New Nintendo 3DS XL Launches In U.S., Sells Without Charger

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Today, Nintendo released the New Nintendo 3DS XL in the United States.

The new system brings many feature updates over the older 3DS system, although some of the changes may not be readily apparent. For example, on the outside of the devices, the changes are really subtle.

The speaker holes have a different pattern, the color is a bit different, the volume switch was moved, the letters on the buttons have been colored, there are a few extra shoulder buttons and there is an extra little bump above the action buttons that users will likely mistake for a button.

That extra little bump is actually what Nintendo calls a "C stick," but it's very similar to the TrackPoint pointing stick used on Lenovo's ThinkPads. This is expected to help give users better control in certain games.

One of the New Nintendo 3D XL features uses the camera to track your face while in use. By doing so, the console is able to alter its displays slightly to improve the 3D effects.

Going by Nintendo's specs, the only other changes to the devices are using a microSDHC instead of an SD card and having built-in NFC technology. The NFC technology is likely the most important change for users, as it will simplify the use of the Amiibos and no longer require a separate adapter.

Although Nintendo's New Nintendo 3DS system has a few more features that help separate it from the older 3DS, such as changeable face plates, this version is not expected to make a release in the U.S.; only the New Nintendo 3DS XL will be seeing a release.

A problem is already arising, however. Nintendo plans to sell the New Nintendo 3DS XL without a charger. Currently, the only users who will be able to charge their devices are those who own a similar device from Nintendo and use that charger.

This works out really well for users who will trade in their old devices towards credit on the new one, but for anyone thinking they can just buy a New Nintendo 3DS XL without owning the old one, this will be a headache.

Most simply, users who buy a New Nintendo 3DS XL and don't have the charger can buy the official one for $9.95 on Nintendo's store. It can also be purchased at Gamestop for $12.95, but after contacting a few local Gamestop stores, none of them had it in stock. Amazon has them available too, but at $13.98, and coming from lesser-known resellers.

There are several third-party chargers not made by Nintendo, and these can be bought at many places such as Amazon or Ebay, but unfortunately, this will void the warranty of the device.

Users who want to purchase the New Nintendo 3DS XL will be able to do so at many retailers for $199.99. 

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Michael Justin Allen Sexton
Michael Justin Allen Sexton is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He covers hardware component news, specializing in CPUs and motherboards.
27 Comments Comment from the forums
  • FlayerSlayer
    "This works out really well for users who will trade in their old devices towards credit on the new one"

    Except that GameStop won't accept a 3DS trade in unless you turn in the charger, too. So even people upgrading will need to buy a new charger.
    Reply
  • koss64
    This has got to be the silliest thing Nintendo has done in years.How can you sell a handheld system for $200 and not include a charger just to shave something off the manufacturing cost?Its like walking barefoot because you think the price of shoes are too high.Not everyone has owned a 3DS before Nintendo.
    Reply
  • DannyMac
    The only way I would be somewhat okay with this is if the New Nintendo 3DS (also a dumb naming move), was if it used Micro USB. I have those chargers out the wazoo.
    Reply
  • qlum
    Considering I could still use the charger from my dsi on my australian import 3ds xl it was not a big deal for me but I can get it why it could be a problem, still the charger I got for my brother's ds light was only € 8,- so really I don't see it as a big deal.
    Reply
  • dmb77
    This is just plain stupidity. Nintendo has always been the most creative , accessible , and plain fun of all the systems, but this move makes ZERO sense . So you want to push people to use old used adapters when they can't find one anywhere locally ? Inexcusable blunder .
    Reply
  • dstarr3
    Yeah, I don't think there's any way to spin this. This is just dumb.
    Reply
  • thundervore
    Bad move on Nintendo. After owning a DS then going to DS Lite then the DSi I threw in the towel.

    I am tired of buying the same device all over again just with a new gimmick just to play a handful of new games. Releasing a rehashed device with a new gimmick and removing the charger is just insane for that price.

    Honestly if they included a charging cradle that uses micro USB this would not be an issue. But instead they force you to buy an accessory that should have been included.
    Reply
  • bluestar2k11
    I see a very easy way to spin this:

    They cut costs down on packaging by not including the charger, which isn't a problem at all for 2 reasons:

    1: A LOT of people own a DS of some type, and sometimes more then one, and if I'm not mistaken, the entire DS line from the first to this one, uses the same charger. So most people already have one or more.

    2: If you need a charger, you'd be paying the same cost in the end anyway to buy it. Nintendo just shaved off the cost of the charger plus a bit extra, from the cost of the 3DS for those who don't need it. Which is likely more then half of anyone who games on handhelds.

    People are just raising a fuss because they can't do math, and corporations are just evil entities. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this decision, and it even can save the consumer money.

    So why is that an issue for people?
    If you need it, you would have to buy it anyway for the exact same cost as buying them in separate boxes, if you didn't need it, you just saved like 15-20$.
    Reply
  • Albert Rampo
    this is so freakin stupid its actually funny
    Reply
  • burkhartmj
    15286795 said:
    I see a very easy way to spin this:

    They cut costs down on packaging by not including the charger, which isn't a problem at all for 2 reasons:

    1: A LOT of people own a DS of some type, and sometimes more then one, and if I'm not mistaken, the entire DS line from the first to this one, uses the same charger. So most people already have one or more.

    2: If you need a charger, you'd be paying the same cost in the end anyway to buy it. Nintendo just shaved off the cost of the charger plus a bit extra, from the cost of the 3DS for those who don't need it. Which is likely more then half of anyone who games on handhelds.

    People are just raising a fuss because they can't do math, and corporations are just evil entities. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this decision, and it even can save the consumer money.

    So why is that an issue for people?
    If you need it, you would have to buy it anyway for the exact same cost as buying them in separate boxes, if you didn't need it, you just saved like 15-20$.

    1: The DS and DS Lite use a different charger that looks similar to a Micro-USB but isn't. The current charger port was introduced with the DSi. I imagine a lot of people skipped the DSi, and if they haven't gotten a 3DS yet then they indeed have no charger lying around for this. On top of that, as many have pointed out, unless you just like having multiple redundant consoles lying around, trade-ins usually require including the charger.

    2: You don't pay the same cost. The overhead of something being sold separately on top of the separate profit margin takes a charger that is probably 2-3 dollars to make up to $10-20 at retail. Including it wouldn't hurt Nintendo's bottom line at all, not including hurts consumers plenty.

    I'm not getting this either way so I'm not super invested in the situation, but I'm not sure how anyone could possibly defend such a cheapskate move on Nintendo's part.
    Reply