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Tech · Nintendo · 2015

New Nintendo 3DS XL

DS, 3DS, and New 3DS cartridges on one device, with the steadiest 3D Nintendo ever shipped.

Retro handhelds: the five worth buying used — #1

Overall

8.3

out of 10

Axis scores

Strongest on Performance (8.8), weakest on Value (7.6), a 1.2-point spread. The 8.3 overall is the plain average of all 5 Tech axes, with no weighting.

New Nintendo 3DS XL — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 5 axes. Bars run from a shared zero baseline; longer is better. New Nintendo 3DS XL: Performance 8.8, Value 7.6, Durability 7.8, Ease of use 8.8, Design 8.4.PerformanceNew Nintendo 3DS XL — Performance 8.8 out of 108.8ValueNew Nintendo 3DS XL — Value 7.6 out of 107.6DurabilityNew Nintendo 3DS XL — Durability 7.8 out of 107.8Ease of useNew Nintendo 3DS XL — Ease of use 8.8 out of 108.8DesignNew Nintendo 3DS XL — Design 8.4 out of 108.4Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better
  • Performance — How well it does the core job
  • Value — What the same money buys elsewhere
  • Durability — Failure and fade reports past the one-year mark
  • Ease of use — Setup, daily operation, cleaning, maintenance
  • Design — Build quality and how it sits in a room

Specs

Top screen
4.88 in, stereoscopic 3D with face tracking
Bottom screen
4.18 in, resistive touch
Plays
DS, 3DS, and New 3DS cartridges
Controls
C-Stick, ZL/ZR, built-in amiibo reader
Storage
microSD, behind a screwed back plate
Battery life
3.5 to 7 hours on 3DS games (Nintendo)

As published by the manufacturer. We didn't measure these ourselves.

Is it for you

Buy it if

  • You want the deepest library for one device, including the DS back catalog
  • You want stable 3D, since face tracking keeps it from breaking when you shift
  • You care about a few titles that run only on the New models, such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3D

Skip it if

  • You planned to buy games digitally, because the 3DS eShop closed in March 2023
  • You want to play Game Boy Advance cartridges, which it has no slot for

The word “New” is the whole point and also the easiest thing to get wrong in a listing. The original 3DS XL from 2012 looks almost identical. The New model has a small C-Stick nub above the face buttons and ZL/ZR shoulder buttons. Look for both in the photos before you trust the title.

Collector prices for this model have climbed since the eShop closed. Cartridge games still work. Games bought digitally can be downloaded again only on a system already tied to that Nintendo Network ID, so a used unit arrives with nothing more than what is on its memory card.

The top screen panel varies from unit to unit. Some shipped with IPS panels and others with TN, which loses color and contrast at an angle. Collectors pay more for IPS units, and some listings say which panel is inside. If it matters to you, ask the seller for a photo of the lit screen taken from an angle.

Search “new 3ds xl” and then check every photo, because the 2012 3DS XL turns up under the same words. A listing with only the closed lid pictured is a reason to ask.

The hinge holds up well and the weak spot is elsewhere. Owner reports point to worn shoulder buttons and scratches on the top screen from the unit closing on grit. A seller’s photo of the screen with the backlight off shows those scratches better than one taken with the screen lit.

Last updated . The scoring method is on how we rank.