The ULTIMATE GameBoy Advance SP! 

Giving this away - instagram.com/p/B6k9tMcH2A6/?igshid=10ovt3z5zarwe

Try to insult the SP screen when you're the only person in the dark car with a regular Gameboy Advanced

Who else is watching this on their Gameboy Advanced SP?

Back in the days. I had a 001 GBA SP, my mom accidentally cracked the screen, and she had it sent to Nintendo for repair, and I didn’t get my old, repaired one, I actually got a brand new GBA SP 101 from them. 😱

I think I died a little when he snapped the shell in half...

My bf bought a gba sp at a flee market for 20 US dollars. I told him maybe he shouldn't, but go ahead if you want to. When he got home, it turned out to be a AGS 101 and fully working! BEST FIND I ever seen at a flee market. Good job mate! 👍

Thanks to RetroModding for sending me a bunch of mods for all of you guys to enjoy!

7:00 Dude that's a ziplock. There's an easier way to open it.

Great video! Love seeing this old stuff come to life!

I would love to buy one of these! Preferably already made. I miss my GBA... I'm really sad that it had to brick itself. Some hardware modifications (upgrades) that I would love to make to a GBA, if I had the skill, money, tools and patience: - A better battery (one that has higher capacity, better cycle life, etc...) - Mechanical button switches, instead of membrane (faster response and better tactile feedback.) - A better D-Pad. - Buttons with slightly different shapes so that it's easier for my thumb to tell which is which. - A texture on the case that makes it easier (and more satisfying) to hold. - A high quality screen protector, with an anti-reflective / anti-glare finish. - Addition of an IR port for older GB/GBC games that need it. - Addition of a proper headphone jack. - Adjusting the oscillator for the screen so that it runs at a true 60 Hz (or better yet, so that it runs at a refresh rate far higher than whatever framerate the game is actually running at, that way input latency and screen tearing are both kept to a minimum.) - Replacing the volume slider with a GBC-style volume wheel. - Replacing the power switch with one that can't get stuck in an in-between position. More ambitious upgrades that are also on my bucket list: - Replacing the main RAM in the system with much faster SRAM (256 kilobyte SRAM chips shouldn't be too difficult to get these days). - Replacing the ARM and GB-Z80 CPUs with much faster binary-compatible substitutes. - Replacing the BIOS chip with one that contains significantly optimized code. - Running the hardware at a significantly lower voltage (for example, 1.1v) instead of 3.3v or 5v (for GBA/GBC respectively) to improve battery life. A buck-boost converter or other voltage regulation system would also be used so that it could still safely interface with cartridges. - A custom PCB with extensive optimization of the various circuit traces, and increased resistance to damaging things like moisture.

I'll be that guy. It's good, but to be truly ultimate, it needs a 3.5mm headphone jack ;)

“That most of us grew up with”. Me: Looks around

had the tribal version, god I thought I was hard, was like having a tattoo on my gameboy

This video gave me the confidence to upgrade my very own GBA SP to an IPS screen. I’ve never soldered before in my life but after a couple minor quirks I managed to do it without damaging the original board. And the brightness works great! Idk if it’s just me but I noticed my original game boy and game boy color games look fantastic where the GBA games look a bit stretched. Probably the bigger screen but I mostly play GB Color and older games.

Imagine having to mod your GBA SP for good back lighting. -This was made by The AGS-101 Gang

bruh in 10 years we will have oled gameboys out in the wild

I’ve recently been thinking about doing this myself and this video came up in my recommended. You really explain everything I was confused about really thoroughly and after watching I’m definitely looking into to doing this myself. Thank you so much

Thank you 1000 times for the side by side comparison! You just keep rocking out these videos, just amazing Always a joy to watch your videos!

I've been wanting this mod for so long. Thank you for creating this video. You are building my confidence in soldering simple task like this

I just did this as my very first mod attempt, your video helped me out a lot and I was successful. Needless to say I'm very excited and wanted to give you a shout out, love the videos and keep up the great work

One thing the 001 screen does good: when im playing in the complete dark like in bed, i prefer it over the 101 because it doesnt blind you so hard. So i use my 101 in lit areas and 001 when its dark:)

Would love to see a re-shelling of a (new) 3DS. I reshelled mines and the internals were highly different from a original 3DS. But the end result is an definite improvement. Love how this ended up. I've always put off buying a GB advance. Might take the plunge one day.

Nah, the 101 just looks so much better imo. The way the pixel grid is so much more noticeable on it just makes everything look so much better. All that old spritework just wasn't designed for modern screens.

This video gave me the inspiration to try out circuitry for the first time and it was really fun, bought a broken 50$ one that looked like it’d been left outside for years or something, by the time I was done it looked/worked better than brand new! Now I can fix many things, the latest of which was a tvs hdmi ports.

I'm so glad you're back. I'm from the us, and your videos always seem to entertain me while I'm waiting for anything to happen!

I would insert first the ribbon cable and connect it to the Mainboard and close the lower part. And when that is finished then I would insert the display. That give you more space with the ribbon cable and the soldering. That's how I make it

Elliott: It's a little bit shi.... Nintendo: ..... Elliott: poor Nintendo: :)

The way you explained how to replace the GBA SP hinges on your video made it look so easy. Thanks for the great video again.

Went straight to retromodding after seeing your last video and placed an order for my GB DMG for the bivert + backlight mod. Planning on doing an upgrade to my GBA now too.

It’s a little bit sh, poor -Elliot 2019

I finally found you again! Use to watch your videos in my recommended and then you vanished! Subbing now! Keep up the good work!

A while back, I had to do a GBA SP shell replacement, after I got a cheap one that had a broken shell, superglued together until I fixed it. Was an experience for me.

Hey, finally took my attempt at a gba sp ips mod and very pleased with the result. Thank you for all your high quality videos giving me the confidence to do the mod!

Every time I have an update from you, I'm like someone that hasn't eat for a while and watching cooking videos...

Your videos are always entertaining to watch keep up the good work

Hey man, I just finished doing this mod to a broken AGS-101 my friend gave me and I forgot about. I ordered everything after coming across this video in my recommended. Love your content and look forward to more things relating to this in the future.

Followed your instructions, works like a charm! That screen looks so good too!

I just purchased everything you recommended. Going to try a mini project and see how this works. Thanks for the video.

I like the look of the AGS 101, not that it's better but the nostalgia factor.

This is the best demonstration I've seen yet of the difference between the 101 LCD and the IPS one. Thanks for this!

Thanks so much mate, I just did this to an old stinky SP and it looks amazing. Couldn't have done it without your vid!

Love your channel! Been binging everything. Just wanted to ask how does replacing the AGS 001 screen effect its battery life?

I love the gba form factor but hate the screen vice versa with the sp.

This is absolutely fantastic. Thanks for the detailed video. This is very exciting!

Thumbs up for this video. Love it. A friend just gave me his broken gba sp. I'm going to try to fix it by replacing the shell and put a new battery in. Hopefully it will work. This video tutorial is great for when I get the parts.

"a little bit on the lackluster side" boii back then it wasnt

This is a great mod but I've actually transitioned to using my DSi as my Advance emulator. It's weird so few people remember or care about the DSi, it's actually an awesome litle piece of hardware.

Thank you for this! Just followed it and I was able to do my own mod as well. Easy to follow and worked like a charm.

Great video! The end product turned out really nice!

That looks sick!

The "SP" part of the logo on the screen has a different font than the original and it kinda bothers me lol

Hey Elliot, I've watched quite a few videos from you and I decided to try to mod my GBA SP as well. I've done the mod highlighted in this video, and it went quite well as my first mod (my latest solder dates back in 2004, in "techno" class when I was 11). Next I'll try to install a jack port as you did, it's a tad bit harder though. Really like your channel, brings back so many memories from my childhood with every old-school gameboy or console your repair/mod. Thanks a lot for the videos, like many people I feel quite bored in these weird covid times and you've given me a lot of inspiration to get into modding and it's thrilling. Love getting back to my childhood and teenage games on these modernized consoles. Keep doing what you do, cheers from France.

Oh this looks so sharp and classic. Love it omg. transperent looks are always killer to me. Thx for showing this off.

"The most of us grown up with " someone here who grown up with the Original ? 😅

"It's a little bit shi- poor to say the least" Nice save Eliot 👌

With your guide I was able to swap a shell and screen along with buttons on my launch AGS 101 thank you

Hey, thanks for the video! Never got a gba as a kid, finally bought one and I changed the shell today for the nes one thanks to your vid! Waiting for the screen to arrive now, probably won't mod the luminosity button tho, im afraid to ruin it. I hope it still looks good!

Probably a dumb question but if I don’t solder will it be as bright?

People: "ags 101 is kinda hard to find" me: *Laughs in ags 101 ownership*

THANK YOU!! This is exactly what I've been looking for

This channel inspired me to do retro console modding! I'm hoping to start with a Gameboy Advance SP and throw an IPS screen in it (transparent red shell, orange buttonsand red LEDs, to match my Fire Red)

if you don't solder a brightness control, what will happen?

“That most of us grew up with” I grew up with the regular Ds. I was born a few months before the GB Adv SP was released Edit: forgot to say that I really wanna get an Ags 101 though, I’m trying to look for one that I can afford without having to fix because I’m afraid I’ll break it

Gonna have to do this to mine, plastic has started falling apart like the one you took apart. Thanks for the helpful video and resources

Just finished assembling a red/black gba sp ips mod for my cousin's birthday. Thanks for all the tutorials man!

Looks pretty. But don't get these 3rd party shells from China. They are flimsy and are NOTICEABLY lower in quality. Better to get a mint ags 001 for 20 bucks and add the IPS screen to it.

For It to be the ultimate GBA SP, it needs a headphone jack

I plan on doing this thanks so much for this video! Great tips!

I went to the pawn shop a couple summers ago. They had four GBA SP’s in the glass case. Took a look at them: two of them were 101’s! $20, each! I snagged them, bought replacement shells, and they’re terrific!

Is there a sound mod for the SP? I searched everywhere and I Couldn't find one (only GBA ones). We all know how shitty those old speakers are.

God I wish I was born earlier than 2007 to experience this amazing console at it's prime

Thank you so much for this video ☺️ I always wanted to make a custom gameboy advance sp.

I love that Back Office shirt. I used to work a seasonal Consumer Back Office job at Nintendo. :)

7:02 , its a ziplock bag, why are you doing that?

Congrats for this awesome mod! Your gba sp looks great with the new shell. I will try your LCD mod, thank you for the tutorial :D

Thank you for this Video! I made mine today and it came out perfect!

0:25

It's not the ultimate GBA SP imo. Ultimate one would have a headphone jack

Thank you for doing this video. I've been looking to do this mod to my AGS-001 SP and most videos have outdated links. Don't want to buy the wrong thing.

I still have mine till this day but it recently had a screen damage so which you can't see anything so I'm kinda glad that lads are still selling gameboy parts.

Excellent Mod Elliott, best Gameboy Advance SP mod you've done to date.The display looks incredible.So vivid and clear.

Thx for this mate, I just changed mine following your guide

I love Kurukuru Kururin! Great video and the IPS screen looks awesome, a little bit pricey for my budget.

Gba sp is my favorite console and i was always planning to do this to my old ags101. Awsome video learned a lot

That ips screen looks amazing.I have a nes classic edition sp with front light screen and I think it needs this upgrade.Love these videos :)

Just bought one can't wait for it to arrive

Looking forward to ordering some of these parts and getting to work!

thank you so much for showing a comparison of the two screens with classic gameboy games - i've searched for this for a long time! perfect pixel aspect ratio and razorsharp pixels - i love it :-) will order an ips modkit now and my gb boy colour and digi retroboy will have less to do in the future - i don't like the blury picture when playing classic gameboy games on these consoles. cheers and thx

Great work! I always love watching your videos!

After seeing this I’m definitely gonna purchase the new screen with the see thru she’ll. It looks so cool!

I just finished putting a new shell on my SP - if I saw this video earlier, I probably would have added a new screen too! But taking apart the screen area was such a pain that I don't want to do it again - especially since it's near impossible to do without damaging the little rubber screw covers. Maybe I'll get another SP and start a 2nd project...

Nice video, I have a AGS-001 with no backlight (I removed it to do a GBC backlight mod, long story short: I broke the backlight) and this mod would give a second life to my SP.

The videos are way more interesting when you talk through what you doing. I love all your videos though :)

Great video! Makes me wanna give this a try with my old GBA SP!

Would love to do this with a clear blue gba, would bring back a lot of childhood memories. Shame original gba’s are pretty expensive for what they are on eBay at the mo.

Your videos are so helpful!

I'll be doing a gba sp i bought recently. Great ideas here, thanks

Love that you give it away men ur amazing and just love how ur channel has grown. Good luck to everyone who entered the giveaway!!!!!

I wanted to stop and say thank you. You did a great video modding a GameBoy SP. Looking forward to the Advance. I served in Iraq in the USMC. I have a Contra Advance cartridge that seems to been erased while on ship. Lent it out, it was carried into a protected area. Wiped clean. I don't know if you can save this one...

Thanks man, I appreciate you.