Yesterday, we published our review of the Switch OLED, the latest hardware iteration of Nintendo's incredibly popular hybrid gaming platform. Boasting a gorgeous 7-inch OLED panel and a revised dock, it's an upgrade that improves on the original design in many meaningful ways – apart from one.
As we noted in the review, the game card slot has been changed on the OLED model. The small notch present on the 2017 design and the Switch Lite – which allowed your fingertip to grip the edge of the plastic flap which covers the slot – has been removed, and in its place, we have a very, very thin gap that runs the length of the flap's edge.
The key problem here is that unless you have exceptionally long nails, getting the flap open is frustratingly hard. This might sound like a genuine 'first world problem' – and don't get me wrong, it totally is – but the first time I tried to open the slot, I honestly thought the unit was defective.
When there's no game card in the slot, the flap flexes slightly under the pressure of your finger, which makes it even harder to get a purchase on it and open it. It's slightly easier once a game card is in the slot and the door then pushes against that rather than flexing, but even so, it's still much, much harder to open than it is on the original model or the Switch Lite.
Why did Nintendo make this design change? Perhaps it wanted to make it harder to accidentally open the game card slot during use. Or maybe someone in Nintendo's hardware design department really hates notches. Whatever the reason, it's practically the only thing I don't like about the Switch OLED – so in that respect, I should probably be happy that the rest of the console is so well executed.
Comments 81
That looks like a pain. Good thing I’ll never feel that pain for a long time. Surely someone at nintendo realized this could be a problem?
I often wonder if I should’ve bought my games physically, but I guess this makes me glad that my collection is entirely digital.
This is hilarious from a self-schadenfreude perspective. I bite my nails so I literally wouldn't be able to open the game card slot on this model. I have the same problem with the Vita game card slot as well. This was a fun read.
Does the game card slot cover taste just as bad as the game cards?
Another excellent reason to go all digital*
*being facetious
I bite my nails so yeah, the Vita makes me want to cry often. This is a legitimate dealbreaker for me.
It's Nintendo's subtle way of "encouraging" people to buy digital instead. Make it so inconvenient to use the cart slot, everyone just gives up and starts using digital.
"We hope you have long fingernails."
[laughs in femme]
Just use your teeth to open it...but don't lick the cartridge because they taste horrible.
Just tried it on the OG Switch just beside the notch. Yes it's a bit hard but you just need to push your nail down and the flap will open by itself. You don't need to have a long fingernail; you just need to have a fingernail
Its a strategy pioneered with Vita ( I suppose ) to buy mor digital than physical
Life hack: just bend one of the contact pins on the cartridge you wanna play to pry that sucker open. Boom! Problem solved
It doesn't look that bad and this is definitely here just for clickbait.
My original Switch always had a minor defect in that the card slot cover never closed quite right - jsut a little crooked. It bothered me a little at first, but I soon realized that it was actually much easier to open that way so it's been an advantage.
I mean, you open it, slide BOTW in, close it, and never touch it again. Right?
@dartmonkey well what if you want to play other Nintendo 1st party games like smash and Mario Odyssey
I played a lot of legos as a kid so my fingernails are always long to this day
We've said "Vita means life" too many times and now we've brought back the beast. This is our fault.
@NEStalgia that’s definitely it, that’s why Nintendo made it like that in the OG Switch as well.
@dartmonkey
That's legit me right now, well it's actually with Monster Hunter Rise but I get the sentiment all the same XD
Non issue for me. Just a nitpik
Pushing you towards that eShop.
I've always had a little trouble getting carts to stay in on my old Switch - is it better at that because of this, at least?
Looks like I'll continue to not cut my toe nails...
This is the exact same problem that everyone had with the first Switch model's kickstand. It's the reason why I have a messed up kickstand when I bought the Switch from my friend.
@dartmonkey That was it for me for 4 years until Ring Fit Adventure, which unfortunately is not on the eshop.
Hardly a deal breaker. I do clip my nails incredible short, but there are plenty of objects to prize the flap open.
I unironically like this more. I might be in the minority here, but my launch switch’s game card flaps have chipped away over time from extensive use and the flap itself no longer closes. The fact that it seems like Nintendo has tried to address this makes this more of a justified purchase for me.
Sounds like a deal breaker. I'll wait for a patch to fix it.
Has anyone had a game card pop out? I haven't.
Personally the Oled Switch system is just not what I expected, hoped for a faster system but got the same one with a better screen.
Planning on cutting my own notch. Problem solved.
@invictus4000 that's what I was thinking of doing.
Tip: a small sharp chisel, place where you want the notch and with a small mallet, whack the chisel a few times. Job done.
That's Nintendo for you, there's always something, they changed everything else so why not change the flap to make it harder to open just because.
I've had a few different Switches but never had a problem with it but maybe others have so they decided on the change.
Maybe they'll change it again on the Switch Pro. More importantly they should have finally fixed stick drift but Nintendo doesn't care.
@invictus4000 exactly what i would do. Just file it out wit a nail file. Ironically i dont own a nail file.... Because i bite my nails so dont need one 😂. Maybe a small dermal bit would be better lol.
Well I own 5 games physically and like 50 digitally so I will just keep BOTW in there until BOTW2 comes out lol.
I bet people don't bite on toenails, so why not use them instead.
Just get a DS stylus and pry that sucker open.
Nintendo didn't learn much from the pointless design changes they made between 3DS model iterations, I see.
Does the flap work in the same way? Because I hate the original flap!
Called dumb move making it hard to use a Physical cart is just plain dumb.
I don't have an OLED but I wish they would add a charging port on the top ...... I get why it is on the bottom but the port in handheld mode is a pain.
@BrianJL mine had that problem too, its actually quite easy to fix. All you have to do is apply a lil bit of pressure to it, just enough to bend it a tiny bit. Its not a scary as it sounds and you can do it in like 2 seconds.
It's just that Nintendo wants to nudge you towards buying digital.
:v
@Saemon
That doesn't make much sense. By that logic a console not changing games through telepathy makes you buy digitally, because you have to stand up, take the game out etc. while choosing between digital games is makes it more simple.
@Moonlessky Yeah, but I prefer it this way. I keep my fingernails very short.
This sounds annoying and sloppy design, but the conspiracy theories claiming it's there to make your fingers hurt so much you want to buy digital are just... come on guys, really?
Sounds like minor annoyance since most of my games are physical and I swap cartridges often. I'll find out tomorrow how difficult it will be to open the card slot. I clip my nails but mabey I'll keep a little length on them if I need too. I never have problems opening the card slot on my Vita's, original Switches or Switch lite systems...
I do wonder if the LEGO brick separator will help here.
Is there a tear down vid of the joy cons? I’m curious to see if any changes were made, there.
Maybe Nintendo was planning to make the Switch OLED IP68 water resistant, and designed the flap notch narrower so that water have less chances of entering the game slot.. that is until they forgot about the air vent..
At least it's not as difficult as accessing the microSD card slot on a Samsung phone. I betcha Nintendo will quietly fix this in the next few months or so if more people complain. If that happen the versions without the notch would be a rare item indeed so keep your launch model handy, its value may likely go up if the change is made soon.
gotta buy the official nintendo slot opener for $19.99
that's....a really dumb change
@sanderev sounds like you are using unlicensed 3rd party gear...
Wow, and I thought the flap on the original Switch was an annoying piece of crap.
@NEStalgia,
I bet that's it, Nintendo want to make people buy digital games, because it makes them more money, pretty sure there will be an pretty simple work around, and I will be staying physical for the re sale value.
Oddly, they also removed the rubber feet from the dock. No logic in that...
You only have to put an SD card in once....
@Just2Milky I don't think Shirley works there any more. Possibly because of this gaff
Make a notch with a pocket knife.
Hmm. I keep my nails short for…reasons. This may be an issue.
Sounds more like an ID10T issue than problem with the design.
We need to talk about the multiple things Nintendo got wrong with the Switch OLED
Fixed the title for you guys
😜
Now they can sell us a Switch flap opener: $9.99 if you have a Nintendo Online subscription.
What Nintendo really got wrong was the mirrorlike, incredibly glossy bezel. Why??
@Pokester99 Yeah, the only thing calling out the NEOGEO Pockets was the Game Boy Color and SNK's bankruptcy (which was not because of the Pocket). But go on like you know each of those console's histories, LOL.
We need to talk about the joy-cons (title fixed).
one thing wrong about the oled is the price. like wtf
I only buy digital anyways. Didn't even open that slot for the first few years of owning the switch till a friend bought me a physical copy of borderlands collection.
Hang on, when does anyone not have a game card in their switch, other than before the first time they put one in? I’ve only ever taken a game out to put another one in…
When it comes to a consoles design and features Nintendo just don't have a clue
@Pokester99 "What feature can we take away that won't impact the experience but also guarantee the desire to upgrade once we return it?"
Wow... Spot on
Its a strange decision to remove it but having received one of these today, I can honestly say that it is not that hard to open with even relatively modest finger nails.
Now that I have the Switch OLED in my hands, I have to say the complaint may be a little overblown.
You only need the tiniest bit of nail to get it open, so unless you've chewed them far too short or something it should be fine.
@RupeeClock : I've just popped by to say the same.
Completely blown out of proportion for easy clicks, and I cut my nails quite regularly too.
@Pokester99 Nah, I have no idea what a Tapwave Zodiac is. Just that one.
"Except all those companies were called out for it and discontinued their portable product line." -Pokester99
Exactly who called the 90's handhelds out? Members of social media platforms that didn't exist from 1984~2005? That's not how business works. The handhelds are discontinued usually because of low sales (the Game Boy's dominance in the '90s saw to that era), or because new hardware was made to retain marketshare (Nintendo mostly in the early 2000's, Sony with the Go and Vita). And the PlayDate just came out, it's nowhere near dead.
I have the OLED and can confirm this IS definitely a problem for me. I cannot get the flap open with my fingers at all and I had zero issues with the original Switch's flap. My wife cannot open it either. Something as thick as a DS stylus point will not fit in the space to open it either.
I have a small plastic pry tool I use to open controllers/electronics and now I keep that in my Switch case and use that to open the flap carefully everytime. It's a pain, but I'll live with this solution for now.
@Radbot42 This is 100% a ***** problem. I got my OLED today and this is an absolute PAIN in the arse!! I'm tempted to return it fgs. Neither me or the wife could open it, in the end I had to find a tiny needle to open it! Now I buy physical as digital Nintendo game pricing is ridiculous. (hence I've been Google'ing to make sure I'm not being a retard and found several news articles including this one outlining the same complaint)
The cover has cut out lines they forgot to cut out. Use a small knife or razor to follow the line and it makes it perfect.
My thoughts exactly! The OLED has a better screen, battery, joycon, much better kickstand.. but they actually made the game slot cover worse! Weird.
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