Nintendo DS consoles are the best selling portable gaming systems on the market. They have earned that title by offering a fun, interactive and personalized experience for their users, and providing brilliant color and audio clarity to their consoles. The two current versions on the market, the DS Lite and the DSi, have many similarities and a few significant differences. DSi is the newest model though DS Lite sales are still very robust. If you’re thinking of purchasing one, but aren’t sure which one would be better, here’s how the two compare:

Similarities between the DS Lite and DSi

Both versions of Nintendo’s console offer sleek attractive designs available in a wide variety of colors. No matter what your age or personal style preference, you can play with one of these in public without fear of embarrassment. Both consoles also offer a rich gaming environment and a similar layout of all face and shoulder buttons.

Differences Between the DS Lite and DSi

The most significant differences between the two units come down to three main issues: the sizeof the screen, the games that are available to play, and the battery life.

• The DSi was designed with a screen that is.25 inches bigger than the DS Lite. While it seems minor, the enhancement also came with a more vivid LCD screen that really makes the colors ‘pop’ on the DSi. The 3D action is brighter and more in depth than ever before and gamers have been raving about the change.

• The DSi unit plays all DS games and new games made specifically for the DSi. The DS Lite plays all DS games (except those made specifically for DSi), as well as all old Game Boy Advance games.

• DSi, on the lowest brightness level, offers between 9-14 hours of play time before the system will shut off on you. DS Lite, on that same setting, provides between 15-19 hours of play time.

There are many other differences between the Nintendo DS Consoles, though not as important. The power button is located on the face of the DSi unit, while the DS Lite features a slider switch on the side for power. The DSi has a smaller body design and takes about 30 minutes less time to charge.

More important, are the additions that were made to the DSi unit. Nintendo wanted to make their latest version much more interactive and personalized for their users. Toward that end, they placed 2 digital cameras on the console, a first for a gaming system. One is on the inside of the unit facing the gamer. The other is on the outside, facing away from the user. Users are also able to manipulate and morph the pictures using 10 different lenses available on the camera.

Another key upgrade was made to the sound system. Not only can you play music off of SD cards, you can also use the device as an interactive recorder. As with the photos, there are options available that allow you to distort the sound by altering the pitch, speed, and tempo of a song.

Nintendo also created a new line of quality games exclusively for the DSi that are available via online download for a small fee. To accommodate this feature, Nintendo upgraded the internal memory on the DSi and placed a built in browser in the device, which allows you to download games as well as surf the web.

Both the DS Lite and the DSi are known for being powerful, and entertaining gaming systems. Nintendo is the clear leader in portable devices and both units are designed with gamers in mind. While the DSi remains the most popular choice for new gamers, the choice of which Nintendo DS console is right for you will really depend on your own personal gaming style.

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