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Sliding the Switch in and out of the dock will inevitably scratch the screen
- Thread starter TVexperto
- Start date
What exactly is the user issue?
Not sure it's really a "user issue", but I'm sure that if the dock scratch, inserting the Switch leaning to the front will increase pressure of the rails on the screen and increase the chances of scratching (like bent docks will make things worse, most probably).
7DollarHagane
Banned
You can claim it's nintendo fanboys or whatever but there's no obvious trend that switch users that use the dock regularly are scratching their screens in large numbers. That's the facts that we can observe as time goes on.
Thats a design issue, if its at all possible to scratch a device, simply by using the device as intended. Last I checked Nintendo didn't provide instructions on how to put the switch in the doc properly.
If someone has scratches and called nintendo up and they said "well... are you leaning the switch back when you do it? Ah see! thats the problem, you fucked it up, its not our product, it's you, tut tut tut" It would be fucking absurd.
Sure... but any of us can look at the dock, the way its designed and foresee the problem. If I tell you I have a screen thats scratched and tell you that every day I'm sliding it against a hard plastic rail, multiple times a day, it would be reasonable for you to say "thats probably how its getting scratched"
We have a product here that the normal, intended use of it, means you are dragging it up and down something that contacts the screen, it causing scratches is a likely outcome. An inevitable outcome. Even if the plastic itself is magic plastic, if you catch a bit of dust on it, that pressure point has a good chance of it scratching.
Does it happen every single time? No.
Will it eventually? Will it inevitably over the normal use of the product lead to scratches? I'd dare say yes.
Any time you have a product where part of the design is a hard material rubbing on the screen... scratches do seem... inevitable.
Dr_LucienSanchez
Banned
Hah.
Just pulled my switch out of the dock and noticed a pretty long scratch on the bottom right. Luckily I have a screen protector on, but it's still pretty fucking ridiculous.
taco dock or plumb dock?
It has been only 2 weeks. Don't count yourself lucky just yet.
archvile7
Member
Has Nintendo commented on this yet? I'm willing to bet it was a bad press of some of the docks, mine hasn't scratched and it is in and out several times a day. It does have rub marks on the screen where it rubs against the rubber pieces inside the dock, but those are easily wiped off.
I see some marks on my Switch's bottom-left screen; I assume it's from the dock. I have a screen protector on it so it's not a big deal. I typically don't buy screen protectors for my electronics but one came with the Official Nintendo case that I purchased and decided to use it.
TyMiles2012
Member
I've taken mine out of the dock multiple times and I don't have scratches. A few scuffs though but those rub off very easily with a microfiber cloth. I think a batch of switches skipped a lot of steps during manufacturing, missing a scratch proof coating being one of them.
Here is the process I used and it works pretty great.
So step one is to pay attention and make sure you have it right. There will be a side that has two ear flap things, that is the side that should face up.
Then its just a matter of a little prep. I got the bathoom a bit steamy, so run the shower a few minutes, let it steam up, and then shut the shower off but keep the room closed so its still steamy, but not CRAZY steamy. But you know just humid inside.
Then clean the screen real good if you have a spare cleaning cloth. Then when its perfect. Get the protector read. Put it on how you like, so it lines up great. Then do the hinges. I put on three of the hinge stickers so it was real solid and tight. Then with the hinge open you use the wet wipe and get it good. Then the dry wipe to dry it off and make sure its clean. Look for any stray dust or fibers, whisk it away with the cloth and then peal of the plastic layer and close the hinge.
As soon as you press down in the middle youll see the screen adhering itself.
You let it do its thing a bit, and then use the card thats included to help squeeze out any bubbles, You may have one or two, left that dont want to stick down, but just press with your finger on them a bit, use the card. Don't panic just kind of finesse it and soon they will start going away and youll have a great application. And can remove the top layer and you are good to go.
Here are some videos too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUwxr998kLg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB129dDloSs
Did exactly that. Worked perfect! Thanks! How long did you wait until you used and docked it?
I'm not sure how long is really needed. I'd bet an hour or two is more than enough. Maybe don't need to do it at all. I played some Splatoon and left it over night, just for the hell of, to be super sure.
sleepnaught
Member
Applied my amfilm protector yesterday. Very pleased with the results. A single piece of dust managed to make its way in, but it's barely noticeable so I'm not worried. What I'm super happy to see was that the scratches caused by the dock are now undetectable after installing the shield. Probably placebo, but I swear the screen looks better too.
nullpoynter
Member
Probably such a small batch affected that they'll never comment on it.
IdreamofHIME
Member
Picked these up from Target. Hope they work until I get a screen protector. Moving this weekend so I can't really order the amfilms one right now and didn't see any in Target.
biggest thumb i ever saw...
Those things are more likely to cause scratches than just leaving the thing.
Picked these up from Target. Hope they work until I get a screen protector. Moving this weekend so I can't really order the amfilms one right now and didn't see any in Target.
i HeaR MusiC
Member
Rude..
On topic, I don't think people should be using things that just make it a tighter fit. Just makes it even more likely to get some dirt/sand on it and scratch the screen.
With my portable force field generator, I also have never encountered any scratches on this or any of my other plastic screen devices. No item with greater than a hardness of two has ever been able to leave a scratch on my Switch screen as I leave the force field protection at two at all times. I also leave my Switch force field charged up when not using it to ensure that I always have scratch protection when I decide to be careless. Even though my dock is completely straight, I do not allow any user issues to cause scratches on my screen as I leave the force field on while putting it in and out of the dock. The title of this thread should definitely be changed to "Sliding the Switch in and out of the dock will inevitably scratch the screen (except when using a portable force field generator)" as my testing have shown this to be the truth.
Plastic scratches just from rubbing a friggin tissue on the screen, particularly if there is dust around.
The key is to worry about dust, not other plastics so much.
This screen WILL scratch over time just from you wiping it to clean it!
I don't use protectors on my iPhone which costs twice as much as my switch and gets used about ten times more but I won't take my switch anywhere until its got a protector on it!
The key is to worry about dust, not other plastics so much.
This screen WILL scratch over time just from you wiping it to clean it!
I don't use protectors on my iPhone which costs twice as much as my switch and gets used about ten times more but I won't take my switch anywhere until its got a protector on it!
Just reporting in. Nevere posted in this thread before but I just wanted to say that I've used my dock plenty of times already and I have received no scratches on my Switch. I take it in and out slowly, and just execute care, and that seems to be working just fine after dozens of times of removing and replacing it.
No screen protector on, of that matters.
No screen protector on, of that matters.
Night Angel
Member
I'm gonna start pretending that the error us users have made is trusting Nintendo not to design a dock that will scratch our devices. Because that's the only mistake my brother made.I'm sick of seeing people come to this thread and try to downplay the issue / blame it on user error. I'm not a fucking idiot and my switch was scratched in completely normal use. Not OK. Screen protector should have shipped with the system
I'll make sure to shame him for forgetting the 3DS fiasco. Nintendo sucks at hardware.
That's why you have to blow the dust off or use windex electronics wipes since cleaning with a dry cloth usually causes those marks, they are still removable, just need wipes to remove them.
I'm sick of seeing people come to this thread and try to downplay the issue / blame it on user error. I'm not a fucking idiot and my switch was scratched in completely normal use. Not OK. Screen protector should have shipped with the system
I wouldn't blame it on user error, but the thread title seems sensationalist since it's based on a few reports. We don't really have any hard data on how common of a problem this is, and enough time hasn't passed to say if scratches from the dock are actually inevitable.
I wouldn't be surprised though if bent docks are a large cause of the scratches. I've watched the system as I've docked it a few times, and the screen doesn't really seem to touch the rails if I'm being careful. And I've gradually been less careful with the system as I've started playing undocked more often and I still don't have any scratches. Hopefully my luck holds up, because I don't plan on getting a screen protector for a while, if at all.
Vault Dweller 111
Member
Is there any pattern to why some get scratched and some don't? Is there something about some of the docks that is off that is apparent right from the start?
Or it's because a lot of people have taken extra steps to prevent the screen from scratching such as purchasing a USB-C male to female cable, applying a screen protector, or just plain not even connecting their Switch to the dock for fear of it scratching. Just based on what I see on NeoGAF and Reddit, I do feel Nintendo fans are overly forgiving and are willing to go out of their way to remedy the situation.
None of which you should have to do or be worried about when purchasing a $300 product. I purchased two Switch systems and both had bent docks.
People that browse forums are adding screen protectors, but I highly doubt the majority of people buying Switches are rushing to add a screen protector and avoiding using the dock in the meantime.
I agree that the dock could have been better designed so that there was no possibility of this happening, and I think Nintendo should make some sort of change to the dock, but I also think that most Switch owners - including those that don't have a screen protector, haven't had issues with scratches. Though like I mentioned before, we'll see how they hold up as time goes on, but at this point I think saying scratches are inevitable is rather presumptuous.
ValeYard
Member
Haven't heard this about the PDP one. It was the Hori premium protector.
Application for PDP is pretty standard. I kinda preferred the normal Hori one.
My Orzly still isn't here, but I'm totally nervous about botching the install. How easy are glass protectors to get off again? Do,they leave residue?
My dock was noticeably bent as well. I I've kept two paperbacks of precisely the right thickness (quite snug, but not impossible to stuff between both sets of rails) wedged in either side of the dock for a good week, flush with the USB connector. It has definitely widened. I had a glass protector on my screen from day one, so that's been fine, but I seem to be one of the few who had the unit's rear plastic case scratched by the rails.
Edit: Y'know, because screw this whole situation which quite bores me now, can anyone recommend an extremely short USB-C extension cable (less than 3ft... do they exist)?
Diablohead
Member
My switch so far has been good but i'm still waiting for the glass screen protector to turn up just so I can feel a little better about the plastic screen being protected by something.
Yeah they were too thick. I'm just not gonna worry with it until I get a screen protector. Feel like this did nore harm than good.
SuperCambot
Banned
Yeah, virtually all these "fixes" will eventually leave scuff marks on the acrylic finish of the screen because they're guaranteed to make contact. I'm always careful not to let the screen scrape the dock going in and out.
You all just need to take care of your things.
I'm absolutely not arguing with that logic, but a lot of us received docks with quite noticeably deformed/bent front plates. I suspect that's one of, if not the, most damaging risk factor(s).