NerdMentality | HARDWARE REVIEW: Penguin United 10 in 1 Essential Travel Kit for Nintendo DSi

Viewing Entry

HARDWARE REVIEW: Penguin United 10 in 1 Essential Travel Kit for Nintendo DSi

Posted September 11th 2009 by Daisy Garcia.

Ever since I received my DSi from Nintendo, I've been concerned with really one thing: scuffing it. Nintendo's decision to release a matted surface had me trying to figure out what to do to keep it in pristine condition, as I'm a bit OCD when it comes to my electronics. For a while, I was squeezing it into my black and rose leather Waterford DS bag, similar to this one, only the Waterford is for a DS Lite and thus a tad too tiny to hold the slightly larger DSi. I usually carry around my DSi in my purse and if it's not in some kind of case, it bumps up against the plethora of junk that also hibernates within – cell phone, digicam, wallet, checkbook, keys, emergency hand sanitizer, etc. Something is bound to scuff it up. Don't get me wrong, I like the matte look that so many others dismiss, but it's not particularly practical.

Thankfully, companies like Penguin United agree with me. They came out with a 10 in 1 Travel Kit for the DSi, which is actually pretty darn practical. Many companies often come out with various accessories for the latest gaming system, but mostly this is done for the aesthetics – which I'm fine with as long as that is acknowledged up front and not claiming to be a "must have" to complete your gaming experience. The majority of what PU offers in their version of a travel system is mostly stuff that one would actually need. The sleek white DSi pouch holds not only the DSi, but also has a back zippered pocket that the AC adapter fits into easily with room to spare. It also features a matching hard cased folder to keep all of your games dust free. Along with the protective lenses, ear buds, and extra styluses, it comes with my favorite part of the entire kit: the clear shell that pops right onto your DSi without a problem and protects that matte finish from any possible scuffing.

At an MSRP of $29.99, it might seem a little steep, but for those of us obsessives, it is well worth the price. The extra charger alone would do it (for those long car trips visiting family or on long business trips), but the fact that so much else comes with that can actually be used or replaces what you're missing, the price is completely fair. Other travel kits that I've had were usually more cumbersome and not nearly as practical as this one is. The ear buds feature pretty clear sound, the styluses are a good weight for all your tapping needs, and the silk dust cover really helps remove smudges from the DSi. The protective screens are generic though, but they do their job just as well as any other. The only real issue I have with this Penguin United kit is that it is only available in snow white, which seems like it could get dirty quickly. Thank goodness for germaphobes like me who carry around enough travel wipes that any possible smudge on the pristine case is gone within seconds.