Nintendo Switch Dock Scratches?

[DarkKnightVFX]

Hey all!

 

Got my switch today, Zelda is amazing. I have not yet put it in my dock, for it is supposedly confirmed that it can scratch your unit? Have any of you experienced this? Any solutions for this by chance? Thanks all. 

 

I don't plan on using the dock much but it might be nice to know its an option.

[SammoFS]

1 minute ago, DarkKnightVFX said:

Hey all!

 

Got my switch today, Zelda is amazing. I have not yet put it in my dock, for it is supposedly confirmed that it can scratch your unit? Have any of you experienced this? Any solutions for this by chance? Thanks all. 

 

I don't plan on using the dock much but it might be nice to know its an option.

I have seen multiple videos on it scratching your screen (Sadly)  

[AnnoyedShelf]

4 minutes ago, DarkKnightVFX said:

Hey all!

 

Got my switch today, Zelda is amazing. I have not yet put it in my dock, for it is supposedly confirmed that it can scratch your unit? Have any of you experienced this? Any solutions for this by chance? Thanks all. 

 

I don't plan on using the dock much but it might be nice to know its an option.

seems to be pretty common due to the fact that the screen is made of a really scratchable material.  Maybe just fit the screen side of the dock with a microfiber cloth and some tape.

[DarkKnightVFX]

Just now, AnnoyedShelf said:

seems to be pretty common due to the fact that the screen is made of a really scratchable material.  Maybe just fit the screen side of the dock with a microfiber cloth and some tape.

I had thought of that, but which area would I put it though? On the sides or the bottom? I'm not even sure what area is scratching it

[AnnoyedShelf]

Just now, DarkKnightVFX said:

I had thought of that, but which area would I put it though? On the sides or the bottom? I'm not even sure what area is scratching it

It looks like it's near the bottom but considering how cheap large microfiber cloths are, you might as well just cover the whole thing.

[DarkKnightVFX]

Just now, AnnoyedShelf said:

It looks like it's near the bottom but considering how cheap large microfiber cloths are, you might as well just cover the whole thing.

Yeah I suppose. Do you think bubble wrap would work? Don't got any microfiber on me, and I still have some bubble wrap my Switch came with.

[TheKDub]

1 minute ago, DarkKnightVFX said:

Yeah I suppose. Do you think bubble wrap would work? Don't got any microfiber on me, and I still have some bubble wrap my Switch came with.

I'm pretty sure it'd be too thick.

 

Could try a paper towel or something like that.

[AnnoyedShelf]

Just now, DarkKnightVFX said:

Yeah I suppose. Do you think bubble wrap would work? Don't got any microfiber on me, and I still have some bubble wrap my Switch came with.

I honestly wouldn't.  Maybe go for just a soft, clean cloth if you don't have a microfiber cloth.

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

11 minutes ago, AnnoyedShelf said:

seems to be pretty common due to the fact that the screen is made of a really scratchable material.  Maybe just fit the screen side of the dock with a microfiber cloth and some tape.

Please tell me they didn't just go for plain cheap plastic for that...

[AnnoyedShelf]

18 hours ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

Please tell me they didn't just go for plain cheap plastic for that...

Oh but they did.  Nintendo really shit the bed on this one.  Not to mention, the left joycon has a really shit antenna, often disconnecting.  It isn't possible to remove the Joycon wrist strap if you attach it to the controller wrong.  There has also been a ton of issues with graphics artifacting (thanks Nvidia!) and a whole host more issues with the speakers emitting terrible screeching and white noise.

[ramencupofjoy]

2 hours ago, AnnoyedShelf said:

Oh but they did.  Nintendo really shit the bed on this one.  Not to mention, the left joycon has a really shit antenna, often disconnecting.  It isn't possible to remove the Joycon wrist strap if you attach it to the controller wrong.  There has also been a ton of issues with graphics artifacting (thanks Nvidia!) and a whole host more issues with the speakers emitting terrible screeching and white noise.

Mate, you got all your information from a single youtube vid of like 30 people complaining out of 5 million or more people.

1. The left joycon antenna issue was patched in a day one patch. Haven't had a single issue with it since.

2. I actually did put the joycon strap thing on wrong, but you just unlock the thing and slide it out the other way. Yes, it is confusing, but not impossible.

3. Graphics artifacting and speaker issues are pinned down to quality control issues, and while it happens it still is an incredibly rare occurence.

[AnnoyedShelf]

22 minutes ago, ramencupofjoy said:

Mate, you got all your information from a single youtube vid of like 30 people complaining out of 5 million or more people.

1. The left joycon antenna issue was patched in a day one patch. Haven't had a single issue with it since.

2. I actually did put the joycon strap thing on wrong, but you just unlock the thing and slide it out the other way. Yes, it is confusing, but not impossible.

3. Graphics artifacting and speaker issues are pinned down to quality control issues, and while it happens it still is an incredibly rare occurence.

Yeah I know, but that Joycon thing shouldn't have been a problem in the first place.  Also, making the screen out of a scratchable material and not making the contact points on the dock soft is still unnaceptable.

[VolkA]

On 07/03/2017 at 1:09 PM, DarkKnightVFX said:

Hey all!

 

Got my switch today, Zelda is amazing. I have not yet put it in my dock, for it is supposedly confirmed that it can scratch your unit? Have any of you experienced this? Any solutions for this by chance? Thanks all. 

 

I don't plan on using the dock much but it might be nice to know its an option.

So far my screen and everything is still ok. No scratches or whatsoever. Just carefully put it into the dock will do. Or get a cheap screen protector for the screen. Those people that scratches the screen are most likely just dumping the console into the dock rather then "putting it in" (I'm just assuming).

[haloharry97]

it has scratched the side of my screen part but on the plastic part (if you know what i mean) on the right middle side, when i saw the scratch, I just ripped open my dock and did this http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/03/guide_nintendo_switch_dock_scratching_your_screen_try_this_diy_fix

I have been super careful when putting it in the dock. I HATE SCRATCHES.

[DarkKnightVFX]

13 hours ago, haloharry97 said:

it has scratched the side of my screen part but on the plastic part (if you know what i mean) on the right middle side, when i saw the scratch, I just ripped open my dock and did this http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/03/guide_nintendo_switch_dock_scratching_your_screen_try_this_diy_fix

I have been super careful when putting it in the dock. I HATE SCRATCHES.

Actually I just taped down a microfiber cloth and have had no issues or scratches. Not sure if people were Cnetting it, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

[GoodBytes]

From what I can see, if you slide the system perfectly straight in the system, it will not scratch it. It looks like there is foam pad the base of the dock (it needs an additional set at the top),. If you pull out in diagonal, then it can scratch, especially is the plastic mold is not perfect and bend by 1-2mm inside.

 

I suggest to get a screen protector. A glass one will be more visible that you have one due to the thickness, but you have the most transparent screen protector, and will be perfectly flat (no bumps visible with the sun), also no bubbles (that said, with plastic screen protector, when you have a bubble you can't remove, it points to a dust particle being stuck there, where you can easilly pealed off, remove with a sticky tape/sticker that most screen protector gives you, and put back, Glass you don't have that air bubble, but a dust particle will be trap. And you can't peal away easily the screen protector to remove the dust as it is a sheet of glass. Don't your your nails to remove the glass screen protector, as you can shift the adhesive and create a bump, where it won't stick flat any more (corner bubble). So you have to ensure that your screen is dust free, and that you are in a  very clean area before applying.

 

Personally, when I'll get the Switch, even if Nintendo fixes the dock, I'll get a glass screen protector for it. I love glass screen protector, as your finger slides perfectly well, you have the best clarity, no color shift to blue or yellow (transparent plastic screen protector are never actually transparent, they are either yellow tint transparent or blue tinted transparent, and you see it at angles), and flat. That is why, you usually have glass screen protector that don't bother making a whole for a camera on a phone or tablet, but plastic sheet ones they always do.

[ThisIsTwist]

Hello!

I have been a silent reader on the forum for a long time but the topic of screen damage on the switch just made me register an account

As a switch owner i was concerned a lot about the dock scratching the screen even if nintendo seems to not admit that it can happen.

In one of the last WAN shows Luke mentioned the screen scratching, too.

 

I have seen a few 'solutions' by different people on the net and most of them seem to opt for a thick felt or foam padding. But that does not seem to be a good solution because it puts even more pressure on the switch's screen, especially if the dock is already bent.

 

A screen protector is a must, but the hard plastic rails on the dock are still an issue for me (The were not bent on my unit but still, i dont like potentially scratching my screen). I spent some time figuring out a solution that would be comfortable and not too thick.

What i found is a really thin velour film with adhesive backing. I applied it on the rails and now the switch slides smoothly in and out of the dock without too much pressure and more protection for the screen. (I wrote a little blog article about it for anyone interested, you can find it here ).

 

Maybe there are others out there that like my solution

[GoodBytes]

You test to see if you are a bent dock by:

• Measuring the opening at the top and bottom
• Slide a small coin, like a penny on the side of the dock, and see if it slides smoothly or get tight at some point
• Looking at it

If you have a bent dock, Nintendo WILL replace it for you under warranty no problem. Contact Nintendo, and they'll pay BOTH direction the shipping of the dock unit (you get to keep the Switch console). So you just need a small box to put the dock in. Once you receive the replacement dock (should take about 1-2 weeks depending on shipping speed/region), check again if it is bent. If it still is, contact Nintendo once more and they'll take care of you once more.

 

Here are some solutions that, even if you don't have a bent dock you want to ensure that you have no scratches.

• If you have and patience, you can go get soft crafting material from a dollar store, and glue small black pads at the bottom and top of the dock rales. Might be easy to dismantle the dock to install them, if you have the screw driver for it. This method, while time consuming, will result in having nothing visible to the outside. Just make sure that you can remove it after, in the case you can need to pass it under warranty again to another issue that appears due to back luck.
   
• Screen protector. You have both plastic and glass screen protector available for the Switch. Glass is thicker, you'll have no bubble that you can't remove, will show harder scratches, your finger slides easier,  and is perfectly clear, but it harder to install if you don't want to see trapped dust particles, and you can't bend it, nor can't remove it easily, without pushing the glue with your nails as you try and grab a corner, and now have a corner bubble that you can't remove. You can find kits with 2 inside. Plastic you have bubbles, but using a sticker to hold the screen protector to not touch the underside to allow you to stick/unstick multiple time removing dust and bubbles as you install it. But it can scratch (but you can replace it later on), but not perfectly transparent. Plastic is not perfectly transparent, it has a tint of yellow, or more common: blue. If you play in the dark in hand held mode, at some angles, it will show the tint and affect your game colors a bit. But it is thinner.

If you plan to transport it outside, or might be used by others, I recommend the screen protector.

 

 

I personally suspect that Nintendo will do like the 3DS, DS, where they'll release a "we fixed everything" console, like a , Switch XL, or Switch Lite, or whatever in 1 or 2 years from now. I suspect that it will have improved antennas for the joycons for longer range (the issue seems to be solved, but the range isn't as good as other controllers),  will probably have an updated Tegra chip but the speed will be locked down, providing minimal speed increase in games, but rather use the improved chip to extend battery life of the unit, more internal storage, and have a completely different dock design without the front part. I doubt they'll replace the plastic screen to glass, however. To be clear, that is just my speculation. They are 0 rumors or anything related to such news. It is 100% just guessing, based on history.

[ThisIsTwist]

It does not really need patience, to add some velour tape to the dock, its a matter of minutes  And you do not even need to disassemble it. You might need some tweezers but its easy to access the rails without disassembly. The important thing, at least in my opinion, is to use something really thin.

 

And for the screen protector, with the current state of the dock, as long as you want to use the dock, it might be better to stick with the plastic protector. The glass ones add some thickness and would lead to more scratching (on the screen protector, but still scratches.) and more stress on the dock.

[ThisIsTwist]

Hey!

Just a quick text about my experience trying out different screen protectors...

 

- Performance Design Screen Protector (Official Nintendo licensed): This one is quite expensive and very hard to apply. It is cut to the exact measurements of the screen. There is no space left on either of the sides which makes it very hard to apply. Once placed there is almost no chance to reposition it and even if the position is only half a milimeter off you wont get it on the screen without problems on other edges. Once it is on it is very flat, there is no noticeable added thickness to the switch and the friction on the dock does not change noticeable with or without the felt-tape.

 

- Orzly Screen Protector: Comes in a 5 pack and is quite cheap. Compared to the one mentioned before this one is way easier to apply. It comes with a little alcohol cloth thingie to wipe down the screen. This helps a lot with applying the protective film. It is cut a little bit undersized and therefore is also more forgiving if you position it ever so slightly off center or rotated. As with the other plastic protection film, no noticeable change in thicknes and friction.

 

- Glas Screen Protector: A little bit more expensive than the other options these things are easier to apply if you cleaned your screen correctly. But they add a lot of friction when you put the switch into the dock or remove it. With the felt adhesive it requires some minor force to insert it.

 

I decided to use the cheaper plastic film protector because it came in a five pack and it feels better in combination with my dock modification