The Switch 2 teardowns continue, as the wider public finally gets the opportunity to test the console, and also, its accessories.
Last week, we shared bluesky user Nintendo Patents Watch’s explanation of the patents found in the Switch 2’s analog sticks. Today, GameTraderZero shared their own teardown and analysis of the Switch 2 Pro Controller, which seems to have a considerably different analog stick design.
The big takeaway from their teardown is that the analog sticks are not soldered to the controller’s encoder board. That makes replacing the sticks very easy. While some gamers are still hyperfocused on stick drift from the Nintendo Switch, this seems to be a mitigation to make that less of an issue.
Nintendo Patents Watch shares another interesting detail about the controller’s analog sticks. To quote them directly:
Switch 2 Welcome Tour shows the secret of Aerial Stick in Pro Controller 2: Instead of hitting the front shell opening, the stick is gliding around a base ring hidden below. The ring is low friction, wear resistant, and slightly elastic for smooth and quiet operations.
GameTraderZero also shared that these sticks were manufactured by Alps Alpine, whom we had previously explained is a market leader in making potentiometers, sensors, and similar devices. They built their reputation on devices like the keyboards for the Apple IIc, and today, they made the sticks for both the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons and Pro Controller.
GameTraderZero also observed that there is a single internal part that houses the face buttons and side triggers. This design supposedly provides better structural integrity, though we’re sure most gamers would not even know what controllers have and don’t have this design.
The Switch 2 Pro Controller’s battery is also much smaller than the one found in the original Switch Pro Controller. That in itself carried over the battery from the Wii U Pro Controller, which was quite renowned for carrying a charge for an unreasonably long amount of time. Nintendo’s hardware team may have made the call to use a smaller battery to sacrifice that battery time in favor of better usability.
You may have also read several gamers praising the Switch 2 Pro Controller for being a significant improvement. Many elements come together to make it earn this praise, including technical additions like an audio jack, and a more ergonomic shape.
Like the Switch 2 Joy-Cons, it remains to be seen just how big an issue stick drift really will be for the console. Don’t be surprised if other controller makers end up copying Nintendo’s designs if the base ring idea catches on. But if stick drift or other stick issues do come up, Nintendo has already made changes to make sure it won’t be as problematic as it has been for the Switch.
