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Tear-Down Experts Say 3DS Costs $100 To Manufacture
Unlike its competitors Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo has never made a practice of producing systems that cost more to produce than they sell for. According to a couple of tear-downs reports on the system, which were done by taking apart the 3DS and estimating the costs of its components and manufacture, this policy has continued with the 3DS. A recent report released by iSuppli backs up a previous report by UBM TechInsights that estimated the production costs of the 3DS at $100.
Given that the handheld retails for $250, that's a healthy $150 profit per unit sold. However, it's important to note that the $100 figure only accounts for the cost of the system's internal components and manufacture, not any proprietary system software costs or R&D costs. Either way, if the 3DS succeeds, it should be an amazing source of revenue for the Japanese console giant.
Click here for a detailed analysis of the 3DS's components as compared to the DSi.
Source: Gamasutra via Wired
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