Hardware The 3DS squeaks

[redact]

Yeah It was a blue one at the store maybe color has something to do with It. Maybe the black ones are built at a better or different factory and the blue ones somewhere else. Here's hoping cause I'm getting a black one also.

i've ordered one of each (one for my brother) so if it is a color thing then i'll palm off the squeaky color to my little brother >

 

[tbgtbg]

How often are you opening/closing the lid that this is actually an issue?

 

[Elritha]

Got a European blue one and have no squeaky noises coming from the top left hinge. Maybe it just effects random 3ds handhelds.

 

[Jugarina]

Well with the blue one at Bestbuy I opened and closed It about 10-15 times and each time It made the noise. To me this is a big issue because I open and close my handhelds often and I don't want to hear that every time plus that might be a sign of the hinge being weak and breaking fast worst case. The sound is coming from inside the hinge plastic shield on the left side only and that is bad because you can't get to It to try and adjust It I think without breaking the plastic in the front I think. I dunno though, I would have to look at the 3ds dis assembly schematics before I would know for sure. I sure hope this issue is only affecting 20% or less of them.

 

[L_o_N_e_R]

oil it?


jokes aside just keep opening and closing it, it'll wear off

 

[Seraph]

Well with the blue one at Bestbuy I opened and closed It about 10-15 times and each time It made the noise. To me this is a big issue because I open and close my handhelds often and I don't want to hear that every time plus that might be a sign of the hinge being weak and breaking fast worst case. The sound is coming from inside the hinge plastic shield on the left side only and that is bad because you can't get to It to try and adjust It I think without breaking the plastic in the front I think. I dunno though, I would have to look at the 3ds dis assembly schematics before I would know for sure. I sure hope this issue is only affecting 20% or less of them.

How often could you open and close it? You open it...30min, 1hour, 2hour...you close it. Or maybe you take breaks and close/re-open it, you do that like 5 times an hour or what? And I'm sure Nintendo would cover it in the warranty if it becomes too much of an issue.

 

[CircusMaximusBC]

I have a Aqua Blue japanese 3DS and mine does not squeak at all

 

[DiscostewSM]

If I'm taking a nap or something, how else will I know that someone else is opening up the device near me?

 

[DeMoN]

You'd think after four DS systems that Nintendo would finally learn how to make a hinge correctly (well the DS phat hinge was nice, but it just went downhill from there).

But I ordered Black anyways.

 

[BORTZ]

LAME if i have to replace the case on my 3DS due to a broken hinge i am NOT going to be a happy camper.

 

[Slyakin]

I'm assuming this is either a random problem with some 3DS models or it's an early design flaw.

Just because it squeaks doesn't mean it's a bad handheld.

 

[Presto99]

Well with the blue one at Bestbuy I opened and closed It about 10-15 times and each time It made the noise. To me this is a big issue because I open and close my handhelds often and I don't want to hear that every time plus that might be a sign of the hinge being weak and breaking fast worst case. The sound is coming from inside the hinge plastic shield on the left side only and that is bad because you can't get to It to try and adjust It I think without breaking the plastic in the front I think. I dunno though, I would have to look at the 3ds dis assembly schematics before I would know for sure. I sure hope this issue is only affecting 20% or less of them.

Maybe this is mainly a problem because the ones at Best Buy aren't exactly lovingly taken care of. Think of how you will (hopefully) take care of your 3DS compared to how abused the Best Buy ones are. That could be the problem, see?

 

[Jugarina]

Well I may have been the first person that asked someone to remove It from the display to check the hinge. Everyone else that I seen using It beforehand including myself just used It in the holder where you can't move the screen at all. It's possible to pull it out toward you close to your face attached to a big security wire but you can't manipulate the opening and closing of the unit while It is attached at all. So user abuse to the hinge being a demo is not in the equation in this instance.

 

[KingVamp]

I do not see squeaks being a deal breaker...

 

[epicCreations.or]

Since my DS usage usually looks like this:
START- open DS and get playing
5 HOURS LATER
END- close DS
It probably won't be too much of an issue

 

[hakujintanuki]

Gengar and ZeroDeception: what color was the 3ds you have/tried at best buy?
hakujintanuki: what color is your japanese one?

i'm thinking maybe the squeaking is only for a certain color (like how the white ds lite had worse hinges than the black)

Black

 

[Jugarina]

I just have this nasty habit that I can't break where I always close my DS when I swap flashcards or micro cards or games I own. I also close It when I have to use the bathroom, eat, get a drink, take the dog out, cleanup stuff, go somewhere in the car, basically do anything else. I usually play in spurts maybe 10 minutes at a time then come back to It 20 minutes later or an hour or more most of the time. That's not really the point though (my habits), If we are gonna be buying something that costs 250 dollars plus tax or more for then we should get hinges that are built on quality and designed well that do the job right.

 

[Seraph]

I usually play in spurts maybe 10 minutes at a time then come back to It 20 minutes later or an hour or more most of the time. That's not really the point though (my habits), If we are gonna be buying something that costs 250 dollars plus tax or more for then we should get hinges that are built on quality and designed well that do the job right.

10 minute spurts...? How ever do you get immersed in the game/story? If the hinge serves its purpose over time, it seems like it's designed well. Who says squeaking doesn't mean it's doing its job right? But I bet the majority of 3DS's don't have this problem. And how do we know this problem isn't just from abuse?

(also, if you buy from Amazon there is no "tax or more" unless you count free stuff as losing more)

 

[Jugarina]

I have already covered the lack of abuse part above, there's only been a few games so far that I have been immersed with on the DS so far and that was most of the Atlas games like strange journey and devil survivor, great games that I found I really enjoyed. I am looking for other games I can get into. I am hoping you are right about the problem not being in many of the units. I didn't know there was no tax If you bought from Amazon I guess you learn something new everyday. Are the people that pre ordered from Amazon going to get their pre orders before or on the same day as launch or will they have to wait longer?

 

[Seraph]

Unless Amazon ships later today, than no, people won't be getting it launch day (which would have to be even earlier than that since no delivery company works Sunday). But you didn't cover the abuse part...things can be damaged without actually using the mechanism you know.