iFixit, a prominent tech website known for its in-depth product teardowns, has issued a critical assessment of Nintendo’s latest Switch 2 Pro controller. The review, which has garnered significant attention in the gaming and technology communities, calls the device a ‘piss-poor excuse for a controller.’ According to the report, the controller’s design poses several challenges for repair and maintenance. The disassembly process is described as unnecessarily complicated, requiring users to first remove a faceplate secured by adhesive tape before any screws can be accessed.
Once the faceplate is removed, the reviewer notes that additional parts and components, including the controller’s mainboard, must be extracted before the battery becomes accessible. This multi-step process is criticized for being inefficient and time-consuming, particularly for users looking to perform repairs or upgrades. Moreover, the controller is still utilizing older potentiometer-based joysticks, which are known for their tendency to develop drift over time. This design choice has been a common point of criticism in previous Nintendo controllers, especially the original Switch Joy-Con.
iFixit also points out that while the controller features a modular design, enabling potential upgrades with third-party Hall effect or TMR joysticks, reassembling the device after such modifications would require replacing all the adhesive tape removed during disassembly. This adds to the complexity and difficulty of the repair process. The review concludes that the design choices made by Nintendo for the Switch 2 Pro controller are not only problematic for users but also indicate a lack of consideration for long-term usability and repairability.
While the review is primarily focused on technical aspects, it has sparked broader discussions about the importance of repairability and sustainability in consumer electronics. The modular design, although a positive feature, is seen as a double-edged sword, as it introduces additional challenges for users attempting to maintain or upgrade their devices. The criticism from iFixit highlights the tension between innovation in gaming hardware and the practical needs of consumers in terms of repairability and customization.