Hardware Bad N3DS XL U console (analog stick) ?

[ddurdle]

I only started playing games on my US N3DS XL for the first time yesterday. The analog stick felt a bit different compared to the O3DS, O3DS XL and 2DS. After trying a JP N3DS LL which feels like O3DS, O3DS XL and 2DS, I can conclude that there is less gap between the analog stick and the system case on the N3DS XL. This is a 2015 release black system (came with 9.6). It feels like I can put my fingernail under the analog stick on the JP unit, more gap, then I can with the US unit.

Is it a bad system or are all the models in the USA this way?