This is something I've been thinking about for a while now, and since I can't make up my mind alone, I figured I would ask a bunch of strangers. I've had my current 3ds for almost 2 years now, and since I first got it, I had a feeling that perhaps it wasn't as good quality-wise as it should be. After messing with several other 3ds systems (all original glossy versions), my suspicions where confirmed. Here's a list of the things that feel bad-

1.Hinge is loose and squeaky. Makes a loud snap when opened all the way whereas other 3dss (3di?) have a nice, soft click.

2.The D pad is rotten. It rattles around loosely, and feels squeaky, or as if it's grinding against something on the inside. Simple things like trying to push diagonally are difficult. In order to get it to work well, I feel the need to take my finger off of it and place it on another portion.

3.The circle pad is also kind of rotten. It's very loose, twists around it's center much more than it should, and rattles a bit. The worst part is that it completely lacks the rough grip that others have. Instead, it's slick, and my finger is constantly slipping off of it as a result.

4.The shoulder buttons rattle, and feel like they are grinding up against something half the time.

5.The face buttons seem to squeak when being pushed down against the sides of the sockets.

Those are all of the issues that seem exclusive to mine, but there are also things that I just can't stand about the regular 3ds design. My hands go numb not long after initially starting a game, and it is just generally uncomfortable to hold. Whatever they used for the upper screen is just awful, and attracts marks from the circle pad and the border of the touch screen. The xl on the other hand, has a matte finish, and should be a bit more comfortable to hold since it's larger.

The real thing holding me back from simply getting the xl is the money sink. If I were to get a new one, I would sell back my current 3ds. However, the going price for used 3ds systems seems to be around $75, which is a lot less than what I was hoping for.

So help me duders. Am I just making a big stink out of nothing? Or should I let my pockets take the hit and get an xl?

I don't like the darker screens of the 3DS XL.

First thing I will say is if you can't afford it, don't upgrade.

I upgraded to a 3DS XL a month ago. I like the bigger screen, and when I boot up my 3DS (I still use it), I can't stand the smaller screen. There are issues I have with the 3DS XL, but they may be exclusive to mine: the D-pad shifts around a little bit like it's not properly set; the body feels like cheap plastic with too much empty space inside of it, making it kind of "squeezey" and squeaky.