Making A Nintendo Switch From Scratch Is Surprisingly Cheap

A Reddit user built a Nintendo Switch from scratch using disparate, salvaged parts purchased on eBay, which resulted in a surprisingly cost-conscious $200 build. The engineer acted in a defiant response to scalpers buying massive quantities of Switches and selling them for nearly 200% their retail cost. The catalyst of this occurrence is the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis which delayed factory production of chipsets and hardware crucial for Nintendo to meet Switch demand.

The recent pandemic has caused a negative impact to major companies such as Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. Even prominent gaming conventions were canceled due to the coronavirus, including E3 and GDC. Regrettably, the misfortune hasn’t thwarted individuals looking to profit from the high demand for Nintendo’s latest portable system. This situation is reminiscent of the chip shortage in 2016 surrounding Nintendo’s NES Classic Edition, which found scalpers extorting parents amidst the holidays for exorbitant amounts.

GameSpot reported that the Reddit user not only achieved this creative feat for a total cost of just under $200, but also shared his build process as a step-by-step walkthrough complete with photos and tips. People can find a list of all the pieces necessary to compile a working and legitimate Nintendo Switch to save some money during this time of crisis on Imgur. The user, who goes by sarbaaz37 on Imgur, warns against purchasing bad or fake parts including batteries (that may even cause fires) and to avoid falling into certain mishaps he experienced during his month-long undertaking, born from the creator hyping up Animal Crossing: New Horizons to his friends. Convinced, the friends showed interest in purchasing a Switch, but were let down after discovering the outrageous prices online. Enraged by the unavailability of affordable systems, he decided to take it upon himself to build his friends the console without excessive spending.

However, the reported cost of the build could be misleading. Prices for the required parts vary, and shipping costs will be added on top. Depending on how adept the assembler is, additional costs could arise via damaged parts during assembly, mistakenly purchasing faulty or incompatible parts, and the time and attention needed for completion. sarbaaz37 admitted to ruining a ribbon cable on the LCD display while installing and needing to replace it.

Lastly, the cost of the project doesn’t take into account necessary tools such as a soldering station, rotary tool, screw drivers, and other items that may prove crucial. If a potential builder doesn’t own any of these tools or a knowledge portfolio in electronics or hardware tinkering, it may prove more costly than cost-effective to pursue. On the other hand, if tinkering is something of interest, the DIY community is thriving like never before. There are many guides online to help beginners learn the basics of hardware and electrical engineering through popular builds like RetroPie cabinets and the Game Boy Zero. If this is the case, the investment in equipment will be well worth it, and by following the guide outlined by sarbaaz37 will likely help many people make their own Nintendo Switch consoles.

Source: GameSpot, sarbaaz37/Imgur

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