GBA w/ backlight VS. GBA SP!!! TO ARMS!!

H

huxley

Pleeze Maik Mee STFU!!
Joined
Oct 23, 2001
Messages
9,342
Which one do you prefer? I bought a gameboy advance from a member of andantech w/ an unopened backlight package and tons of games for a great price. Sold all the games on ebay except phantasy star collection and my roomate installed my backlight for me (because I suck at that stuff).

I also bought a gameboy advance sp for really cheap and was going to sell it as well.

GBA w/ backlight installed

The screen is the same size on both but for some reason it looks bigger on this model.

I think it fits the hands better (when i got it the dude also included a playstation controller atachment deal that makes it feel like a playstation controller. I dont really use it though)

Its just cool to have modded stuff and rare stuff and the installed backlight is just that...damn elitist bastards.


GBA SP

no installation of backlight necessary

The light seems to have a /touch/ more brightness to it. Not much though

Screen seems smaller

Doesnt fit adult hands as well IMO

Adjustable screen


Overall I like my GBA more. What do you like?
 
just bought the retro gba sp and i love it. perfect size for my hands and i use it at work when we aren't busy (operating room assistant). my friend has the bigger one and i just like this one because of its awesome size
 
GBA SP all the way..

- backlight without modding (so warrenty still works)
- flip screen (screen does not get scratched going in and out of pocket ect.. without some special case)
- built in battery (no more buying batteries all the time .. play it .. stick it into charger when you get home .. rinse and repeat :D )
 
for extended use, the SP is horrible, but much more pocketable. however the L and R are just a pain to use, so i got some side grips for the SP.
but the rechargable battery on the SP is a blessing and a curse. its nice to have, you save lots of money and it charges very quickly. however, if it runs out usually you do not have a spare. (i have seen spares selling for 20$ at BB.)
so for confort i would rather have an original GBA w/backlight.
 
Overall, I think I appreciate my SP more than my GBA w/ Afterburner. I like the comfort of the original much better than the SP. I did a pretty good job on the light install, I think, so the visual quality is pretty comparable. The SP is just a bit more portable and has better battery life. I do rather like being able to plug my headphones into the regular GBA and not needing an adaptor like on the SP. Who's bright idea was that?
 
Isn't the Afterburner a front light? I'd probably go for the regular GBA, my hands are quite large and I have problems comfortably holding the regular GBA without grips as it is.
 
heatsinker said:
Isn't the Afterburner a front light? I'd probably go for the regular GBA, my hands are quite large and I have problems comfortably holding the regular GBA without grips as it is.
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the after burner and SP both are frontlights I believe as the screen element is a transflective TFT or something like that. (dunno if I am remembering the name correctly)
 
hellomcfly said:
GBA SP all the way..

- backlight without modding (so warrenty still works)
- flip screen (screen does not get scratched going in and out of pocket ect.. without some special case)
- built in battery (no more buying batteries all the time .. play it .. stick it into charger when you get home .. rinse and repeat :D )
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ah yes, good points good points...I guess I just got lucky cuz i have four rechargable battery packs and a car charger too lol. I am moving to florida and one of my friends is gonna drive w/ me and we switch off driving and I can play this all the way :)
 
I wish I could find a good deal on a SP :( I've wanted one since they came out, but there's no way i'm spending $100 on one.. I thought $69 for the original GBA is a good buy and i'll most likely get an SP when they come down in price too. How much did you get that SP for huxley?
 
MasterShredder said:
I wish I could find a good deal on a SP :( I've wanted one since they came out, but there's no way i'm spending $100 on one.. I thought $69 for the original GBA is a good buy and i'll most likely get an SP when they come down in price too. How much did you get that SP for huxley?
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I bought it with a bunch of games...I sold the games on ebay so the SP was essentially more than free after that was said and done. Pretty much I get people to sell me stuff on the forum fs/ft area for really cheap (sometimes it doesnt work) when they are really in need of money. Then I make 25% more by selling it on ebay.
 
Awesome.. I have a ton of GBA games that I should probably sell... I knew i wouldn't get crap for them at gamestores, so maybe i'll just try ebay or fs/ft.. thanks for the ideas. ;)
 
My friend sent in his GBA to get an Afterburner "professionally" installed. I don't remember where he sent it in, but he said it was highly recommended by people on some other forum. When he got it back, there was a piece of plastic in the corner of the screen, there were bits of dust on the screen, and the control pad seemed less responsive. Also, there was noticeable trapezoid effect.

I was going to get an Afterburner, but I couldn't live with a GBA that looked like that, so I got rid of mine and got a SP and I'm glad I did. I love my SP. It took a little getting used to because I have big hands, but now the regular GBA feels a bit ackward. The only thing I don't like about it is there's no built in headphone adapter, but it's easy enough to buy one. I play mine so much that the silver paint is wearing off by the buttons and control pad.
 
SP, putting the backlight in the regular advance is not only a hassel but worthless. The SP has a 10 hour built in rechargeable battery, where as the reg GBA doesn't. That back light drians regular batteries fast. The money you spend on new batteries could have gotten you a SP with a rechargeable battery and backlight included, get the SP.
 
hellomcfly said:
GBA SP all the way..

- backlight without modding (so warrenty still works)
- flip screen (screen does not get scratched going in and out of pocket ect.. without some special case)
- built in battery (no more buying batteries all the time .. play it .. stick it into charger when you get home .. rinse and repeat :D )
Click to expand...


i agree, i just bought a double sided charger that plugs in to my usb slot on my pc so i can leave it charging or play from it, and it also has an attachment for a car lighter so in case im on one of those long trips i can get my juice and travel too. :D
 
pistola said:
SP, putting the backlight in the regular advance is not only a hassel but worthless. The SP has a 10 hour built in rechargeable battery, where as the reg GBA doesn't. That back light drians regular batteries fast. The money you spend on new batteries could have gotten you a SP with a rechargeable battery and backlight included, get the SP.
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worthless? You can buy 5 hour rechargable batteries for 4 dollars a piece on ebay.
 
huxley said:
worthless? You can buy 5 hour rechargable batteries for 4 dollars a piece on ebay.
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Yea worthless. Frist off installing the backlight mod on the GBA is risky could damage the LCD or the whole darn thing, and having a "professional" installing is just as risky and sometimes can pay up to $160 for it. And the GBA SP isn't even backlit its front lit thats probally why it seems a little brighter than the mod for the GBA. Yea the GBA is cheap, but with the SP you get the built in light with a switch to turn it off, its more compact, and already comes with a battery installed, no extras needed. The only downside the SP is the missing headphone jack.
 
pistola said:
Yea worthless. Frist off installing the backlight mod on the GBA is risky could damage the LCD or the whole darn thing, and having a "professional" installing is just as risky and sometimes can pay up to $160 for it. And the GBA SP isn't even backlit its front lit thats probally why it seems a little brighter than the mod for the GBA. Yea the GBA is cheap, but with the SP you get the built in light with a switch to turn it off, its more compact, and already comes with a battery installed, no extras needed. The only downside the SP is the missing headphone jack.
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but the whole point i was making is i got all this stuff for dirt cheap / basically free so i had special circumstances.
 
I prefer the SP. Hands down, there is no competition.

First off:

Aesthetics: The SP is designed to look like a sleep PDA, and that's exactly what it passes as. I've had a lot of people interrupt me during class to ask what it was and where they could get one.

It fits into my hands for better than the original. In fact, the original made my hands cramp up within twenty minutes...

Hardware: Basically the same except for the lithium battery, which is so much more convenient than batteries. The lithium-ion battery lasts longer than the original GBA's, even with their battery packs.

On top of those points is the fact that the screen lasts FAR longer since it is protected by the case. I'm very peticular about the condition of my things (I.E. One scratch, no matter how small, is too much...) My original GBA had scratches within a week, despite almost clinical treatment. My GBA SP doesn't have a single scratch on it and I've had it for nearly a year now (And yes, I play it quite often).
 
I perfer the SP, due to is compact size, fits in a cargo pocket nicely.
 
pistola said:
Yea worthless. Frist off installing the backlight mod on the GBA is risky could damage the LCD or the whole darn thing, and having a "professional" installing is just as risky and sometimes can pay up to $160 for it. And the GBA SP isn't even backlit its front lit thats probally why it seems a little brighter than the mod for the GBA. Yea the GBA is cheap, but with the SP you get the built in light with a switch to turn it off, its more compact, and already comes with a battery installed, no extras needed. The only downside the SP is the missing headphone jack.
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I'd hardly call the light mod "worthless." It's exactly the same as the SP light and gives very similar results if installed properly. I'm sure you've seen crappy Afterburner installations but that doesn't mean they all are. It's hardly a risky procedure if you've ever used a soldering iron. The most difficult part is keeping dust and debris off of the LCD and all that takes is some careful preparation. It does cut the battery life somewhat, but it's terribly difficult to see without one. I definately enjoyed my lighted GBA much more than I did before I installed the kit.

Now that you can get an SP, it isn't much of a value, since the cost of the GBA plus the kit is pretty close to the price of an SP. But before the SP was available, it was quite a nice thing to have.
 
I have 2 GBAs in which I've put the afterburner mod. I love the results. I have handled an SP and thought it no better than my non-SP once I got the light in. As for preferring one form factor over another, I can't imagine how people even use the SP. I find the original GBA a little small for my hands, and the SP was downright uncomfortable when I used it. Installing the kit is easy. Provided you take care to reduce dust contamination (I recommend disassembling the GBA in a bathroom after you've run a hot showed for a few minutes, as that will settle most of the dust), you get excellent results from the afterburner. You can install an on/off switch or a light level adjuster to allow for less impact on battery life, if you are so inclined. I use NiMH batteries, and haven't seen enough of a shortening with the light on all the time to bother with ever switching it off.

RagManX
 
RagManX said:
I have 2 GBAs in which I've put the afterburner mod. I love the results. I have handled an SP and thought it no better than my non-SP once I got the light in. As for preferring one form factor over another, I can't imagine how people even use the SP. I find the original GBA a little small for my hands, and the SP was downright uncomfortable when I used it. Installing the kit is easy. Provided you take care to reduce dust contamination (I recommend disassembling the GBA in a bathroom after you've run a hot showed for a few minutes, as that will settle most of the dust), you get excellent results from the afterburner. You can install an on/off switch or a light level adjuster to allow for less impact on battery life, if you are so inclined. I use NiMH batteries, and haven't seen enough of a shortening with the light on all the time to bother with ever switching it off.

RagManX
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whoever came up with the shower idea was a genius
 
Im kind of in the same dilemna with my GBA. I have the old one, and it just bothers me how it doesn't have the backlight. I like the SP a ot because of the screen being able to bend up so the GBA looks like an L . Catch me? Its a lot easier on my neck then having to look straight down all the time. I may try that trade in deal but I think id fair better on ebay. Those stores are known to rip people off with trading in.
 
Agent Orange 615 said:
Im kind of in the same dilemna with my GBA. I have the old one, and it just bothers me how it doesn't have the backlight. I like the SP a ot because of the screen being able to bend up so the GBA looks like an L . Catch me? Its a lot easier on my neck then having to look straight down all the time. I may try that trade in deal but I think id fair better on ebay. Those stores are known to rip people off with trading in.
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but whales are mammals wtf
 
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