Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
damn 256 mb? beast mode
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Rumor: New 3DS will double RAM and (nearly double) VRAM.
- Thread starter KojiKnight
- Start date
SolarPowered
Member
They're not exactly MS or Sony in terms of employee numbers. They'll have to assign hardware and software people to work on it too. I'm a layman and even I get that.
Nintendo already had a rocky start with 3DS and Wii U because they didn't have enough employees. No one wants to see a third platform thrown into that mix of fast paced release schedules. They'll take their time and do each launch right.
Would make sense, I mean look at this
The difference is huge.
Wow, looking at the original 3DS is like being stuck in the PSP web browser all over again. The new 3DS looks at least acceptable in terms of speed. Glad I waited.
KojiKnight
Member
This may not necessarily be true. We know that all current gen (including 3DS) systems lock off some RAM specifically for OS functions. We don't know if this RAM will be available even in New 3DS exclusive games, or if the OS is going to hog it to guarantee good web browser performance even when a game is suspended (I wouldn't THINK they'd do this, but it IS a possibility that people should remember).
Graphics Horse
Member
But they have a permanently employed hardware development team, (or multiple teams) they need to design new products constantly or they'd have to get rid of them. The Wii Balance Board came out the same year as the DSi.
I've seen QOL brought up a reason we'd not see any new game hardware soon, now new hardware appears and it's being said again!
Hero of Legend
Member
Ouch, which games are that low res on Vita? Is there like a list of games with their native-res number?
Coffee Dog
Banned
I'm not sure whether to upgrade. I'll wait until some more exclusives are announced, i guess.
If New OG 3DS has a longer battery then I'm probably going to, though. I prefer the smaller size and screen of the OG, so it would be a complete upgrade to me considering it's not a whole lot bigger.
If New OG 3DS has a longer battery then I'm probably going to, though. I prefer the smaller size and screen of the OG, so it would be a complete upgrade to me considering it's not a whole lot bigger.
KojiKnight
Member
Not sure about a master list, but there was a bit of controversy about FFX on Vita as an example. It employs a variable resolution for cutscenes so they are native while actual gameplay is sub-native.
Don't have the list handy, but I believe they all have increased battery capacity. 3.5 to 7 hours based on brightness/3D use I believe. Up to 12 hours just playing regular DS games.
The 3DS reserves 64MB for OS/multitasking and 64MB for games. iOS devices are like PCs and reserve nothing. At most it will kill background apps if the app in the foreground needs more RAM, but the RAM used by the OS itself cannot be claimed by apps.
For example, when Apple released iOS 5 a bunch of games started crashing on the first iPad due to it leaving less RAM available for apps compared to iOS 4.
The Vita can run multiple multitasking apps in parallel (the 3DS can only run one at a time) and the RAM among those apps is managed in a similar way to a smartphone OS. But the RAM reserved for games is fixed and never shared with background apps or OS processes.
The New 3DS is most likely still using a 50/50 split, so 128MB for games and 128MB for the browser. It may not sound like much, but that's close to the RAM usage of most iOS games use running on 512MB devices. Also, the browser is still single-tabbed, right? 128MB should be enough for a single tab as long as you're not trying to use Google Spreadsheet.
Wishmaster92
Member
Something which might be a given is that past 3ds games in 3d mode had reduced framerate/aa/resolution. With this newer handheld version this might not be an issue anymore.
SolarPowered
Member
I don't think you and I are on the same page. It's entirely possible they could have the new hardware product designed, but without the software to back it up just about everything they could make would be a paperweight. That's why we probably won't see a handheld successor until holiday 2016. They're losing possible long time consumers to Apple on a month to month basis, so 2017 isn't an option either.
...
You didn't just compare the board to a new hardware platform, right? The amount of software support a new handheld/console needs versus a Wii accessory is just astronomical in size and quality thanks to increases in resolution, fidelity and/or online features.
Graphics Horse
Member
Tell me what their QOL product is, and I'll tell you if it's a good comparison or not.
gigantor21
Member
Sure sounds like it to me. I don't see the appeal of a slightly more powerful revision with exclusive content when sales for the Old 3DS Family have dropped so much compared to last year.
deltatheta
Member
Browsers also keep previously viewed webpages in memory so the back and forward buttons work instantaneously. It's not just tabs that suck up memory.
SolarPowered
Member
Nintendo likes making money off good hardware margins they like to do the same with software.
I think it'll impact their handheld and console release schedules. Take that as you will.
Think DSi. Same thing but this one has slightly more upgrades because it adds buttons and little more power comparatively. But its going to share 99.9% of its library with the existing 3DS ecosystem.
AndyMoogle
Member
They would have to double the resolution for it to be worthwhile. Otherwise 3DS games would look like complete shit.
Maintenance
Member
dampflokfreund
Banned
That allows for vast worlds, higher res textures and more action going on the screen. Definately a great upgrade.
Thunder Monkey
Banned
Ingueferroque
Banned
dampflokfreund
Banned
What?
games takes time too. They probably don't have enough games ready too.
Thunder Monkey
Banned
Depends on what you consider vast. Keeping fidelity in any way close to Xenoblade Wii would actually be a pretty big accomplishment for the platform. Even though it's running at a lower res. But the creation of vast worlds was never an issue with PS2 caliber hardware. It was making it all pretty that was the challenge.
Technosteve
Banned
this 3DS sku feels like it was solely for the next monster hunter game
calc84maniac
Member
Actually, the 3DS used 96MB for games and 32MB for the OS, I'm pretty sure.
Neff
Member
It's the 3DS' Gameboy Color.
Judging by the XB footage, it doesn't seem to offer a huge boost in power, but it should be enough to get some decent mileage out of 3DS if the New software is worth the New hardware.
Like Color's was.
Thunder Monkey
Banned
It's very much a way to try and profit off of a core hardware design. Honestly needed. 3DS is not setting sales records and they're probably hoping a sizable chunk of buyers will buy in again. To pad out what is going to be their worst selling handheld hardware ever.
deltatheta
Member
That sounds a little more likely considering that it seemed like the browser couldn't even keep a single page in memory. It looked like it was thrashing even when you scrolled to a different part of a moderately complex page.
peanutbutterlatte
Member
Does it make Minecraft feasible is the question...
The 3DS one doesn't. Not sure about the New 3DS. My Java phone browser (lol) does this and it has 128MBs of RAM.
Minecraft is feasible on the Wii U. Hardware capability is probably not the real reason why it's not in Nintendo systems.
bearythebear
Member
I'm kinda excited about this. It's fully backwards compatible, and probably the same price. No reason it shouldn't be updated every few years.
CPU cores are either clocked faster, or it's employing new ARM cores. It apparently has double the system memory and double the VRAM. It has new buttons and a realigned structure. It already has one exclusive game that can't be played on previous systems.
"Virtually identical" is quite inaccurate.
EnVy_CaLiBeR
Member
Yep, more like DSi (not counting DSiware*) than GBC (where exclusive games fairly quickly all but replaced backwards-compatible ones).
*Someone will say that this is a big caveat, but I disagree. DS had no alternative service, and unlike the DSi-3DS transition, the New 3DS's improved horsepower doesn't seem like a big enough upgrade to allow for major changes in the sorts of games devs can realize. I therefore don't think there will be many New 3DS-exclusive eShop games.
eighty(one)
Member
I've long maintained that the Streetpass puzzles - were slated to become 3DS releases. With Smash 3DS coming to fruition and now Xenoblade Chronicles, I'm expecting a Pikmin, Metroid and Skyword Sword 3DS iteration...
This reiterated 3DS may make those into legit eventualities.
RobFox64tm
Member
I think the real question is: will this extra RAM and processing power allow SNES games to be ported over to the 3DS?