Added DSI Article

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 title: "DSI Upgrades"
 date: 2026-05-01T11:57:45+01:00
 draft: false
 image: /Articles/DSI-Upgrades/featured.png
 summary: "Upgrading an old Nintendo DSI"
 tags: ["Games", "Electronics"]
 ---
 ![Featured Image](./featured.jpg)
 ### Introduction
 I love the Nintendo DS.
 I have a lot of retro handhelds but the Nintendo DS is the one I actually reach for most often. Its clamshell design means it dosnt need a case, its small enough to fit in my pocket and it has a huge collection of simply puzzle games that are quick and easy to jump in and out of. 
 The DSI, more me in particular is the **best** version in the DS line. The micro SD card slot allows it to play games directly from it, all accessed through a nice twilight menu launcher, complete with boxart. It boots drastically faster than a 3DS and I find the DS game catalogue is a much better fit for me anyway. You do lose the GBA cartidge slow from the DS lite which although you can still play GBA games from the SD card, does mean you lose access to the GBA slot for accessories like guitar hero. 
 ### Charging Upgrade
 The only real issue I have with any Nintendo DS in 2026 is the charging port. On my sofa, by my bed, in my bag I have a single, PD, 65W USBC charging cable that can power everything from my phone to my laptop. The DS loses a big chunck of its convenience when I need to carry around a special charger just for it. I did previously have a USB A to DS charging cable which was much more convenient that the official charging brick but the end goal is absolutly USBC.
 I found some cheap USBC boards on Aliexpress. They were around ￡6 for a pack of 5 but a single DS Lite port was around ￡7 so I guess they just vary based on availability. The main thing to lookout for is the inclusion of the pull up resistors to tell PD chargers to send 5V. This should ensure the DS will charge with any PD charger. 
 I believe this is the original design and it includes a PDF instruction guide that I referenced to ensure I was soldering the correct pins. 
 {{< github repo="giltesa/Nintendo-DSi-USB-C-Kit" showThumbnail=true >}}
 ### Conclusion
 For ￡40 off ebay, a ￡5 USBC port and some cleaning im very happy with this, my new day to day Nintendo DSI. 
 {{< carousel images="{./DSI1.jpg,./DSI2.jpg,./DSI3.jpg,./featured.jpg}" >}}
 ### 🏁 Furure Improvements
 I do want to come back to this and replace both the screen and digitizer. The screens are a little yellow which is common with these old handhelds, esspecially the Japanese versions like mine. The digitizer works fine but along with the top lens could do with replacing to remove scratches and really bring it back to life. For now im happy to enjoy this as it is.