You’ll be familiar with iFixit for its phone teardowns, but the site cracks open a variety of gadgets — including game consoles. Hey, didn’t Nintendo release some new hardware recently? It certainly did and iFixit hasn’t wasted any time attacking it with a screwdriver.
While opening the Switch can be problematic for the average user, thanks to proprietary screws and “strong” adhesive, once inside almost all the components are easily replaceable, according to iFixit.
As for the Joy-Con controller, it’s a little simpler, using Phillips screws to hold things in place. However the battery, a 1.9Wh lithium-ion, will require some work to change out, compared to say, the Wii-Remote.
The number eight is a common figure when it comes to repairability scores, with the Xbox One, PS4 and Wii U sharing this value. No surprise then that the Switch was also scored the same.
So, getting your Switch repaired (or fixing it yourself) shouldn’t be much of a hassle… as long as you don’t, ah, smash it into the ground repeatedly.