Power consumption of Game Boy flash cartridges (2021)
7 hours ago
- #Game Boy
- #Flash Cartridges
- #Power Consumption
- Flash cartridges for Game Boy are known for high power consumption, reducing battery life and potentially causing system instability.
- Power consumption varies significantly among different flash cart models, with some even being more efficient than genuine cartridges.
- Tested cartridges include genuine games (Tetris, Pokemon Blue, Wario Land II), reproduction carts, and various flash carts (Everdrive GB, Everdrive GB X5, EZ-FLASH Junior, EMS64, and custom designs GB-CART32K-A, GB-CART256K-A, GB-CART8M-A).
- Test setup involved an original Game Boy (DMG) powered by a programmable power supply, with detailed measurements of input voltage and current.
- Startup measurements showed that genuine cartridges consume less power than most flash carts, with Tetris being the most efficient.
- Custom flash cart designs (GB-CART series) showed competitive power consumption, with GB-CART8M-A sometimes outperforming genuine carts.
- Everdrive GB X5 was the best among widely available flash carts, while the original Everdrive GB and EZ-FLASH Junior had high power consumption.
- EMS64M's power consumption varied greatly depending on the game being played, making it less predictable.
- Reproduction carts can consume less power than genuine carts but are not recommended due to poor design and reliability issues.
- Recommendations include avoiding the original Everdrive GB, preferring Everdrive GB X5 for SD-card based carts, and being cautious with EZ-FLASH Junior and EMS64M.