Time changes many things, not least expectations and what is and isn't acceptable. This is especially true of Nintendo's original Switch handheld console, which teardown specialists iFixit gave an 80% repairability score in 2017, but then halved the rating last week to reflect the standards of 2025. Now it's torn open the new Switch 2, and after struggling with mountains of glue and soldered items, given a repair score of just 30%. Ouch.
There are multiple reasons for the Switch 2's low score and the readjusted rating for the OG Switch, but essentially, it all comes down to the fact that a significant number of parts are strongly glued in place and for the parts that are modular (i.e. mounted on their own circuit board), Nintendo officially provides no replacements. There isn't even a parts listing for the first Switch, despite being around for eight years.
