Build your own Nintendo Switch for just $199 and a lot of patience

Nintendo Switch Deals
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If necessity is the mother of invention, then perhaps scarcity is the mother of DIY as one Reddit user decided to build a Nintendo Switch out of used parts after being frustrated by the outrageous prices that 3rd-party sellers were asking due to the recent Switch shortage.

For roughly $199 in parts, and what he describes as "extreme patience", Reddit user Sarbaaz was able to build a fully working Nintendo Switch (via PCMag).

Now the latest news we have is that the Switch shortage is perhaps finally at its end, but if you are left with an abundance of free time at the moment and you love the satisfaction of building something yourself then perhaps you'll want to take a look. 

It's worth noting that as these used parts are being obtained from a variety of sources the prices on them can vary quite a bit, so as he points out in his Imgur post detailing the breakdown of the parts along with detailed photos of the build process the current prices are now between $300 and $400. 

And in response to the many that have questioned why on earth someone would undertake this process to save about a hundred dollars, his explanation was that after telling some friends how great Animal Crossing: New Horizons is that one went looking to buy himself a Switch and was shocked by the exorbitant prices. Sarbaaz, who is employed at a computer repair shop, told his friend he could do it cheaper and so he did.

Sean Riley

Sean Riley has been covering tech professionally for over a decade now. Most of that time was as a freelancer covering varied topics including phones, wearables, tablets, smart home devices, laptops, AR, VR, mobile payments, fintech, and more.  Sean is the resident mobile expert at Laptop Mag, specializing in phones and wearables, you'll find plenty of news, reviews, how-to, and opinion pieces on these subjects from him here. But Laptop Mag has also proven a perfect fit for that broad range of interests with reviews and news on the latest laptops, VR games, and computer accessories along with coverage on everything from NFTs to cybersecurity and more.