Handheld Consoles Will Need Easily-Switchable Batteries By 2027, Says New EU Regulation

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/07/handheld-consoles-will-need-easily-switchable-batteries-by-2027-says-new-eu-regulation

576 points · 8 comments · view on lemmy.world

8 Comments

GeneralBoop@kbin.social · 99 pts · 3y (3 replies)

Nintendo, Valve, and anyone else really has no excuse not to make the battery user accessible. The devices aren’t water resistant and never will be since they need active cooling. A back cover with sliding locks like a laptop that gives access to the battery as well as the fan would be a great addition to future devices. Easy to replace the battery, easy to clean or replace the fan. It would ease a lot of my own anxiety about the longevity of these devices.

atocci@kbin.social · 18 pts · 3y

Can you not access the battery in the Steam Deck? I haven't opened mine up before.

I also haven't opened the Switch before either though. Is it not possible to just swap out batteries like you could on the DS and 3DS? I had to swap out my 3DS's battery a couple years ago when it ballooned and always just assumed it was an option on the Switch too if it ever happens there.

Edit: Just took a look at the iFixit video, that's a much more involved process than I was expecting. Hate that they used adhesive on the battery, and didn't even add a pull tab to get it out.

HubertManne@kbin.social · 10 pts · 3y (1 reply)

while they are at it, might as well make the ram and disk easily upgradeable.

Son_of_dad@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y

You're making me miss my PSP. Battery compartment easily accessible, I believe it took SD cards too. I modded mine too play other handheld systems like gameboy.

NumbersCanBeFun@kbin.social · 64 pts · 3y
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tojikomori@kbin.social · 28 pts · 3y

This got me to look up iFixit's guide to Switch battery replacement. It's better than some of my devices, but as soon as a replacement involves spludgers and adhesive it crosses a "yuck" line for me, going from something that looks kinda fun to sort of dreading that I'll break it.

For contrast, past Nintendo handhelds made this a doddle, even in the post-AA era: here's the New 3DS battery replacement guide. The DS Lite even had a little battery door.

Ertebolle@kbin.social · 11 pts · 3y

Good. Not only for longevity reasons but also because for video game consoles specifically it's an enormous PITA to have a cable strapped to it for an external charger or battery pack.

slimerancher@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 3y

So basically they can release Switch 2 as they have already designed, and then release the "OLED" version of Switch 2 by 2027 with replaceable batteries.