The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived, and gamers all over the world are settling in with their new device. However, you’ll want to ensure you’re careful with it since early reports indicate that fixing your new handheld device will be more expensive than repairing its predecessor.
Nintendo recently updated repair costs on its Japanese website, as spotted by NotebookCheck. In some cases, fixes are almost twice as much as they would have been to buy replacement parts for the original Switch. And they may get even higher given the tariff situation.
Unboxing the Nintendo Switch 2
The new Nvidia Tegra T239 powering the Switch 2 will cost 27,500 Japanese yen to replace. That’s 92% higher than the original Switch and Switch Lite’s processor, which costs 14,300 yen. The equivalent part for the Switch OLED costs 16,500 yen. A straight conversion to US dollars would put the price of the Switch 2’s CPU at around $190.
There will likely be some fluctuation in costs in the US, but this gives us a vague estimate of how much to expect things to increase, considering most of these costs are due to higher manufacturing costs.
In Japan, the 8-inch screen on the Switch 2 costs 15,400 yen to replace, which is around $115. That’s up from 12,100 yen on the Switch OLED and 9,900 yen on the original models.
A replacement battery costs over 60% more than the first-gen’s at 9,900 yen, or around $70. Other elements, like a broken SD card reader or headphone jack, cost 7,150 yen, or around $45. The new Joy-Cons also cost 2,860 yen on the original console and 3,960 yen on the Switch 2, which is around $25.
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The original Switch had difficult elements to repair, like a glued-in battery, and Nintendo did not provide official replacement materials or guidance. It still got an 8/10 repairability score from iFixit years ago, but citing advancements in repairability from rival handhelds, it lowered that to a four following the Switch 2 launch. Unfortunately, that’s higher than the Switch 2 fared; iFixit gives it a 3/10 due to “the same old repair pitfalls.”
“The battery is glued in. The joysticks are still likely to be drift-prone. Important components are soldered to the board. Stickers hide screws and slow you down,” iFixit says. “Nintendo, you’ve got some work to do.”
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About James Peckham
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