HD NES comparison: Analogue Nt vs. RetroUSB AVS vs. Modded Hi-Def NES vs Nt Mini

The Analogue Nt mini was just announced today and I couldn't be more excited. The past year or two has been the best year for NES since 1990. Not only are we getting these great remakes, clones, and mods but the homebrew scene is thriving!

The reaction I've seen to the Nt mini has been somewhat negative or indifferent due to the high price. As far as I can see though, it's nearly a perfect NES remake with every feature it could possibly have! The more praised RetroUSB AVS looks like a sweet console too at a very attractive pricepoint, but it's going to have some shortcomings. The 720p output means some amount of delay and imperfect scaling up to 1080p on most displays. No analog out means you can't use your fancy PVM or play zapper games.

The reason the Analogue Nt mini excites me is that it's a zero compromise machine like the original Nt, and because it doesn't use chips pillaged from old Famicoms it can be produced indefinitely as a modern NES! Despite the price, it looks like the definitive high end NES. The features and price are even attractive next to the original Analogue Nt, if you can get over the merely psychological difference of playing on an FPGA clone rather than original CPU and PPU.

Edit: It looks like color palette options were just added to the AVS. I don't think that alone puts it on par with the Nts, but the fact that new features are still being developed is probably a good thing.

For the record, I own an Analogue Nt, have an AVS on order, and currently have no plans to buy an Nt mini.

	Analogue Nt	Analogue Nt mini	RetroUSB AVS	Kevtris Hi-Def NES
Internals	Famicom CPU/PPU	FPGA	FPGA	Installed in a real NES
Resolution	1080p	1080p	720p	1080p
A/V Output	RGB, S-Video, Component, Composite RCA analog audio HDMI w/upgrade	RGB, S-Video, Component, Composite, HDMI Analog and digital audio	HDMI	HDMI
Famicom Expansion Audio	With HDMI upgrade	Yes	Yes	Yes
Game Support	NES, Famicom, FDS	NES, Famicom, FDS	NES, Famicom, FDS	NES Famicom with converter
Controller Ports	4 (incorrect spacing)	4 (possibly incorrect spacing)	4	2
Region Support	Region free Limited to NTSC PPU	Region Free	Region Free	Region free with mod Limited to NTSC PPU
Other Unique Features	Machined aluminum case Famicom mic support w/HDMI upgrade: Adjustable color palette Speedrun timer In-game menu Under/overclock support Hotkeys Adjustable audio channels	Machined aluminum case Adjustable color palette Speedrun timer In-game menu Under/overclock support Hotkeys Adjustable audio channels Famicom mic support Bundled with wireless controller	Game Genie and Action Replay Online scoreboard support NOS Power and Reset buttons	Adjustable color palette Speedrun timer In-game menu Under/overclock support Hotkeys Adjustable audio channels
Notable Negatives	First run units have sharp cart slot edges Incorrect controller port spacing Cart slot is loose and horrible	Incorrect controller port spacing	Cart slot is loose and horrible		Requires pro installation for warranty
Common Features	Zero/low latency scaling Compatible with all pirates and homebrew Adjustable scanlines Upgradable software	Zero/low latency scaling Compatible with all pirates and homebrew Adjustable scanlines Upgradable software	Zero/low latency scaling Compatible with all pirates and homebrew Adjustable scanlines Upgradable software	Zero/low latency scaling Compatible with all pirates and homebrew Adjustable scanlines Upgradable software
Price	$499 for RGB $578 for HDMI $??? on Ebay	$449	$185	$120-142 parts ~$85 for installation

Update 9/8/2017: After a ton of experience with the AVS and original Analogue Nt, I've started using the AVS as my primary NES. The Nt definitely has better picture and is more flexible on a 1080p TV, but it's not really noticible in motion (my game room TV is 720p anyway). The annoyances of the Analogue Nt added up too much for me. The cart slot is loose and horrible. A stiff breeze, or more realistically, accidentally hitting the cartridge with your controller cord is likely to freeze the game. I've had problems with a few games including Family Feud (freezes shortly after start), Spot (weird graphics in ending scene), and King of the Ring (glitches out during action, and eventually freezes). King of the Ring was fixed with a software update making me think these are software related. The problems occur with a flash cart too, it's not my cartridges. The other things all piled up. Power button on the back. Can't use a Four Score with it. I actually ended up using the PAL support on my AVS too. I don't think the Nt is a horrible product because the output is amazing, but the design of the console itself really sucks.

The Best Video Game Systems to Collect For

As I'm nearing the completion of my NTSC NES collection, I'm thinking about what the best video game consoles to collect for are. My NES collection will never be truly done, but I do want to get some new focuses. In my mind, I don't think there will ever be a better system than NES but there are some contenders. It's obviously a highly personal decision, but factors like availability, library size, game quality and variety, console identity, and what I'll call "extendability" all determine how collectible a console is, at least to me.

What Makes a Library Collectible (to me!)

Availability
While not a requirement, I'd like to be able to find games for a console, at least some of the time. While the MicroVision is super cool, you'll never find a MicroVision game at the flea market or probably even the local game store. Resorting to Ebay to buy every single game isn't very fun and certainly isn't as exciting.

A minor point here is looking at the rarest games and seeing if they're obtainable. If you are a completionist you need to be ready for insane road blocks like Magical Chase and Stadium Events. Systems like the Game Boy and Genesis are much more reasonable to actually acquire 100% full sets of if that's important to you.

On the other hand, a good mix of rare and desirable games makes a console more interesting. The most collectible consoles are the ones with the Panzer Dragoon Sagas and Keio Flying Squadrons. The top shelf games are what makes a collection exciting.

Library Size

I think there's a sweet spot here. If it's too small, you'll just dump a bunch of money and finish it in a couple months. If it's something like PS2 with some 2000 or more games, it will be incredibly challenging (and thus last last a lot longer!). That comes at the cost of having to buy a lot of really bad games, sports games, and shovelware. Bigger libraries also mean more exploring unknown titles, which is one of the more exciting parts of game collecting.

Analogue Nt Review (without too much focus on video)

The Analogue Nt is a cool piece of kit that's basically a remade, improved NES made from scrap Famicom parts and Kevtris' sweet Hi-Def NES mod. You already know a couple things about it: It's pretty expensive ($500+ when new, $1000+ used) and it has great quality video. The Hi-Def NES mod is the heart of this console, not all of Analogue's accouterments. I've had a second-shipment Nt as my daily player for a month now and here are my impressions.