Hi guys
Do you have any tips in buying a second hand Nintendo switch?
Such as check for xyz to make sure it's not mod chipped, that would void the warranty, etc
Tips in Buying Second Hand Nintendo Switch
BigLeviathan on 07/11/2018 - 19:52
Last edited 07/11/2018 - 19:53
Last edited 07/11/2018 - 19:53
Comments
There's plenty of mods available for the Switch, but most are softmods, and not physically visible.
Hard mods are out there, the most popular being the M0 Trinket - ref https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Switch+Trinket+M0
It is very uncommon, I don't even know anyone in Australia who has one.
Seriously?! Wow. There are a few guys on Gumtree now selling them as kits for under $25 or $50 fully installed. I use a reed switch modded joycon as my RCM trigger and know a few people with trinkets installed. Definitely not as common (yet) as jigging, but they'll become more prevalent over time.
@[Deactivated]: Can you send me a link? $50 installed sounds suspiciously cheap. A hardmod on a 3DS would have cost about $80 to have done, back in the day (and that's without any physical object getting installed, you were just paying for their time and a little bit of solder).
There is a guy in Brisbane selling modded switches with trinket M0 on facebook marketplace.
May not be common, but they are definitely out there these days. I don't really see the point though when you can use something like the sx pro.
Mods are software based, and Nintendo has been dishing out a LOT of bans to modders. Try playing a game online on it or accessing the eShop before you buy it, as Nintendo does console bans, not account ones.
Other than that, I don't really have any advice. I think it's worth noting that you can buy new Switches pretty cheap by stacking discounts though, I've gotten a brand new one for under $300. That was through Catch unidays code, stacked with discounted catch gift cards at Woolworths that were bought with discounted wish egift cards and they were selling it for $398 already. They've now blocked unidays codes being used on the Switch though, and you need to use an older POS to buy gift cards with wish ones now, but if you look hard enough I'm sure you'll find other discounts that can stack.
Check the joysticks on the joycons. You probably want to buy new ones as like many joysticks they do wear out.
As @BradleyDS2 says, you can get pretty good deals. I think mine was $349… So unless you are well under $300 I wouldn't be buying second hand. If the joy cons are stuffed then you're spending $50 to replace them.
If you do buy 2nd hand, I would buy from EB as they do have guarantees and most people look after their stuff so they can trade it in.
I'd recommend taking along a small set of screwdrivers to open up the console to check for any illegal mod chips. Make sure to familiarise yourself with all the available chips on the market before you leave.
Also boot up the console and check the latest available firmware is installed. Don't forget to check for custom software mods such as "homebrew applications" which are generally installed by hackers.
Firstly, "Hi, I'd like to buy your switch, but I want to disassemble the console first, is that cool?" "Errr.. no, you're a goose mate".
Secondly, most mods are dongle type. not installed.
Thirdly, as someone else said, put it online to make sure it's not banned - this is what happens to most consoles used online with dongles.
Fourthly, firmware is easily upgrade-able, and the least of your worries. If anything, a lower version of firmware is favoured by many people.But apart from that, great advice.
Youtube the part where you say no thanks, here's your pile of screws back.
There's next to a zero chance of there being a physical modchip. It is harder to do and more expensive, so uncommon. If there was a physical modchip I would be expecting this to be advertised and the seller to be asking a higher price.
As someone who has a switch and has probably the most popular commercial "mod" for the switch, SX OS, if someone had used one and did a restore afterwards you'd have absolutely no way of ever telling it was ever used, it literally just plugs into the USB C port, however the console could still potentially be banned by Nintendo in the future.
Unfortunately that's just how it is, best thing you can do is to try online (you'll know it's banned if you can't access the E shop), that will at least let you know if it's currently banned… unfortunately no way of telling if it's flagged for a future ban by Nintendo though (they seem to do their bans in "waves"). It's just a chance you'll have to take when buying 2nd hand.
I'm presuming you're considering second-hand to help manage entry costs for near-term purchase. As others have indicated, if you can muster $350-ish and are prepared to be patient for a deal, then a new console is not out of the question.
Back to used.
Step 0: Ask if the seller has a receipt
There are so many stolen Switch units around. Don't become part of the problem. The receipt can also help you work out the hardware version (see Step 2) and, depending on how old it is, be very handy in the event of a warranty or consumer guarantee claim.Step 1: Interested in hacking?
Custom firmware/hacks/homebrew are a thing for the Switch. Before you buy a secondhand machine, you need to decide if that's a thing that's important to you. Put simply, there are both patched and un-patched units on the secondhand market. The patched units started appearing in July this year and they do not allow the Tegra X1 exploits to be run. There are plenty of forum posts here on the interwebs on how to spot an exploitable unit but a good rule of thumb is the following serials are OK:XAW10078XXX and below
XAW40011XXX and below
XAW700178X and below
XAJ40050X and below
XAJ70042X and belowStep 2: Need online?
If you're bought a more recent hardware release where the Tegra exploit has been patched
OR
If you have no interest in playing online via Nintendo's infrastructure
THEN
skip this step. :-)Nintendo is pretty aggressive when it comes to protecting their IP. If they detect any sort of shenanigans the console WILL be banned from online play (CDN super-ban). Unfortunately, that means that cosmetically and physically perfect devices are on the secondhand market that will not play nicely on Nintendo's servers. I'm not aware of any reliable-ish method for checking a device for ban status other than logging in with an account and trying to take it online. Put simply, if a seller indicates/infers the unit might have run any unauthorised code then be very careful. If the seller has installed a hardmod (eg M0 trinket) chances are they'll tell you as some sort of geek badge of honour.
Step 3: How does it look?
This one is easy. Does it look like it's had a rough life? Gouges in the plastic? Dents? Scratches? Missing kickstand? General filth? Stripped case or joycon screws? If so - forget it.Step 4: How does it feel?
This one is also easy. Give it a shake. Does it rattle? Do the joycons fall out of their rails? If so - forget it.Step 5: Turn it on and test the hardware
Listen for a noisy fan and make sure the device boots to the home screen. Use the in-built screen and button test menus to check everything works. Also ask to try it in docked mode with the original power supply. If anything fails (or the seller won't let you test) - forget it.
make sure it turns on?
Thank you everyone for your advice and comments, definitely useful tips here :)
Lol there are no mods or stuff like that out for the switch yet.
My advice would be to actually try playing a game? there were issues with the right joycon not responding in some switches. Easily replaced under warranty.