Rumor: Image of 3DS motherboard submitted to FCC leaked

Also, hot calamity, that is HUGE even for a target board.

Yea... The original DS was NTR for its codename, Nitro, so this one is... Citro?

That does kinda scare me. I know Nintendo isn't known (now) for making the best graphics decision for their next generation console, but with advances in mobile technology (specifically the 1 GHz Snapdragon processor and the Tegra 2 for other mobile devices), it would be ridiculous if Nintendo didn't at least put more oomph in the 3DS. It will be a sad state of affairs when my mobile PHONE is going to be more powerful than my handheld GAMING system that is released within the same timeframe.

Maybe it's CTR = Citrus

@Granger: Weren't high-end phones that were released at same time as original DS, more powerful than it was?

If the rumours that 3DS uses Tegra are anything other than outright lies (or based on technology investigations that didn't come to anything), you can bet it will be a Tegra 1, probably the slowest model, just as used in current phones and media players; and yes by the time it comes out there will be phones with more powerful processors. But there's a big difference, because those top-end phones cost upwards of $600 without subsidy; 3DS won't have subsidy and is not going to cost more than half that.

Or in brief: '$200 device much less powerful than $600 device'. Not much of a headline.

Tegra 2 also currently uses way more power than DS's entire power budget; even if you entirely left out the GPU and other components on these SoCs and used the standard Cortex A9 dual-core processor only - which is not going to achieve stunning 3D graphics you'd get from a custom GPU - it still uses 0.5W peak which is twice as much as DS total power consumption. Can't see that happening.

Basically, please ffs get this calibrated right. Here are the appropriate reactions:

* It still has a crappy ARM9 CPU, just clocked higher than DSi, and no GPU = Severe disappointment

* Crappy ARM9 CPU but with some kind of mobile GPU = Disappointment

* Tegra (ARM11 + decent mobile GPU) = Yay

* Tegra 2 or anything Cortex A9-based = Die from heart attack due to (a) shock at the incredible power of the system, or (b) shock at the $700 price tag and 1 hour battery life.

seriously if you are hoping Tegra 2 in DS, make the smart move and buy a lottery ticket instead - much more likely to win on that.

that would make sense, if the 3DS uses the same amount of power as the original DS. batteries have progressed a lot since 2004. the 3DS is capable of using up more power backed up by a higher capacity battery.

Good eye

I was thinking that looked like a stick too.

Interesting.

Most excellent.

Didn't notice that white nub before, but you could be right. And to the right of it are 12 red/purplebuttons. Which would correspond to:
___L_______R___
__Up________X__
Left_Right___Y_A_
__Down______B__
___Select__Start__

So, I'd say we're definitely looking at a prototype of 3DS. I just hope both screens end up being widescreen, and it has TWO analog nubs (don't fall into the same mess PSP did!).

Not sure what to think of an analog stick. Unless they learn from the PSP and put in two, I'm not liking the idea much.

If there is no touch on the 3D screen, it might make some sense. Because trying to touch objects in the distance might not feel right, since you won't actually be able to get your stylus back there; in other words, the stylus would stop when it hits the screen, and would not be able to go 'behind' it into the simulated depth effect.

@Josh

At least for the time being....

This is undoubtedly the 3 ds board.

Sounds like you want an iPhone. Cheap games, durable, no load times and multitouch ... That's an iPhone.

Except he wants actually good games. That's not the iPhone.

Yes to Elranzer and I also said I want tactile button input. The touchscreen is a compromise as Nintendo doesn't seem to want to get rid of it.

I'm not saying that the iPhone has better games than the DS but there are a lot of great games on it. The good thing about the iPhone in comparison is the cost of most titles is under $10. I think it's the best platform for bite sized on the go pick up and play experiences. If you want a console experience then get a psp or ds.

So you have to pay $300 for the "system", pick out the few good games amongst all the crap, and deal with lack of buttons, and use a crappy touch screen to control it. Doesn't sound better to me.

English please

You're not supposed to hold it in your hands, it's a devkit XDDD

Read the source.

What?

And your mom won't be excited til she's with me again.

TRUTH.

Judging by the PC ports on the sides, I'm pretty sure it's a test board.