Console Variations: Most and Least

[Flack]

This last round of PS3 and Xbox 360 hardware revisions got me thinking: which consoles have had the most hardware revisions, and which consoles have had the least? I'm talking about differences in hardware here, not packaging or included titles. So, what say you? Which ones have had the most and which ones have had the least? Back up your claims with evidence in your responses and I'll update this main post with your responses! Any early guesses on which ones had the most and which ones had the least?

[jperryss]

Are we counting minor (internal) hardware updates, or actual console redesigns?

For least number of updates, the Gamecube comes to mind: No hardware revisions (unless you count the Wii ) and I don't think there were even different MB revs. (EDIT: I've been corrected on this one.) The original XBOX had no hardware redesigns either, but the MB and internals were updated through quite a few different revs. Does that count?

For most number of updates, the PC Engine had many, and even more if you count the Duo systems.
PC Engine
CoreGrafx
CoreGrafxII
PC Engine Shuttle
PC Engine LT
PC Engine Duo
PC Engine Duo-R
PC Engine Duo-RX

Do these count?
Pioneer LaserActive
PC Engine GT
SuperGrafx

[BetaWolf47]

For least number of updates, the Gamecube comes to mind: No hardware revisions (unless you count the Wii ) and I don't think there were even different MB revs.

That's not exactly true. They removed the component video output after a while, so later Gamecubes can only output up to s-video. Plus, like Kiddo said, the Panasonic Q.

[Soviet Conscript]

Are we counting minor (internal) hardware updates, or actual console redesigns?

For least number of updates, the Gamecube comes to mind: No hardware revisions (unless you count the Wii ) and I don't think there were even different MB revs. The original XBOX had no hardware redesigns either, but the MB and internals were updated through quite a few different revs. Does that count?

For most number of updates, the PC Engine had many, and even more if you count the Duo systems.
PC Engine
CoreGrafx
CoreGrafxII
PC Engine LT
PC Engine Duo
PC Engine Duo-R
PC Engine Duo-RX

And the PSP will have like 4 revs by the end of the year, heh.

don't forget the PCE shuttle. you can possibly count the PCE GT if your going to count the LT since its just a portable PCE as well.

does the laseractive PCE module count?

[jperryss]

does the laseractive PCE module count?

Yeah I thought about the TE/GT, didn't think about the Shuttle.

And yeah, if the Panny Q counts then the Laseractive should. I updated my post.

Can we count the SuperGrafx?

[garagesaleking!!]

ya if you count all the sega genesis and cd hardware i would sega is probably up there if not number 1

[Soviet Conscript]

Can we count the SuperGrafx?

good question. i would say no since the SGX was ment to be an entirely new system with backwards compatibility to the PCE.

it would be like counting the PS2 as a PS variation because it could play PS1 games. you just have to ask yourself was the origional intention of the SGX to play PCE games and a few SGX games or was it intended to play SGX games primarily and have PCE compatibility as an extra feature. the only diffrence between it and the PS2 was that the SGX flopped so hard they never made many super HU cards for it.

and speaking of pc/console hybrids the PCE had its own as well, Sharp X1 Twin

[Flack]

Wow, you know, I didn't think about revisions that weren't advertised, like the original PlayStation. Hm, maybe I'll have to rethink the guidelines!

All the info that everyone has provided so far has been great -- keep it up!

[Black_Tiger]

Are we counting minor (internal) hardware updates, or actual console redesigns?

For most number of updates, the PC Engine had many, and even more if you count the Duo systems.

PC Engine
CoreGrafx
CoreGrafxII
PC Engine Shuttle
PC Engine LT
PC Engine Duo
PC Engine Duo-R
PC Engine Duo-RX

Do these count?
Pioneer LaserActive
PC Engine GT
SuperGrafx

I'd count the last three, but not the CGII or RX. The TG-16 and PAL TurboGrafx are also unique enough to count as variations and not simply revisions.

There's also the Vistar, Sharp X-1 Twin.

Here's what I'd list all together-

PC Engine
CoreGrafx
PC Engine Shuttle
PC Engine LT
PC Engine Duo
PC Engine Duo-R
Pioneer LaserActive
PC Engine GT
SuperGrafx
Vistar
Sharp X-1 Twin


If counting silly revisions within models, like the HDG and non-HDG Model 1 Genesis', then we'll never be able to compare consoles since there are likely hundreds of different revisions across models of each console and most aren't widely documented.

[Kiddo]

This can be a bit tough to call, since some hardware reivisons are advertised, and some are not.

For example, while the Sega Genesis has had multiple obvious "models", there also tends to be variations in the specifics of each model that might affect things such as audio/video quality or game compatibility.

Anyway, for me this will probably be easiest to list the hardware revisions I know of for each system;

1) NES/Toploader NES/Sharp NES-TV Combo, Famicom/Sharp Twin Famicom/Sharp Famicom Titler/Sharp Famicom-TV combo
2) SNES/SNES Jr./Super Famicom/SFC Jr./Sharp SFC-TV Combo
3) Game Boy/Game Boy Pocket/Game Boy Light (and if you count these, Color, Advance and Micro lines, and Super Game Boy?)
4) Genesis Model 1/Model 2/Model 3/future variants based off model 3, X'eye, CD-X, way too many others to count (Genesis probably has the most hardware variants I know of)
5) Game Gear... uh, GG Kids? I dunno.
6) Turbografx-16. Most of the revisions were on the JP PC-Engine "Core Grafx" lines and whatsuch, I don't know much on them.
7) PC-FX has only one known model I'm aware of.
8) Sega Saturn has a few subtle model changes. I'm only well aware of the Model 1/2 ones, but I think there were others as well.
9) Playstation/Subtle model changes before PSOne/PSOne
10) N64... uh, more or less didn't change besides special casings to my knowledge.
11) Dreamcasts with Mil-CD/Dreamcasts without Mil-CD.
12) PS2/PS2 Slim/PS-X
13) Xboxes with sublte changes, mostly to try to break homebrew mods.
14) Gamecube/Panasonic Q
15) 360 Pro/Premium/Elite/Arcade/etc.
16) PS3 20/40/60/80gb models, upcoming PS3 Slim
17) PSP, PSP Slim, PSP Go
18) DS, DS Lite, DSi
19) Wonderswan, Wonderswan Color, not sure what else.
20) NeoGeo Pocket, NeoGeo Pocket Color

^ Obviously not a remotely complete or comprehensive list.

[MASTERWEEDO]

I have 3 different playstations. one has the composite holes on the back with a door on the back that opens, one has the thing to open on the back with the standard ps cables to use it. and one doent have the door in the back. what was that door for anyway?

[tom]

This can be a bit tough to call, since some hardware reivisons are advertised, and some are not.

For example, while the Sega Genesis has had multiple obvious "models", there also tends to be variations in the specifics of each model that might affect things such as audio/video quality or game compatibility.

Anyway, for me this will probably be easiest to list the hardware revisions I know of for each system;

1) NES/Toploader NES/Sharp NES-TV Combo, Famicom/Sharp Twin Famicom/Sharp Famicom Titler/Sharp Famicom-TV combo
2) SNES/SNES Jr./Super Famicom/SFC Jr./Sharp SFC-TV Combo
3) Game Boy/Game Boy Pocket/Game Boy Light (and if you count these, Color, Advance and Micro lines, and Super Game Boy?)
4) Genesis Model 1/Model 2/Model 3/future variants based off model 3, X'eye, CD-X, way too many others to count (Genesis probably has the most hardware variants I know of)
.

4: Teradrive, yeah

[mobiusclimber]

11) Dreamcasts with Mil-CD/Dreamcasts without Mil-CD.

19) Wonderswan, Wonderswan Color, not sure what else.

The Dreamcast also had Divers 2000 which I believe had some hardware modifications in it, tho I'm not certain (it could just be the guts of a regular Dreamcast in a different casing w/ a screen and etc).

WonderSwan also had the Swan Crystal. But should we even be including handhelds as "consoles"?

[Baloo]

It's gotta be the Genesis, the Genesis has at least 10-15 different variations of hardware design.

And can the platinum Gamecube put out S-Video? I have an S-video cable that can work with Wii, SNES and N64 as well from Pelican.

[Sonicwolf]

I think that color variations and outside visual changes that dont involve drastic hardware operation or physical size changes should not count as variations.

[Kid Ice]

I think that color variations and outside visual changes that dont involve drastic hardware operation or physical size changes should not count as variations.

I would say the opposite...to me a system with two different casings is more "different" than say, two "variations" of the PlayStation that have different CD speeds. But I think both should be valid for the purposes of this thread.

[NoahsMyBro]

I'm not even close to expert on either, but I'd guess there were no, none, nada, zero, zilch revisions to the Vectrex or the Colecovision. (I wouldn't count the Adam, personally.)

The VCS/2600 went through many iterations, and the Intellivision had a few as well.

And of course there are the systems that failed so clearly there was never any time for a revision - Channel F, Studio II, etc...

[Kid Ice]

I'm not even close to expert on either, but I'd guess there were no, none, nada, zero, zilch revisions to the Vectrex or the Colecovision. (I wouldn't count the Adam, personally.)

The VCS/2600 went through many iterations, and the Intellivision had a few as well.

And of course there are the systems that failed so clearly there was never any time for a revision - Channel F, Studio II, etc...

The Dina console is a variant of the Colecovision so to speak.

There are at least two different Vectrex models.

Atari Jaguar, 0 revs/variants?

[tom]

The Bit 90 is a Coleco variant
The Bit 60 is a VCS variant

[smork]

There are at least two different Vectrex models.

Hmm? There's version from three different regions (GCE, MB, and Bandai) but I don't think that counts as a different model.

Super Cassette Vision only has one model, and no regional variants. There's plenty of obscure consoles like that (Supervision 8000, PC-FX, Visicom)

[Kiddo]

If we try to document different casings (where the internals might not otherwise be different), this would actually be a fairly daunting task. We haven't even gotten around to all the actual hardware changes yet (I didn't get to bring up Famicom Box, Super Famicom Box, for example), and there's potentially thousands of different "Special edition" casings, mostly limited, with limited releases, etc.

I mean, we have Pikachu N64, Char Gamecube, a bunch of Limited edition Saturns including the Sonic one (and on that note I nearly forgot the Hi-Saturn, which I think is an actual hardware revision), Dreamcasts ranging from the mostly-common "Sports" Dreamcasts to the rumored "Gold" Dreamcasts which were the very last ones produced and went straight to employees, Halo-edition Xbox 360s, a MESSLOAD of LE Game Boys with themes ranging from Pokemon to Hello Kitty, and God knows what else.

[chrisbid]

I'm not even close to expert on either, but I'd guess there were no, none, nada, zero, zilch revisions to the Vectrex or the Colecovision. (I wouldn't count the Adam, personally.)

The VCS/2600 went through many iterations, and the Intellivision had a few as well.

And of course there are the systems that failed so clearly there was never any time for a revision - Channel F, Studio II, etc...

the channel f had two variations

[Rickstilwell1]

RCA Studio II had a color variation in certain countries.

One system that is said to have many many clones is the Emerson Arcadia 2001. So many different names and shapes from different countries.

[tom]

One system that is said to have many many clones is the Emerson Arcadia 2001. So many different names and shapes from different countries.

Wow, licensed too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadia_2001

I think MSX has the most variants, also licensed, approx 100 perhaps, but it's not a console (uses carts though).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ible_computers
.

[The 1 2 P]

Least revisions: the Wii.

In Japan a black model was released but that had nothing to do with a hardware revision. As far as I can tell, the Wii has the exact same engine in it that it had when it launched in November '06.