Let’s be honest, many of us like to take our hybrid console when we have to go on a long trip and take advantage of moments of inactivity or boredom to pass the time. However, those winter days is when we need to better protect our Nintendo Switch from cold and rain. And we do not say it, but its manufacturer. Are we facing a serious problem or, on the contrary, is it something minor?
It’s no secret that temperature swings are hazardous to any hardware, to say the least, especially since they’re not designed to operate in extreme temperatures. In any case, there is no danger that the Nintendo Switch will burn out by speeding it up, but in the opposite direction. Especially on cold, rainy days when water can enter the circuits and cause damage. So much so that Nintendo itself has already given the notice.
Nintendo warns: turn off your Switch in the middle of the rain
Since NintendoDS and SONY PSP, one of the most interesting functions of portable consoles is the sleep mode, which allows us to continue playing our favorite game where we left off. All thanks to the advantages of NAND Flash technology. It was revolutionary, because before that we insisted on killing the final enemy of a game or winning the last cup before the batteries died.
Well, Nintendo made it clear through a Tweet that it is necessary to avoid leaving the console idle on rainy days and to turn it off completely. More than anything in case water and humidity get inside and end up damaging its circuits. Therefore, they do not recommend playing under the station screen while waiting for the bus or train and not leaving it idle, but turning it off completely. In the event that the system has gotten wet, they recommend that you leave the console in a dry room and wait for the water to dry.
Turning off the console completely is easy, just press the power button on top of the console and select the appropriate option from the menu that appears. Another option is to hold the button down for 12 seconds to force a full shutdown.
Is it as dangerous as Nintendo says?
Well, the truth is no, because the console has active cooling in the form of a small fan that prevents internal condensation. Another thing is the screen, both in IPS and OLED models. In any case, during all this time, nothing has been said about the console’s problems in this regard and everything indicates that Nintendo is itself and is exaggerating a minor problem. Either way, and just in case, don’t bury your Nintendo Switch in the snow, or you might end up with a nasty surprise.