Hardware

The Nintendo DS boasts two TFT LCD screens, 3 inches diagonally, with a 256 x 192 resolution and .24 mm dot pitch (allowing for 260,000 colors). The bottom screen is a touch screen which registers pressure at one point and also has a tougher film cover. The device includes a stylus and a curved plastic tab located on the wrist strap for more precise control on the screen. A built-in microphone is located below the bottom screen on the left and has been used for chatting while gaming and for in-game objectives. The wireless functionality allows the user to connect to up to 16 players at a time for gaming or talking through the systems messaging system, PictoChat, with a range of 30 ft to 100 ft. The system also includes Wi-Fi functionality, breaking the limits of the small range and allowing users to connect to players across the globe through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

The 3-D graphics hardware is stronger than the Nintendo 64's and can perform transform and lighting, texture-coordinate transformation, texture mapping, alpha blending, cel shading, and z-buffering at about 60 frames per second. The system has 656 kilobytes of video memory and two 2-D engines rather than the single used in previous GameBoy Advance systems. All of this hardware is controlled by two ARM processers: 1) a 32 bit ARM946E-S main CPU which runs at 67 Mhz clock speed and controls the gameplay mechanics and video rendering and 2) a 32 bit ARM7TDMI coprocessor which runs at 33 Mhz clock speed and mainly controls the sound output, Wi-Fi support and will take on the second processor duties when the user is player a Game Boy Advance game. All of this hardware is fitted into the physical dimensions of 148.7 mm x 84.7 mm x 28.9 mm and weighs a total of 275 g.