GBA vs GBA SP vs Game Boy Micro: what’s the difference?
Screens, batteries, size and compatibility of every GBA model side by side — and how to tell an AGS-101 SP from an AGS-001.
All three play the same GBA games at the same 240×160 resolution. The original GBA runs on two AA batteries and has no screen light. The SP is a rechargeable clamshell — the AGS-001 is frontlit, while the 2005 AGS-101 has a much brighter backlit screen. The Micro is the smallest and lightest, also backlit, but cannot play Game Boy or Game Boy Color cartridges.
Photos: Evan-Amos / Wikimedia Commons (GBA public domain; SP & Micro CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized)
Side-by-side specs
| Game Boy Advance | GBA SP (AGS-001) | GBA SP (AGS-101) | Game Boy Micro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | AGB-001 | AGS-001 | AGS-101 | OXY-001 |
| Japan release | 2001-03-21 | 2003-02-14 | Not officially released | 2005-09-13 |
| North America release | 2001-06-11 | 2003-03-23 | 2005-09-19 | 2005-09-19 |
| Screen | 2.9″ reflective, no light | 2.9″ frontlit (on/off) | 2.9″ backlit (normal/bright) | 2″ backlit, adjustable |
| Resolution | 240 × 160 | 240 × 160 | 240 × 160 | 240 × 160 |
| Size | 144.5 × 82 × 24.5 mm | 84.6 × 82 × 24.3 mm (closed) | Same as AGS-001 | 101 × 50 × 17.2 mm |
| Weight | ≈ 140 g | ≈ 143 g | Not published | ≈ 80 g |
| Power | 2 × AA, ≈ 15 h | Li-ion, ≈ 10 h light on / 18 h off | Li-ion | Li-ion, ≈ 6–10 h |
| Headphone jack | Yes | No (adapter) | No (adapter) | Yes |
| Plays Game Boy / Color carts | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Link cable / wireless | Standard | Standard | Standard | Own connector; needs Micro adapters |
| Launch price | $99.95 / ¥9,800 | $99.95 / ¥12,500 | $79.99 | $99.99 / ¥12,000 |
Launch prices are US / Japan (Japan before tax). Contemporary press gave $99.95 for the GBA and SP; some later sources say $99.99. Nintendo UK lists the Micro’s battery life as 6–10 hours.
How to tell an AGS-001 from an AGS-101
- Check the label on the bottom: the backlit model says AGS-101, the frontlit one AGS-001.
- Press the light button: the AGS-101 only switches between Normal and Bright — the light never turns off. On the AGS-001 the button turns the light on and off.
- Look at the screen when it is off: an AGS-101 screen is solid black, an AGS-001 screen is noticeably lighter.
- Check the box: North American boxes say “Now with a BRIGHTER backlit screen!”. European boxes are not clearly marked; the Surf Blue colour was only made as an AGS-101.
- The AGS-101 launched in North America in September 2005 at $79.99, appeared in small numbers in Europe in 2006, and was never officially sold in Japan.
Can a Nintendo DS play GBA games?
The original DS and DS Lite have a GBA slot and play GBA games, but single-player only: there is no link port, Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges don’t work, and accessories that plug into the GBA’s ports can’t be used. The DSi and later models dropped the slot entirely.
Which one should you get?
- Want to play Game Boy and Game Boy Color carts too: get an original GBA or an SP — the Micro and the DS can’t.
- Care most about screen brightness: an AGS-101 or a Micro. They are similarly bright; the AGS-001 is dimmer and the original GBA has no light at all.
- Care most about portability: the Micro weighs 80 g and keeps a headphone jack, at the cost of a 2″ screen and link accessories that don’t work with other models.
- Prefer AA batteries over an ageing built-in battery: the original GBA.
Sources
- Nintendo (Japan), Game Boy Advance announcement, 2000
- Nintendo UK, Game Boy Advance technical data
- Nintendo UK, Game Boy Advance SP technical data
- Nintendo UK, Game Boy Micro technical data
- GameSpot, North American GBA launch details
- Game Watch, GBA SP launch (Japan), 2003
- Game Developer, Nintendo releases GB Micro and enhanced SP in America, 2005
- GameSpot, Game Boy Micro Japanese and European release dates
- Nintendo of America support, Can the DS or DS Lite play Game Boy games?
- Wikipedia, Game Boy Advance SP
Last checked: 2026-11-11