Modchip vs flashcart

[Deleted member 681324]

I'm looking for  ALL perspectives from end-users, professional installers, hobbyists, etc... please comment after a vote explaining your pros vs cons, or leave a comment without voting. Since the Switch flashcarts are here, is modchips even necessary anymore?

 

[Deleted member 702243]

Things you can do with a flashcart: play unmodified games, forget about updates and dlc

Things you can do with modchip: ... everything

 

[mathew77]

Modchip PLUS flashcard simultaneously, maybe? The more games, the better.

 

[TheStonedModder]

Things you can do with a flashcart: play unmodified games, forget about updates and dlc

Things you can do with modchip: ... everything

Updates work just fine with a flashcart lmao

DLC too if you get a game that has the dlc on its cart like the pokemon sword/ shield + expansion pass

 

[Deleted member 702243]

Updates work just fine with a flashcart lmao

DLC too if you get a game that has the dlc on its cart like the pokemon sword/ shield + expansion pass

Yeah, good luck not getting a console ban going online with pirated certs

 

[Deleted member 681324]

Yeah, good luck not getting a console ban going online with pirated certs

I wouldn't plan on using online features with either... except ofw emmc

 

[Deleted member 702243]

I wouldn't plan on using online features with either... except ofw emmc

Then on flashcart you miss out on being able to update games or use any dlc, only exceptions is official cartridge releases with built-in update and/or dlc

In theory you can get updates on unmodded console with mig switch without going online, if you have the update on another switch you can share the update data. But if you have access to another switch you can install update nsp with, you might as well just use that one for everything

Unless the other switch is a friend's console, which you cant just have for yourself. There's at least a workaround to be able to update pirated games on mig switch with no online access

If you have the option of mod chip, flashcart really doesnt compare. It only shines in times where a modchip isnt an option

(The exception would be if all your games on mig switch are legit cartridges you bought and dump for yourself, you can probably go online with those without getting banned since those will be your own cart certs and such. but then you're not getting much out of mig switch, just the convenience of all games in one cart)

 

[Deleted member 681324]

Then on flashcart you miss out on being able to update games or use any dlc, only exceptions is official cartridge releases with built-in update and/or dlc

In theory you can get updates on unmodded console with mig switch without going online, if you have the update on another switch you can share the update data. But if you have access to another switch you can install update nsp with, you might as well just use that one for everything

Unless the other switch is a friend's console, which you cant just have for yourself. There's at least a workaround to be able to update pirated games on mig switch with no online access

If you have the option of mod chip, flashcart really doesnt compare. It only shines in times where a modchip isnt an option

(The exception would be if all your games on mig switch are legit cartridges you bought and dump for yourself, you can probably go online with those without getting banned since those will be your own cart certs and such. but then you're not getting much out of mig switch, just the convenience of all games in one cart)

Mahalo for the precise explanation what about end users, from a price point? Does the flashcart take the cake?

 

[Deleted member 702243]

Mahalo for the precise explanation what about end users, from a price point? Does the flashcart take the cake?

Depends if you can install modchip yourself, or get it done for <50

 

[Lumpofcoal]

TLDR: Homebrew (ie modded) is still superior because it can do everything the MIG does and so much more in a safer manner.

I believe most would be asking from a piracy perspective. In that context, the MIG is at best a clumsy and risky tool for it. Not only do you have to find matching files (cfw users only need one) for it, you also run the risk of such mass shared (like in the tens of thousands at any moment) files flagging you. The MIG has no protective measures such as emunand, blanking of prodinfo, dnsmitm, systemwipe/nand backup, etc. An unmodded (ie no CFW) switch is entirely exposed to and at the mercy of ninty. That's one thing I hope potential buyers understand first and foremost........all it does is emulate the functionality of a physical cart and nothing else.

Don't be fooled about the online hypetalk about how it has the "potential" to run CFW (dev of atmosphere has also categorically stated that he WILL NOT support such a thing) and so on in future. It's all just talk and who knows how long that would take even if were possible. Besides, even if it were to happen, there would likey be newer and better stuff by then that are more suited for doing so.

You are buying it to use it here and now, not to wait a decade in the hope that a miracle happens. As such, be aware of the risks and limitations in the present moment.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[ertaboy356b]

Then on flashcart you miss out on being able to update games or use any dlc, only exceptions is official cartridge releases with built-in update and/or dlc

In theory you can get updates on unmodded console with mig switch without going online, if you have the update on another switch you can share the update data. But if you have access to another switch you can install update nsp with, you might as well just use that one for everything

Unless the other switch is a friend's console, which you cant just have for yourself. There's at least a workaround to be able to update pirated games on mig switch with no online access

If you have the option of mod chip, flashcart really doesnt compare. It only shines in times where a modchip isnt an option

(The exception would be if all your games on mig switch are legit cartridges you bought and dump for yourself, you can probably go online with those without getting banned since those will be your own cart certs and such. but then you're not getting much out of mig switch, just the convenience of all games in one cart)

Can you not remove the flash cart before getting the update? I think you can update the 'icon' on the switch without inserting the cart.

 

[Deleted member 702243]

Can you not remove the flash cart before getting the update? I think you can update the 'icon' on the switch without inserting the cart.

The system logs still know what cartridges had been inserted in the past and certs associated with them and such

 

[Deleted member 681324]

Modchip install by a professional still beats flashcart price, there's definitely more pros for a modchip.

 

[petspeed]

TLDR: Homebrew (ie modded) is still superior because it can do everything the MIG does and so much more in a safer manner.

I believe most would be asking from a piracy perspective. In that context, the MIG is at best a clumsy and risky tool for it. Not only do you have to find matching files (cfw users only need one) for it, you also run the risk of such mass shared (like in the tens of thousands at any moment) files flagging you. The MIG has no protective measures such as emunand, blanking of prodinfo, dnsmitm, systemwipe/nand backup, etc. An unmodded (ie no CFW) switch is entirely exposed to and at the mercy of ninty. That's one thing I hope potential buyers understand first and foremost........all it does is emulate the functionality of a physical cart and nothing else.

Don't be fooled about the online hypetalk about how it has the "potential" to run CFW (dev of atmosphere has also categorically stated that he WILL NOT support such a thing) and so on in future. It's all just talk and who knows how long that would take even if were possible. Besides, even if it were to happen, there would likey be newer and better stuff by then that are more suited for doing so.

You are buying it to use it here and now, not to wait a decade in the hope that a miracle happens. As such, be aware of the risks and limitations in the present moment.

Just my 2 cents.

I fully agree with your views. However instead of DNSMitm you can still use 90DNS to block Nintendo servers

 

[emcintosh]

Modchip >> flashcart for systems like the Switch with an OS.

Modchip (/ RCMLoader with v1 Switch : ) ) lets me overclock, add mods (gameplay and resolution), dump my games so I don't need to bring the cartridge, emulate games more conveniently than on a general-purpose computer. You can also use other consoles' controllers. Nintendo's tighter control compared with previous consoles actually makes me pirate more, as it's super inconvenient to add additional legitimately downloaded eShop games to my offline-only emuNAND and it's much easier to buy-but-never-download-from-eShop and install files from elsewhere. Trying before buying (e.g. seeing whether it was worth buying Pikmin 1+2 again rather than replaying my Wii copies on Dolphin) and playing DLC now rather than waiting until it goes on sale are just added bonuses.

Flashcarts only give you the no-cartridge-needed convenience, and more fiddly piracy. Plus by cloning a specific copy of a game, it could inconvenience buyers of second-hand (or returned-as-new) games, as Nintendo can ban them for piracy they didn't commit.

 

[TheCyberQuake]

Both.
SysMMC cfw to play online, and using flashcart for backups of mutliplayer/online games.
EmuMMC cfw to play offline backups installed directly to system/SD.
All backups dumped from my own carts, which means minimal ban risk for the flashcart. I only have the flashcart as a means to carry several games on me without losing any of my physical collection.

 

[Nephiel]

I only have the flashcart as a means to carry several games on me without losing any of my physical collection.

But if you lose the MIG instead, whoever finds it could use or redistribute the backups from it. Doesn't that also put the physical carts at risk of a ban? It's not very likely but it is possible.

 

[TheCyberQuake]

But if you lose the MIG instead, whoever finds it could use or redistribute the backups from it. Doesn't that also put the physical carts at risk of a ban? It's not very likely but it is possible.

Yes, but that's still better long term than losing, say, a limited collector cart completely. I could reacquire it but at an elevated cost if I lose the actual physical. Should I lose my Mig, I can keep the physical cart still but repurchase a digital copy for cheaper.
I don't carry my entire collection on the Mig, primarily for reasons like that and also because it would be a massive pain to cycle through them all even if I had a v2 with a button (I have a v1)

 

[Deleted member 681324]

Thanks everybody, I really appreciate the input. The consensus is modchips outperform the flashcarts when it comes to features, but flashcarts are convenient for those those without the micro-soldering skills required, who's wanting some freedom from the confines of OEM Switch gameplay.

 

[Deleted member 702243]

The big problem with flashcart is that you're dooming your console to a banned future if you play pirated games with it, because you cant have an emummc or keep a clean backup to restore for when you want to go online

It might not be that big of a problem if you don't care about online or dlc, and you have a friend who can install game updates and share them, or a spare switch you can install updates and share to yourself with. But it's something to consider