Mods / Nintendo

Switch Lite: Clear Shell, Hall Sticks, and a Picofly Modchip (RP2040)

Shell swap, drift-proof joysticks, fresh thermal paste, and a wire-free Picofly modchip. This build took my favourite handheld and turned it into the best version of itself, and it's now one of my all-time favourite projects.

Build Summary

  • Console: Nintendo Switch Lite (Mariko V2)
  • Shell: eXtremeRate Clear Atomic Purple + black buttons
  • Sticks: GuliKit Hall Effect joysticks
  • Cooling: Arctic MX4 repaste, heat pipe coupling
  • Modchip: RP2040 Picofly (Switch Lite-specific, wire-free)
  • Tools: Horusdy 2-in-1 @ 350°C, Essmentuin flux, Kapton tape, USB microscope, multimeter
  • Result: Improved thermals, overclocking, docked-mode rendering, homebrew, and a clean Atomic Purple look

The Switch Lite is my favourite current handheld. The small form factor reminds me of the PSP and PS Vita; Pocketable, purpose-built for handheld, no pretending to be a TV console. The stock grey and white colour scheme though? Gross and boring (in my professional opinion). And Nintendo's joysticks? I'm sure we've all heard how reliable they are.

This build started as a shell swap and ended up being the most comprehensive mod I've done to a modern handheld. A new shell, drift-proof sticks, a thermal repaste, and a Picofly modchip. Each one justified on its own, but better together.

Why This Build?

Two main reasons drove the modchip install specifically:

1. Improving my micro-soldering. The Picofly has small pads, tiny components, and requires precision. At the time, the Dreamcast resistor arrays were behind me and this was perfect practice.

2. Unlocking the hardware. I bought the whole silicon, I want to use the whole silicon. Overclocking, forcing docked-mode rendering for better textures and resolution, backing up physical cartridges, and running homebrew apps were all on the list.

Shell Swap - Atomic Purple

The eXtremeRate Clear Atomic Purple kit includes a full replacement shell, buttons, and all the small trim pieces. The inspiration was the Atomic Purple Game Boy Color, one of the best colourways Nintendo ever produced, and it translates beautifully to the Switch Lite form factor.

  • Clear Atomic Purple shell with black buttons: inspired by the GBC Atomic Purple
  • Full kit replacement: shell, buttons, triggers, and all internal trim pieces
  • Quality matches stock: same material feel, same tolerances
  • The modchip is essentially invisible from the outside through the clear shell
Finished Switch Lite in Atomic Purple shell
Finished build in the Clear Atomic Purple shell: the modchip is visible inside but invisible in normal use
Switch Lite finished build side view
Front profile of the finished build: same dimensions as stock, very different look

GuliKit Hall Effect Joysticks

Nintendo's joystick design uses physical wipers that wear down over time, leading to the infamous Joy-Con drift. Hall effect sticks use contactless magnets to read position instead, and they cannot drift mechanically.

  • Drop-in replacement for stock Switch Lite joysticks
  • Contactless magnetic position sensin. No wiper contact, no drift
  • Premium feel, tighter response, minimal deadzone compared to stock
  • Preventative maintenance: getting to Switch Lite sticks for replacement later is painful
Switch Lite hall effect sticks installed
GuliKit hall effect sticks installed, same footprint as stock, significantly better feel

Thermal Repaste

While inside, I cleaned and replaced the thermal paste. Arctic MX4 was applied across both the SoC and the heat pipe, deliberately heavy on the heat pipe to couple the back metal plate and act as an extended heatsink surface.

  • Arctic MX4 on the SoC and heat pipe
  • Back metal plate now acts as an extended heatsink via the heat pipe coupling
  • Fan runs quieter under load, better heat transfer means less aggressive fan response

Picofly Modchip Install

The Switch Lite uses a Mariko V2 board, which differs from the standard V2 Switch in that it has differently shaped metal shields and a smaller overall footprint. I bought a Lite-specific Picofly board designed to fit without extra wiring. One small catch is that the corner of the SoC's metal shield needed trimming to make it fit.

Board tilt: With the motherboard still in the shell, the installed joysticks make it tilt at an angle. Factor this into your workflow, as it makes soldering slightly more awkward. I added a folded cloth underneath to level it out.
Picofly modchip installed on Switch Lite board
Picofly RP2040 installed on the Switch Lite board, the Lite-specific version.
  • Kapton tape over the SoC resistors to prevent accidental bridges with the heatsink
  • All solder points checked visually under the microscope
  • Continuity and resistance verified with a multimeter (diode values from the NX-modchip guide)
  • SoC shield corner trimmed to fit, with minimal material removed
Solder points on Switch Lite board
Solder points under inspection. Each one checked for continuity before reassembly
SP2 point and surrounding area
SP2 point area. There may or may not be a small burn mark here. It was checked, continuity was confirmed, and the left side is ground only. Moving on.

Testing and Results

After all checks, I reconnected the battery and powered on. The console booted instantly, a clean first boot is always a good sign.

  • Booted successfully on first attempt ✓
  • All joystick inputs registering correctly with zero deadzone
  • Fan noticeably quieter under load
  • Modchip essentially invisible from outside through the clear shell

Living With the Build

Three months on, this is confidently one of my best projects. The hall sticks are snappy and precise. The clear shell looks exactly how I wanted. The modchip is invisible and stable. Some homebrew highlights:

  • Moonlight : game streaming from my PC, works flawlessly over local network
  • RetroArch : retro emulation, the Switch hardware handles most systems up to PS1/N64 well
  • PPSSPP / Flycast : dedicated PSP and Dreamcast emulators
  • ReverseNX : forces docked-mode rendering in handheld, noticeably better image quality
  • sys-clk : CPU, GPU, and memory clock overclocking utility
  • Tinfoil : game save and update management
Battery life note: Overclocking does reduce battery life when active. I keep it at stock clocks for most gaming and only push it for specific titles where the resolution/framerate improvement is worth it.

Wrapping Up

This build is a culmination of the skills I'd built up: shell swaps, micro-soldering, thermal work, and the patience to check everything twice before powering on. It's the most personal of the three builds I've documented, because it's a console I use every day.

The OLED screen mod is still sold out everywhere. When it becomes available, this build isn't finished yet.

Shoutouts