The Nintendo Switch, with fans and critics lauding its sheer promise of portability, is not without its share of problems, particularly with the design. Soon after commonfolk got their hands on the brand-new system, a dearth of issues slowly became apparent.
For one, the dock that comes with the system, which is used for traditional connect-to-your-TV home console play sessions, has been reported to scratch the Nintendo screen after repeated ejection of the console from the dock. It seems like Nintendo should have anticipated such a flaw in the first place, considering the dock is mostly where the Switch well rest to access one of the game's headline feature: seamless shifting to home console mode.
How To Fix Nintendo Switch Dock Scratching Issues
But it looks like it hadn't thought of it clearly. Luckily, users have come up with a couple of fixes to this issue, allowing users to dock their system scratch-free. First, as YouTuber JerryRigEverything shows, the Switch's screen material is not sapphire or glass — it's actually plastic. So users have taken makeshift microfiber cloths and attached them via tapes onto the Switch's sliding rails.
Alternatively, they have covered the front section of the dock with a cloth or custom-made fabric entirely, so as to prevent the rails from coming into contact with the system's screen. As another alternative, users can also apply adhesive pads on the dock's rails. Those, however, are pretty thick, and while possible, it'll be harder to slide the Switch with the pads blocking the path.
How To Charge The Nintendo Switch During Tabletop Mode
Another notable feature of the console is that it offers a tabletop mode — pop open the kickstand and the system rests a few degrees back, offering players a way to play the Switch without holding its full weight. The Switch's charging port, however, rests on the bottom part, which essentially prevents the user from charging it when propped on a table.
Again, this seems like a brash disregard from Nintendo in terms of design. One could argue that the company could have placed the port on the top part of the system, but that would cause problems with docking the system since the system's port connects to the dock. It seems Nintendo chose the lesser of two evils in this scenario.
3D Printing experts have solutions. Over at Thingiverse, a site for uploading blueprints for 3D plans, there are already three different plans for a Switch stand that allow for charging, ranging from a pair of lightweight clips that integrate into power banks to a full-sized minimalist dock. There's an official one made by Hori, but that'll run around $30. Or if one feels a little bit more DIY, a makeshift stand can be made with two backs beside one another with an intervening space in between, like this guy's example.
It's really bizarre for Nintendo not to have thought about these issues beforehand. Granted, the tabletop can easily be fixed with a few unseemly, makeshift, but otherwise passable solutions, but what about the dock? It comes as an infuriating notion that the dock, a main resting place of the Switch, is also the one that might cause it unnecessary damage. Couldn't have Nintendo simply applied a fabric on the dock's rail to prevent it from scratching the system's screen?
Moving forward, it's won't be surprising if people start procuring more DIY solutions or even plans for 3D-printed accessories down the line. It also won't be surprising if Switch owners opt to use them instead of turning to Nintendo's proprietary accessories.
The Nintendo Switch is available now for $299.
