vindje.com / Guides / Electronics
A used Switch is a good buy if you check two things: that the console isn't banned from Nintendo's online services, and that the Joy-Cons don't drift. Pick the model first, because a Lite can't connect to your TV and a Switch 2 costs twice as much.
The original Switch (2017) and its improved-battery revision (2019) both dock to a TV. The revision lasts noticeably longer on battery; the box says model HAC-001(-01) and is usually red rather than grey. The Switch Lite is handheld only, has fixed controllers and doesn't fit in a dock. The OLED model has a bigger, sharper screen, a better kickstand and a dock with a LAN port. The Switch 2 came out in 2025, plays most Switch 1 games and uses magnetic Joy-Cons.
Nintendo bans consoles that have been used with pirated games or custom firmware. A banned Switch still plays cartridges offline, but can't use the eShop, download updates or play online. Sellers don't always know, and some do know and don't say.
At the pickup, connect the console to your phone hotspot and open the Nintendo eShop. If it opens, the console isn't banned. An error code (2124-4007 is the one usually reported for bans) means walk away. Listings mentioning 'gemod', 'CFW', 'unpatched' or a 'chip' are modded. Those are a separate market with ban risk, not a normal family console.
Nintendo has also been reported banning Switch 2 consoles used with copy cartridges, so run the same eShop test on a Switch 2.
Joy-Con drift is common on the original Joy-Cons and on the Lite's built-in sticks. Go to System Settings, Controllers and Sensors, Calibrate Control Sticks. With the stick untouched, the cross should stay in the middle. Then move each stick in full circles.
Digital games are tied to the seller's Nintendo Account. If the listing says 'with 15 games' and you see no cartridges in the photos, the games are probably digital and won't stay. Ask the seller to remove their account and do 'Initialize Console' in front of you. Cartridges are the only games that come with the console for sure, and popular ones like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe hold their value, so count them in the price.
Many Switch listings come with a carry case, a Pro Controller, extra Joy-Cons or a pile of cartridges. Price the console first, then add what the extras are worth to you. A genuine Pro Controller is worth EUR 35-50; cheap third-party ones much less. Check that the dock, HDMI cable and the original USB-C charger are all there, since a missing dock on an original or OLED model costs EUR 40-60 to replace.
Original Switch bundles with a few cartridges are common and often the best deal. The OLED is worth the extra if you play handheld a lot. A Switch 2 makes sense if you want new releases. Replacement Joy-Cons are expensive, so a console with two drifting Joy-Cons should be priced EUR 40-60 lower.
If you want something specific, like an OLED with Mario Kart under 230 euro near you, describing it on vindje.com filters out the bare-box and parts listings.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| Switch Lite | EUR 90-130 |
| Switch original (2019 battery revision), with dock | EUR 130-180 |
| Switch OLED, complete | EUR 180-240 |
| Switch 2, complete | EUR 350-420 |
| Pair of original Joy-Cons, working | EUR 35-55 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
Nintendo Switch OLED with Mario Kart 8 cartridge, Joy-Cons without drift, under 240 euro, within 20 kmSearch Marktplaats like this
Connect it to the internet and open the eShop. If you get an error instead of the shop, the console is likely banned from online services.
Yes, cartridges and already installed games still run offline, but you can't buy games, update or play online. Pay much less, or skip it.
For most people, the 2019 battery revision or the OLED. The Lite suits young kids who only play handheld.
Yes, by replacing the stick module, which is cheap but fiddly. Factor it into the price rather than counting on a free repair.