Those looking forward to a fight between the 3DS and PlayStation Vita can pack up and go home, because the war is already won. The latest news is that the Vita's battery life is superior to the 3DS', able to get more juice at its maximum settings than Nintendo's handheld. Nintendo is DOOMED!
Both systems were tested at optimum conditions, with the sound and brightness on the highest setting, and the 3DS' 3D slider on full. The Vita was able to run Uncharted: Golden Abyss for three hours, forty-seven minutes while the 3DS could keep Monster Hunter Tri G going for two hours, thirty five minutes. That gives the PS Vita 46% more running time.
Of course, one could argue that the 3DS gets more with the 3D Slider set to zero, but when 3D is the entire point of the system, it shouldn't be discounted so easily. Even with 3D turned off, it'd take some doing to retake a 46% advantage.
If you have even remotely enjoyed the 3DS before -- even briefly -- you're now officially an idiot because of this. The test scientifically proves the 3DS is the worst thing ever made and that anybody who supports it should become a social pariah. This is undisputed fact now.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Also: The right trigger on my launch 3DS just stopped working so I have to send it in for repair. EVERY 3DS IS DEFECTIVE AND IF YOU BUY ONE YOU ARE A STUPID CUNT.
I figured battery life was the last of the comparitive features, what with one playing real console experiences, and the other playing low res cartoony crap... and monster hunter.
Either way though, nearly 4 hours at full screen brightness is pretty damn good. I very very rarely have to put my PSP to full brightness and that, is one of the mian battery killers.
On the other hand though, ever tried playing a PSP over Adhoc connection? or online? - You often get like 25% of the time for offline gaming. It's pretty much a case of no power, no online play.
Both handhelds lost: three hours, forty-seven minutes!!!!!!!!!!!! for the winner??!?!?
I think men with premature ejaculation have more action than that.
Personally, I use the Nyko extended battery, which gets me close to six hours (I hardly use the 3D) on my 3DS..... I mean, yeah, you've got to install it and it sticks out of your 3DS, but it makes for a great grip and I personally think it makes the 3DS more comfortable, since it's matte and has "grips" for your fingers.
I'll probably get a Vita, too (got the early edition bundle preordered on Amazon with Little Deviants)and I'm sure nyko will make some sort of contraption for that too.....
I think this test was kinda BS.... Since no one I know really ever plays the entire time with their 3D on, of course, it is the "3D" - S, but even without the 3D, the system sports Wii quality graphics..... So, my point is..... uh... I don't really have one.... :) I'm going to own both systems and enjoy the hell out of them.
"I figured battery life was the last of the comparitive features, what with one playing real console experiences, and the other playing low res cartoony crap... and monster hunter."
Oh come on now, don't be stupid. You can stand games like RE:Revelation on the 3DS up against anything on the Vita, including Uncharted. Just because Nintendo likes to make cartoony games, which isn't a bad thing by the way, that doesn't mean the whole system can't do good realistic graphics!
Let's just cut to the chase and announce that both handhelds are total garbage and nobody needs to play either of them, and then secretly everyone can play whichever system they choose and enjoy.
That's a newer model PSP, the original didn't last that long.
Also remember that computing power (and the associated power requirements) are rising faster than cheap battery life is expanding. Add to that additional energy sapping features like always on wi-fi, street pass, and built in cappuccino dispensors and it takes a toll. A delicious, delicious toll.
Still, Jim's logic is flawless as usual. The 3DS and Nintendo are doomed. I expect we'll hear they're shuttering the whole business after they fail to sell a single 3DS unit this holiday season. Sure you could turn the 3D effect down and still have at least Wii quality graphics and some great games to play, but let's not kid ourselves. Wwe play 3DS for the 3D, not for fun games and battery life is the sole determining factor in console comparisons. The Nintendo fanboys just need to accept this and move on.
Of course, this also means the Vita will fail almost as bad but Sony will discover an unexpected windfall in the PSP's new role as top portable console.
In other news popcorn gifs are the most knuckle-gnawingly awful thing to appear in comment threads for a while. Anyone who uses them should become a social pariah.
though we all know the 3ds sucks on battery life we must not forget that the two senarios are not equally stressing for the systems per se so it may just be a little different with other games, I also dont know what the wireless settings where as they can also influence the time quite a bit and lastly like said before what happened to handhelds having a decent battery life
@DJ Sima
The worst part, for me, isn't that the Vita doesn't come with a memory card - it's not even the price point, or that it's proprietary.
It's that the MAX size is 32GB.
Let's see - that's enough to hold my PSP games. Now if I want any of my PSOne Classics, or ANY new Vita games (which will be at least 2GB, if PSP game sizes are anything to go by), there's no way to hold them. It's...pretty lame to say the least. Now they're saying your profile is linked to the memory card - so switching cards seems like it may be out of the question.
They're pushing the Vita's digital marketplace hard (and even offering digital games cheaper), but you can only fit what, like 6-7 games on it?
I'm getting the Vita because I want to play all these awesome games, but the mind boggles.
my way to keep the battery life of my handhelds high enough is to use a laptop on hibranate making it act like a portable power supply. I did that on the ds, and psp quite a few times. you can get a cheap usb charger for like 1$ on dealextreme and it works perfectly fine
@BrainWasherAttendent
"You're one of the bad people on this planet."
???
I'm not denying that I am, but I'm wandering what in this tread makes you think so.
@Pennywise
I'll take a mochachino.
P.S.: Don't be so harsh on Jim. Nintendo did sell the 3D on the 3DS as the main feature. We all know that it's not; he's just projecting what he knows some people will say about this.
That said, I'm wary of any test that puts a game in idle, as the results will vary depending on the games being used and how they are coded, how they access memory when there's no user input, etc.
A more realistic test would have two people playing multiple games on each system until the battery runs out and average the results, with control systems just on for as long as they last while idle, but I guess the scientific method has no place here.
sold my launch 3DS, games cost too much, battery was poor, hardware was a bit flimsy (the hinge was so loose that a gust of wind could close the thing) so the vita will happily take over. I'm more of a Playstation guy anyway
Battery life is why I preferred the DS to the PSP. I could go on a week long vacation and not have to worry about bringing a charger with me if I brought my DS. With the PSP, it could run out of juice before I finish traveling to my destination if the flight was long enough or if there was a layover...
oh yeah, when playing uncharted on the vita, the game turns off every network communication (turns off wifi/3g god knows why) and that's mandatory (only game that does this so far)
have that in mind fanboys
Blllaaaarg!!! My system is better than that other system Jim!! Plus you is fat and have tits and such! Troll blah blah hate blah blah blah.
Yours Always
Some Db Toolbag on the Internet
Honestly, this is the first Vita related news that hasn't made me cringe in several months. Having said that, the Vita's piss poor battery life only seems acceptable next to the 3DS's. In reality, they both suck.
I'm still nit convinced thus is an accurate number for the Vita. The battery benchmark numbers Sony released on the Vita had all the bells and whistles turned off (Blue-Tooth, Wifi, 3g, and even the external speakers!), until I know otherwise, I'm going to assume this test took some shirtcuts to benefit the Vita as well.
I mean, who the fuck does a battery benchmark with external speakers turned off?
While it gives me giggles that the PSV has the leg up, even with it's prettier visuals, you have to admit that both numbers are pretty bad for portable systems. Kinda the same thing with smartphones. We have these slick gadgets, but no juice to use them...
Ahahaha! The iPhone has better battery life than the dedicated handhelds? I guess haters can't use the iPhones battery life as a snub against it as a gaming system anymore.
That's pretty terrible actually. Honestly I think portable systems need to start focusing entirely on extending battery life. I could care less about better graphics at this point, I want my systems to give me as much, if not more battery life than my gameboy.
One thing to note is, while the PSP and 3DS had fairly static screens the entire time, the PS Vita had a rotating camera view, which absolutely would use more processing power than the other 2. If you were to have a test with a static screen on the PS Vita too, I bet it would last even longer.
I've essentially come to the conclusion that all these easily avoidable design flaws are allowed to leak through so they can sell parts on the aftermarket. Why release a great product when you can release a passable product that with 3-5 peripherals becomes great?
What I mean is, it's pretty sad that modern day gaming systems have a worse battery life than a gaming system that came out in 1989.
Somewhere along the way, hardware designers lost focus on what a handheld should be. Portable systems should be designed with PORTABILITY in mind. Less than 4 hours battery life is simply unacceptable.
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Contest:
8:40 AM on 12.21.2011 | 
I saw a Vita yesterday, and it was fuckin awesome!! I'm thinking it could become my go to system.
Either way though, nearly 4 hours at full screen brightness is pretty damn good. I very very rarely have to put my PSP to full brightness and that, is one of the mian battery killers.
On the other hand though, ever tried playing a PSP over Adhoc connection? or online? - You often get like 25% of the time for offline gaming. It's pretty much a case of no power, no online play.
Nine frikken' hours.
What the hell happened between this handheld Gen and the last?
I think men with premature ejaculation have more action than that.
"...what with one playing real console experiences, and the other playing low res cartoony crap..."
Trolling must be hard.
bi-wining!
I'll probably get a Vita, too (got the early edition bundle preordered on Amazon with Little Deviants)and I'm sure nyko will make some sort of contraption for that too.....
I think this test was kinda BS.... Since no one I know really ever plays the entire time with their 3D on, of course, it is the "3D" - S, but even without the 3D, the system sports Wii quality graphics..... So, my point is..... uh... I don't really have one.... :) I'm going to own both systems and enjoy the hell out of them.
I will buy a Vita - the Vita looks fun.
I am a terrible person.
Still, I guess I always suspected it.
Your a moron
" playing real console experiences, and the other playing low res cartoony crap..."
This quote is one of the most idiotic things Ive read.
Oh come on now, don't be stupid. You can stand games like RE:Revelation on the 3DS up against anything on the Vita, including Uncharted. Just because Nintendo likes to make cartoony games, which isn't a bad thing by the way, that doesn't mean the whole system can't do good realistic graphics!
You're one of the bad people on this planet.
@Everyone Else
Let's just cut to the chase and announce that both handhelds are total garbage and nobody needs to play either of them, and then secretly everyone can play whichever system they choose and enjoy.
That's a newer model PSP, the original didn't last that long.
Also remember that computing power (and the associated power requirements) are rising faster than cheap battery life is expanding. Add to that additional energy sapping features like always on wi-fi, street pass, and built in cappuccino dispensors and it takes a toll. A delicious, delicious toll.
Still, Jim's logic is flawless as usual. The 3DS and Nintendo are doomed. I expect we'll hear they're shuttering the whole business after they fail to sell a single 3DS unit this holiday season. Sure you could turn the 3D effect down and still have at least Wii quality graphics and some great games to play, but let's not kid ourselves. Wwe play 3DS for the 3D, not for fun games and battery life is the sole determining factor in console comparisons. The Nintendo fanboys just need to accept this and move on.
Of course, this also means the Vita will fail almost as bad but Sony will discover an unexpected windfall in the PSP's new role as top portable console.
So, I stand corrected that there "are couple" of "proper games" on the 3DS.
Just personally don't give half a shit for Nintendo 1st party crap. Personal opinion, i has one.
The worst part, for me, isn't that the Vita doesn't come with a memory card - it's not even the price point, or that it's proprietary.
It's that the MAX size is 32GB.
Let's see - that's enough to hold my PSP games. Now if I want any of my PSOne Classics, or ANY new Vita games (which will be at least 2GB, if PSP game sizes are anything to go by), there's no way to hold them. It's...pretty lame to say the least. Now they're saying your profile is linked to the memory card - so switching cards seems like it may be out of the question.
They're pushing the Vita's digital marketplace hard (and even offering digital games cheaper), but you can only fit what, like 6-7 games on it?
I'm getting the Vita because I want to play all these awesome games, but the mind boggles.
"You're one of the bad people on this planet."
???
I'm not denying that I am, but I'm wandering what in this tread makes you think so.
@Pennywise
I'll take a mochachino.
P.S.: Don't be so harsh on Jim. Nintendo did sell the 3D on the 3DS as the main feature. We all know that it's not; he's just projecting what he knows some people will say about this.
That said, I'm wary of any test that puts a game in idle, as the results will vary depending on the games being used and how they are coded, how they access memory when there's no user input, etc.
A more realistic test would have two people playing multiple games on each system until the battery runs out and average the results, with control systems just on for as long as they last while idle, but I guess the scientific method has no place here.
have that in mind fanboys
"Personal opinion, i has one."
Criticisms of expressed opinions, we have them, too.
The caveat of having the option to say your mind in a confrontational way which nobody will agree with, yet choosing to do so regardless.
And you know what they say about opinions and cornholes...
Yours Always
Some Db Toolbag on the Internet
I'm still nit convinced thus is an accurate number for the Vita. The battery benchmark numbers Sony released on the Vita had all the bells and whistles turned off (Blue-Tooth, Wifi, 3g, and even the external speakers!), until I know otherwise, I'm going to assume this test took some shirtcuts to benefit the Vita as well.
I mean, who the fuck does a battery benchmark with external speakers turned off?
Sony! That's who!
That's pretty terrible actually. Honestly I think portable systems need to start focusing entirely on extending battery life. I could care less about better graphics at this point, I want my systems to give me as much, if not more battery life than my gameboy.
That's... not an iPhone.
wait whut?
I've essentially come to the conclusion that all these easily avoidable design flaws are allowed to leak through so they can sell parts on the aftermarket. Why release a great product when you can release a passable product that with 3-5 peripherals becomes great?
I guess that statement is a little confusing.
What I mean is, it's pretty sad that modern day gaming systems have a worse battery life than a gaming system that came out in 1989.
Somewhere along the way, hardware designers lost focus on what a handheld should be. Portable systems should be designed with PORTABILITY in mind. Less than 4 hours battery life is simply unacceptable.