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Discussion How long is my 2018 Switch going to last?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 4629
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Deleted member 4629

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Hello awesome people of Fami,

In September of 2018 i got myself a Nintendo Switch, and I've been a big fan of the system and its impressive lineup of games so far.

However, i've veen thinking how longer my Switch is going to last?

For some perspective, i have a DS Lite, a Wii and a 3DS XL. All of these still work. I am always careful with with my Switch. If my memory serves me well, i dropped it about two times, but fortunately both times were from a short distance and it landed on my couch both times. As i said before i'm very careful with my Switch and i clean it regularly too, which mostly consists of wiping off dust and specks on the system, controllers and dock. I use my Switch quite regularely. There are a couple of scratches on my Switch screen, which most likely comes from the dock. They're all on the side, though and not so distracting. I also have a glass screen protector, so the scratches are probably on that.

One thing i am slightly concerned about is the fan which can get a bit loud during gameplay. I hope this isn't a issue.

I'd guess i have about 550 hours of playtime on my Switch in total. When it comes to playstyles, i'd guess it's 70% docked mode and 30% handheld. I rarely play tabletop mode. Also, i rarely leave the house with my Switch, even if i play in portable mode.

I have sent my Switch in repair once, during the Summer of 2020 because of joycon drift.

I hope all of this information helps to answer my main question, how long is my Switch going to last?

I am a bit of a paranoid/anxious person, and sometimes i fear my Switch randomly dying on me and my games and all their save data being lost. For context, most of my games are saved on the cloud (i have NSO) and i have a Micro SD card, but not all games are stored on that card.

I really really hope my Switch lasts at least until late 2025. I understand Nintendo's next system will most likely be released earlier than this, but i've never really been an early adopter, i like to wait 1-2 years after a system launches to determine if it's worth getting.

Last, i am not willing to upgrade to a newer Switch model. I do not want to spend 300 Euros on a Switch, knowing i am likely going to buy Nintendo's next system within a few years. However if upgrading is the only way to save my Switch then i am willing to do it as a last resort.

So, back to the main question! How long is my 2018 Switch going to last? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Also, it would be appreciated if people provide tips on how to make sure my Switch lasts as long as possible and how to make sure my games are safe and sound if my Switch does suddenly die.

Thanks for your comments in advance!
 
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Apart from drift which is inevitable it is very hard to answer how long a console is going to last. But there is nothing I know about that indicates a Switch Lite has anything else that is likely to fail within just seven years. As long you don't drop it, it will 90% likely be fine until end of 2025.

There is very little you can do to help its lifetime apart from not storing or playing it in very high temperatures.

As for your game saves, back up all you can to Nintendo Switch Online & use that Animal Crossing island backup service if you have that game. Unfortunately I don't think there is anyway whatsoever to back up non-animal crossing games that don't support Nintendo Switch Online unless you hack your switch (which for switch lite involves a modchip and soldering I believe). Those games include Pokémon games and Splatoon 2.
 
I’m still using my day 1 midnight launch switch and it’s still going. I’ve dropped it many times and dropped food in it by accident lol. It’s still working for me.
 
Dutchie said:
How long is my 2018 Switch going to last?
Click to expand...
Well my launch Switch is alive and kicking, barring a few scratches and Joycon drift for my first pair. And I use it a lot; my playtime for Smash Ultimate alone is bigger than your total playtime on Switch. So you've got at least another year left in your Switch, and barring any super nasty accidents, it should last until 2025.
 
Thanks for your comments so far, but there's one thing i forgot to put in my original post (i edited to include it though) that slightly concerns me:

The fan of my Switch can get loud sometimes. I hope this doesn't become a big issue.
 
meatbag said:
my playtime for Smash Ultimate alone is bigger than your total playtime on Switch
Click to expand...
Big same for my launch day Switch.

Overall, it still holds up rather well, other than battery life having gone down noticeably, which is to be expected after more than six years of regular use, and stick drift issues. The fan does get rather loud, but that could be fixed by taking it apart and cleaning the dust out, I'd wager.
 
Dutchie said:
Thanks for your comments so far, but there's one thing i forgot to put in my original post (i edited to include it though) that slightly concerns me:

The fan of my Switch can get loud sometimes. I hope this doesn't become a big issue.
Click to expand...
I forgot to mention I had to change my fan a couple of years ago. It kept getting loud like you were saying. I would advise to change it out. They sell the kit on Amazon.
 
Dark Cloud said:
I forgot to mention I had to change my fan a couple of years ago. It kept getting loud like you were saying. I would advise to change it out. They sell the kit on Amazon.
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I dunno, i don't really want to tinker with my Switch... Something could go very wrong very easily.
 
Dark Cloud said:
I never open up electronics. I watched a video on how to do it and it was pretty easy. As long as you don’t go touching up other things that you’re not supposed to you should be good.
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Hmm...Maybe. Could it lead to trouble if i just ignore the fan as it is?

Also, maybe there are any stores that offer to replace the fan as done by experts?
 
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I’m still using my launch Switch and I’ve put…significant time into it lol. I’m nearly at 600 hours in Mario Kart 8 alone lol. I had a period where it was having trouble reading game cards that made me worried, but that stopped for whatever reason.

You should be good until Switch 2, but as others have said if you are worried about the fan watch a Youtube video to replace it. I used to be pretty nervous about self repairs, but I’ve had luck dismantling controllers, changing batteries, and installing internal storage in the last few years and youtube videos are very helpful. If you don’t feel comfortable yourself, ask a friend for help.
 
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Hows your climate in terms of temperature/humidity? When docked, does your Switch get enough ventilation?

My current model is a near-launch Switch (pre-Mariko revision, which you might have), and it's still going strong after thousands of hours of Smash, Splatoon, and Monster Hunter. Yours will be fine.

Dutchie said:
Thanks for your comments so far, but there's one thing i forgot to put in my original post (i edited to include it though) that slightly concerns me:

The fan of my Switch can get loud sometimes. I hope this doesn't become a big issue.
Click to expand...
Depending on the game you're playing, the fan being relatively loud is normal. Which game is it? Again, I wouldn't worry unless the system is shutting down due to high temps on a regular basis.
 
I also had to replace the fan on my launch switch last year after about a year of increasingly loud noise, once it started crashing due to overheating during some games. it’s kind of a pain and you’ll need some proprietary screwdrivers in addition to the fan and thermal paste, but it was worth it, at least for me, to not have to buy a whole new console. my non-scientific perception is that it improved the battery life a bit too, since the fan doesn’t run as hard anymore
I’d say the risk of any serious damage is very low as long as you follow the instructions. I used this guide along with a couple YouTube videos for reference:
www.ifixit.com

Nintendo Switch Fan Replacement

Follow this guide to replace a broken or faulty fan in the Nintendo Switch game console. The Switch uses JIS screws, but you can use a Phillips...
www.ifixit.com www.ifixit.com

and yeah I’d imagine most repair places that deal with Switch repairs could handle it easily, it’d just cost a bit more. Nintendo’s own repair service can definitely do it, though it’s probably more expensive and I think they have a habit of wiping the console for any repairs

either way, if it’s not actually causing games to crash yet and the noise isn’t too bad, I don’t think there’s any harm in waiting!
 
MarcelRguez said:
Hows your climate in terms of temperature/humidity? When docked, does your Switch get enough ventilation?
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I live in the Netherlands, which has an oceanic climate and we got Summer temperatures pretty early this year, so for the fast couple of weeks temperatures have ranged from 19c to 27c degrees celsius. Humidity is hard to tell honestly, but it can get pretty humid as a result of the sunny weather. Does my Switch get enough ventilation? I think it does. The dock is standing on my desk, nothing is really getting in the way of ventilating and as i said in my original post i clean my Switch quite regularely.

MarcelRguez said:
Depending on the game you're playing, the fan being relatively loud is normal. Which game is it? Again, I wouldn't worry unless the system is shutting down due to high temps on a regular basis.
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It's almost all of my games where i notice the fan getting a bit loud. I recently played through Super Mario Galaxy on Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and the fan is at a point where it's not distracting during gameplay, but when i pause the game/turn off my headset i can definitely hear the fan quite a bit. The same goes for my most recent game Splatoon 3, which i've been playing recently.
 
Fans getting loud isn't a worrying sign per se. The real worrying situation is if they go silent.

Heat dissipation gets harder over time as thermal compounds age and dust clogs up the inside of the system. It's normal for them to work harder to vent out the same amount of heat. Some dusting and thermal paste replacement would help way more than a fan replacement there, honestly.
 
The aspects the switch that age less gracefully then older consoles:
joy con drift , battery (more charging cycles since its shorter overall, more heat overeall -> probably shorter life then with the DS back then, and 3DS), and the fan.

The last one is probably the most worying aspect.
Its an actively cooled console, unlike all other handhelds.
Dust acumulates. termal compound ages, and the fan can simply wear down.
When will that happen? no clue, depends on humidity, how much dust is in your area and how fine, temperature, if you have a good or bad model (there are tolerances in production, some will be better, some worse)

I would not worry that it stops overnight. Battery problems will be clear, stick drift wont stop you from using it, and the fan will either stop spinning (so you will realize its not working) or start making noises before its ruined.

The good think: all of those are rather easy to fix. 3-4 tools (2 screw drivers, a pick and a ...dont know how the other thing is calles), looking at a guide, and not having done such stuff it takes about 30 minutes.

I had to change the fan that broke, applied new thermal paste while i was at it, and it was quiter and cooler then when i bought it on launch.

What worris me more, my casing is warping and cracking, even from the beginning. its just not the most durable for a console*, never had that with them. i had a oled in my hands, and it seems they improved the case by a lot, so theres that. (outside of the classic DS Lite crack that many had)

So... to sum it up: theres a handfull of things that can break, none will be overnight and you will realize it, and all of them are rather easy to fix and not that expensive. The worst is finding the fan, it feels like most of them are refurbed from broken switches.
 
Dutchie said:
I live in the Netherlands, which has an oceanic climate and we got Summer temperatures pretty early this year, so for the fast couple of weeks temperatures have ranged from 19c to 27c degrees celsius. Humidity is hard to tell honestly, but it can get pretty humid as a result of the sunny weather. Does my Switch get enough ventilation? I think it does. The dock is standing on my desk, nothing is really getting in the way of ventilating and as i said in my original post i clean my Switch quite regularely.


It's almost all of my games where i notice the fan getting a bit loud. I recently played through Super Mario Galaxy on Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and the fan is at a point where it's not distracting during gameplay, but when i pause the game/turn off my headset i can definitely hear the fan quite a bit. The same goes for my most recent game Splatoon 3, which i've been playing recently.
Click to expand...
The fan spinning a lot with Splatoon 3 is perfectly normal. From what I understand, the Switch's fan profiles can be quick aggressive, and as soon as the temperature goes over 50°, the fan really starts to move to prevent any more heat from building up. The device itself shuts down at around 75°, I belive, so fan noise doesn't tell you much. It gets quite noisy quickly.

That said, Mario Galaxy shouldn't be pushing the system. I just did a quick test, and it seems like the fan is spinning faster than on the main menu, for sure, but not that much faster. I'd do a test on your end and see if the fan speed between both games is really comparable. Remember to clean up not just the Switch's air intake (I use a toothbrush I keep for scrubbing dust off various devices), but the dock itself as well.
 
MarcelRguez said:
The fan spinning a lot with Splatoon 3 is perfectly normal. From what I understand, the Switch's fan profiles can be quick aggressive, and as soon as the temperature goes over 50°, the fan really starts to move to prevent any more heat from building up. The device itself shuts down at around 75°, I belive, so fan noise doesn't tell you much. It gets quite noisy quickly.

That said, Mario Galaxy shouldn't be pushing the system. I just did a quick test, and it seems like the fan is spinning faster than on the main menu, for sure, but not that much faster. I'd do a test on your end and see if the fan speed between both games is really comparable. Remember to clean up not just the Switch's air intake (I use a toothbrush I keep for scrubbing dust off various devices), but the dock itself as well.
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Thank you!
 
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I had a loud fan on my near-launch Switch a few years ago. Fan being loud means something is obstructing the fan (dirt or cat hair or dust or whatever) and if something is obstructing the fan that means it’s not spinning as fast as it could which means the SOC is gonna get hotter. After a few months of having a loud fan, my Switch started shutting down due to overheating, so I replaced the fan. After that it was fine.
 
My launch Switch gets very loud too, especially in Zelda.
Besides that and Joycon-drift, everything is fine. And I have a playtime of way above 2000 hours on that thing (huge chunk is Animal crossing in 2020...).

I just hope I make it to the next hardware. If it dies on me now, I would wait and not buy a new Switch anymore.
Tears of the kingdom is completed, that's all I wanted.

I have other games yet to finish and I will try to, but otherwise I am hoping for backwards compatibility in the next system.
 
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blue2425 said:
My friend, my brother, and myself all got the cracked Switch back issue. Its still holding up but its disconcerting to her Zzzt Zzt sounds from the back every n9w and then.
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Could you please elaborate on what you mean by the 'cracked Switch back issue'? I don't fully understand.

After reading the posts here it sounds like my main concern should be the fan.

I read through the article posted below and honestly i am terrified of trying this haha. I think i'm just going to wait it out and hope the fan thing doesn't escalate into an actual problem.
slide's said:
I used this guide along with a couple YouTube videos for reference:
www.ifixit.com

Nintendo Switch Fan Replacement

Follow this guide to replace a broken or faulty fan in the Nintendo Switch game console. The Switch uses JIS screws, but you can use a Phillips...
www.ifixit.com www.ifixit.com
Click to expand...
 
Dutchie said:
Could you please elaborate on what you mean by the 'cracked Switch back issue'? I don't fully understand.

After reading the posts here it sounds like my main concern should be the fan.

I read through the article posted below and honestly i am terrified of trying this haha. I think i'm just going to wait it out and hope the fan thing doesn't escalate into an actual problem.
Click to expand...

At some point, its possible a tiny crack will show up on your Switch back or the top of your Switch. Why? idk if it was every fully determined but people suspect its heat expanding the back slowly over time. Once you get a small crack, its likely to get bigger as you continue to use Switch.

Its 100% fixable but like the fan requires some DIY.
 
Just make sure to never leave your switch near food/crumbs or in case you have problems with ants at home: leave your switch tablet inside a sealed plastic bag. Maybe even cover the dock as well inside a bag or something.

I legit had a friend lose a switch to an infestation of ants inside his switch tablet that ruined the console's PCB. The thing was a sorry sight when he opened it up.
Poor guy had over 900 hours in sword & shield...

Also, you might wanna swap your joycon's sticks for gulikit's magnetic drift-proof ones.
Other than that, I'd say never EVER use a charger other than the official nintendo switch power brick. You might also want to replace the battery after a couple years. Not only because of charge but because I've seen people who live in typically warmer weather playing heavier games get their switch's battery swolen after some years.
 
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I have a 2017 Nintendo Switch. I purchased it in September of that year. Still up and running pretty good. The only reason I want Nintendo to release the successor is to finally get a new Switch. If the Switch 2 ends up coming out in 2024, I’ll just buy a Zelda or Pokemon OLED.

My tip is, if you can buy a new Switch, do it
 
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Dutchie said:
Could you please elaborate on what you mean by the 'cracked Switch back issue'? I don't fully understand.

After reading the posts here it sounds like my main concern should be the fan.

I read through the article posted below and honestly i am terrified of trying this haha. I think i'm just going to wait it out and hope the fan thing doesn't escalate into an actual problem.
Click to expand...
used exactly that guide.e It seems worse then it is. Everything is layd out right infront of you, its way harder then anybody would reasonably assume to fry electronics, and there are no weirdly folded cables that you can rip or such things in the way.

Ideally you don't need to do that, but if there are problems, you might just try it.

(since then i had some soldering and electronics projects, some microcontroller work... and am suprized how much you can miss use, ignore safety protocols in regards to device health. I still haven't killed an arduino or an raspberry, my DIY synth only doesn't work because the mess i soldered on smallest space (Altoids tin box) is having a ton of shorts when i close it (but when i open it and carefully re align the wires it works).

What i want to say with that is not to miss handle electronics, but that its waaaay harder to kill or damage them then you would assume, and the switch fan repair is really not hard.
 
While I did upgrade to the OLED when it launched, my daughter still uses my day 1 Switch every single day. It's been through a lot but it still works very well.
 
My 2018 Switch works perfectly fine aside from the inevitable joycon drift

The only game I noticed the fans were loud was Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel (not the most optimized game actually) during a hot summer day
 
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