maximumpc.com DEC 2019 MAXIMUMPC 61
BACKGROUND
There’s a new Switch on the block: the Nintendo Switch Lite,
and it comes with less in order to cost you less. It also
arrives in some hot new colors.MAJOR TECH SPECS
- Built-in 5.5-inch 1280×720 capacitive touchscreen LCD
- Custom Nvidia Tegra processor
- 32GB of internal storage (up to 2TB additional storage via
microSDHC or microSDXC card) - 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, USB Type-C
port (charging only), and 3.5 mm audio jack - Built-in accelerometer and gyroscope
- Rechargeable 13.6Wh lithium-ion battery
- Evolved with undetachable controllers
KEY FINDINGS
- We yanked really hard on the controls in the hope of
scoring two new bright yellow Joy-Cons, but alas, they
don’t detach. A more traditional disassembly is required. - The way is blocked by impassable tri-point screws. Under
the back cover, we find another cover. Moving on, the SD
card reader is now permanently attached to the main
board—on the old Switch, we’d already removed it by now.
Modularity is good for repair, so this is a step backward.
Let’s peek under the metal shield to look at the internals. - We blow the cover off our revised-for-2019 Switch and do
some Lite comparisons. Most important change: The
battery in the Lite is no longer upside-down. It’s also
smaller and sits next to a lighter-gauge heat pipe, while
the headphone jack has gone fully modular. - More efficient hardware makes for longer battery life
(three to seven hours, according to Nintendo) and less
waste heat, so we’re unsurprised to see a downsized
heatsink and fan. Another slight difference: The previous L
and R triggers pressed directly against a button on a PCB,
but the new triggers switch to a membrane-style key. - Pulling aside a dedicated mini -Joy-Con board, we get to a
source of controversy in the Switch—the joystick. Initially,
these joysticks look similar to the 2019 Switch joysticks—
but the design of the clasps around the edges is different,
and the case is easier to open. Inside, there’s some new
trace routing, a narrower stick click button, and wider-
looking metal sliders. A guess at the cause of joystick drift
is that the contact pads under the sliders wear down. - The original Switch had a non-laminated, air-gapped
display, making for cheap and easy screen repairs, so how
does the Switch Lite fare? A little heat and prying is all it
takes to coax the display assembly from the frame, and
with a bit more convincing, the digitizer/screen separates
from the display. Success! - Repairability score: 6 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair).
Screws, rather than adhesives, secure most components.
Many components, including joysticks, fan, and headphone
jack, are modular and can be replaced independently. The
battery, though strongly glued down, can be replaced after
removing the rear case. The digitizer and display are not
fused, but firmly glued in place. The flash storage and SD
card reader are now soldered directly to the motherboard.
Uncommon tri-point screws hinder all repairs.
This is what we’re tearing down
today: the bright yellow, brand
new Nintendo Switch Lite.