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2DS Teardown Reveals Single LCD Panel

News

by Jeff Cork on October 16, 2013 at 10:05 AM

10,280 Views

Nintendo's 2DS handheld ditches the 3D functionality of the 3DS as well as its folding design. One of the benefits of those decisions is that the system costs less than its sibling – $130 versus $160. Someone's taken one of the new devices apart, confirming another way Nintendo was able to shave some of those bucks off the price.

USgamer reported that the 2DS was built around a single LCD panel instead of the 3DS' two individual displays, and a Facebook post by Rose Colored Gaming confirms it. The device's plastic front bezel completes the illusion that you're looking at two screens, while it's actually one larger panel.

[Source: Rose Colored Gaming via Polygon]

Our Take
This isn't a bombshell discovery by any means, but it's an interesting example of how companies find ways to streamline production and cut costs. It's a pretty clever solution, actually.

Email the author Jeff Cork, or follow on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Game Informer.

Filed under: News, Nintendo, handheld, 2DS, clever

Comments

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by jspres86 Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 10:21 AM

Wouldn't that mean that the entire thing is touch-capable?
by Zachary Pligge Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 10:25 AM

I figured this was the case and a great way to stream production. But are both the top and bottom able to be used as touchpads? Or somewhere in the software do they set parameters where only a portion of the LCD is capable?
by LOZFAN1 Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 10:31 AM

So cool. The 2DS is such a great device. Anyone looking to jump into handheld gaming, should pick up this device.
by styx971 Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 10:32 AM

well i guess that explains why ppl thought it was just a cheap strip of pastic er whatever when it was initally showed off .
by Brittany Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 10:35 AM

That's kind of freaky. But it is a genius way to save money.
by Winston Churchill Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 10:36 AM

One screen, one speaker, that's the power of Nintendo's engineering.
by The_Spaz Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 10:41 AM

I haven't had much experience with a 3DS device but from what I have seen, I am not sure I agree. Okay so the 3d effect was gimmicky and not good for your eyes and it was taken out. But the extra space is not utilized, I would have imagined the system would have benefitted from a larger screen and/or a second analogue stick which was introduced as a peripheral... Hell Nintendo could have kept the price the same but added some much needed functionality, it would make a nice disparity between the 3DS and 2DS. I would imagine a lot of the older gamers would be attracted by those features as well.
by The Destroyer Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 10:45 AM

We knew this the day it was revealed...:P
by Jesse Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 11:01 AM

I guess this is why you can't fold it =P
by Jessie Scott Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 11:03 AM

Good way to reduce costs, but hopefully it doesn't make repairs difficult.

Can't wait for the next big release! The Nintendo 1DS!

http://images.nintendolife.com/news/2013/09/weirdness_this_1ds_spoof_is_remarkably_well_done/attachment/3/original.jpg

Oh Nintendo, you so crazy!
by RezidentHazard (Skeptical Inquirer) Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 11:24 AM

Saw this yesterday at Kotaku. But then, we knew about it from the announcement of the thing. Still, always fascinating to see the innards of these things.
by Tim Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 11:30 AM

So should we call this the Nintendo Single Screen?
by Boyzby Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 11:52 AM

I saw this around the time when the thing was announced. I never thought about how it would save so much money, but I guess they wouldn't have done it if it weren't the case.
by The Enemy Gate is Down Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 12:16 PM

*Shocker*
by Cody R Cantrell Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 12:21 PM

I think most of us already believed this because of it not being able to be folded.
by DrSkipperSelect Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 12:27 PM

I can't help but feel this is so developers can have a reason not to develop games using 3d. Pokémon X & Y barely use 3d and when they do its a lagy mess.
by littledaddysj Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 12:30 PM

So then I suppose it's no longer a 2DS. Now it's a 2SS.
by tk575 Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 12:40 PM

Seems a shame the whole screen isn't being used.
by Stitch Jones Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 12:43 PM

Good lord what an awful design.
by Draco Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 12:53 PM

The device should be 99$ tops. 30$ less than a normal 3ds is not a low enough price disparity imo the 2ds is vastly inferior to the normal models/XL

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