First DS for 7yo - reconditioned or new? Help??!

[strongblackcoffee]

We are planning to get our nearly 7yo DS a.. er.. DS, nintendo version that is, for Christmas. Bearing in mind it's his first one and he's only young, my thoughts were to get him a reconditioned one and save a fortune - something like this. But DH thinks that you get what you pay for and we should just buy brand new.

Has anyone got any experience of reconditioned consoles? Or would you just recommend buying new? I don't think he'll be overly bothered about having the very latest games, so long as he's got Mario in there somewhere

Any advice would be very gratefully received...

[craftynclothy]

We got a preowned one from HMV. At the time (was a while ago so might have changed) they had a similar warranty period to the new ones so it was a bit of a no brainer for us. Tbh dd1 only really has 2 games for it - one is a fashion designer game and the other is a drawing game (she loves that one loads). She's only 5 now though. We mainly bought it so she has something to do on long car journeys (both families are over 2 hours away). I think it's just about on it's last legs now (2 years old) as the screen thinks you're touching in a different place but tbh it's had a hard time from dd2 who covered the screen in red ink the other week so I expect it would have lasted much longer for a 7yo)

[ja9]

If i were you I would go for a new one... 7 isn't so young for a ds... there are usually really good package deals at this time of year which include a game.

[strongblackcoffee]

Thanks, both really helpful comments. It's true, I suppose he's not that young really...

Also - which DS??! I have now started looking at all the different options and it's confusing the hell out of me. DSi XL? 3DS? Sorry to be so clueless, but any help would be hugely appreciated

[crazygracieuk]

Is he likely to drop and break it? Or lose it? Would it be easy for you to replace?
I fixed broken ds as a business in the past and they seem to great broken a lot.

Reconditioned ones from shops often come with a guarantee which is good. I don't know if they will tell you what has been replaced but it could be cosmetic damage like the case or someone selling it as they are upgrading.

[simpson]

My DS is 7 and he got his first DS for Xmas last year...

I got a 2nd hand one from game station (it came with a one yr warranty) and he has dropped it twice (luckily the DS was shut) and its still going well. He plays with it all the time...

[Lostgirl27]

My ds got his first Nintendo DSi when he was 4, so 7 is in no way too young. They are also very sturdy and you can get a lot of protector cases/screen covers ect.

I would say get brand new and either go for a DSi or a 3DS. A 3DS is exactly the same as a DSi except it's 3d. Personally I think the 3DS is a waste of money but my ds who is 7 now is desperate for one even though he has a DSi.

Hope this helps

[vodkaanddietirnbru]

I would go for the 3DS as the new games coming out can only be played on the 3DS - you can play older games on the 3DS console though. Both mine have has DS consoles from an early age and even dd's ds lite is still playable even though it is about 5 years old (she got it around the age of 4).

[groundhogmum]

I bought my DD a DSi for her birthday in June and got a reconditioned one from uk.webuy.com/index.php They also do 2nd hand games so I stocked up on them too.

It was a bargain and came with a 12month warranty. On the website you can choose the condition of the item, so I went for their top range and got one that looked like it had barely been used. I have since bought 2 more for my other children and they are equally good condition and value for money. I would definitely recommend reconditioned as long as you get a warranty.

[strongblackcoffee]

Oh brilliant, thanks so much everyone for your replies, that's so helpful! Will show DH the thread as well so that he can read your thoughts. Mumsnet is bloody fantastic - can answer any question I ever throw at it

[WeAllHaveWings]

ds(8), got his first DS at 5 and it lasted about a year before the hinges snapped on it through rough handling (repeated grabbing off friends when open). We trained ds on how to look after his toys and upgraded to a DSi the following year and its still going strong 2.5 years later so we won't be replacing anytime soon.

If I was buying now I wouldn't go for the DSi XL as I have seen his friends DSi XL's and although the screen is bigger the image isn't as sharp (I haven't seen the 3DS XL but I assume its the same). I also think its also a little bit chunkier/heavier for small hands.

So that would leave me with a choice of DSi or 3DS. Haven't seen the 3DS, heard the 3D effect can cause eyestrain, but it can be switched off and not used. There have been a couple of new games out ds(8) would like but can't have because they are only available on 3DS so if buying now I'd probably go for the 3DS.

[vodkaanddietirnbru]

the 3D can be turned off - neither of my kids use the 3D effect (dd cant see 3D and ds is too young for it) but we got it because of the games you can get for it.

[CointreauVersial]

Search on eBay for sellers "tesco_outlet" and "littlewoods-clearance". They always do great deals on reconditioned/returned/damaged box items and you get all the purchase protection you'd expect from a big name company.

We have bought DSs, cameras and iPods from Tesco Outlet and never had any quality problems at all.

[BertieBotts]

I work in Cex and everything is tested when it comes in, you get a 12 month warranty too which is repair/replace, and we get DSes in all the time, so very easy to get hold of a replacement if you did have any problems with it (But TBH they are very hardwearing and hardly ever come back)

Crafty have you tried recalibrating the touch screen? It's in settings somewhere.

[BertieBotts]

Also it's incorrect that they have stopped producing games for the old DSes - they are still producing non-3D games. Pokemon black/white 2 just came out recently and this is not a 3D game so can be played on any DS console.

[BertieBotts]

Loads of upcoming games for normal DS

[craftynclothy]

BertieBotts We've gone on the recalibration thing but it just does it forever. i.e. it never says it's calibrated

[WeAllHaveWings]

they havent stopped producing games for the DSi but most of what I would class the big new games, and the ones ds(8) would want, over the last year have only been available on 3DS:

Skylanders and Skylander Giants
Super Mario Bros 2
Mario Kart 7
Mario & Sonic at London Olympic games 2012

[BertieBotts]

Ah I see what you mean Wings. Crafty that's a shame.

[applecrumbleandcream]

I've just bought my dd (5) a fantastic practically brand new pink 3DS Nintendogs version with 2 extra games and a case from Gumtree for £85. She has asked for one but I didn't want to buy new as past experience has taught me that what she asks for sometimes doesn't get played with.