Hacking Slot-1 a real improvement over Slot-2?

[xenon]

So this morning this ever-active brain of mine was thinking... I'm really fine with my EZ4Lite! Yes, those slim Slot-1 babies are sexier, but are they really better?

- drag-and-drop works, but most people use trimming tools so this benefit is basically lost (and now the arm7 trick is needed sometimes)
- the occasional game still does not work, or (to be honest) needs a software update for the cart
- there are still some troubles with game saves
- GBA functionality is lost

An obvious advantage with Slot-1 is that you don't need passcards or FlashMe, but... isn't that all?

I'm not a fanboy and I may well end up buying an R4 or something, I simply wonder if there was a real benefit from the Slot-1 carts. To me, it feels a bit like CRT Vs. LCD: LCD is fancy and slim, but it doesn't really improve on CRT and it introduces some new problems.

What do you guys think?

 

[Maikel Steneker]

I think you're totally right. You really understand it

I bought a R4, just because it's so damn easy. And I wanted to link to GBA games, so I need my cart in Slot-1.

Other then that, I'd say that Slot-2 carts overall are better. But solely for DS roms/homebrew, Slot-1 carts are slightly better. From my experience, especially newer games work better on my M3 Simply than on my M3 (Perfect) Lite.

 

[Icarus]

They have better game compatibility though. And you don't need to play with the patcher options or anything, it's just drag and drop[I never use trimming tools because they somehow fuck the game up] You need either a Passkey or flash your DS to use slot 2 devices and they add up to the price and make them more expensive.

You're probably right about GBA functionality but EZ 3-in-1 expansion can solve this problem easily and it provides Expansion RAM and rumble for only 20 bucks.

There aren't any saving problems with R4. If you're talking about Worms 2, you can easily fix that[problems like that are really rare anyway]. In addition, slot 1 devices have more frequient updates and more support. Also, I remember with my old M3 SD, If I hosted multiplayer game, only people with flashed DSs could join my game. This isn't a issue with Slot 1 devices.

 

[FAST6191]

you don't need to play with the patcher options or anything7

The EZ4 the original poster uses (myself too: it is my sole cart) is no more complex than trimming when it comes to patching. As for compatibility sure it is a shock almost if a DS slot cart does not run a game but recent patcher updates mean it is equally rare.

I guess more of the point is I like GBA: the homebrew is great (DS is just about catching up though), the games are plentiful (even more so no the rom hacking community is pretty much fully onboard) and as far as I am concerned flashme is better than the original firmware.

 

[Psyfira]

Slot 1's aren't better they're just targetting a different market, namebly people who want something cheap and don't need GBA compatibility. The main draw of slot 1's is the price. People aiming for the slot1 + expansion combo are looking to run the web browser, which as far as I'm aware (I may be wrong) won't run on slot 2 carts.

Slot 2 carts do get overlooked now for running DS software and you're right, they shouldn't.

 

[Veho]

There's really no need to switch to a Slot1 card if you already have a Slot2 card you're satisfied with. If it works okay, there's no real advantage to switching to a Slot1. Most advantages are of a cosmetic nature (people don't like cards sticking out of the console much... like the M3 CF in a DSLite

).

A Slot1 flashcard is a good option if you don't already have a flashcard (and don't care about GBA support). They are cheaper, a bit simpler to use, and don't require passcards or flashing.


I have an M3 CF and an EZF4 miniSD, and I'm very happy with both. The Opera browser would be the only reason to get a Slot1 card, but it would cost less to just buy the browser, so I'll just stick to my Slot2-s

 

[Icarus]

Of course you don't and unless the sticking out is not a problem for you, slot 2 devices are perfectly fine, assuming that you already got one. But after I got my DS lite, I just couldn't use my M3 SD because it sticks out too damn much and I don't really want people to see my flashcard.

But yeah, if you're new to the scene, I guess slot 1s are just a better way to go right now.

 

[xenon]

Thanks everyone for your opinions... About sticking out, my EZ4Lite sticks out a couple of millimeters, and I can live with that, but the restyled EZ4Lite and the latest Slot-2 M3 are basically replicas of the Slot-2 cover that comes with the DS, so they fit perfectly and even match the gloss.

 

[Maktub]

They're not better or worse and, further from the stated by Psyfira, I believe it's not just about marketing but an achievement on technology via "non-official" research. Meaning, as slot2 were designed for gba, they lack some of the features that NDS was designed for, as well as its cartridges.

However, this is just a technology coverage point of view, since the best way to take the most of a DS is to own both slot1 and slot2 (which I actually don't, I have a ez4 lite). Anyways the difference is minimal and depends entirely on the user's expectations. If you want to still be able to run GBA games in spite for faster updates (or no need for them at all) then slot2 is the best. If you don't mind losing gba compatibility, then you should choose slot1. Then if you want to fly with your DS and help it fap you with the power of telekinesis, choose both at the same time. Be careful tho as some of the features the mixture offers are, for now, experimental.

I don't say all this as a way of advice since I read the OP already owns a slot2 cart and knows about the stuff and such, the last paragraph offered just my opinion from the consumers' point of view.