Germany is sliding into the next heat wave and will face high temperatures in the coming days. You should leave your Nintendo Switch at home.
Why should I leave the Switch at home? It will simply be too hot for the console in the near future.
Nintendo’s Japanese Twitter account has pointed out the maximum outside temperature for using the Switch (via twitter.com) and we at MeinMMO wanted to share this information with you as well:
- The Nintendo Switch is only designed for outside temperatures of 5° to 35° Celsius
If you want to take your Switch to the beach and play a few rounds of Mario Kart in an ice level at high temperatures, your console may fail – it could even get damaged.
Update from 19.07.2022: In Germany, temperatures are reaching new record highs. In cities like Frankfurt am Main or Duisburg, the 35 degrees mark is already being surpassed, and parts of Cologne are also hitting 35 degrees (via wetterdienst.de). If you’re currently in these cities, it’s better to leave your Switch at home and not play on the hot tram or bus on your way home.
Switch starts to sweat at high temperatures
What can happen to the Switch? The console switches off – this is not a cause for concern at first. The Switch is protecting itself from damage that can occur due to heat.
If you restart the console at home in cooler temperatures and it works again, there’s no problem.
However, high temperatures put stress on the technology inside the console, and the Switch may fail faster or even break down completely.
Additionally, using the Switch at temperatures above 35° contradicts the operating recommendations – this could cause issues should a warranty case arise.
What should I pay attention to when playing at high temperatures? Make sure that the vents are not blocked.
There is a fan located at the top in the middle and you will find 2 more air outlets at the bottom on the back (applies to all models). Nothing should block the fans within 10 centimeters.
If you also notice dust in the fan grooves, carefully clean the fans. The best tool for this is a vacuum cleaner with attachments that reduce suction power and come with a brush. You can find suitable accessories in our article about cleaning the PS5 fan.
How high will the temperatures go? Especially in the western part of Germany, it will get really hot this week – next week temperatures will go even higher. Some weather models are predicting temperatures over 40° (via wetter.com).
The further away the forecast is, the more uncertain the temperatures. However, it is clear – summer has Germany firmly in its grip in the coming days and if you want to do something good for your Switch: set it in the shade at home and let it rest from the high temperatures.
Leave us a comment with your Switch experiences regarding operating temperature.
If you prefer to read more about the console, here is a column from MeinMMO colleague Benedikt Schlotmann: Since I played on the Switch OLED, I would (almost) no longer recommend anyone to buy the regular Switch
