The Nintendo Switch is not exactly considered a durable device, but an extreme drop test has seemingly proved otherwise for the hybrid console.
While the Nintendo Switch may get warped after being docked for about 40 hours and is prone to scratches from being inserted and removed from its dock, apparently, the hybrid console can survive a 1,000-foot drop.
Nintendo Switch Extreme Drop Test: 1,000-Foot Drop
YouTube channel UnlockRiver.com, for whatever reason, decided to do an extreme drop test on the thin and fragile-looking Nintendo Switch.
In the uploaded video of the drop test, a Nintendo Switch unit was shown being attached to a drone. The drone then took the hybrid console 1,000 feet up in the air before dropping it.
While most people would expect the Nintendo Switch to shatter into a million pieces once it hits the ground, amazingly, the hybrid console remained intact. The video showed that the left Joy-Con flew off upon impact, destroying it and leaving only the connector rail attached. However, when the Nintendo Switch itself is powered on, the device and the right Joy-Con were still working. The screen was undamaged, and games on the hybrid console are still playable, garnering the Nintendo Switch a durability score of 9.
Of course, it is not recommended for Nintendo Switch owners to try the drop test themselves even if they have spare Joy-Cons for replacement. We do not know for sure if the extreme drop test was a fluke or if the Nintendo Switch will only survive if it lands on one of its Joy-Cons.
Given the still-ongoing Nintendo Switch supply issues, it would not be a good idea to place your unit under the risk of a drop test, whether from just a few feet high or 1,000 feet up in the air.
Nintendo Switch vs Other Consoles
The Nintendo Switch is the first video game console that was subjected to an extreme drop test by UnlockRiver.com. The YouTube channel has previously carried out the test on various electronic devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S7, which was completely destroyed but was still able to power on. It received a score of 6.5.
Surviving a 1,000-foot drop can now be added to the list of advantages that the Nintendo Switch has over rival consoles PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Other items on that list include its unique hybrid form factor and exclusive games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the upcoming Super Mario Odyssey.
Nintendo, however, will likely need more than the addition of extreme durability to the advantages of the Nintendo Switch to catch up to Sony and Microsoft in the cutthroat video games industry. At the upcoming E3 2017, the big question is whether it will be able to continue the momentum of the Nintendo Switch, as it launched with great success earlier in the year.
In any case, Nintendo is reportedly planning to ramp up production of the hybrid console to meet customer demand in this year's holiday season, which, at the very least, should mean more extra units to drop out of the sky.
