Difference Between 2DS And 3DS

So you’re looking at picking up a new handheld console, for which there aren’t many, but what is the difference between 2DS And 3DS. Nintendo’s handheld consoles and the PS Vita used to be aplenty — you’d see almost everyone with one of them on the go — but now that smartphones have taken the reigns as the go-to portable device, seeing a handheld console out in public has become a rarity. That said, there are still some games that you can’t download on your smartphone, particularly games from Nintendo that you could find on the 2DS or even the 3DS. Luckily, these handheld devices are still readily available for purchase today, and for fairly cheap even in brand new condition. There’s also a pretty large price disparity between the Nintendo 2DS and 3DS, which might have you seriously looking at the former over the latter.

However, before you make a purchasing decision, it’s important to understand the major differences between the Nintendo 2DS and the 3DS so that you not only get the most value for money, but also get exactly what you want. And that’s why we constructed this guide for you — to easily show you the major differences between the Nintendo 3D and the 2DS. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Difference Between 2DS And 3DS

 

Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS has some obvious differences that make it a whole lot more attractive than the Nintendo 2DS. It actually has the same size screen as the Nintendo 2DS, but with a different construction to make it 3D capable. There’s a 3.53-inch display up top and a just slightly smaller 3.02-inch screen on the bottom half. So while the screen size is the same, resolution is different, again, to enable 3D technology — the top screen actually has a doubled resolution: 800 x 240 pixels, but the bottom stays the same as the 2DS at just 320 x 240 resolution.

The Nintendo 3DS uses a technology that’s called autostereoscopic 3D, basically a way that you can watch content without glasses. It’s an interesting technology — some people have reported headaches, but the majority seem to be fine with it.

Battery life is significantly worse with the Nintendo 3DS because of having to push that 3D technology to the screen. 3-5 hours is common on a single charge, but that’s with you using a variety of 2D and 3D technology. There’s actually a slider on the screen to turn 3D technology offer, which if you keep off, should give you a similar battery life to the Nintendo 2DS.

Again, there is some significant price disparity between the two consoles because of the 3D technology. A Nintendo 3DS — the XL variant — is a little more expensive than the 2DS, which is a whole lot cheaper.

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Nintendo 2DS

The Nintendo 2DS has a fairly small screen — there’s a 3.53-inch display up top and a just slightly smaller 3.02-inch screen on the bottom half. Resolution on the 2DS is pretty abysmal, though games still look decent enough to play — you actually get a 400 x 240 pixel resolution for the top screen and then a slightly worse 320 x 240 resolution for the bottom one. That said, clarity isn’t the best, but it doesn’t look bad either.

As the name of the handheld console implies, you’re only going to be playing games on a 2D plane — the construction of the Nintendo 2DS and the resolution just doesn’t allow for those sweet three-dimensional graphics. Granted, the lack of 3D is another factor that dramatically reduces the costs involved with the Nintendo 2DS.

Battery life is actually the best in the Nintendo 2DS — that’s because it isn’t pushing 3D graphics to the console. That said, a full charge will get you anywhere between 3.5 and 5.5 hours. It takes a couple of hours to juice all the way up as well. So while the battery life is definitely not that great, you just have to make sure you plan your use with it accordingly on trips.

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Verdict on the Difference Between 2DS And 3DS

As you can see, there are some significant differences between the Nintendo 2DS and the Nintendo 3DS; however, any one of these handheld consoles will make your loved one happy, as the games are all interchangeable. For example, a 2DS game works with the 3DS, and a 3DS game works with the 2DS. DS games work in either.

So if you want to save yourself some money, pick yourself up a Nintendo 2DS, but if you want ot stay on the cusp of technology, the 3DS will be more up your alley.