it) if i squeeze slightly underneath the face buttons, which means it sometimes turns itself off in my bag.

i owned every previous model of DS and they were all tanks, but i don't think this one is nearly as well-built.
 
I've dropped mine onto a hard surface (i.e. the floor) a couple of times, and it's still as good as new. Never had anything as exciting as a car crash, though :P

EDIT:
345triangle said:
it doesn't seem durable at all to me. mine flexes a lot under pressure and turns off (taking all time & date data with it) if i squeeze slightly underneath the face buttons, which means it sometimes turns itself off in my bag.

i owned every previous model of DS and they were all tanks, but i don't think this one is nearly as well-built.
Click to expand...
That sounds like it's faulty to me; I just tried with mine, and nothing happened...
 
Cataferal said:
Nope. The 3DS even damages itself if you put light pressure on the middle while it's closed.
Click to expand...
Has this actually happened to you? Recent 3DSes (past July or so) have added about 1cm of plastic padding around the touchscreen to prevent this, as well as those that get sent in under warranty to get the problem fixed.

Which, with the apparent ubiquity and ease of this problem, you would figure would be everyone.
 
Know a couple who had theirs fall onto a hard surface more than once and despite the scratches to the exterior, it runs fine.
 
walking fiend said:
does L+R work fine? My DSi only works after suck and blow after like 8 months.
Click to expand...

They seem sturdier to me (I know that DS/DSi L/R button problem very well: Where do you think my tag comes from?), no problems with them so far. No mushiness, just goodness.

As for the durability as a whole, I've dropped and knocked mine around a few times. No problems so far. Mind you though, I can see how the 3D cameras might get knocked out of alignment pretty easily...
 
Mine has taken hard drops a few times and despite the cart popping out (the ejection mechanism reminds me of Malfunctioning Eddie from Futurama), I haven't noticed anything wrong.
 
ShockingAlberto said:
Has this actually happened to you? Recent 3DSes (past July or so) have added about 1cm of plastic padding around the touchscreen to prevent this, as well as those that get sent in under warranty to get the problem fixed.

Which, with the apparent ubiquity and ease of this problem, you would figure would be everyone.
Click to expand...
It started happening two days ago. I thought I was safe since I only bought it 2 months ago - plus I keep it in a hard case which applies no pressure to it.
 
Cataferal said:
It started happening two days ago. I thought I was safe since I only bought it 2 months ago - plus I keep it in a hard case which applies no pressure to it.
Click to expand...
Well, it's a pain, but if you've gotten scratches, call up Nintendo and ask them to fix it. They'll likely add the padding to prevent it from happening again.
 
One of the first things I immediately noticed about the system when I first picked it up at Best Buy was the seemingly die-cast casing and overall build quality. Not sure if some folks' disappointment with the functionality and software are clouding their judgment, but just by looking at it and holding it in your hands, you can easily tell the build quality is much better than DS Lite. Of course, nothing trumps the DS phat in my book. That was a lovely beast. The form factor of 3DS isn't my favorite of the bunch, but the build quality is impressive to me -- for a handheld gaming system by Nintendo, anyway. If you imagine the system about half the width, you can easily see how the case design is based almost entirely on GBA SP.
 
I've dropped mine quite badly, because I'm a clutz - its left a weird white blemish underneath the paint on the lid and a nick or two on the corners, but functionally its as good as new. I wouldn't make a habit of dropping one though, and I've said the same about DS lite really... they're not fragile, but they're not indestructible!
 
Mihael Mello Keehl said:
I bet if anything like that happens to the 3ds that shit will bust..I dont put my 3ds in silly situations like that though
Click to expand...
Like what? An unanticipated car accident?

I've played a 3DS briefly, and it didn't feel as well bolted together as a DS lite. I fancy one, but will wait for an update. Twin circle pads, better viewing angle, longer battery life, etc.
 
GeekyDad said:
One of the first things I immediately noticed about the system when I first picked it up at Best Buy was the seemingly die-cast casing and overall build quality. Not sure if some folks' disappointment with the functionality and software are clouding their judgment, but just by looking at it and holding it in your hands, you can easily tell the build quality is much better than DS Lite. Of course, nothing trumps the DS phat in my book. That was a lovely beast. The form factor of 3DS isn't my favorite of the bunch, but the build quality is impressive to me -- for a handheld gaming system by Nintendo, anyway. If you imagine the system about half the width, you can easily see how the case design is based almost entirely on GBA SP.
Click to expand...
What? The 3ds gets all squeaky if you press the dpad or buttons a bit harder than usual. I love my 3ds but it feels cheap in my hands. When I first used my ds lite I was amazed and even took pictures of it right out of the box.
 
IMO, in best-to-worst ranking:

Face buttons (ABXY + d-pad) feel & response quality:
DSi XL
DSi
Phat
3DS
Lite

Shoulder triggers:
DSi XL
3DS
DSi
Phat
Lite

Hinge:
DSi XL
3DS (despite the hinge feeling loose, it does appear to be quite a sturdy design, though it's too early to tell)
DSi
Phat
Lite

Plates paint & coating:
DSi / DSi XL (tie)
Lite
3DS
Phat

Top screen hard coating:
Phat / Lite / DSi / XL (pretty much the same glass-hard coating across the lineup)
3DS (features a translucent plastic cover akin the one found in the PSP face plate, known for being a scratch magnet).
 
blu said:
IMO, in best-to-worst ranking:

Face buttons (ABXY + d-pad) feel & response quality:
DSi XL
DSi
Phat
3DS
Lite

Shoulder triggers:
DSi XL
3DS
DSi
Phat
Lite

Hinge:
DSi XL
3DS (despite the hinge feeling loose, it does appear to be quite a sturdy design, though it's too early to tell)
DSi
Phat
Lite

Plates paint & coating:
DSi / DSi XL (tie)
Lite
3DS
Phat

Top screen hard coating:
Phat / Lite / DSi / XL (pretty much the same glass-hard coating across the lineup)
3DS (features a translucent plastic cover akin the one found in the PSP face plate, known for being a scratch magnet).
Click to expand...

haha out of curiosity, where do you think gba/sp will fit?
 
It's solid as hell.

I've somehow managed to scratch mine badly a couple of times. Top cover is chipped, side has somehow warped or melted slightly though the body is fine. Still totally fine operationally, no hinges loose, nothing.

Fuck the goddamn side scratches on the top screen though. Terrible design flaw, can't believe they didn't catch it.
 
ShockingAlberto said:
Well, it's a pain, but if you've gotten scratches, call up Nintendo and ask them to fix it. They'll likely add the padding to prevent it from happening again.
Click to expand...

Oh, that sounds like a plan. How long would it take to service?

I dunno if I can live without my 3DS for long :<
 
Jintor said:
Oh, that sounds like a plan. How long would it take to service?

I dunno if I can live without my 3DS for long :<
Click to expand...

Just think, that when it's back, games should be out!

And just go orgasm at vita pics like everyone else on gaf. Makes time fly by.
 
chickdigger802 said:
haha out of curiosity, where do you think gba/sp will fit?
Click to expand...
I don't have a GBA lying around and my memories of it are rather hazy, but the SP is pretty much Phat-levels of everything - face buttons, hinge, shell paint and screen coating are practically identical to Phat's. Basically, Phat was built on SP's mechanical tech.
 
The L button on mine has given up already. I got it at launch and have put in less than 24 hours use into it, always keeping it in the cradle when not in use.
 
jigglywiggly said:
The L button on mine has given up already. I got it at launch and have put in less than 24 hours use into it, always keeping it in the cradle when not in use.
Click to expand...
Really? Damn....

I've put over 70 hours on it since last month (bought it on the 13th of August) and it still works flawlessly.

Then again, I have the Flare Red one (Japanese version) so maybe that one is sturdier?
 
Chao said:
What? The 3ds gets all squeaky if you press the dpad or buttons a bit harder than usual. I love my 3ds but it feels cheap in my hands. When I first used my ds lite I was amazed and even took pictures of it right out of the box.
Click to expand...

Don't care for the D-pad or buttons all that much, either, but what does that have to do with the durability of the housing?
 
Ydahs said:
Know a couple who had theirs fall onto a hard surface more than once and despite the scratches to the exterior, it runs fine.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a couple of clumsy people...
 
I think the 3DS feels sturdy when you are holding it. The DS Lite closed very tightly which I think gives it the sense of feeling durable, but my DS Lite fell off the top of the fridge and the hinge got a huge crack in it :/ I'm not sure about the 3DS because I haven't dropped it yet, but I think it should be okay.
 
blu said:
I don't have a GBA lying around and my memories of it are rather hazy, but the SP is pretty much Phat-levels of everything - face buttons, hinge, shell paint and screen coating are practically identical to Phat's. Basically, Phat was built on SP's mechanical tech.
Click to expand...
Hell no. I could throw my SP 20 meters on hard ground and it would still probably be fine, although a little dinged. Awesome system, and incredibly sturdy.
 
Nix said:
Hell no. I could throw my SP 20 meters on hard ground and it would still probably be fine, although a little dinged. Awesome system, and incredibly sturdy.
Click to expand...
While I don't think I've ever thrown a handheld from 20m on hard ground, I have an SP and a Phat which both have lost most their paint from long-time (ab)use. I can attest both systems are on par when it comes to sturdiness.
 
I remember someone on the interwebs dropped their gba in a toilet and it still works.

nintendo magic.

Wish my iphone 4 was that durable (Love how apple failed to mention that the rear glass panel is NOT made of gorilla glass).
 
chickdigger802 said:
I remember someone on the interwebs dropped their gba in a toilet and it still works.
Click to expand...

You could probably drop anything in the toilet and have it work later as long as it wasn't turned on or sleeping and you let it dry out properly before trying to use it...

I toasted my Canon Powershot SX220 recently by not being patient enough to ensure it'd fully dried out. It works, but as soon as I tried to take a picture the CMOS sensor fried. :(
 
I am scared of thinking what can happen to the screens and the hinge if I dropped my 3DS. It is definitely not as well built as the old nintendo products even if it can take hits outside. But the fact that my screen got scratched when I closed the lid quick or had it in a tight pocket made me disapointed. My DS lite finally now has a cracked hinge, after years of abuse you can say.

However I am sure the 3DS can handle more abuse than Vita as the dual screens do good justice to protecting screens. The launch GBA got scratches, and so did my PSP 2000.
 
Ubermatik said:
Certainly not as durable as my old silver DS Fat. That thing could survive a nuclear blast.
Click to expand...


I almost feel you could take a DS Fat and spike it onto concrete and the thing would still work somehow. The thing was hideous as fuck, but built to take a damn assault.

Edit: As for the 3DS, it seems sturdy enough. I baby it right now because it's new hardware, but I did the same for my lite when I first bought that. The looseness of the hinge is about the only thing I worry about. No screen scratches yet, knock on wood.
 
ShockingAlberto said:
Has this actually happened to you? Recent 3DSes (past July or so) have added about 1cm of plastic padding around the touchscreen to prevent this, as well as those that get sent in under warranty to get the problem fixed.

Which, with the apparent ubiquity and ease of this problem, you would figure would be everyone.
Click to expand...
Are there comparison pics? It seems like plastic padding would actually exacerbate the problem, since the scratches come from the bevel around the touchscreen.
 
The hinge for my 3DS squeaks and it feels like it could snap off at any moment. But if it's in a closed clamshell, then it shouldn't be affected.
 
Duxxy3 said:
The system damages itself

Only the original 360 could be considered worse
Click to expand...

Only early launch models. What's in stores now should have the larger bumpers, preventing this. Idiotic design decision though.

DSiXL actually has issues because of a drop. It's very sensitive, and you have to be careful putting it down while it's on, or it'll reset/power off.
 
anybody recommend any aftermarket 'bumps' or what not that can help keep the top screen off the bottom?

I know getting a screen protector works, but screen protectors on a gaming system is the last thing you want =P
 
Seems to be similar in build quality to the DS Lite, but miles behind the DSi.

The DSi feels so solid.

Thoraxes said:
I just throw mine in my backpack everyday when I commute for 40 mins. or so in Chicago. I don't know how exciting rush hour crowds of people pushing and shoving are, with tons of crap in my backpack, but it survives that just fine.
http://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Official-Executive-Case-3DS/dp/B004JLO65Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316278099&sr=8-1
I haven't had and problems with it yet, no scratches, smudges, loose hinge, or anything.
Click to expand...

+1'ing this case. Love it, though it's a bit too bulky for me to pocket easily, so I'll likely be replacing it soon.
 
chickdigger802 said:
anybody recommend any aftermarket 'bumps' or what not that can help keep the top screen off the bottom?

I know getting a screen protector works, but screen protectors on a gaming system is the last thing you want =P
Click to expand...

Since the bumpers on the system easily pull out, you can put a very thin piece of double sided tape on the bottom of your original bumpers. It'll raise the bumpers just enough so the screens don't touch.

Or what we did; take two 'feet' pads off the Xbox 360, and put them on the top above and on the sides of the 3D screen. It doesn't look ridiculous, and keeps the screens far enough apart.
 
chickdigger802 said:
anybody recommend any aftermarket 'bumps' or what not that can help keep the top screen off the bottom?

I know getting a screen protector works, but screen protectors on a gaming system is the last thing you want =P
Click to expand...

Check out your local big box store (Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, etc.) for a pack of these:

rdDvL.jpg


It's what I use.
 
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