Today we will look at the Nintendo DSi specifications to see what the new handheld console has to offer. Released to Europe and US in April this new console will be the most advanced handheld on the market to date.
So lets take a look at the specs in detail.
Two screens, 3.25 inches in size. They are larger than the previous DS Lite and have a resolution of 256 x 192. The screens are smaller than the Sony PSP which has a 4.3 inch display and the Apple I-touch at 3.5 inch but bear in mind that the DSi has two screens creating a bigger viewing area.
Cameras. Two cameras provide the DSi with unique gaming abilities and one of them is VGA. The first camera is located on the internal hinge to capture the players face and the second is located externally on the corner of the lid allowing the user to take pictures like a proper camera and using the gaming screens to view the shot. The PSP has an optional camera, which is 1.3mega pixels. The iPod Touch has a built in camera of 2 mega pixels.
Memory wise the Nintendo DSi provides an SD Card slot along with internal flash memory storage of 256mb. The PSP can hold a memory card of up to 16gb and the iPod Touch has 8 to 32gb depending on which size the owner opts for.
All handhelds mentioned have Wi-Fi capabilities. This is an excellent feature which allows users to surf the web, connect with other consoles of the same type, and download new games, applications and software updates. They all have their own customised stores. Nintendo DSi has the DSi – ware shop, PSP has the PS Store and the iPod Touch uses the App Store.
The DSi has single touch screen technology, the PSP does not have this capability although there is a home brew piece of equipment that owners can buy to set up their own touch screen function. The iPod Touch does have touch screen which is multi-touch technology.
The Nintendo DSi is 12% thinner than the DS Lite but the length is a little longer. The power switch on the DS Lite has been replaced to a button on the DSi which is going back to the original DS. A matted finish has been applied compared to the gloss finish of the DS Lite, which is meant to prevent showing finger prints.
Primarily it will be released in matte black and matte white in Europe and the US. In Japan, Nintendo has already released colours in pink, lime green and metallic blue on 20th of March 2009. Battery life is reduced to 9-14 hours on the lowest brightness setting compared to the 15-19 hours of its predecessor. The Game Boy Advanced slot has been removed which means the DSi has lost backward compatibility. This decision was made to improve portability without sacrificing durability.
The CPU in the Nintendo DSi is an ARM clocked at 133 MHz and has 16 MB of RAM. and the speakers have been improved from the previous model. All said and done the Nintendo DSi is an impressive piece of equipment which will keep gamers happy until some thing bigger and better hits the market which for 2009 at least is very unlikely.
The Nintendo DSi Handheld Console will be released in the UK on 3rd April at a retail price of ?150. To pick up a cheap Nintendo DSi you will need to do your research on the net. A good place to start is the link below.
Discover all DSi Downloads on our website. Got a PSP? Check out PSP Go Games.
