For those of you that have spent a decent amount of time playing on both handhelds, which do you prefer and why? As for me, I've decided that i'm going back to my regular Aqua blue 3DS and just using my XL for VC GameBoy games in 1:1 Mode due to the larger screen size.

The XL KIND of dissapoints in terms of brightness, along with it's 'warm' color temperature, slightly darker colors(some people are saying they're richer?Really?) and the obvious less crisp, more jaggedy & stretched picture quality of the larger screens. Games still look great, and the 3D although not quite as intense is just...well...BIGGER. Which is great obviously. It actually seems a bit more natural, but the jaggedy less crisp graphics on the larger screen can make it seem not as pronounced or sharp at times. But after testing out titles side by side on both consoles the difference in terms of Brightness and PQ is quite noticable, especially with Resident Evil: Revelations.

Plus, when you plug in the charger/adapter into the regular 3ds it gets a fantastic boost in brightness, the whites get brighter, the colors become more vibrant and really pop. This isn't the case on the XL. if the warm temperature was bad enough, the Charger/adapter cable doesn't even increase the brightness whatsoever...I tried to get used to it, but whenever i'd flick on the regular 3DS + the charger cable I'd instantly be wowed by Brightness combined with the neutral color temp. The larger screens of the XL may make the experience more engrossing and grand, but the fact there's a few sacrifices along the way have thrown me off. The regular 3DS comes in either neutral or warm color temps, it's basically just a BIG panel lottery. I happen to own 2 aqua blue 3DS's, one that's neutral and the other being warm, and neutral I'd say looks a lot nicer since you get 'white' whites instead of yellowy' whites for ex, ect ect.

Plus the XL is looking a little cheap I'd say...Doesn't scream NextGen like the more sleaker, glossy, sparkly, multicake layered, detailed and brilliant desgin of the original which clearly had a lot more thought put into it. The XL looks like it belongs in the DSi family. It's more functional, clean and to the point, but it's very uninspired and bland imo. Looks great(blue at least) on the outside, but once you open it up it's just blah. Some prefer it, but it's design change i'm guessing saved Nintendo a few bucks. And heyyy, no finger prints for those that i care. I don't. lol

At least it's more comfortable than the regular 3ds due to the round edges, instead of the unforgiving sharp corners on the regular 3DS that would dig into your hands after a while. The D-pad also feels better and isn't creaky' anymore, the stylus placement is no longer akward, and shifting the headphone jack to the bottom right is was also a nice move. But eh, the original 3DS's screens were that size for a reason, and i don't want to sacrifce Brightness(which also effects color and shadow detail) just to get those larger screens....I mean, even when i game on the XL, i feel like I'm almost playing on a DSi XL with NextGen graphics and stereoscopic 3D, where as the 3DS is a whole 'new' beast.

Anways, Ta ta' XL, you shall strictly be for the 3DS's VC lol. Which BTW rocks! 1:1 mode looks fantastic on the XL, and makes playing VC games far more enjoyable than the blurrier stretched default mode or 1:1 mode which looks to be the size of a wrist watch screen on the original 3DS.

I think we have already had 20 of these threads now

It's funny because when I got the XL I passed my original onto my 3 y/o daughter (she calls it her favourite game) now whenever she shows me a drawing or wants me to help with something I think how in the hell did I put up with playing games on this thing it's bloody way too small... I also had to use the CPP at all times because it was more comfortable for my big a$$ hands. I'm gonna invest in the XL CPP as I still have the same problem even though it's bigger

I rarely play on brightness level of 5, and when I do, it always seems a bit too much, like an unnatural amount of brightness. So if there is a difference in brightness between the consoles, it doesn't matter to me. And I haven't noticed jagged edges on the XL. I'm not saying they're not there; just that they're not obvious to me. Color difference? I noticed it when I first turned on my XL, but not since I did the system transfer.

Battery life is very important to me, and I get much more from my XL. I used to charge my regular 3DS on Sunday night, and it would die at some point during my last trip home from work for the week. The XL lasts the entire work week and into the weekend. So for me, it's all good.

I just got my XL a few weeks ago and I love it! There were a few things I really didn't like about the classic, like the battery life and glossy finish. On the XL the battery life is so much better and it feels more comfortable to hold. However there a few things wrong with the XL as well. I have noticed the brightness and volume levels are not as good as on the classic. On the classic I played on a brightness level (with powersavers mode on) of 3, but on the XL I have to play it on 4 to achieve the same level of brightness on the classic. Still over all I prefer the XL those large screens look great and overall it is a fine improvement over the classic.

i stick to the normal 3DS

the XL placement of the headphonejack is just stupid and makes it uncomfortable to hold.
battery life isnt that much better and the games doesnt look as crisp

For those of you who's got the xl, how does the weight compare to the original 3ds?

I am about to make the jump to a blue xl. Biggest annoyances about the original are the glossy finish and the small screen size for vc games. Also, I have small hands and still battle to hold it comfortably.

@gtwarrior77

the xl is a little heavier than the 3ds. but it is balanced well, imo.

i have small/average size hands (i'm female) and the controls work just fine for me. the original 3ds caused me a lot of cramping/pain. i don't have that with the xl. my son's larger hands are much better with the xl.

yeah, that glossy finish drove me crazy. the 3ds looks great with it, but it was a distraction to me. also, the reflections aren't as much of a problem on the xl.

@K8sMum - Thanks for your response

yeah, I know the cramps. Also, the glossy finish is impossible to keep clean, though it's not a huge deal. The gloss finish feels slippery to me, like I can't get a nice grip. I think this also adds to the cramping. Looks and practical wise I also prefer the matte finish.

XL all the way, baby.

So what everyone is basically saying is that both systems have an almost equal balance of pros and cons. I myself am considering getting an XL and transferring my original 3DS's data to it (it'll be quite some time before I get one though). But the fact that some of you have said that the screen brightness isn't as good, and the max volume is lower, kinda concerns me. Also, my 3DS have a Nyko Power Pak+, which ups the battery life for a couple more hours (more then 5 hours on the lowest lighting, which I usually keep it on). So would the difference in battery life be about the same then? As for appearance I don't care though, in fact I think I prefer the XL's softer, non shiny look, not to mention it'll be easier to keep clean. Plus I've heard that the XL doesn't have problems with the bottom ridges and Circle Pad leaving marks on the top screen, which is a plus since my 3DS does that a the time.

For me here are the pros and cons for both systems.

3DS Pros

Glossy Finish. I love the look of it much better than the flat finish of the XL
Brightness Level. To me as well the original seemed a bit brighter but I got use to the XL after a few gaming sessions

3DS Cons

The creaky D pad. Seriously it always feels like its going to pop off when I use it
Headphone placement. This is a big one for me since I play handhelds with earbuds for me it just adds to the experience. But I dont like the headphone jack at the bottom of the 3DS I prefer it on the side.
Stylus Placement. Yeah this is a big one for me I find it awkward to have reach around back to pull out or place back the stylus often when I play a game that will require the stylus I usually pull it out before hand.
The start, select, and home buttons. Ugh I hate these they just couldnt use normal buttons I am so afraid that when I press them I am going to wreck them.

3DS XL Pros

Size. In this case size does matter. Its more comfortable for me, the bigger screens are great for games whether its 3DS games DS or VC games.
Better D pad design. It doesnt feel as cheap as the 3DS D pad
Start, select, home buttons. Yeah so much better now that they are buttons
Battery Life. So nice to be able to go on a Netflix kick when the TV is in use and I dont have to worry about the battery dieing out quickly

3DS XL Cons

The flat paint job. I liked the sparkly glossy finish of the 3DS. WHile the blue isnt bad its just too bland.
The sound. For me its not that big of a deal since I use earbuds but for someone who doesnt this would be a big con.
No second circle pad. Yeah I am adding this you would think that Nintendo would be smart and just have added another one.

So there are my thoughts.

Defintiely this. The bigger size offsets a lot of the extra weight. I cradle it more than I hold it, as opposed to the original, which I found myself gripping more tightly so as not to drop it.

I think the headphone jack placement on the XL is an imporvement, since you won't have a cable dangling straight down the middle. But ya, you're right. Graphics aren't as crisp, clear and clean. They've very good on the XL, but this is what happens when you're increasing screen size with small resolution. The difference with RE: revelations was easily noticable. I've noticed too that the 3D effect on the XL doesn't seem quite as striking, I mean it's fantastic and everything....But because of the hit in crispness, the 3D doesn't look quite as sharp or clear. But the 3D effect is bigger and for some games it just makes the experience more wowza' & immersive.

I think i could deal had the Xl boasted a neautral color temp and retained the same brightness(they must of knocked it down to increase the battery life) + the boost in brightness with the charger. But as is, ehhh. again i'm using it soley for VC in 1:1 mode due to the larger screen. That's actually the reason why i bought it! Besides it's not like i spent $199 on it...i got it for half price since it was on sale in combination with a couple of christmas bestbuy gift cards i ended up using. Anyways, Metroid II is going to be oh so sweet!

When on it's max brightness setting and hooked up to the charger, the original 3DS looks just as bright and colorful as the DS Lite. Take the charger out and the brightness and color get knocked down quite a bit. Now that i've gotten used to the brighter(Shadow detail is also improved while retaining same black levels like in RE: Revelations. On the XL some of the shadow detail, or details in your hand gun looked crushed, almost not present in comparison at times ect) and more colorful picture i can't even go back to using the regular 3ds without
the charger hooked up.

The Neutral color temp(bright whites ect. Again if you have a 3DS with a neautral color temp), much brighter picture with vibrant colors(With charger in use) and cleaner 'n crisper picture of the 3DS and beautiful design have won me over. tee hee

The 3ds smudges terrible, the screen is squinting samll. The battery life is terrible. Also I carry my xl and my sons/mine 3ds reg, and he only picks up a 3rd of the street passers my XL does. It actually feels substantial, the 3ds is TOO light. Once a new color that I like of the XL shows I wiull get another and donate the 3ds reg to someone in need. I wish I never owned the 3ds reg., it is my least favorite Nintendo handheld of all time. Everything about the 3ds reg feels cheap.

I bought a XL and gave it to my wife, and she in turn gave her 3DS to me. So after playing around with both, I can say that the XL is more my speed since I do have large hands. When I play the 3DS for too long, I start to hurt.

Other than that though, I really don't mind either way.

lol i cant understand how people think the headphonejack placement on the XL would be an improvement.
it is my major argument for not getting a XL !

and i really hate the paintjob on the XL-models (so far)
japan has some cool ones. like the animal crossing XL.

i also dislike the weight of the XL. even the normal 3DS is too heavy for me when i play games only with a stylus. it really hurts after a while. not that i am too weak, but holding that 3DS with one hand for 30mins or so just has to get ugly...

Well here we go again... why not!?

I'd say its all down to preference, I personally didn't notice the XL screens to be any duller or weirdly colored or anyhting. It looks all nice to me. Must be - like the OP said - that some panels are different than others and it's just a big lottery.

Why i switched to the XL:
Im 31 years old, wearing glasses and with the big screens I can comfortably play without the need for them. On top of that I think it looks more grown up, feels better in your hands, is nicely balanced, smooth and nice to touch, easier to clean, I don't notice ANY difference in volume (playing with headphones all the time) and I really enjoy the bigger touch screen as well, "thumbing" my way through ingame menues or the eShop. Its a huge convenience for me and works well. There is not a single thing I don't like about the XL, it's virtually better in all things except maybe portability, but since Im traveling with a bag of sorts at all times, its no problem really. Btw, for me, the beats-everything-else advantages are really those 3 things:

• bigger screens, easier to see, more immersive, don't mind jaggies, grew up with SNES/Commodore C64
• easier and less crampy to hold, comfortable for my long fingers
• REFLECTIONS DRASTICALLY REDUCED (very important for me)

All other things are nice as well, but those 3 are my top 3.

How anyone goes back to the 3DS after playing on the XL for a solid WEEK (gotta give the brain time to adjust) is beyond me. But then again I just like a bigger screen I know some folks just like mini stuff

I could probably settle for the jaggies & less crisp image if the color temp were neautral, if the image were brighter
AND if the recharger/adapter gave it that extra big boost in brightness(which makes the colors super colorful on the 3dsect)
THEN i'd probably use it for 3DS/3DSware titles. Bit as is, it's only getting VC 1:1 lovin.

Now If you place them side by side, the 3DS(neutral temp version) hooked up to the charger Vs. the XL there's quite a big difference
in terms of brightness, color, crispness, the works. I should take a few pictures just to show some comparison, since
there are quite a few gamers on here who are still undecided.

I'd rather get bigger screens with a proper higher resolution that's designed to fit those big screens on
NIntendog's Next Gen HD(OLED screend') handheld.

Yet Watch nintendo release a 3DS XL Bright in 1-2 years. But yup, I agree about the squinting for the regular 3DS.
It can make games like Kid Icarus: Classics and RE: REvelations a little tough to play at times.

I haven't noticed a brightness issue with the XL. The jaggies and sound issue are legitimate problems, but the XL model fixes so many of the original's problems that I could never go back to playing anything on the original model. I never upgraded once last gen after I'd purchased my DS Lite, but the 3DS XL was totally worth the extra money.