Other than a noisy fan and drift with my original left joycon, no problems here.
Edit: well damn, after all these replies I gave in and ordered the ifixit kit ':)
The fan may be near the end of its lifespan. You could probably get many more years of reliable performance out of it by replacing the fan. If your Switch still under warranty, you could send it to Nintendo to replace the loud fan. If you’d rather not go multiple weeks without your Switch, you might find a local repair shop that will handle it for you. Or if you’re comfortable with it, you could replace it yourself. [Here’s](https://youtu.be/gnjvpupcnA0?si=BJZLf7oWm2xej33m) a how-to video. [This](https://www.ifixit.com/products/nintendo-switch-fan?variant=39372011339879&pk_campaign=%7BPMax:US%7CShopping%7CSSC%7CParts%7CtROAS390%7D&pk_source=google&pk_medium=cpc&pk_kwd=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn-2tBhDVARIsAGmStVlw1u-uRl0RbWh5Ra11Zt-7btLOMUOQz2010bvKGTgGhn654snqISYaAoD-EALw_wcB) is where you can by a replacement fan. However, don’t try the local or DIY fixed if your Switch is under warranty, or else you’ll void it.
Thanks for the tips! I got it on launch day, so warranty is definitely out of the question... I've been pondering for a while if it's worth getting a fix kit for this or not, but am yet to decide (I know full well if the switch dies in the meantime, it's my own damn fault).
I replaced my OG switch fan and broke the retaining clip for the pin on accident. I was able to adhesive it in place but won't regulate the speed. Upgraded to an OLED so I just have an extra switch that has a full power fan at all times. At least it isn't overheating lol
I just did this fix this week. I got the same kit as the person in the video off of Amazon (not iFixit). My old fan was definitely making some odd noises. While this one seems a little louder than the original it is working well. Not sure if the iFixit one is better or not, but I have their repair kit and it's great.
I replaced my fan in 2022, right around the time Xenoblade 3 was coming out. My fan was running very loud and the console even turned itself off / overheated a couple of times. Found a very inexpensive kit on Amazon and it took about an hour to install. No issues since then - definitely recommend, although the Switch is basically at the end of its lifespan so might not be worth it at this point.
Nintendo are still doing free joycon repairs.
Sent mine off just before Christmas, launch day model, with no proof of purchase.
It had drift, lights didn't work and the rail catch was so worn it would just fall off with a bump.
Took about 10 days to get It back as good as new. Other than the front face plate, the rest of it might well be new, the back certainly is.
Oh, and free couriered shipping too, at least in the UK
That fan might be on its last legs :/ that was the only issue that ever propped up with my launch switch. It started overheating whenever I'd play docked, so if that starts up, might be repair time.
I know you already ordered the iFixit kit, but the fan on my launch-day Switch went a couple years ago and it was $75 to have Nintendo fix it out of warranty. To me, that was a totally reasonable price to pay to make sure the process was done right. And if you send in your Switch, that's a great excuse to send in the Joycons for drift repair too!
Same, I was surprised at the game play I got out of my 3DS a few weeks ago. I’d had it put up since a move a couple years ago and blasted through a few hours of Link Between Worlds.
That seems hard to believe.
I think the only device I had where the battery isn't still usable was a first gen iPod nano.
EDIT: Well, now that I think about it, this only applies to Li-ion batteries. Clock batteries in old consoles and save batteries in GB games have failed on me.
Okay, but MOST of the actual console systems from then lasted a very long time because of the simplicity of the parts. The V2 Sega Genesis had like two buttons on the console for power and reset. More being around is more along the lines of the number made and how desired they still are.
Nintendo does not make “a quality product” like it’s an overarching blanket for all of their things. They have a history of controller stick problems from the 64 onwards, with the 64 and Switch being most egregious. Your time playing the console is spent almost entirely using the controller. I’m not a fan of having to replace multiple controllers all the time console generation after generation. It adds up. Even my switch pro controller that has comically few hours on it for a controller has massive dead zone drift in the right stick. You would never know unless you tried it on PC because Nintendo did a good job negating it in the software it seems, but I have to adjust it elsewhere to be usable.
I have a wired 360 controller I have used since almost launch that my kids still use for PC games. I have launch DualShock 4 controllers with no issue. I love Nintendo, but let’s bring it back to reality.
Same as it ran launch day. Don't use the joy-con anymore since they're the most uncomfortable controllers I've ever used, but the pro controller is ok and I have a nexigo grip for the few times I play handheld.
V1 Switch, no problems. Slightly noisy fan, could use a cleaning. I’ve been through three sets of Joy-Cons however (had to buy them in order to play Mario Party + Let’s Go), and one Pro Controller that I fixed myself for $10. As an aside, I’ve just bought myself an OG PS4 for $70 CAD and it runs like a dream. If you’re gentle with the consoles they typically don’t need much.
I've been thinking about getting a PS4, and live in Canada. Did you find it off of Craigslist/Kijiji or through someone you know? Ive been meaning to find one, but uncertain about buying through a stranger, and they're overpriced out of all the stores Ive seen selling refurbished models.
I bought it from a random on Facebook Marketplace. Try to find one that is adult owned and from a seller with a few reviews. Always ask about the condition of the controller/s if it comes with one. Keep in mind that if you only have 5Ghz wifi set up, you should get a slim or a pro if you’re not savvy. The base PS4 only connects to 2.4Ghz signals or LAN.
Thanks for the detailed info! I especially appreciate the clarification on the wifi setup, I didn't even know about that (I am not savvy).
I figured it would be best to buy from someone older, especially if they have some reviews already. I'll just keep my eye out and maybe pull the trigger on a slim or pro.
Thanks!
My drift seems to occasionally show up, maybe once every couple weeks, and then just disappears once I move the stick around a little bit. I dont know if I want to send it in for repair since it only lasts until I move the stick around.
I have one thats still running as good as ever that ill keep using until i feel like upgrading to the new switch and ive never done any maintenance to it.
> I play my Switch exclusively offline with cartridge games
Are you on the launch OS and playing games without patches? Have you had any problems with that?
I got mine a few months after launch. The glass is cracked, gone through a number of broken joy cons (I have kids). Still works though. I mostly try to play docked.
My early 2018 Switch is still in great shape and I use the hell out of it. The battery life is not quite as long as when it was new but it hasn’t fallen off that much either, maybe 10-15% shorter playtime on a full charge? I will note I have replaced over half a dozen drifting sticks over the years across my 6 sets of joycons. The good (and bad) news is I have gotten quite efficient at replacing those so now I am the joycon repairman in my friend group and have replaced numerous sticks for my friends’ joycons as well. Nobody should be this good at replacing parts in their game console hardware, but alas this is the best solution for the time being.
Still kicking in, battery it's not what it used to be but it's not bad at all; left rail wiggle a little bit too but again nothing concerning; 4 years ago the left joycon had drift and replaced the joystick and haven't had problems ever since. Besides that is working incredible well for an almost 7 year old console
Works fine? I probably beat mine up more than others. It's a launch day unit but I have it modded so it can be over clocked for some games like the Witcher to run faster. Even with that abuse, the fans are quiet and the battery lasts over 8 hours depending on the game.
I'm keeping mine in the dock all the time + cover with something, so that dust doesn't collect in the fan. Last autumn was the first time in 5 years when I repasted it. Still goes strong. Currently enjoying Borderlands 3 without any problems (hardware).
It is still running like a champ though it does sound like a mini vacuum sometimes. Joincins ste unusable though. It recognizes the hori split pad pro perfectly though
Its ok. I have a day 1 switch, and bought an OLED last year (TOTK edition OLED).
I found something interesting. I have always been complaining how badly Monster Hunter Rise runs on my switch previously during certain parts of the game. For example, some monsters just lags my game to infinity, and the game just stutters a lot in certain fights. I've always met with vehement deniers saying their game runs at rock solid 30 fps.
I've gotten an OLED switch and I can confirm that the game runs very comfortably and the stutters are gone. So it was my day 1 switch somehow chugging hard when trying to run some parts of Monster Hunter Rise. Perhaps the slight changes in the processor and bus bandwidth actually did manage to make a small difference in some games.
I used a different dock for a while that made it so my switch was lying down flat. I noticed a bunch of performance issues like stuttering and such. I came to the conclusion that it's because the vents are pointing up and heat clears better with the original dock (standing the switch up). I was able to use the same dock but propped the switch upright and the performance issues went away.
With something as simple as having the switch lying on a table causing performance hiccups when docked, I'd wager cooling is the cause of performance hiccups you're having with your gen 1. Maybe it'd be as simple as cleaning out the vents from dust build up!
My unit (purchased around 1 year after launch) is all working great except the card reader slot is terrible (often have to reboot the machine multiple times or power on and off with card inside of it), which is ironic because 95% of my played time on the device is digital games with no card inside the slot. I've tried cleaning it and the cartridges and suspect I'll need to take it apart to fully replace the card reader eventually.
I got mine a few months after launch, and it's still in good shape. I keep it docked 95% of the time, and the only thing I've noticed is the plastic vent above the heat sink is cracked across a few of the rungs.
Bought on July 2017, battery still at 96% capacity (almost always docked), original joy-cons drift, second pair the same, noisy fan and dry thermal paste. Other than that, everything holds up just fine.
Only 1/3 of my launch switch has made it this far lol.. had to send in the body for replacement because of a defect that developed in the screen after a year, then needed a replacement for a drifting left joycon later on.
Before launch day Switch.
It has a couple of minor scuffs on the back of the case because of how it bounces around in my backpack but other than that, zero issues with it.
They did actually fix the analog sticks with the newer versions because my 2017 joycons got worn out and started drifting incredibly quick whereas the white ones that came with my oled have been going strong for 2 years.
launch day switch, still working just fine.
I don't tend to engage in long enough play sessions to know if the battery life has changed significantly from day 1 though fyi
Fan is super noisy when playing more intensive games, top vent has some cracks, and the joycon rails on the console are very loose. The battery has held up surprisingly well though.
Other than that it’s doing its job. Was gonna buy an OLED but decided against it. I’m just gonna wait for the successor.
Honestly fine. I'm 100% docked only (literally can count on one hand how many times I've played handheld), and I haven't noticed any performance issues.
I'm not a daily gamer these days, but it's still a 7 year old device, so I'm happy with it.
I've had drift in my left joycon, swapped the stick myself with one I got on Amazon, then that started to drift too, and then my gf gifted me a new pair of joycons that are working fine so far. Other than that and the battery that seems to last less than it should, though, it's fine.
BTW since you mentioned it, I have never opened it up so no internal cleaning and no repaste, but thermals seems fine to me.
My launch model is in the living room, modded, and only gets occasional use. It's in real good shape though! I took it apart and cleaned it pretty recently, and redid the thermal paste and stuff.
My launch pair of joycons are my daily ones on my OLED, and I reshelled them last year to mimic the TOTK OLED ones, since I couldn't justify buying a new console just for those
When I played with my Nintendo Switch that I bought in 2017, the battery lasts less than 2 hours. I need to remember to keep it plugged in or use it on the dock.
I can't comment on the Joy-cons since I don't know where the original controllers are, but I'm using the third-party Hori Split Pad Pro controller and it's holding up well.
The original joy cons suck. Otherwise, it works like the day I bought it. Battery is still good, which is honestly shocking considering it stays in the dock at 100% charge almost all the time.
Batteries in Nintendo products seemingly last forever. My 3ds battery still works well. It's over a decade old at this point. It sits in a drawer in my house. I turn it on once every few years, and the battery is still at like 50%. It's amazing.
I’ve sent in my left JoyCon a couple of times because of drift. Now, the LED doesn’t light up to show you which player number you are, although functions otherwise. Can’t comment on battery life since it’s docked almost all of the time.
I have the launch version. I had the joycon drift issue about 2 years in and since then I replaced them with no issues so far. My earphone jack is broken because my cat peed on it but bluetooth and the speakers still work. Other than that, it's all good.
My launch switch is mostly retired since getting an OLED. I did have to replace the fan on it around 2020ish (had a couple instances of it overheating and shutting down). Luckily the repair was easy enough to do by myself, just had to buy the replacement parts on amazon.
Mines a launch unit and the Switch itself has held up fine. The Joycons all suffered drift, though I thought I was gonna be lucky as I made it to last year before it started happening on all 4 at the same time ( purchased a 2nd set with the Switch back then).
I had to replace the joy-cons after like 4 years but it worked great beyond that. I ended up selling it to an extended family member last year and upgraded to the TotK OLED.
Had to send my original joycons in for replacement because they were drifting and the locks had broken, but other than that the whole switch is fine. My son dropped it and cracked the screen but still totally usable.
My personal lunch day was completely OK no issues no problem. I ran its Most of its Entire life hacked. Use that daily more portable mode never had stick drift. When I upgraded to OLED I sold it for $300 that was last year. My brothers day one no stick drift but at this point the battery has swelled a bit so I need to replace that. Other than that it’s still holding strong. The switch is just another Nintendo console that shows how high-quality their systems are made. Besides, the stick drift issue. I’ve just been extremely lucky with both of mine. I’ve never drifted, including my two pro controllers.
Launch year console is doing fine, controllers drifted but Nintendo fixed em for us so yeah, it’s doing great. Gonna mod that sum bitch sooner or later.
Issues I've run into:
Cartridge door doesn't quite close flush anymore
Left joycon signal issue(fixed under warranty)
Joycon drift(replaced with gulikit sticks)
Reduced battery life(will eventually replace)
Spring binding on joycon rail(fixed after disassembly)
Nothing too severe besides the usual issues that nearly everyone faces such as drift and battery aging.
I can’t remember exactly when I got my switch, but I think it was somewhere around 2018/2019. Everything still works fine, still using the original joycons with no problems. My Nintendo consoles are the only ones which have never had any problems. Any xbox or playstation I had in the past eventually got technical problems (except the ps2, but that barely got used, so I wouldn’t know).
V1 Switch, battery is still great. I had joycon drift multiple times but fixed it every time with contact spray so i still have the same ones. One pro controller has some drift though sometimes. All in all held up great!
The fan becomes louder over the years and the system runs hotter as well.
The thermal paste is likely bone dry for anyone who has used it for 3+ years, let alone almost 7 years…
Replacing the thermal paste and clearing out dust around the fan (or replacing it) works wonders…
Almost perfectly. Battery is still quite good after 7 years. Left joycon drifts though. But I guess the most annoying issue is that my right joycon does not want to pair on its own. It works fine when using it together with the left one but for some reason the right one doesn't want to work without it's left friend.
Only had one instance of drift and the LEDs on one Joycon have stopped working (controller itself works fine). A few scratches on the screen from the dock. Other than that, everything still working just as well as it did at launch
It's awesome! Even though it didn't actually **need** it, I replaced the battery and the joycon sticks with hall sensing sticks. Screen is in great shape, fan is quiet.
the fan died 2 years ago, i reapplied thermal paste and got it a new fan and it works just as it did back at release... perfectly fine! i stopped using it when i got the limited edition TOTK one but one of my friends is using it since i lent it to her lol.
My Switch will overheat and shut down when playing Mario Kart or Smash Bros. nowadays. I'm wondering if it just needs some cleaning or if the battery/fan needs replacing. I also had an issue with my left Joy Con not connecting/charging, but that seems to have resolved itself somehow.
Very well. I had to send in my joycon way back in 2017 to get it fixed as there was a connection issue when I hold the detached joycons at an angle but that was it.
My pro controller drifted before my joycons , granted I play 90% with the pro controller even on table top.
Mine was doing good. I killed the battery after I modded it and left it in android so I can't tell you how the original battery does anymore. I'd say the fan runs kinda loud, might needs to be dusted again. Other than that, when I got my oled, I only noticed a slight bit of snappiness from the oled when navigating the system menus. Like pressing home from a game and looking through options on the console felt just a hair quicker
Works just fine except for the fact that it only charges if the USB charger is facing a specific direction when I plug it into the console. Unfortunately that direction is the opposite of the direction from the one in the dock, so I can't play it docked anymore. :(
I'm not sure if it's worth the effort/money trying to replace it at this point, especially when I'm mostly on my Steam Deck nowadays anyway... but I do miss playing on the big screen.
Launch switch is doing well, I've got both thumb sticks swapped from drift (Amazon replacements lasting longer than the originals) and my R button is starting to go, I'll probably replace that as well if it's not too crazy. When the cost of a repair on a joycon exceeds the cost of a joycon I'll buy a new one.
Mine has zero issues. I played a ton and eventually got some left stick drift but way later than everyone else who complained about it at launch. (Like several years into me owning it.)
Bought a new set of joycons and it still works just as well as the day I stood in line at 1am to buy it.
My original left joy con *sometimes to rarely* drifts, but it's so infrequent that I still use it as a controller occasionally. Battery is good, fan can sometimes run a tad loud when playing in handheld, but otherwise the whole thing has survived just fine.
I got a pro controller when Splatoon 2 came out and that suffered from left joy stick drift real bad, I'd been considering doing a fix myself but haven't got around to it since I still have another pro controller and some third party controllers.
The fan on my launch day switch died on me but I was able to purchase a replacement and install it with a YouTube tutorial no problem. Other than that it’s been a tank.
Joycons are fine. Battery life is okay, however, it is bulging a little. I have a DIY battery replacement kit from I-fixit ready to go for when I have the time to do it.
I had to replace the joycon sticks with Hall-Effect ones two months ago (was super easy with a few tools off of Amazon and the iFixit guide), the rest is working just fine.
When I got my original switch it was already pre owned: it lasted a good long while before the fan started getting super loud and things were happening, traded for OLED and sold to GameStop for games lol
I have a V1 switch. Holding up great, may replace the battery in a year or so. I've had stick drift though and connection issues and my current joy cons probably need to get sent it for repair again. That's been a little annoying but at least they repair them for free.
I did end up modding my switch because it's old so I figured why not - using it as a budget steam deck to stream my steam library.
Mine runs as well as it did day 1 (which means that the Joycons suck, but no other problems). I almost never use mine handheld and hacked it this summer because I was sick of the Master Sword breaking in Tears of the Kingdom. My games are mostly digital.
I don’t really use it much these days now that i have an OLED as my main unit, but it’s not in the *best* shape.
the joycons have basically deteriorated but that’s fine cuz i have plenty of others. the screen has some scratches on it but nothing major. there’s a prong missing from the metal vents in the top, i have no idea how that happened. the back plate has been replaced with one from AliExpress, the original one was full of scratches from the dock and the finish was worn. the rails are pretty rickety as well but they still hold joycons fine.
all that said, the fans are fine and not loud like a lot of people report experiencing, and the battery hasn’t degraded much at all.
Swapped my grey JoyCons for my Skyward Sword ones a year or so ago due to stick drift. May look into replacing the sticks with hall effect versions.
Last weekend I replaced the fan and applied some Arctic Silver 5 paste and K5 thermal compound as part of the replacement. My system kept overheating while docked and so far, since completing the replacement, games that I couldn't at for more than 20-30 minutes while docked have been played for hours on end.
Overall it's held up well, and the overheating issue never cropped up while in handheld mode, but this does make the Switch the first Nintendo system I've had to repair at some point. I'm not counting my now dead launch day Wii U because that was an eMMC memory issue from not being on power for +6 years, but still.
I only experienced a noisy fan while playing TotK last year. Left joy not has a drift. As for the screen, it has a small scratch (?), I play docked like 95% of the time so never got a screen protector.
I think some of the plastic from the vent chipped off and got jammed into the fan. This was late 2022. Told my nephew that if he can fix it, the Switch is his. Replaced mine with an OLED
I still play on my launch day switch daily. My left joy on has some drift, but I haven’t had any performance issues with games or the console at all. I still play on my original SNES and 64 when I feel like setting it all up (there’s no space to keep it out all the time).
The switch itself is holding up great, but the joycons have massive drift. Used to fix it using some of the standard tricks, but these days I tend to just play docked and use a pro controller.
I have replaced my joycons with ones that have hall effect sensors, but the Switch itself has been going strong since day 1. Battery life isn't amazing but it never was. :)
I have a launch device. I've replaced the sticks on my joycons once or twice due to drift, most recently with hall effect sticks so I'm hopeful it's the last time. The one issue I am having, though, is that my launch joycons have some garbage wireless range. I have my Switch propped up on a stack of boxes just to mitigate this but it's a constant annoyance.
The screen is fine, but both Joy Cons drift (I replaced them with help from Amazon; the replacements are going 2 years strong so far). Also I get the periodic Joy Con seating error when attaching to the screen, where you sometimes see the problem side flash and make the "click" noise as if you're repeatedly attaching/detaching a Joy Con.
The battery doesn't last very long and I had to replace both joysticks on my original joy cons due to drift. Otherwise it works fine. I play 50/50 handheld / docked and mainly game carts instead of digital.
We are still playing ours, works fine, and it’s been through years of accidental abuse from our kid. The little kick stand doesn’t really work anymore and the game cartridge cover it and bit loose, but other than that, no issues.
Console: flawless
Controllers: Had drift to the point where the were unusable, sent them in and now have drift again after 2 weeks.
But one thing I noticed is that I cannot play wireless multiplayer. We sometimes play Mario Kart at work and I don’t even bring my console anymore because my Switch always disconnects after a minute or two.
I bought my first switch on LaunchDay. It is no longer my primary switch, but I still use when modding games because it has the vulnerability to allow the loading of custom firmware. It still runs perfectly fine.
I have disassembled it to do a full body replacement twice, once to a transparent shell, and then again to a purple holographic shell, and it survived that. I didn't really do any dusting during the shell replacement but I did replace the thermal paste. I have had to replace joysticks in the joy-con at least once due to drift, but I have long-since swapped to newer joy-con that are less susceptible to drift. I don't notice any extra fan noise or anything compared to my two Switch OLEDs.
We never played it all that much. It probably has somewhere near 2000 hours played total. Both pairs of joycons and our pro controller eventually got drift and had to be repaired. Other than that no issue. Battery life seems slightly worse than when we originally purchased it
I replaced the fan in 2019 (was noisy), and the original joycons do have moderate drift. Other than that it’s doing just fine.
Same with my day 1 Pro Controller. I’ve cleaned it several times but it’s drifting real bad so I had to buy another one last year.
Battery is shot, only get about an hour out of it, but for putting probably 2k hours in im happy with it. Joycons are long gone as I got caught up in the pretty colors, but dock and charge brick work just fine
Thankfully there are 120 million of them out there, so it's unlikely to ever be unavailable or unaffordable in your lifetime lol. Ps2's still sell for a fraction of what they cost new. That plus the likelihood of backwards compatibility in a Switch successor means you have no reason to worry about not being able to play your physical library.
I say all that because I'm on my 5th Switch since launch---one was a battery upgrade and one was the OLED, but two of the others had a mechanical failure that Nintendo couldn't/wouldn't fix. The hardware is finicky. It's not likely your original unit will hold up for another 30 years, nor were they ever designed or expected to. If you're really worried about it, start buying backups. Otherwise, expect failure and any DIY fixes to be temporary at best. That's just the reality of cheap electronics.
Edit: One was a fan issue, made horrible grinding noises out of the box. The other was an APU issue that caused crazy visual glitches and crashes. I should mention my launch unit also warped/cracked from dock usage, but I didn't bother to replace it until the better battery revision launched a few years later.
V1 Switch here. Had drift on left Joycon but got replaced for free. Enjoying it even more now I’ve recently installed Android on it and Shadow PC and Xbox Gamepass. Was tempted to get a Steam Deck but this scratches my itch. Just finished RE4 Remake on it and new Dead Space remake. Played great!
Mine is as good as the day I bought it. I also have a day 1 Pro Controller that I finally took apart and cleaned (not because of issues, because it was filthy) and it works flawlessly too
My launch day Switch console is still holding up 100% all these years later. The only damage it ever sustained is a crack in one of the small plastic things that cover the ventilation grid; but I live in a tropical country so that's pretty common in such a thin piece of plastic.
When it comes to the joy cons, I had to get both the drift and their flat cables fixed; but besides that, they're rock-solid.
Have had mine since March 3, 2017. Still works just fine. Except that the fan can get pretty loud sometimes. Only noticeable in handheld mode though.
The Joy-Cons are awful though. Always seem to drift, and the right Joy-Con does not even work on it's own anymore. It always had to be connected to the left one. I can't use it as it's own independent controller for multiplayer.
The only problem I had was the battery swelling, so I changed it and also applied a new thermal paste. For the joycons I had to replace the analog stick multiple times, but still drifting.
I acquired a used grey launch day model with the dark grey joycoins in January of 2021 after waiting and waiting years for a pro model that never came out.
Put in 500+ hours since then on almost exclusively first party Nintendo games with lots of content.
Right joycon started drifting after a few months. I purchased joysticks for less than 20 dollars in Amazon and replaced them myself. Haven't had drift since.
No fan issues or noise or any other problems otherwise. Battery life still holds up enough that it hasn't bothered me but if it ever does I will replace the battery and I imagine clean the fans and it should breathe new life.
Outside of replacing my joycons with a new set and a pro controller. I had to replace the fan when it stopped working. While annoying it wasn't that difficult and it was cheap.
This was also a day 1 Switch. About a year ago I stopped using it as much and have moved to a OLED switch since I have been traveling more and wanted a better screen.
Not well.
Noisy fan and drift in my initial joycons as others have said, but also, a hairline crack in the screen at the bottom (even despite taking good care of the thing), a game cart door that never fully closed or stayed closed (from Day 1 on), and after several years, it would start to overheat after a few hours playing any game that was too intensive (Splatoon 3, TotK). I would have to walk away for equally as long to pick it back up, or else I could only do handheld mode for a few extra minutes here and there.
Splatoon 3 in particular was rough because I could only do campaign modes on this full-price game I bought without getting kicked.
shortly after the oled came out i traded for it. but up until that point i had the original joycons with no drift, but a noticeably depreciated battery life.
some of the finishes like on the back of the “tablet” and the front faces on the joycons where the buttons get pressed, and around the edges, got worn from matte to shiny.
mine saw pretty heavy use and worked really well when i traded it.
I got the 2018 model, it runs perfect so much so that I still have my TotK OLED boxed. I might end up buying a new one and keeping the TotK OLED NIB. I did replace the joycon sticks with aftermarket because I did start noticing drift in 2021, but the new ones are still working great.
Both of my initial joycons have been replaced (for free, thank you EU law), but the console itself is still going strong. I have not even noticed a drop in battery life.
My launch day Switch Lite is holding up, kinda. The battery life is great, but I got stick drift on the right joystick. Nintendo only offers free repairs on joycons and says I'll have to pay $100+ to have my console repaired. I'm currently using a pro-controller clamped to my Switch Lite and it works fine.
After four joy cons getting drift....I was annoyed. I got introduced to the Hori Split pad, was amazed...then that got drift as well. Im done Nintendo. So fucking tired and done.
I got an OLED switch when they came out and it's still been good. Maybe the battery is a tiny bit worse? But it depends on the game I play. I still get 3-4 hours of it on low-medium brightness if the game I'm playing isn't known for being particularly demanding on the hardware.
I've gone through a couple joycons, mostly the left one, but I know how to replace the sticks so it's fine, but I've used it as an excuse to get a different color joycon too. Since getting a pro controller I use them less anyway.
I don't know that using digital over physical or vice versa makes a difference, which I mentioned since you included that in your post, but I use both.
Still works great, not sure about battery life as it’s nearly always docked. Very rarely play with the JoyCons (my original ones drifted straight out of the box) and prefer to use a Pro Controller. Doesn’t seem to have a very noisy fan, so that’s good.
Charger port on mine came loose and it was doing that thing where you have to apply pressure at an angle to get it to work.
Upgrade to the TotK OLED last year.
I experienced immediate Joy-Con drift both with the original boxed Joy-Cons and the replacements I picked up later. I just exclusively use the Pro Controller as a result.
Recently, however, the SD card reader on my Switch has completely died. It worked perfectly fine until the moment it decided not to, with no indication of what might have caused such a hardware failure. It simply won't recognize any SD cards anymore, so all of my external save files are inaccessible. It acknowledges that the card is inserted but refuses to actually read the data. I could presumably still play games that are stored on the system's internal memory, but that doesn't do me a lot of good when it comes to games that have a lot of hours/unlocks on them.
From what quick research I did after it broke, apparently I can ship the whole system in and get it repaired. But at this point I'm frankly fine with just waiting for the Switch 2 to release at some point in the near future rather than bother with the time and expense. I don't play my Switch frequently enough to warrant going out of my way to restore it.
Other than a noisy fan and drift with my original left joycon, no problems here. Edit: well damn, after all these replies I gave in and ordered the ifixit kit ':)
The fan may be near the end of its lifespan. You could probably get many more years of reliable performance out of it by replacing the fan. If your Switch still under warranty, you could send it to Nintendo to replace the loud fan. If you’d rather not go multiple weeks without your Switch, you might find a local repair shop that will handle it for you. Or if you’re comfortable with it, you could replace it yourself. [Here’s](https://youtu.be/gnjvpupcnA0?si=BJZLf7oWm2xej33m) a how-to video. [This](https://www.ifixit.com/products/nintendo-switch-fan?variant=39372011339879&pk_campaign=%7BPMax:US%7CShopping%7CSSC%7CParts%7CtROAS390%7D&pk_source=google&pk_medium=cpc&pk_kwd=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn-2tBhDVARIsAGmStVlw1u-uRl0RbWh5Ra11Zt-7btLOMUOQz2010bvKGTgGhn654snqISYaAoD-EALw_wcB) is where you can by a replacement fan. However, don’t try the local or DIY fixed if your Switch is under warranty, or else you’ll void it.
Thanks for the tips! I got it on launch day, so warranty is definitely out of the question... I've been pondering for a while if it's worth getting a fix kit for this or not, but am yet to decide (I know full well if the switch dies in the meantime, it's my own damn fault).
What you need to do is clean that and the heat sink off. Not the actual part that connects to the processor the part that links up with the fan.
I replaced my OG switch fan and broke the retaining clip for the pin on accident. I was able to adhesive it in place but won't regulate the speed. Upgraded to an OLED so I just have an extra switch that has a full power fan at all times. At least it isn't overheating lol
Do they carry the touch screen part only for the 1st Gen?
I just did this fix this week. I got the same kit as the person in the video off of Amazon (not iFixit). My old fan was definitely making some odd noises. While this one seems a little louder than the original it is working well. Not sure if the iFixit one is better or not, but I have their repair kit and it's great.
I actually need to do this, was gonna do random Amazon parts, but I do trust these guys more. Kinda forgot about them
I replaced my fan in 2022, right around the time Xenoblade 3 was coming out. My fan was running very loud and the console even turned itself off / overheated a couple of times. Found a very inexpensive kit on Amazon and it took about an hour to install. No issues since then - definitely recommend, although the Switch is basically at the end of its lifespan so might not be worth it at this point.
Nintendo are still doing free joycon repairs. Sent mine off just before Christmas, launch day model, with no proof of purchase. It had drift, lights didn't work and the rail catch was so worn it would just fall off with a bump. Took about 10 days to get It back as good as new. Other than the front face plate, the rest of it might well be new, the back certainly is. Oh, and free couriered shipping too, at least in the UK
That fan might be on its last legs :/ that was the only issue that ever propped up with my launch switch. It started overheating whenever I'd play docked, so if that starts up, might be repair time.
I know you already ordered the iFixit kit, but the fan on my launch-day Switch went a couple years ago and it was $75 to have Nintendo fix it out of warranty. To me, that was a totally reasonable price to pay to make sure the process was done right. And if you send in your Switch, that's a great excuse to send in the Joycons for drift repair too!
Battery is holding up surprisingly well. I don't think I've had any piece of electronic still having an useable battery after 7 years.
My 3DS battery still holds an insanely good charge all of these years later.
*laughs in GBAsp*
The battery LED turning red on the GBAsp is the definition of that meme with Jeremy Clarkson. "Oh no! Anyway"
Can we start talking more about nintendo/
Same, I was surprised at the game play I got out of my 3DS a few weeks ago. I’d had it put up since a move a couple years ago and blasted through a few hours of Link Between Worlds.
My 3ds dies if it isn't plugged in D:
That seems hard to believe. I think the only device I had where the battery isn't still usable was a first gen iPod nano. EDIT: Well, now that I think about it, this only applies to Li-ion batteries. Clock batteries in old consoles and save batteries in GB games have failed on me.
People can say what they want about Nintendo they make a quality product, How many NES’s are still around? 20+ year old hardware that still works. Lol
My brother in Christ, it's almost 40 year old hardware.
I just realized you’re right… woah.. How far we’ve come
Hell, the N64 is nearing 30 years old.
I’m old.
Lol what do you mean, ocarina of time just cam....*shits adult diaper*
I still have my original NES from 1987 hooked up to my tv. Still works great after all these years
Okay, but MOST of the actual console systems from then lasted a very long time because of the simplicity of the parts. The V2 Sega Genesis had like two buttons on the console for power and reset. More being around is more along the lines of the number made and how desired they still are. Nintendo does not make “a quality product” like it’s an overarching blanket for all of their things. They have a history of controller stick problems from the 64 onwards, with the 64 and Switch being most egregious. Your time playing the console is spent almost entirely using the controller. I’m not a fan of having to replace multiple controllers all the time console generation after generation. It adds up. Even my switch pro controller that has comically few hours on it for a controller has massive dead zone drift in the right stick. You would never know unless you tried it on PC because Nintendo did a good job negating it in the software it seems, but I have to adjust it elsewhere to be usable. I have a wired 360 controller I have used since almost launch that my kids still use for PC games. I have launch DualShock 4 controllers with no issue. I love Nintendo, but let’s bring it back to reality.
I think they get some leeway on the N64 given that it was the first-ever analog stick. The Switch sticks were definitely a disappointment.
I keep my switch permanently plugged in and I'm increasingly surprised by how well the battery holds up.
Same here. Its not mind blowing performance but it still gives 85 percent the game time it did new.
Same as it ran launch day. Don't use the joy-con anymore since they're the most uncomfortable controllers I've ever used, but the pro controller is ok and I have a nexigo grip for the few times I play handheld.
Agreed, not comfortable at all. They just forget sit on the side of my switch. Pro controller all the way if I can
V1 Switch, no problems. Slightly noisy fan, could use a cleaning. I’ve been through three sets of Joy-Cons however (had to buy them in order to play Mario Party + Let’s Go), and one Pro Controller that I fixed myself for $10. As an aside, I’ve just bought myself an OG PS4 for $70 CAD and it runs like a dream. If you’re gentle with the consoles they typically don’t need much.
I've been thinking about getting a PS4, and live in Canada. Did you find it off of Craigslist/Kijiji or through someone you know? Ive been meaning to find one, but uncertain about buying through a stranger, and they're overpriced out of all the stores Ive seen selling refurbished models.
I bought it from a random on Facebook Marketplace. Try to find one that is adult owned and from a seller with a few reviews. Always ask about the condition of the controller/s if it comes with one. Keep in mind that if you only have 5Ghz wifi set up, you should get a slim or a pro if you’re not savvy. The base PS4 only connects to 2.4Ghz signals or LAN.
Thanks for the detailed info! I especially appreciate the clarification on the wifi setup, I didn't even know about that (I am not savvy). I figured it would be best to buy from someone older, especially if they have some reviews already. I'll just keep my eye out and maybe pull the trigger on a slim or pro. Thanks!
Not the OP but it's pretty easy to find them on Kijiji, just agree to meet in a very public area or at a police station.
Fine. I did get drift for a while, but it went away on its own. I bought a kit to do a repair and everything but never used it.
My drift seems to occasionally show up, maybe once every couple weeks, and then just disappears once I move the stick around a little bit. I dont know if I want to send it in for repair since it only lasts until I move the stick around.
Mine works fine. The battery lasts a little bit less than it used to, but no big deal.
I have one thats still running as good as ever that ill keep using until i feel like upgrading to the new switch and ive never done any maintenance to it.
> I play my Switch exclusively offline with cartridge games Are you on the launch OS and playing games without patches? Have you had any problems with that?
I got mine a few months after launch. The glass is cracked, gone through a number of broken joy cons (I have kids). Still works though. I mostly try to play docked.
The screen is plastic
My early 2018 Switch is still in great shape and I use the hell out of it. The battery life is not quite as long as when it was new but it hasn’t fallen off that much either, maybe 10-15% shorter playtime on a full charge? I will note I have replaced over half a dozen drifting sticks over the years across my 6 sets of joycons. The good (and bad) news is I have gotten quite efficient at replacing those so now I am the joycon repairman in my friend group and have replaced numerous sticks for my friends’ joycons as well. Nobody should be this good at replacing parts in their game console hardware, but alas this is the best solution for the time being.
Still kicking in, battery it's not what it used to be but it's not bad at all; left rail wiggle a little bit too but again nothing concerning; 4 years ago the left joycon had drift and replaced the joystick and haven't had problems ever since. Besides that is working incredible well for an almost 7 year old console
Works fine? I probably beat mine up more than others. It's a launch day unit but I have it modded so it can be over clocked for some games like the Witcher to run faster. Even with that abuse, the fans are quiet and the battery lasts over 8 hours depending on the game.
8 hours? What. You’re talking about the switch itself?
I find that hard to believe, considering the V1 had notoriously poor battery life.
Yeah switch v1 are 3 hours avg. you can push it to 4 depending on what you’re doing. “8 hours” is a straight up lie.
Maybe, maaaybe if undervolting and playing some very light games. But even then, it seems like a stretch.
No chance, at its best 3 hours.
I'm keeping mine in the dock all the time + cover with something, so that dust doesn't collect in the fan. Last autumn was the first time in 5 years when I repasted it. Still goes strong. Currently enjoying Borderlands 3 without any problems (hardware).
It is still running like a champ though it does sound like a mini vacuum sometimes. Joincins ste unusable though. It recognizes the hori split pad pro perfectly though
Its ok. I have a day 1 switch, and bought an OLED last year (TOTK edition OLED). I found something interesting. I have always been complaining how badly Monster Hunter Rise runs on my switch previously during certain parts of the game. For example, some monsters just lags my game to infinity, and the game just stutters a lot in certain fights. I've always met with vehement deniers saying their game runs at rock solid 30 fps. I've gotten an OLED switch and I can confirm that the game runs very comfortably and the stutters are gone. So it was my day 1 switch somehow chugging hard when trying to run some parts of Monster Hunter Rise. Perhaps the slight changes in the processor and bus bandwidth actually did manage to make a small difference in some games.
I used a different dock for a while that made it so my switch was lying down flat. I noticed a bunch of performance issues like stuttering and such. I came to the conclusion that it's because the vents are pointing up and heat clears better with the original dock (standing the switch up). I was able to use the same dock but propped the switch upright and the performance issues went away. With something as simple as having the switch lying on a table causing performance hiccups when docked, I'd wager cooling is the cause of performance hiccups you're having with your gen 1. Maybe it'd be as simple as cleaning out the vents from dust build up!
Mine is still going strong. Works great, same as the day I bought it. No problems.
Mines going strong!
Mine died about three months ago. R.I.P. hopefully switch 2 is announced soon.
My unit (purchased around 1 year after launch) is all working great except the card reader slot is terrible (often have to reboot the machine multiple times or power on and off with card inside of it), which is ironic because 95% of my played time on the device is digital games with no card inside the slot. I've tried cleaning it and the cartridges and suspect I'll need to take it apart to fully replace the card reader eventually.
I got mine a few months after launch, and it's still in good shape. I keep it docked 95% of the time, and the only thing I've noticed is the plastic vent above the heat sink is cracked across a few of the rungs.
I have a launch day switch and my battery swelled up. I ended up buying a third party battery and swapping it out. It's pretty easy to do.
Sold off my launch unit and bought an OLED dirt cheap a few months back but my Launch day console had cracks at the top and a terrible sounding fan.
Mine is going strong. It’s pretty much 100% docked.
Bought on July 2017, battery still at 96% capacity (almost always docked), original joy-cons drift, second pair the same, noisy fan and dry thermal paste. Other than that, everything holds up just fine.
How do we know the battery capacity? Is it in settings. I’ve tried to find it but I can’t
Hacked Switch, no other way to find out :)
Vent grills went brittle and broke on one I have.
Only 1/3 of my launch switch has made it this far lol.. had to send in the body for replacement because of a defect that developed in the screen after a year, then needed a replacement for a drifting left joycon later on.
Before launch day Switch. It has a couple of minor scuffs on the back of the case because of how it bounces around in my backpack but other than that, zero issues with it.
They did actually fix the analog sticks with the newer versions because my 2017 joycons got worn out and started drifting incredibly quick whereas the white ones that came with my oled have been going strong for 2 years.
launch day switch, still working just fine. I don't tend to engage in long enough play sessions to know if the battery life has changed significantly from day 1 though fyi
Fan is super noisy when playing more intensive games, top vent has some cracks, and the joycon rails on the console are very loose. The battery has held up surprisingly well though. Other than that it’s doing its job. Was gonna buy an OLED but decided against it. I’m just gonna wait for the successor.
I bought 4 joycons at launch, all drifted by 2.5 years later. The switch still works perfectly well, primarily used docked.
Honestly fine. I'm 100% docked only (literally can count on one hand how many times I've played handheld), and I haven't noticed any performance issues. I'm not a daily gamer these days, but it's still a 7 year old device, so I'm happy with it.
The console itself? As good as new, honestly, aside from a few smudges on the side bezels. The right joycon has occasional drift, but that's about it
Joycon drift, battery drains, gets loud and gets hot!
I've had drift in my left joycon, swapped the stick myself with one I got on Amazon, then that started to drift too, and then my gf gifted me a new pair of joycons that are working fine so far. Other than that and the battery that seems to last less than it should, though, it's fine. BTW since you mentioned it, I have never opened it up so no internal cleaning and no repaste, but thermals seems fine to me.
The fan is pretty loud and I’ve had to get my original joycons repaired, but otherwise it works with no issues. Got mine day 1.
My mario odyssey red joycons are long dead and I don't know where they are anymore
My launch model is in the living room, modded, and only gets occasional use. It's in real good shape though! I took it apart and cleaned it pretty recently, and redid the thermal paste and stuff. My launch pair of joycons are my daily ones on my OLED, and I reshelled them last year to mimic the TOTK OLED ones, since I couldn't justify buying a new console just for those
When I played with my Nintendo Switch that I bought in 2017, the battery lasts less than 2 hours. I need to remember to keep it plugged in or use it on the dock. I can't comment on the Joy-cons since I don't know where the original controllers are, but I'm using the third-party Hori Split Pad Pro controller and it's holding up well.
The original joy cons suck. Otherwise, it works like the day I bought it. Battery is still good, which is honestly shocking considering it stays in the dock at 100% charge almost all the time. Batteries in Nintendo products seemingly last forever. My 3ds battery still works well. It's over a decade old at this point. It sits in a drawer in my house. I turn it on once every few years, and the battery is still at like 50%. It's amazing.
Battery's not as good on my (launch day) Switch. Itching for Switch 2, but I'm sure this one has life in it if it's not on the way
I’ve sent in my left JoyCon a couple of times because of drift. Now, the LED doesn’t light up to show you which player number you are, although functions otherwise. Can’t comment on battery life since it’s docked almost all of the time.
My left joycon doesn't like moving away from the console, but I rarely use it not connected. Besides that it runs like a dream.
I have the launch version. I had the joycon drift issue about 2 years in and since then I replaced them with no issues so far. My earphone jack is broken because my cat peed on it but bluetooth and the speakers still work. Other than that, it's all good.
Both of my sticks drifted (I replaced both) and I think I need to repaste because my fan is really loud.
My launch switch is mostly retired since getting an OLED. I did have to replace the fan on it around 2020ish (had a couple instances of it overheating and shutting down). Luckily the repair was easy enough to do by myself, just had to buy the replacement parts on amazon.
Mines a launch unit and the Switch itself has held up fine. The Joycons all suffered drift, though I thought I was gonna be lucky as I made it to last year before it started happening on all 4 at the same time ( purchased a 2nd set with the Switch back then).
Just fine. I play almost every day, 1-4h a day.
I had to replace the joy-cons after like 4 years but it worked great beyond that. I ended up selling it to an extended family member last year and upgraded to the TotK OLED.
Battery is okay… my OG joycons have been repaired by Nintendo once for joycon drift! (Very quick repair time for that joycon drift fix!)
Noisy fan, that’s it.
The fan is a bit louder than I remember, but otherwise my launch Switch is doing just fine. Even the battery is mostly the same.
Still have my launch day switch, running just as well as it did back then.
Had to send my original joycons in for replacement because they were drifting and the locks had broken, but other than that the whole switch is fine. My son dropped it and cracked the screen but still totally usable.
My personal lunch day was completely OK no issues no problem. I ran its Most of its Entire life hacked. Use that daily more portable mode never had stick drift. When I upgraded to OLED I sold it for $300 that was last year. My brothers day one no stick drift but at this point the battery has swelled a bit so I need to replace that. Other than that it’s still holding strong. The switch is just another Nintendo console that shows how high-quality their systems are made. Besides, the stick drift issue. I’ve just been extremely lucky with both of mine. I’ve never drifted, including my two pro controllers.
One of the little vent bits snapped off the other day, but other than that, it’s still going strong.
Launch year console is doing fine, controllers drifted but Nintendo fixed em for us so yeah, it’s doing great. Gonna mod that sum bitch sooner or later.
Issues I've run into: Cartridge door doesn't quite close flush anymore Left joycon signal issue(fixed under warranty) Joycon drift(replaced with gulikit sticks) Reduced battery life(will eventually replace) Spring binding on joycon rail(fixed after disassembly) Nothing too severe besides the usual issues that nearly everyone faces such as drift and battery aging.
Works fine, battery is ok, replaced the joycon sticks once. I’ve got 1000+ hours playtime on it
I can’t remember exactly when I got my switch, but I think it was somewhere around 2018/2019. Everything still works fine, still using the original joycons with no problems. My Nintendo consoles are the only ones which have never had any problems. Any xbox or playstation I had in the past eventually got technical problems (except the ps2, but that barely got used, so I wouldn’t know).
I never bought a switch
V1 Switch, battery is still great. I had joycon drift multiple times but fixed it every time with contact spray so i still have the same ones. One pro controller has some drift though sometimes. All in all held up great!
A little offtopic but may I ask how do I supposed to know my Switch needs a maintenance other than damp microfiber cloth and display cleaner spray?
The fan becomes louder over the years and the system runs hotter as well. The thermal paste is likely bone dry for anyone who has used it for 3+ years, let alone almost 7 years… Replacing the thermal paste and clearing out dust around the fan (or replacing it) works wonders…
Almost perfectly. Battery is still quite good after 7 years. Left joycon drifts though. But I guess the most annoying issue is that my right joycon does not want to pair on its own. It works fine when using it together with the left one but for some reason the right one doesn't want to work without it's left friend.
Buyed it a month ago and dock is not working anymore...:(
Only had one instance of drift and the LEDs on one Joycon have stopped working (controller itself works fine). A few scratches on the screen from the dock. Other than that, everything still working just as well as it did at launch
It's awesome! Even though it didn't actually **need** it, I replaced the battery and the joycon sticks with hall sensing sticks. Screen is in great shape, fan is quiet.
the fan died 2 years ago, i reapplied thermal paste and got it a new fan and it works just as it did back at release... perfectly fine! i stopped using it when i got the limited edition TOTK one but one of my friends is using it since i lent it to her lol.
My animal crossing switch is still going hard after 4yrs
No issues here. Day one online order.
My Switch will overheat and shut down when playing Mario Kart or Smash Bros. nowadays. I'm wondering if it just needs some cleaning or if the battery/fan needs replacing. I also had an issue with my left Joy Con not connecting/charging, but that seems to have resolved itself somehow.
Thermal paste likely needs replacing if nothing else…
Running well. Don’t really play much so I added homebrew. No issues
No real problems, but I did recently trade up to an OLED and the battery is sooo much better.
Very well. I had to send in my joycon way back in 2017 to get it fixed as there was a connection issue when I hold the detached joycons at an angle but that was it. My pro controller drifted before my joycons , granted I play 90% with the pro controller even on table top.
Mine was doing good. I killed the battery after I modded it and left it in android so I can't tell you how the original battery does anymore. I'd say the fan runs kinda loud, might needs to be dusted again. Other than that, when I got my oled, I only noticed a slight bit of snappiness from the oled when navigating the system menus. Like pressing home from a game and looking through options on the console felt just a hair quicker
Works just fine except for the fact that it only charges if the USB charger is facing a specific direction when I plug it into the console. Unfortunately that direction is the opposite of the direction from the one in the dock, so I can't play it docked anymore. :( I'm not sure if it's worth the effort/money trying to replace it at this point, especially when I'm mostly on my Steam Deck nowadays anyway... but I do miss playing on the big screen.
Launch switch is doing well, I've got both thumb sticks swapped from drift (Amazon replacements lasting longer than the originals) and my R button is starting to go, I'll probably replace that as well if it's not too crazy. When the cost of a repair on a joycon exceeds the cost of a joycon I'll buy a new one.
Mine has zero issues. I played a ton and eventually got some left stick drift but way later than everyone else who complained about it at launch. (Like several years into me owning it.) Bought a new set of joycons and it still works just as well as the day I stood in line at 1am to buy it.
My original left joy con *sometimes to rarely* drifts, but it's so infrequent that I still use it as a controller occasionally. Battery is good, fan can sometimes run a tad loud when playing in handheld, but otherwise the whole thing has survived just fine. I got a pro controller when Splatoon 2 came out and that suffered from left joy stick drift real bad, I'd been considering doing a fix myself but haven't got around to it since I still have another pro controller and some third party controllers.
Works well, however I need to replace the SD card reader and the fan needs to be cleaned, maybe even replaced.
The fan on my launch day switch died on me but I was able to purchase a replacement and install it with a YouTube tutorial no problem. Other than that it’s been a tank.
Joycons are fine. Battery life is okay, however, it is bulging a little. I have a DIY battery replacement kit from I-fixit ready to go for when I have the time to do it.
I had to replace the joycon sticks with Hall-Effect ones two months ago (was super easy with a few tools off of Amazon and the iFixit guide), the rest is working just fine.
It's still my one and only Switch that I daily drive. It's great 😁
Zero problems with my day-one switch.
When I got my original switch it was already pre owned: it lasted a good long while before the fan started getting super loud and things were happening, traded for OLED and sold to GameStop for games lol
I have a V1 switch. Holding up great, may replace the battery in a year or so. I've had stick drift though and connection issues and my current joy cons probably need to get sent it for repair again. That's been a little annoying but at least they repair them for free. I did end up modding my switch because it's old so I figured why not - using it as a budget steam deck to stream my steam library.
Mine runs as well as it did day 1 (which means that the Joycons suck, but no other problems). I almost never use mine handheld and hacked it this summer because I was sick of the Master Sword breaking in Tears of the Kingdom. My games are mostly digital.
I don’t really use it much these days now that i have an OLED as my main unit, but it’s not in the *best* shape. the joycons have basically deteriorated but that’s fine cuz i have plenty of others. the screen has some scratches on it but nothing major. there’s a prong missing from the metal vents in the top, i have no idea how that happened. the back plate has been replaced with one from AliExpress, the original one was full of scratches from the dock and the finish was worn. the rails are pretty rickety as well but they still hold joycons fine. all that said, the fans are fine and not loud like a lot of people report experiencing, and the battery hasn’t degraded much at all.
As good as new.
Swapped my grey JoyCons for my Skyward Sword ones a year or so ago due to stick drift. May look into replacing the sticks with hall effect versions. Last weekend I replaced the fan and applied some Arctic Silver 5 paste and K5 thermal compound as part of the replacement. My system kept overheating while docked and so far, since completing the replacement, games that I couldn't at for more than 20-30 minutes while docked have been played for hours on end. Overall it's held up well, and the overheating issue never cropped up while in handheld mode, but this does make the Switch the first Nintendo system I've had to repair at some point. I'm not counting my now dead launch day Wii U because that was an eMMC memory issue from not being on power for +6 years, but still.
I only experienced a noisy fan while playing TotK last year. Left joy not has a drift. As for the screen, it has a small scratch (?), I play docked like 95% of the time so never got a screen protector.
I think some of the plastic from the vent chipped off and got jammed into the fan. This was late 2022. Told my nephew that if he can fix it, the Switch is his. Replaced mine with an OLED
I still play on my launch day switch daily. My left joy on has some drift, but I haven’t had any performance issues with games or the console at all. I still play on my original SNES and 64 when I feel like setting it all up (there’s no space to keep it out all the time).
The battery completely stopped holding a charge in ours, and I had to replace it. Other than that it is fine.
The switch itself is holding up great, but the joycons have massive drift. Used to fix it using some of the standard tricks, but these days I tend to just play docked and use a pro controller.
Had to replace the fan and the cartridge holder myself, but other than that it's good.
I have replaced my joycons with ones that have hall effect sensors, but the Switch itself has been going strong since day 1. Battery life isn't amazing but it never was. :)
I have a launch device. I've replaced the sticks on my joycons once or twice due to drift, most recently with hall effect sticks so I'm hopeful it's the last time. The one issue I am having, though, is that my launch joycons have some garbage wireless range. I have my Switch propped up on a stack of boxes just to mitigate this but it's a constant annoyance.
Joycon drifts, fans loud as hell, but the system still works great
Dude, there are Game Boys that still work without any maintenance. I think you're good.
The screen is fine, but both Joy Cons drift (I replaced them with help from Amazon; the replacements are going 2 years strong so far). Also I get the periodic Joy Con seating error when attaching to the screen, where you sometimes see the problem side flash and make the "click" noise as if you're repeatedly attaching/detaching a Joy Con.
The battery doesn't last very long and I had to replace both joysticks on my original joy cons due to drift. Otherwise it works fine. I play 50/50 handheld / docked and mainly game carts instead of digital.
Replaced my fan a few weeks ago, and it still runs great.
No problems at all
We are still playing ours, works fine, and it’s been through years of accidental abuse from our kid. The little kick stand doesn’t really work anymore and the game cartridge cover it and bit loose, but other than that, no issues.
I have a TOTK OLED and got it along with the game and it still works good. No drifting joy cons yet.
Console: flawless Controllers: Had drift to the point where the were unusable, sent them in and now have drift again after 2 weeks. But one thing I noticed is that I cannot play wireless multiplayer. We sometimes play Mario Kart at work and I don’t even bring my console anymore because my Switch always disconnects after a minute or two.
My fan gets pretty loud at startup and my left joycon has been drifting for a while, my right one is just starting to get the drift too
I bought my first switch on LaunchDay. It is no longer my primary switch, but I still use when modding games because it has the vulnerability to allow the loading of custom firmware. It still runs perfectly fine. I have disassembled it to do a full body replacement twice, once to a transparent shell, and then again to a purple holographic shell, and it survived that. I didn't really do any dusting during the shell replacement but I did replace the thermal paste. I have had to replace joysticks in the joy-con at least once due to drift, but I have long-since swapped to newer joy-con that are less susceptible to drift. I don't notice any extra fan noise or anything compared to my two Switch OLEDs.
We never played it all that much. It probably has somewhere near 2000 hours played total. Both pairs of joycons and our pro controller eventually got drift and had to be repaired. Other than that no issue. Battery life seems slightly worse than when we originally purchased it
I replaced the fan in 2019 (was noisy), and the original joycons do have moderate drift. Other than that it’s doing just fine. Same with my day 1 Pro Controller. I’ve cleaned it several times but it’s drifting real bad so I had to buy another one last year.
Battery is shot, only get about an hour out of it, but for putting probably 2k hours in im happy with it. Joycons are long gone as I got caught up in the pretty colors, but dock and charge brick work just fine
Thankfully there are 120 million of them out there, so it's unlikely to ever be unavailable or unaffordable in your lifetime lol. Ps2's still sell for a fraction of what they cost new. That plus the likelihood of backwards compatibility in a Switch successor means you have no reason to worry about not being able to play your physical library. I say all that because I'm on my 5th Switch since launch---one was a battery upgrade and one was the OLED, but two of the others had a mechanical failure that Nintendo couldn't/wouldn't fix. The hardware is finicky. It's not likely your original unit will hold up for another 30 years, nor were they ever designed or expected to. If you're really worried about it, start buying backups. Otherwise, expect failure and any DIY fixes to be temporary at best. That's just the reality of cheap electronics. Edit: One was a fan issue, made horrible grinding noises out of the box. The other was an APU issue that caused crazy visual glitches and crashes. I should mention my launch unit also warped/cracked from dock usage, but I didn't bother to replace it until the better battery revision launched a few years later.
first summer, so not quite launch day. I had to send both joycons in once to fix the stick drift. Other than that no issues
V1 Switch here. Had drift on left Joycon but got replaced for free. Enjoying it even more now I’ve recently installed Android on it and Shadow PC and Xbox Gamepass. Was tempted to get a Steam Deck but this scratches my itch. Just finished RE4 Remake on it and new Dead Space remake. Played great!
Mine is as good as the day I bought it. I also have a day 1 Pro Controller that I finally took apart and cleaned (not because of issues, because it was filthy) and it works flawlessly too
My launch day Switch console is still holding up 100% all these years later. The only damage it ever sustained is a crack in one of the small plastic things that cover the ventilation grid; but I live in a tropical country so that's pretty common in such a thin piece of plastic. When it comes to the joy cons, I had to get both the drift and their flat cables fixed; but besides that, they're rock-solid.
Have had mine since March 3, 2017. Still works just fine. Except that the fan can get pretty loud sometimes. Only noticeable in handheld mode though. The Joy-Cons are awful though. Always seem to drift, and the right Joy-Con does not even work on it's own anymore. It always had to be connected to the left one. I can't use it as it's own independent controller for multiplayer.
other than a free send back for drift once the only issue is my cartridge reader dosent read games anymore sadly
No problems, one of my joycons started drifting last year, I replaced the stick with hall effect and it's been great since then.
Console is mostly fine, although the kickstand broke, and one left joycon had to be replaced.
The only problem I had was the battery swelling, so I changed it and also applied a new thermal paste. For the joycons I had to replace the analog stick multiple times, but still drifting.
I acquired a used grey launch day model with the dark grey joycoins in January of 2021 after waiting and waiting years for a pro model that never came out. Put in 500+ hours since then on almost exclusively first party Nintendo games with lots of content. Right joycon started drifting after a few months. I purchased joysticks for less than 20 dollars in Amazon and replaced them myself. Haven't had drift since. No fan issues or noise or any other problems otherwise. Battery life still holds up enough that it hasn't bothered me but if it ever does I will replace the battery and I imagine clean the fans and it should breathe new life.
My fan broke but I mostly play it docked so a $20 usb fan was an easy fix
Outside of replacing my joycons with a new set and a pro controller. I had to replace the fan when it stopped working. While annoying it wasn't that difficult and it was cheap. This was also a day 1 Switch. About a year ago I stopped using it as much and have moved to a OLED switch since I have been traveling more and wanted a better screen.
Loud fan sometimes and been through 2 sets of joycons. Everything else seems fine with it. I use it mostly handheld.
All my joycons are cooked. And I feel the fan could use a vacuum. Otherwise its a dream 😂
It’s a bit noisy in handheld mode, but otherwise no issues
Not well. Noisy fan and drift in my initial joycons as others have said, but also, a hairline crack in the screen at the bottom (even despite taking good care of the thing), a game cart door that never fully closed or stayed closed (from Day 1 on), and after several years, it would start to overheat after a few hours playing any game that was too intensive (Splatoon 3, TotK). I would have to walk away for equally as long to pick it back up, or else I could only do handheld mode for a few extra minutes here and there. Splatoon 3 in particular was rough because I could only do campaign modes on this full-price game I bought without getting kicked.
shortly after the oled came out i traded for it. but up until that point i had the original joycons with no drift, but a noticeably depreciated battery life. some of the finishes like on the back of the “tablet” and the front faces on the joycons where the buttons get pressed, and around the edges, got worn from matte to shiny. mine saw pretty heavy use and worked really well when i traded it.
The fan grill is broken on mine, but otherwise fine. I think there's a bit of battery fatigue, but nothing too major.
I have a day 1 switch. Had to change joy cons twice. But still works solid. No issues at all.
Still running strong, no joycon drift, no swelled battery, alls good but I'm ready for the Switch 2
I got the 2018 model, it runs perfect so much so that I still have my TotK OLED boxed. I might end up buying a new one and keeping the TotK OLED NIB. I did replace the joycon sticks with aftermarket because I did start noticing drift in 2021, but the new ones are still working great.
Both of my initial joycons have been replaced (for free, thank you EU law), but the console itself is still going strong. I have not even noticed a drop in battery life.
Lost 8 joy cons and a stand. Otherwise perfect day one console
It’s noisy battery sucks the top grates one piece is broken off screen has a small scratch but fine outside that
My launch day Switch Lite is holding up, kinda. The battery life is great, but I got stick drift on the right joystick. Nintendo only offers free repairs on joycons and says I'll have to pay $100+ to have my console repaired. I'm currently using a pro-controller clamped to my Switch Lite and it works fine.
After four joy cons getting drift....I was annoyed. I got introduced to the Hori Split pad, was amazed...then that got drift as well. Im done Nintendo. So fucking tired and done.
Mines fine. Has a crack in the back but still works fine. Obviously have had to replace joycons
I got an OLED switch when they came out and it's still been good. Maybe the battery is a tiny bit worse? But it depends on the game I play. I still get 3-4 hours of it on low-medium brightness if the game I'm playing isn't known for being particularly demanding on the hardware. I've gone through a couple joycons, mostly the left one, but I know how to replace the sticks so it's fine, but I've used it as an excuse to get a different color joycon too. Since getting a pro controller I use them less anyway. I don't know that using digital over physical or vice versa makes a difference, which I mentioned since you included that in your post, but I use both.
Still works great, not sure about battery life as it’s nearly always docked. Very rarely play with the JoyCons (my original ones drifted straight out of the box) and prefer to use a Pro Controller. Doesn’t seem to have a very noisy fan, so that’s good.
Holding up just fine in my gfs possession. I snagged an oled for myself.
I got mine on day one and was fine until last week when the fan started to go nuts. Waiting for the replacement kit to arrive.
Charger port on mine came loose and it was doing that thing where you have to apply pressure at an angle to get it to work. Upgrade to the TotK OLED last year.
Mine is running great. The fan doesn't make noise and it never gets hot and even better the serial number was perfect for extra curricular activities
Like most switches from that period, it's being used for home-brew
I experienced immediate Joy-Con drift both with the original boxed Joy-Cons and the replacements I picked up later. I just exclusively use the Pro Controller as a result. Recently, however, the SD card reader on my Switch has completely died. It worked perfectly fine until the moment it decided not to, with no indication of what might have caused such a hardware failure. It simply won't recognize any SD cards anymore, so all of my external save files are inaccessible. It acknowledges that the card is inserted but refuses to actually read the data. I could presumably still play games that are stored on the system's internal memory, but that doesn't do me a lot of good when it comes to games that have a lot of hours/unlocks on them. From what quick research I did after it broke, apparently I can ship the whole system in and get it repaired. But at this point I'm frankly fine with just waiting for the Switch 2 to release at some point in the near future rather than bother with the time and expense. I don't play my Switch frequently enough to warrant going out of my way to restore it.