Mobility

Nintendo 3DS Teardown

By · March 28, 2011, 11:57 PM PST · billdetwiler

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Teardown

    The Nintendo 3DS doesn't have the fastest processor among mobile gaming devices. Nor does it have the highest resolution screen, most storage capacity, or longest battery life. But what it lacks in hardware muscle, it makes up for with an innovative glasses-free 3D gaming experience.

    Follow along as I crack open the Nintendo 3DS.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Nintendo 3DS: Box

    At launch, the Nintendo 3DS has a $249.99 (US) MSRP and comes in Aqua Blue or Cosmo Black. The 3DS measures 2.9 inches high, 5.3 inches long, and 0.8 inches deep. The handheld weighs about 8 ounces.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: In the box

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Product documentation

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Box contents

    Inside the Nintendo 3DS' box are the Nintendo 3DS system, charging cradle, AC power adapter, stylus, and 2GB SD Memory Card (located inside the 3DS).

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Top

    The Nintendo 3DS has three camers--two outer-facing and one inner-facing. The outer-facing cameras allow you to take 3D photo and play augmented reality games.  The two outer-facing cameras are located along the leading edge of the top cover. Next to the cameras is the camera LED, which lights up when the cameras are in use.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Front

    Along the front of the Nintendo 3DS are the stereo headphone jack, power LED, and battery recharge LED.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Right side

    Along the right side of the Nintendo 3DS are the Wireless LED, Wireless switch, and 3D Depth Slider.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Back

    Along the rear edge of the Nintendo 3DS are the R button, cradle connectors, AC power adapter connector, Game Card slot, stylus holder, Infrared transceiver, and L button.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Left side

    Along the left side of the Nintendo 3DS are the Volume control and SD card slot.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: 2GB SD Card

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Bottom

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Front with lid/upper LCD open

    With the Nintendo 3DS' lid opened, we can see the two LCD screens, Circle Pad, + Control Pad, Control buttons, left and right speakers, Select button, Home button, Start button, power button, and inner-facing camera.

    The upper LCD panel measure 3.53 inches (diagonal) and delivers a maximum resolution of 800 x 240 pixels (400 x 240 pixels in 3D mode).

    The lower LCD panel measures 3.02 inches (diagonal) and delivers s resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.



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  • Nintendo 3DS: Side with lid/upper LCD open

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Mounted in charging cradle

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the battery cover screws

    Four Phillips #000 screws hold the Nintendo 3DS' battery cover in place.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the battery cover

    The bottom cover's screws will release from the Nintendo 3DS' case, but reamin attached to the cover. With the screws removed, I was able to lift off the batter cover.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Battery cover removed

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Battery installed

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the battery

    Using a thin metal blade, I popped the battery loose from the Nintendo 3DS' case.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Battery removed

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Battery - Top

    The Nintendo 3DS has a 3.7V 1300mAh 5Wh Li-Ion battery, which provides about 3-5 hours of battery life.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Battery - Bottom

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  • Nintendo 3DS: With the battery removed

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing Game Card Slot case screw

    Ten Phillips screws hold the Nintendo 3DS' inner case in place. I removed the single screw located in the Game Card slot first.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the stylus

    After removing the Game Card slot screw, I removed the Nintendo 3DS' stylus.

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  • After removing the Nintendo 3DS' stylus, I removed the remaining nine Phillips screws.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Lifting up the lower case cover

    With all the screws removed, you can lift the lower case cover up away from the rest of the Nintendo 3DS. Be carfull when does this, as several ribbon cables will still be connected to the main PCB.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the lower half of the case

    Two small ribbon cables connect the lower half of the Nintendo 3DS' case to the main PCB.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Ribbon cables between lower half of case and main PCB

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  • Nintendo 3DS: With lower case cover

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Lower case cover

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Lower case cover removed

    With the lower half of the Nintendo 3DS' case removed, we get our first good look at that hardware inside the device.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the Circle Pad controller screws

    The Nintendo 3DS' Circle Pad controller is held in place with two Phillips screws.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Circle Pad controller washers/rings

    A pair of thin washers/rings are located between the Circle Pad controller mechanism and the Nintendo 3DS' plastic case.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Circle pad controller and washers removed

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Circle pad controller - Top

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Circle pad controller - Bottom

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  • Nintendo 3DS: After removing the Circle Pad controller

    After removing the Circle Pad controller mechanism, I turned my attention to the Nintendo 3DS' Wi-Fi card.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the Wi-Fi card

    Next, I removed the Wi-Fi card using a plastic spudger.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Wi-Fi card antenna wire

    A single antena wire is attached to the bottom of the Nintendo 3DS' Wi-Fi card.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Mitsumi DWM-W02 Wi-Fi card

    The Nintendo 3DS uses a Mitsumi DWM-W02 Wi-Fi card.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Wi-Fi card - Back

    Unfortunately the Wi-Fi card's metal EMI shield is soldered to the PCB so, I won't be able to show you the Atheros chip that sits underneath.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: IR board

    The Nintendo 3DS' IR board has an NXP chip with markings 8750 0211 TSD033C.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the SD card slot screws

    Next, I removed the screws holding the Nintendo 3DS' SD card slot to the case.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the SD card slot

    After removed the SD card slot's screws and popping loose its connector, I used a thin metal blade to gently pry it loose from the EMI shield that it is glued to. I was able to do this without damaging either component.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: SD card slot removed

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  • Nintendo 3DS: SD card slot

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the main PCB screws

    Next, I turned my attention to removing the Nintendo 3DS' main PCB. Several screws hold it to the upper half of the case and had to be removed.

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  • You must also detach any remaining ribbon cables and connectors from the main PCB.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the main PCB

    With the screws removed and ribbon cables detached, you can lift the main PCB away from the Nintendo 3DS.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Main PCB ribbon cable

    You'll also need to disconnect a ribbon cable from the underside of the main PCB.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Main PCB removed

    For now, I left the lower LCD screen attached to the main PCB. I'll disconnect it later.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Upper LCD and top half of case

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Main PCB with lower LCD attached

    With the main PCB removed from the case, I disconnected the Nintendo 3DS' lower LCD screen.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Volume control slider

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Lower LCD - Front

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Lower LCD - Back

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Removing the volume control slider

    The volume control slider is attached to the underside of the main PCB.

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Main PCB - Top

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Main PCB - Bottom

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Texas Instruments PAIC3010B

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Invensense ITG-3270 Gyroscope

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  • Nintendo 3DS: TI 93045A4

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  • Nintendo 3DS: CKP TI 0BW Z22P

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Main PCB markings

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  • Nintendo 3DS: Soldered EMI shields

    Unfortunately, most of the interesting chips on the Nintendo 3DS' main PCB are covered by EMI shields, which are soldered to the PCB. As I want to put this machine back together in working order, I'm not going to remove the shields and risk damaging the PCB or chips.

    For a look at the chips under these shields, I've included a photo from friends over at iFixit. They disassembled a Japaneese version of the 3DS a few weeks back and did remove the shields.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Nintendo 3DS: Main PCB and chips revealed

    Our friends over at iFixit obtained a Japanese version of the Nintendo 3DS a few weeks ago, and did a complete teardown. Here's one of the photos from their gallery that shows all the chips on the 3DS' main PCB.

    As I noted earlier, most of the chips are covered by metal EMi shields that are soldered to the main PCB. As I wanted to reassemble our test unit in working order, I decided not to remove the shields.

    Photo by: iFixit.com / Reused with permission
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Nintendo 3DS: Completely disassembled

    Thanks to its standard (aleit small) Phillips screws, the Nintendo 3DS isn't too difficult to open. Unfortunatley once you're inside, things get a bit more complicated.

    The 3DS contains many small ribbon cables and connectors. You could easily break one of them during the cracking open process. I actually knocked the lock off one of the tiny ribbon cable connectors, and then spent the next 20 minutes reattaching it. At least the battery is easy to change.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Nintendo 3DS: Teardown

The Nintendo 3DS doesn't have the fastest processor among mobile gaming devices. Nor does it have the highest resolution screen, most storage capacity, or longest battery life. But what it lacks in hardware muscle, it makes up for with an innovative glasses-free 3D gaming experience.

Follow along as I crack open the Nintendo 3DS.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Related Topics:
Mobility Security Hardware Software Apple Android Google

By Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop support specialist in the ...

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