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yeah they got pricey around 2020. :/ for DSi systems you can get cheaper prices buying from JPN sellers on eBay or on JPN Yahoo! Auctions, maybe it's similar for 3DS/2DS?

regardless, make sure the one you buy is the "New! Nintendo 3DS" (or "New! Nintendo 2DS"), the revamped models that came after the original/old 3DS/3DS XL/2DS. the New! systems' CPU is 4x faster and homebrew lets you apply that to games that don't normally take advantage. this can give quite nice boosts. also, the New! system is basically what modern homebrew apps expect for performance. you really, really want the "New!" system.

you also have to choose the size between 3DS and 3DS XL (LL in japan). more people than not seem to prefer XL. i chose non-XL because i preferred the smaller form factor and because only the non-XL supports swappable cover plates, of which hundreds of varieties were released.

if you want to be a real sicko (i don't want to be, but can't help it) every 3DS is also a Nintendo panel lottery. the most desired systems are "dual IPS", meaning they happen to have two IPS screens (as opposed to TN, which have worse viewing angles / less color saturation). some systems have just one IPS screen, most have zero. systems with IPS screens are often flagged as such on eBay, and if you're buying a new/boxed unit, users have also compiled data on which models of 3DS and 3DS XL have a good chance (or no chance) to have one or both screens be IPS. a good nexus for such discussion is r/3DS_IPS_TN. i am sorry to anyone whose brain i just planted this bug in.