PSA: Keep both joycons attached to the system while in transport, they act as the crumple zone in case of a drop.

We all know [how important drop resistance was to Iwata](http://tinycartridge.com/post/685683614/built-to-last-ds-durability), so some may be surprised how fragile the Switch looks compared to past consoles. I am rather confident that the secret is in the joycons. The console body is still designed to be rugged. Hard plastic frame, plastic display (scratches easier, but won't shatter like glass), huge bezel, metal joycon rails. The joycons themselves though are made with a cheaper softer plastic, and no metal reinforcement.

If you look at the console (with joycons) from all angles, you will see that if dropped on a flat surface, some part of the joycons are almost guaranteed to make first contact. The soft plastic of the joycon will then absorb the impact, breaking off of the body's metal rails if necessary. By the time the body touches the ground, most of the energy is gone, and the rugged design is able to absorb the rest.

You can see it in action [in this clip of a Switch dropped from a drone onto asphalt from 1,000ft.](https://youtu.be/y8QCFNAgPDo?t=128) The joycon that makes contact completely shatters, but the console body survives with minimal damage. The joycons are sacrificed to save the body (and your Pokemon saves,) and are much cheaper to replace. Of course this also only applies to flat surfaces. If you drop a Switch on rocks, expect to find a hole in the display.

I saw those rail covers that hit the front page recently, and am concerned that some users might not realize the increased risk of carrying a Switch around without actual joycons attached. Those rail covers are better than nothing, but the lack of crumple volume decreases the amount of impact they can absorb, especially from higher up (like from a tall shelf.) The lack of thumbsticks also means they do not make first contact if the switch lands face-down.