The new 2DS XL is Nintendo’s latest hardware revision for its flagship portable console. Seeing as that the Nintendo Switch launched in March of this year, many of us were not expecting a refresh to the 3DS family of products, but here we are and we couldn’t be happier. Here are 5 reasons you’ll love the New 2DS XL.
Bundled AC Adapter
For several years now, if you went to the store in search of a New 3DS console, you would likely be in the market for the “new” edition and as such you’d find yourself unwrapping a shiny new portable with no means of keeping it charged up. That’s right, Nintendo was shipping their New 3DS consoles without a power supply. While it wasn’t ever terribly difficult to locate a charger at retail, it was an annoyance especially for customers who ignored the fine print. Fortunately, Nintendo has caught wind of their fan’s frustration and revised their pack-in approach with the release of the New 2DS XL. Now you can enjoy your fancy new portable and charge it too!
No More Fingerprints
The New 3DS XL is a sleek portable console, one that many of us couldn’t wait to get our hands on when it released a few years back. The trouble is that when we got our hands on it, our hands never left. The original New 3DS XL is a lovely, glossy, fingerprint hoarding portable console and so when the New 2DS XL revealed itself as having a modern, matte finish, millions of us around the world rejoiced.
Easily Accessible Micro SD Slot
The New 3DS XL, while a wonderful portable in its own right, was a bit of nuisance in several, albeit minor, ways. We’ve already discussed the fingerprint-prone shell and the lack of bundled AC adapter, but we haven’t yet touched on the internal storage capacity. The New 3DS XL comes installed with 4 GB of internal memory in the form of a Micro SD card, one that is only accessible by removing the back of the console. In a return to form, Nintendo has included an easily accessible recess next to the game cartridge slot that thankfully doesn’t require any screwdrivers.
Price Reduction
It’s pretty clear that the New 2DS XL is looking to entice newcomers and owners of the 3DS clamshell-model, alike. The original 2DS is a flat, un-foldable console that came at reduced price due to its limited functionality (no 3D support) and small features (the original’s screen is only a fraction of the size of its new big brother). So, Nintendo hasn’t only merged features, with the clamshell design of the 3DS and the lack of 3D support, they’ve also merged price tags and are offering the New 2DS XL at $50 USD cheaper than the New 3DS XL. This is an important bullet point because it allows consumers an even more affordable gateway into the absolutely astounding library of games available for the Nintendo 3DS (and DS).
Compact Design
The New 2DS XL is an improvement in many ways over the New 3DS XL, especially if you’re someone who has always considered the 3D functionality superfluous and gimmicky. The new hardware shows an overall reduction in size across several different metrics. The New 2DS is less wide, shorter when closed, much lighter, and even more ergonomic – you’ll notice a smooth rounded edge on the bottom half of the console that was previously boxier on the New 3DS XL. All in all, this console is sleek, beautiful, and truly portable.
Now you know what you’re missing – Nintendo’s New 2DS XL is a brilliant way to end this portable console generation: affordable, sleek, and highly refined. The New 2DS XL releases in blue and cream colors on July 28th in North America and Europe, but the cream color is not yet confirmed for a US release.
Published: Jul 14, 2017 10:32 pm