See Inside Nintendo Switch With iFixit's Teardown

The new Nintendo Switch game console has officially been released, and if you were lucky enough to get your hands on one, you're probably enjoying the new Zelda right now. And as with the debut of any new tech device, the teardown experts at iFixit have already managed to pull one apart, offering us a look inside. So if you're curious about what's powering your new console-handheld hybrid, or want an update after that questionable "early prototype" teardown from a few weeks ago, here's the details you're looking for.

iFixit went all-out with its Switch teardown, opening up not only main console/display component, but the Joy-Con controllers and cradle base as well. In a surprising change from the smartphones and laptops we're used to seeing pulled apart, the Switch was rather easy to get into, earning itself a repairability score of 8 out of 10, and indicating that simple repairs shouldn't be a problem.

The back cover of the Switch console was removed simply with some tri-point screws, with no signs of glue or other adhesive to cause permanent damage. Immediately behind that was a large metal plate serving as a heat shield, helping to keep the device cool when pumping out 1080p graphics from dock, as well as when held in the hand.

Under that plate most of the space is taken up by the 16 Wh battery, along with a heatpipe and fan. Beyond the head diffusing components, iFixit found that the microSD card board can be easily removed and replaced, while the flash storage could even be pried off the motherboard. The USB-C port, on the other hand, is well soldered into place.

As for the display, Nintendo didn't fuse it to the digitizer, meaning the parts can be replaced separately, a huge plus for repairability. Even the LCD was easily removed, meaning no need to worry about dropping the portable resulting in its death sentence.

SOURCE iFixit