Two flashes of brilliance from striker Nathan Ellington maintained Wigan's position as the first division's early season pace setters and left bottom club Brighton still searching for their first win of the campaign.
The Duke showed just why he and partner Jason Roberts are the division's most feared forward line with super strikes either side of half time that were both set up by the lively Roberts.
The first came at the end of a scrappy opening half during which the home side never hit the heights of lasts week's demolition of West Ham.
Picking up a superb throughball from Roberts, Ellington jinked and teased his way into the penalty area before threading the ball under the despairing dive of Michels Kuipers from the tightest of angles.
Three minutes after the restart Ellington struck again, this time dispatching a curling 25-yard drive into the top corner after he was again set up by Roberts.
The home side might have added a third goal moments later when Ian Breckin's header was blocked on the line, while at the other end Brighton's chances were few and far between.
Little was seen of striker Leon Knight who was returning after suspension for his first game of the season, although his pass to set up Kerry Mayo for a cross that flew just wide was his most notable contribution.
The gulf between the two sides was always obvious and it was no surprise when Per Frandsen added Wigan's third, a cracking 30-yard drive after 76 minutes and only a brilliant save from Kuipers prevented Ellington completing his hat-trick two minutes later.
The Brighton keeper then produced heroics to deny Lee McCulloch and substitute David Graham as Wigan threatened to run riot.