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How long can you play a Switch before your hands hurt AKA how do you hold a switch

Honestly I find it pretty uncomfortable. I can play for like 1 hour at most. I pretty much like 80% of the time play docked.
 
It's not really that heavy so I often play it till battery drain. If I was particularly lazy though that's when I put the screen into a tablet holster and play with the joycons on the sides of my body.
 
I have pretty big hands and I find the switch way more comfortable to hold then my n3ds xl. The 3ds hurts after awhile due to the way it is shaped.
 
Nintendo's refusal to hire someone who specializes in healthy ergonomics (I can only assume this is what is happening) when designing their portable hardware is the reason I haven't and probably won't buy a switch for me or my kids even. I don't think it's healthy for your hands at all. Let alone your neck because of the way you have to hold it.
 
I've never had any issue playing in handheld mode and I've played for 3-4 hour sessions at times. Hope they make a solution for the people having issues though.
 
VlaudTheImpaler said:
Nintendo's refusal to hire someone who specializes in healthy ergonomics (I can only assume this is what is happening) when designing their portable hardware is the reason I haven't and probably won't buy a switch for me or my kids even. I don't think it's healthy for your hands at all. Let alone your neck because of the way you have to hold it.
Click to expand...
That's a bit silly isn't it, considering you never have to actually hold the Switch to play it?
 
It's only a problem when trying to use the fake dpad cause i literally have to fold my thump completely to reach the left. I played mighty gunvolt with the analog instead.. Which was fine most of the time.

Other than that i played 3 hours cessions of BotW without problems.
 
Besides playing Splatoon with the Joycons seperated (right analog stick is hard to keep your thumb on without awkward positions), I've had no problems with any control method. I honestly switch between my Pro controller, seperated joycons, and comfort grip because they all the feel so good. Handheld mode also has no issues for me.
 
VlaudTheImpaler said:
Nintendo's refusal to hire someone who specializes in healthy ergonomics (I can only assume this is what is happening) when designing their portable hardware is the reason I haven't and probably won't buy a switch for me or my kids even. I don't think it's healthy for your hands at all. Let alone your neck because of the way you have to hold it.
Click to expand...

What's the most comfortable handheld device you've held for gaming purposes?
 
My hands are too big to use dual sticks and press the buttons too. I just take my pro controller everywhere or use the joycons split into each hand.
 
VlaudTheImpaler said:
Nintendo's refusal to hire someone who specializes in healthy ergonomics (I can only assume this is what is happening) when designing their portable hardware is the reason I haven't and probably won't buy a switch for me or my kids even. I don't think it's healthy for your hands at all. Let alone your neck because of the way you have to hold it.
Click to expand...

Does your neck move differently when you hold your phone?
 
Definitely feeling some soreness after Spla22tooon 2 major sesh yesterday.

Considering the pro controller...
 
Jaded Alyx said:
That's a bit silly isn't it, considering you never have to actually hold the Switch to play it?
Click to expand...

It's supposed to be a portable device... Isn't that it's biggest draw?

Nintendo's ecosystem is expensive enough to jump into so every feature counts.

Anyway, I just don't want to support bad design decisions. If it makes any difference, I own a N3dsxl but don't play it at all anymore since it's a pain. I've said from before the Switches reveal that the only thing that I wanted from it was an ergonomic design and that this would be the only thing that would hold me back from getting one regardless of everything else. It was my single requirement.
 
I wish there were joycons, designed to be used as handheld only attachments instead of doubling as sub par miniature controllers.
Wider and thicker with better positioned sticks/buttons. Also more resistance to the analogue sticks would be appreciated.
 
Interesting. I've never had any issues or problems with holding my Switch. The only terror I fear is dropping it.

Maybe it's because of my gel guards on the joycons. I bought them purely to protect the joycons but they also came with some padding for the back of the joycon to make it easier to hold.
 
NintendosBooger said:
What's the most comfortable handheld device you've held for gaming purposes?
Click to expand...

NeonBlack said:
Does your neck move differently when you hold your phone?
Click to expand...

I don't use any handheld anymore because I've been through a slew of skeletal issues and have spent years and years with chiropractors and other specialists whom all have offered classes and they have all contributed handhelds and especially phones to most of peoples neck and hand issues. In fact, these things cause more issues than car accidents now simply because more people do it than have an accident. After listing your trauma history it's now standard practice for practitioners to ask first thing how much you use your phone or other handheld devices. Second is how much you sit and screen height of whatever you watch or work on.

My issues came from a slipped disk from overwork and a car accident from when I was a teen. As I began to seek treatment I realized that my habits playing Gameboy and staring down at my phone all the time compounded my condition IMMENSLY.

It wasn't until I sought help and more education on the subject that I realized that handheld devices etc could cause these issues all by themselves over time regardless of whether you had any past trauma or not. So what might feel ok now could absolutely turn into an issue over time. Forward neck posture is a real problem that needs to be adressed. It won't happen though until people start choosing health over looks. A Switch with a screen higher than the controls at least would be a start.
 
This is my biggest complain with the Switch. It's just too big and as a result I can't play for long periods. I'd say PS Vita is around my limit for size.

Can't wait for a smaller Switch, I'm sure it will come as soon as the fabrication process jumps to 7nm.
 
don't really enjoy playing on the switch in portable mode and my hands ache when I even use just the joycons
 
I hate mobile mode. It's not comfortable at all. I can last like 15min before i have to use another object to help relieve the weight of the system off of my hands/pinkies

It's the damn flat surface. There's nothing to grip on to. I would buy a grip asap if one existed. I have to be careful for my daughter as well. I dont want her holding that thing with no grip support for extended periods of times. She loves the switch but is only just turning 4.
 
ALL DAY.

dXlskqI.jpg
Click to expand...
 
TheGreyHulk said:
I hate mobile mode. It's not comfortable at all. I can last like 15min before i have to use another object to help relieve the weight of the system off of my hands/pinkies

It's the damn flat surface. There's nothing to grip on to. I would buy a grip asap if one existed. I have to be careful for my daughter as well. I dont want her holding that thing with no grip support for extended periods of times. She loves the switch but is only just turning 4.
Click to expand...
Yeah I think it's the flatness that's the issue, I never had a problem with the Wii U grandpad
 
Maybe an hour or so before it gets uncomfortable and I have to find a way to prop it on something. That's with a relaxing Zelda session, who knows what Splatoon or something would be like. I've got fairly big hands.
 
If I'm playing with the Joy-Con Grip, the bottom corners start doing into my wrist and it becomes uncomfortable after about 30 minutes to an hour. The Pro Controller mitigates the situation and is a way more comfortable, ergonomic solution designed for human hands.

Playing portable mode, which I don't do often, doesn't seem as bad because my hand mostly holds the system flat and at an angle.
 
I have big hands and I have no problem playing my PSP, my
gf's
3DS or my 3DS XL for hours.

Just rest your elbows on something

I never knew anyone (in person) who said that their hands hurt while playing handheld consoles. What the hell is wrong with you, internet people? You have bad bones, lack calcium or something?
 
OP, do you normally feel finger pain doing other things? Do you sometimes feel stiffness in your hands? If so, you might be experiencing early arthritis. I'm almost 39 and in less than a year I started experiencing finger pains and have trouble playing games that require you to hold a button for extended periods of time. And it's been years since I've been able to hold a portable without experiencing pain or numbness after a few minutes.

I actually made a thread years ago asking people if they felt pain too after holding a controller for a long time and everyone pretty much said no. But back then I just assumed I was just holding the controller too tight or something.

But no, it's arthritis, which means by the time I'm 50 I'll probably won't be able to hold any controller without experiencing shooting pains.
 
nbnt said:
I recently got a Switch and was thinking about making a similar thread, I just don't know how people hold this thing and use the right analog at the same time. So uncomfortable I gave up on handheld mode. Y'all got some tiny hands or something?
Click to expand...
Idk but the switch has been the only handheld in years I could hold for hours
 
If I lay in bed with the Switch in front of me, probably for like 30 min, then it really starts to cramp. If sitting up maybe an hour or so.
 
I don't even use the Joy-Cons as I find them incredibly uncomfortable. Even traveling, I've just packed the pro controller and console. I would love to see a console mount made for the Pro Controller or maybe some larger more ergonomic pro Joy-Cons designed for handheld mode only
 
Have bought a Switch yesterday, so haven't had long sessions yet but I played for 2 hours without feeling anything. I have slim hands
 
VlaudTheImpaler said:
I don't use any handheld anymore because I've been through a slew of skeletal issues and have spent years and years with chiropractors and other specialists whom all have offered classes and they have all contributed handhelds and especially phones to most of peoples neck and hand issues. In fact, these things cause more issues than car accidents now simply because more people do it than have an accident. After listing your trauma history it's now standard practice for practitioners to ask first thing how much you use your phone or other handheld devices. Second is how much you sit and screen height of whatever you watch or work on.

My issues came from a slipped disk from overwork and a car accident from when I was a teen. As I began to seek treatment I realized that my habits playing Gameboy and staring down at my phone all the time compounded my condition IMMENSLY.

It wasn't until I sought help and more education on the subject that I realized that handheld devices etc could cause these issues all by themselves over time regardless of whether you had any past trauma or not. So what might feel ok now could absolutely turn into an issue over time. Forward neck posture is a real problem that needs to be adressed. It won't happen though until people start choosing health over looks. A Switch with a screen higher than the controls at least would be a start.
Click to expand...

That sucks to hear, man. I don't know. Seems Nintendo would have to compromise their handheld's form factor and portability to accommodate your needs. Have you explored any of the grip accessories or anything like that?
 
I brought the 15.99 splatoon 2 joycon grip and it is incredibly comfy. The fact the the ends are bent in like a regular controler is fantastic.it was worth it honestly and I'm not sure if I ever want to use the one that came with the switch ever again.


I have zero issues holding the joycons in handheld mode though. Could play like that for days if I had the time.
 
Wii U gamepad was A LOT more comfortable tbh

The back of it had something for my hands to do, the Switch is just flat and my hands end up cramping up.
 
My 3DS and Vita make my hands hurt much quicker than the Switch, but the Switch makes them hurt quicker than the Wii U Pad.
 
at first I thought I could play it forever but I'm now thinking that is what is killing my left pointer finger. Funny thing is it isn't really painful during play it's after.


I really hope they make joycons shaped like the pro controller. I will buy them in an instant.
 
I'm playing in strictly handheld mode and it's pretty uncomfortable for long playtime sessions.

My right hand hurts more than the left, but I think it's because the layout on the right joycon isn't ergonomic to be honest.
 
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