DSi Pre-X4 Prototype

Another Nintendo DSi prototype popped up on GBAtemp, posted by a user by the name of HI_Ricky. It has been rumoured that this unit was made before CPU-X4, perhaps this is CPU-X3.


A video was also posted showing that the unit has no menu. It autoboots into an inserted cartridge, similar to CPU-X4.


Unit differences

  • Just like CPU-X4, there are no prints for "POWER", "START", "SELECT", or for the power, charging or wireless communications icons.
  • The unit is black and white, but not in a way so it looks like a DSi Panda.
  • The power button (can be heard in the video) is more clicky than the final. It's also white instead of gray.
  • Next to the A button, there's a small notch that's missing. This might be a Micro SD card slot.
  • Instead of having an early version of the System Settings app when you start up the system, there is no menu at all, and nothing will happen until you insert a cartridge and reboot.

Things that need to be done

Try to contact this guy on GBAtemp named "HI_Ricky", but don't spam him to death. He owns the prototype and knows the most about it. Maybe a dump is possible with Normmatt's "NAND Test App"(?) method, which allows him to basically 'inject' a homebrew application in an app that has total NAND access from the cartridge slot. Plus, it's devsigned, so it can be copied over to a devcart. And yes, this is one of the few official Nintendo apps that have NAND access from Slot-1.

Update: The prototype was sold to an unknown seller, this bulls*@# is just CPU-X4 all over again. HI_Ricky also has a Twitter and he is on AssemblerGames, so anyone with a verified account can PM him. Someone on Gaming Alexandria already DMed him on Twitter, but he hasn’t been active in a while, so getting a response may take a while. HI_Ricky also posted more pictures on AssemblerGames, so we should put those here as well.

Update 2: HI_Ricky refused to say who owns it, this REAAAAAALLY is the CPU-X4 bulls*@# all over again. I guess this prototype is now lost, Voodooween didn't buy it, neither did Normmatt. Perhaps ProtonX (confirmed he doesn’t own it) bought it, but chances are low. Also, AssemblerGames finally shut down, but he's on ObscureGamers.