3DS GPU more detailed (By Nintendo!)

Here's the full article

http://www.gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=148615

But this section is important to me

Iwata: Choosing 3D led to the need to double the graphics and increase the brightness of the backlight, so there must have been a lot of challenges with regard to power.

Umezu: I knew from the very start that the LCDs would require lots of power, so I thought we couldn't use that much for graphics. I spent quite a lot of time looking into programmable shading, but when you use that method for a handheld game system, you also have software processing in the SoC, and a number of steps become necessary for calculating the shading to render one point on the screen, so it can't keep up if the operating frequency isn't fast enough.

Iwata: In other words, that method eats up too much power.

Umezu: Yes. We knew that DMP's technology had the merit of calculating with the hardware, so we could cut down on the power used.

Iwata: DMP's technology achieves with the hardware most of the shadow calculation usually done by a programmable shader, so even a slower operating frequency can achieve the same results. With today's semiconductor technology, the frequency has a direct influence on power use, so it's very beneficial in that regard.

I find this particular section interesting

The DMP GPU in the 3DS is known to be clocked at 200Mhz, there were rumors that the GPU was underclocked to 133Mhz. That dissapointed some people. But here they talked about how the GPU saves power, and how it performs. Basically it means it saves power, and may actually perform near its "stock" clock speed due to things like the programmable shader

Now, mind you I don't really understand a lot of this but it sounds like, and tell me if i'm mistaken, that even though they are clocking the GPU lower to conserve power, its going to actually be able to perform like its near full power, or Am i mistaken?

Either way, it sounds good.

Also, about the battery

With brightness on high, 3D on and WiFi on, and power save mode off it will last 3 hours

With brightness at its lowest, 3D on and WiFi on, power save mode on it will last 5 hours

With the brightness set on high, turning 3d off increases battery life 25% (so lets say from 3 hours on high, no power save, and wifi on it increases it from 3 hours to 4 hours and 15 minutes, thats the 25% difference)

So, Nintendo already said the other day, that turning the 3D off could double battery life, and set it up to 8 hours potentially, more with WiFi off

You can figure out the numbers your self, but with 3d on, highest brightness, power save off and wifi on it lasts 3 hours, so logically with 3d off, wifi off, power save on, and brightness maybe down to medium, i'm sure you will get 7-10 hours

i just got done at nintnedos site looking at images and pilotwings i dont know man but that sky looked real , beautiful , and alot more better then what ds or psp could even do ,

so with that said ya itll be impressive,

maybe it'll act like the psp where it was running at 222mhz, but then got unlocked for games like GOW at 333mhz.

maybe it'll act like the psp where it was running at 222mhz, but then got unlocked for games like GOW at 333mhz.

supdotcom

That would be really nice. Unfortunately those games would probably only be Nintendo-published stuff. More proof that Nintendo is greedy for money.

[QUOTE="supdotcom"]

maybe it'll act like the psp where it was running at 222mhz, but then got unlocked for games like GOW at 333mhz.

wes008

That would be really nice. Unfortunately those games would probably only be Nintendo-published stuff. More proof that Nintendo is greedy for money.

Since when does idle speculation equal proof?

Very interesting. Knowing me, I'll be playing the 3DS plugged in. Just like I did with the DS lite. Car rides and (probably plane rides, never been on a comercial flight before) bore me, so I just sleep. Cant play something as amazing as the 3DS sleeping:P Though it can certainly play itself...

Im surpised this wasnt mentioned, but I (actually my older brother) have found that turning the volume off (or just lowering it) increases the battery life significantly. Something to note is that I dont know if this is true on the DSi or DSi xl.

Yep.. there are lots of little energy saving tricks you can use to get more play time, meaning that Nintendo's 3-5 hour estimate is conservatively low.dzimm

Yep, and one besides sound would be closing the 3DS whenever you walk away from for a sort amount of time (since the screens do turn off when you close the 3DS right?)

Here is one link that states emphatically that the battery life is 3-5 hours and no more

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/285683/news/nintendo-explains-why-3DS-battery-life-is-only-3-5-hours/

Here is one link that states emphatically that the battery life is 3-5 hours and no more

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/285683/news/nintendo-explains-why-3DS-battery-life-is-only-3-5-hours/

savagehulk

i didn't click the link because Nintendo already explained to me that turning off 3d can put the console near 8 hours, without power save on, and with wifi on. So, that literally makes the idea of it not lasting more than 5 hours invalid. Turning 3D off increases it, almost doubles it

Here is one link that states emphatically that the battery life is 3-5 hours and no more

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/285683/news/nintendo-explains-why-3DS-battery-life-is-only-3-5-hours/savagehulk

3-5 hours with 3D enabled and the backlight at its brightest setting. Lowering the brightness, disabling the 3D and Wifi, and using a special power save mode will substantially increase runtime. Just turning off 3D alone will have the battery lasting 25% longer, and using power save gains you another 10 to 20% which is around 6-hours. And that's with the backlight at its brightest setting. Turning the backlight down to minimum could reasonably extend that run time out to 8 or 9-hours. Seriously, did you even read the article you linked to?

Did you read the article the head of nintendo said battery charging will be far more frequent than on the original DS no matter if its in 3D mode or not. You can think what you want once you get it and it never goes longer than 5 hours period in any mode you'll see then.

Did you read the article the head of nintendo said battery charging will be far more frequent than on the original DS no matter if its in 3D mode or not. You can think what you want once you get it and it never goes longer than 5 hours period in any mode you'll see then.

savagehulk

Thats where you are wrong i do understand it. It you blind fools who refuse to accept the fact the 3DS's battery life is not what you fanboys are saying read the articles its right there.

You can think what you want once you get it and it never goes longer than 5 hours period in any mode you'll see then.savagehulk

The article you referenced explicitly says that turning off 3D will give you 25% additional runtime at the brightest setting, so let's say 4 hours at its brightest setting with 3D enabled. Disabling 3D stretches that out to 5 hours. Turning down the brightness will probably get you at least another 2 hours. So conservatively speaking, turning off 3D and lowering the screen brightness will get you 7 hours of play time.

And really, this is only going to be a concern if you plan on being away from a power source for an extended period of time, so no big deal, right?

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cough..

Thats where you are wrong i do understand it. It you blind fools who refuse to accept the fact the 3DS's battery life is not what you fanboys are saying read the articles its right there.

savagehulk

Thats where you are wrong i do understand it. It you blind fools who refuse to accept the fact the 3DS's battery life is not what you fanboys are saying read the articles its right there.