DSi XL Hardware Review

We get to grips with the newest member and big daddy of the DS family, the DSi XL and answer the question: is bigger better?

Is bigger better? That’s the question the DSi XL poses to potential buyers.

It’s fair to say that most of us are still content with the Nintendo DSi, the Swiss army knife of handhelds. News of another iteration of the hardware seems a little premature, even unnecessary. With most systems opting to slim down, Nintendo have decided to break the trend by making a larger model of the DSi. So, is bigger better?

Let’s start by talking about the design of the system which is impressive and more mature-looking than previous models. The design is largely the same as the DSi but some changes have been made to the handheld’s finish: the face of the XL has a shiny glossy finish similar to that which covers the DS lite. The rest of the system has a rougher matted finish for better grip and feels more comfortable to hold.

It’s a good looking system, but that’s not the wow factor of the XL. Boot up the system and prepare to be amazed by the XL’s new screens. Boasting two 4.2 inch screens, considerably bigger than those of the DS lite, you’ll never want to play your games on anything smaller. Load up some of your favourites from your DS library and you’ll appreciate some of the subtle differences. The resolution and colors haven’t changed but the bigger screen makes your games look more impressive. Even when you’re viewing websites on the DSi Web Browser, having more on the screen at once makes it less of a chore to work with. You may noticed that the XL makes some of your games look slightly stretched, but there’s no denying that overall the games look better than they have on any other DS system.

Of course bigger also means heavier and the weight of the system is definitely something you’ll notice. Weighing in as the heaviest DS system to date (314 grams), it isn’t the kind of system that will sit comfortably in your pocket, let alone fit in it. The new stylus designed for those with much bigger fingers is incredibly comfortable to use but as there is no storage for it you may have to rely on the typical DSi stylus still stored in the system.