Biggest improvement from a console redesign

[jcalder8]

I just bought a 3DS XL and it got me thinking about what systems have benefited the most from a redesign.

3. NES top loader. No longer do you need to wiggle the cartridge back and forth to get it to work. Just put the game in and go. Only having RF keeps this one at number 3.

2. Xbox 360 slim. Is it on? I can't hear a jet engine taking off! They fixed everything wrong with the original release so it is now quiet, smaller and most importantly reliable.

1. 3DS XL. For me this is a giant leap over the original 3DS. The larger screens are nice but I found that the 3D effect is more pronounced on the XL. This is number one for me because it improves the way the games play.

I'm curious about what other people think are the consoles that have improved the most from a redesign.

[turf]

The GameBoy Advance to the GBA SP.  Another great redesign

[soera]

Here are my choices. First I will mirror what is said about the top loader. Its a crazy vast improvement over the toaster (controller included) and once it was released, I never looked at another toaster again.

PSOne. This isnt so much about use of but simply appearance and the add-on screen plus the addition of the thumbsticks on the controllers coming included with the system totally changing the PS controller forever.

[stethebubble]

The Sega Master System 2 was a huge design improvement. As was the Gameboy SP. I also really like the PS2 slim as well and the genesis mk2.

[karyann]

The GameBoy Advance to the GBA SP.  Another great redesign

Personally, I prefer the GBA a whole lot over the GBA SP. I have small hands, and I still have a hard time finding space to place them on the SP in a comfortable way.  The first GBA however feels much more natural to me.

The only thing I prefer on the SP is obviously the backlit screen.

[turf]

The GameBoy Advance to the GBA SP.  Another great redesign

Personally, I prefer the GBA a whole lot over the GBA SP. I have small hands, and I still have a hard time finding space to place them on the SP in a comfortable way.  The first GBA however feels much more natural to me.

The only thing I prefer on the SP is obviously the backlit screen.

I was on my phone so I didn't go into detail.  I guess I should. 
The Backlit screen is #1.  That was huge.  I also like the clamshell folding.  It kept the screen from getting dirty or scratched.  It was a little small for my taste, but the screen was such a huge step up, that I can live with the tiny buttons.

[bikingjahuty]

The 360 gets my vote simply because they fixd a system that had a ridiculously high failure rate. I have never met a person that owned an original 360 that didn't go RRoD, have the disk drive break, or experience many of the other common hardware problems that bricked those models. I have met only one person that had problems with a slim.

[karyann]

I was on my phone so I didn't go into detail.  I guess I should. 
The Backlit screen is #1.  That was huge.  I also like the clamshell folding.  It kept the screen from getting dirty or scratched.  It was a little small for my taste, but the screen was such a huge step up, that I can live with the tiny buttons.

It's true that with the screen being protected, they're both great improvements. I guess overall I'd say I love them equally, then. 

[sin2beta]

GBA SP

XBox 360 Slim

Neo Geo CDZ (load times!!!)

I do not like the top loader NES as much. At least, after nostalgia (it was my first console). The RF only is enough reason not to choose it in my opinion. It has really bad vertical banding due to the traces being too tiny and not well shielded to fit in the form factor. This reason is especially now that the mod for the NES RGB is not too hard to get (Just don't cannibalize the Playchoice cabinets for it. There are now custom built circuits.)

I do have to say, the top loader is nice looking and loads games well. The dogbone controllers should be able to win this thread. Best redesign of a controller ever.

[stethebubble]

GBA SP

XBox 360 Slim

Neo Geo CDZ (load times!!!)

I do not like the top loader NES as much. At least, after nostalgia (it was my first console). The RF only is enough reason not to choose it in my opinion. It has really bad vertical banding due to the traces being too tiny and not well shielded to fit in the form factor. This reason is especially now that the mod for the NES RGB is not too hard to get (Just don't cannibalize the Playchoice cabinets for it. There are now custom built circuits.)

I do have to say, the top loader is nice looking and loads games well. The dogbone controllers should be able to win this thread. Best redesign of a controller ever.

Not sure about that. The Xbox original controller re-sized so it will fit in a house was a great change to a controller.

[burningdoom]

The GameBoy Advance to the GBA SP.  Another great redesign

This, for sure. The screen is 100x better with the backlight. And the clamshell design protects that awesome screen and makes it very easy to fit in your pocket when not in use.

[thecrypticodor]

The second model of the Saturn although not all that different was cosmetically more appealing to me. The buttons are bigger and a lot easier to press. The second model's controller especially is a vast improvement over that of the original.

The Sega Master System 2 was a huge design improvement.

Really? I always thought the SMS2 was kind off ugly and cheap looking. Also it doesn't have composite out like the first model.

[burningdoom]

The second model of the Saturn although not all that different was cosmetically more appealing to me. The buttons are bigger and a lot easier to press. The second model's controller especially is a vast improvement over that of the original.

The Sega Master System 2 was a huge design improvement.

Really? I always thought the SMS2 was kind off ugly and cheap looking. Also it doesn't have composite out like the first model.

Doesn't it not have the Card Slot, either? Not only do you not use the card games without it, but you can't use the awesome 3-D glasses if you ever run across them.

[thecrypticodor]

Doesn't it not have the Card Slot, either? Not only do you use the card games without it, but you can't use the awesome 3-D glasses if you ever run across them.

Yep that's true I wasn't even thinking about that. Even the Power Base Converter for the Genny has the card slot. Also the SMS1 outputs RGB as well as composite which I also forgot mention.

[stethebubble]

The second model of the Saturn although not all that different was cosmetically more appealing to me. The buttons are bigger and a lot easier to press. The second model's controller especially is a vast improvement over that of the original.

The Sega Master System 2 was a huge design improvement.

Really? I always thought the SMS2 was kind off ugly and cheap looking. Also it doesn't have composite out like the first model.

i always thought the first looked ugly. also alex the kid was built into the system (think its also because i had this one as a kid)