How to Build a Do-It-Youself Project - The DIY Nintendo Switch

This is a short guide on how to build your own Nintendo Switch at home. This gaming console has become to popular it became unavailable in local US stores and also in online shops.

This Nintendo switch would ofcourse be a lot affordable since it was made using cheaper spare parts. Here below is my step by step buying guide along with assembly instructions and a pricing guide.

1. Game Cartridge Card Slot Socket Board w/Headphones Port - $15
2. NS Console Micro SD TF Memory Card Slot Port Socket Reader - $5
3. Nintendo Switch HAC-001 CPU Cooling Heatsink - $7
4. Game Cartridge Card Plastic Cover - $1
5. Console Speaker Replacement Parts For Nintendo Switch Built in speaker - $8
6. Wifi Antenna Connecting Cable (Short) $2
7. Wifi Antenna Connecting Cable (Long) $2
8. Internal Cooling Fan - $3
9. Power & Volume Button control flex cable (w/ buttons and rubber conductor) - $4
10. Side Slider Sliding Rail Flex Cable (Left) - $3
11. Side Slider Sliding Rail Flex Cable (Right) - $3
12. Replacement Top Housing Shell Case Face plate -$6
13. Nintendo Switch Console Replacement Battery (New) - $15
14.  Replacement Bottom Housing Shell Transparent Case Face plate -$5
15. Touch Screen Digitizer Adhesive - $0.50
16. Touch Screen Digitizer - $9
17. LCD Display Screen Replacement - $12
18. Shield Plate - $2
19. Iron Middle Frame - $6
20. (Not Pictured Here) - 100% WORKING OEM NINTENDO SWITCH REPLACEMENT LOGIC BOARD MOTHERBOARD - $95
21. (Not Pictured Here) - Full Screw Replacement Set - $2
22. (Not Pictured Here) - (Removal of Copper Sicker on CPU)

Grand Total For Used Parts Build: = $199

Market retail sale price of the Nintendo Switch :

Ebay Average Price Jan 2020: = (between $175 and $225)
Ebay Average Price April 2020: = (between $300 and $400)


Good Luck!

Lets start!

5. Console Speaker Replacement

(Place speakers in the speaker shaped hole with wires facing to the middle. Mine came with adhesive stickers ready to go.)

13. Replacement Battery

(Don't cheap out on the battery. There are many fake batteries out there that will not last long or end up being a dangerous fire hazard)

19. Iron Middle Frame

(This will be the base piece you start with)

6. Wifi Antenna Connecting Cable (Short)

(I forgot to take a picture of the wifi antenna after placement. It is housed in the upper right corner with the antenna facing you and the cable running through the frame to the other side)

12. Replacement Top Housing Shell Case Face plate

(This fits only one way and should be easy to place. There will be several screws to place along the top and bottom to secure it to the base frame)

19. Iron Middle Frame(This will be the base piece you start with)

15. Touch Screen Digitizer Adhesive

(I was not smart and didn't look up a video before assembly. I cut the adjacent corners of the adhesive to place along the far end of the shell. Do not do this.  It should remain a square shape and will first be placed on the digitizer, not the front shell. The name should have tipped me off.)

17. LCD Display Screen

( Place the large ribbon cable to the right of the front in the long rectangle slot midway and left on the base. Place the small ribbon cable to the right in the other rectangular slot located near wear the LCD will lay after placement.  Be gentle with the ribbon cable on the back. Unfortunately I broke the one pictured here and needed to replace it.

16. Touch Screen Digitizer

( There will be two slots that will face the bottom that allow sound to travel from the speakers. The ribbon cable will be placed through the base shell in the top right corner)

6. Wifi Antenna Connecting Cable (Long)

(This was a labeling mistake by me. The number should have been 7. The antenna has a slot where the red circle is that fits exactly the correct size. The black cable then runs to the left around a trench with small plastic shelves to hold it in place. Place the cable in the trench around until it is located near circle number 17. at the bottom)

9. Power & Volume Button control flex cable

(Be sure to place the volume and power buttons in place first, then the rubber conductor. The cable then runs along the bottom of the base as pictured to the left circle 9.)

10. Side Slider Sliding Rail Flex Cable (Left)

( The ribbon cable will be in the down position on the left)

11. Side Slider Sliding Rail Flex Cable (Right)

( The ribbon cable will also be in the down position on the right)

16. Touch Screen Digitizer

( This is the cable hole to place ribbon cable when installing the digitizer)

17. LCD Display Screen Replacement

(The circles indicate where to place the large and small ribbon cable when installing the LCD)

10. Side Slider Sliding Rail Flex Cable

(This is how the placement of the rail should look)

20. Replacement Switch Logic Board Motherboard

(I tried the whole fix a broken switch thing and my advice is don't bother. I spent more time and money trying to repair dead boards then I care to admit. The problem is Nintendo made the error codes extremely vague in order to annoy you into sending it to them in frustration.)

1. Game Cartridge Card Slot Socket Board w/Headphones Port

( This board sits snug in a space that you will know when it fits right. The headphone jack has a plastic piece that secures it to the board with two screws on either side. The connection to the Logic Board is tricky. Be patient otherwise you may end up breaking the connector. The 16. Digitizer will also plug into this board on the left. It isn't circled but it is a good idea to insert the LCD cable into the logic board first before placing the Card Slot Board. It sits just underneath the board when installed.)

2. NS Console Micro SD TF Memory Card Slot Port Socket Reader

(This is the SD card placement. I choose to not use the shield plate due to my transparent back cover. It will need to be installed on the board but not screwed in until after the shield plate is put in place. It will sit on top of the shield plate through a hole made for it to connect through.)

6. Wifi Antenna Connecting Cable (Short)

(This is where you connect this cable to the Logic Board)

7. Wifi Antenna Connecting Cable (Long)

(This is where you connect this cable to the Logic Board)

8. Internal Cooling Fan

(You will want to place the fan after plugging in the 9. Power & Volume Button control flex cable.)

10. Side Slider Sliding Rail Flex Cable (Left)

(It is not circled but the connection to the Logic Board is located in the farthest left bottom corner)

11. Side Slider Sliding Rail Flex Cable (Right)

(This is the connection port for this cable. It will run under the Logic Board before connection like pictured)

16. Touch Screen Digitizer

( Install ribbon cable into 1. Game Cartridge Card Slot Socket Board)

22. (Removal of Copper Sicker on CPU)

(This was another personal choice  that isn't a necessary step. I wanted to get maximum cooling efficiency since I chose to not use the shield.  This made it easier to do with direct contact to 3. Heatsink)

3. Nintendo Switch HAC-001 CPU Cooling Heatsink

(First clean the Nintendo gum off of your chip while carefully using only the recommended cleaning methods. Then apply a halfway decent grade thermal paste for improved cooling efficiency. Yes this a poke at you Nintendo.)

There it is!

    I tried to take a similar approach with the joy-cons. I had varying  degrees of success with that project so I decided not to post that project yet.

The key to a project like this is extreme patience. This took about a month and then some to bid on parts, find inexpensive sellers, and wait for ground shipping from China. In the end it was still worth it to me.

     This was a fun project to keep me busy during the quarantine while not breaking the bank. I mostly just hate the idea of buying a switch at an inflated price and encouraging scalpers to continue buying up products in order to cause a shortage and make money.

Hopefully you all enjoyed!
Thank you