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The 3DS XL is a 4.88, 4.18 inch Proprietary handheld that plays everything up to 3DS well, made by Nintendo. It came out in August 2012 at $170. Inside is the CPU CTR with 128 MB of RAM.
3DS XL videos
What it plays
Plays up to: 3DS. Chip: CPU CTR.
Scores out of 100. 100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues on this device. 80 or more plays well (green), 50 to 79 plays partly (yellow).
What owners say
“I have hacked 3ds xl but I can't fast forward Pokemon or JRPGs and although I love the genre grinding gets old fast.”
“Combined with the top heavy form factor and lack of ergonomics, I try to break out my 3DS XL only when absolutely necessary. The 3DS library is incredible, but not all variants of the hardware were hits.”
What the specs mean
Same chip as 1 other handheld
The CPU CTR also powers the 3DS. The same chip means similar speed, though memory and cooling can differ.
Based on: Our handheld database (chip field)
Rating
Original consoles get no RETROPULSE score: it rates handhelds made for emulation.
Good
- Plays everything up to 3DS well
Not so good
- PS1 games do not run reliably
- LCD screen, not IPS or OLED
- No video out
- Small 1,750 mAh battery
Specs
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Chip | CPU CTR |
| CPU | ARM11 |
| Cores | Dual |
| Clock speed | 268 MHz |
| GPU | Digital Media Professionals PICA200 |
| RAM | 128 MB |
| Cooling | No |
| Screen | |
| Size | 4.88, 4.18" |
| Type | LCD |
| Resolution | 800 x 240, 320 x 240 |
| Pixel density | 171 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | Top: 5:3, Bottom: 4:3 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Dual screen | Yes |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Lower placement |
| Analog sticks | Yes |
| Stick layout | Single, top |
| Shoulder buttons | No L2/R2 |
| Rumble | No |
| Gyroscope | Yes |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | 1 GB & External SD/SDHC |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (?) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| USB-C | No |
| Video out | No |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Clamshell |
| Dimensions | 156 x 93 x 22 mm |
| Weight | 336 g |
| Battery | 1750 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Proprietary |
Questions
Can the 3DS XL play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 0 out of 100. It plays everything up to 3DS well.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
1,750 mAh. The middle Linux and other handheld in our database has 3,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
No, it has no video out.
How much does the 3DS XL cost?
It launched at about $170 in Aug 2012. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$170 at launch
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.