Even in our age of consumer electronics that are more precious and fragile than ever, Nintendium still somehow manages to be a thing. Video game console durability tests have always been a fun, albeit hyperbolic, way to gage the quality control of our favorite media devices. The Nintendo Switch is a tiny, tablet gimmick, yet it still managed to survive a ridiculous stress test – a fall from 1,000 feet.
UnlockRiver, a YouTube account dedicated largely to reviewing smartphones and unlocking mobile devices, has come into a new gimmick: using a drone, the channel flies tech up to 1,000 feet in the sky and lets go – sending the helpless device hurtling back towards the Earth. UnlockRiver decided to apply this to the Nintendo Switch – the new hotness in mobile devices, and the results were pretty astounding.
The Switch didn’t survive the drop (again, one thousand actual feet) unscathed, and in fact the left JoyCon was a legitimate casualty. But despite the damage to a device many of us assumed was definitely fragile, the Switch continued to function as designed. And in the JoyCon’s defense, that was the point of contact when the unit landed. Ultimately, UnlockRiver rated the Switch a surprising 9/10 in durability. Incredible.
Source: UnlockRiver