How much?! Importers charging several arms and legs for DSi

[wraggster]

When the DSi launches on November 1st, it will cost Japanese consumers ¥18,900, or the equivalent of $200 at current exchange rates. Alas, import stores apparently didn't get that memo. Earlier this week, YesAsia was one of the first major importers to open its DSi preorder scheme, demanding an eye-watering price of $299.99 for Nintendo's upgraded handheld. That's a 50% rise on what you'd pay on a Japanese high street.

Since then, others have followed suit, with Play-Asia opening its preorders yesterday at the same price. A quick scan of Google's Shopping channel turned up the following offers (bear in mind the top three will also add shipping costs):
YesAsia.com: $299.99
Play-Asia.com: $299.99
Model-Gadget.com: $272.29

Gadget-Asia.com: $318.30 (free shipping)
Egads! It appears importers, rather than Nintendo, are dictating prices here, and even though the likes of Renchi have yet to start offering preorders, we can assume they will also be pricing the systems at roughly $300. Anybody still tempted?

http://www.dsfanboy.com/2008/10/24/how-much-importers-charging-several-arms-and-legs-for-dsi/

[mattsaysfooey]

No. I'm not even tempted to buy it really in the first place considering my slot 2 card has no place and my slot 1 card most likely won't boot at all.

[pokeballer]

thats more than an xbox 360

[jaybud4]

And we're surprised by this?

[goshogun1]

I will get one...in the US. That is, assuming the screen is a lot better than my DS Lite. But thats highway robbery for $300!

[Graxer0419]

I hope the peole buying it at these prices realise that it is region locked and so they most likely will have problems playing un-imported games!

[Flygon]

The regeon locking makes these import costs even stupider.

[jaybud4]

I will get one...in the US. That is, assuming the screen is a lot better than my DS Lite. But thats highway robbery for $300!
The screens are slightly bigger.
Not really worth the $50US+ extra if that's your only reason.

[TTHT]

The regeon locking makes these import costs even stupider.

No, that's actually what makes it smarter on the websites' parts. Since you'll need Japanese DSi's to play Japanese DSi games, of course they'll charge more; especially since they know they're everyone's go-to-guys for this kind of thing.

[davidcrew]

New DS:

1. No GBA
2. Useless camera and music player upgrade
3. Bigger
4. Less Battery Life
5. Absurd initial retail prices

Fail.

[Flygon]

New DS:

1. No GBA
2. Useless camera and music player upgrade
3. Bigger
4. Less Battery Life
5. Absurd initial retail prices

Fail.

Yes, but.

6. Inbuilt Opera

That does not seem like a bad thing to me.

[mattsaysfooey]

I have the opera rom patched for 3 in 1 ram already.
I play mp3s with moonshell and movies also.
Not impressed at all wow a camera I'll pass.

[rageteam1000]

New DS:

1. No GBA
2. Useless camera and music player upgrade
3. Bigger
4. Less Battery Life
5. Absurd initial retail prices

Fail.

if this is true, then forget the DSi. I'll just stick with my PSP.

do you have a link, davidcrew?

[TTHT]

New DS:

1. No GBA
2. Useless camera and music player upgrade
3. Bigger
4. Less Battery Life
5. Absurd initial retail prices

Fail.

2. I don't really see it as "useless". It'll be really innovative to games, especcially if the camera can take real-time input, and maybe you can play music WHILE playing a game, which you can't do now no matter what you do.
3. Insignificantly.
5. Only if you buy a Jap one and only if it's from those import sites, which why would you? There's still a possibility that Jap roms can work off your flash cart.

The other things I could kind of understand you being upset about, but do you seriously need to play GBA games on your DS? Don't you have a GBA or an older DS?