What is the reliability of Nintendo Switch consoles in comparison to PlayStation or Xbox?

If by reliability you mean “how likely is the hardware to keep working for years with minimal trouble,” the picture is a little more nuanced than simply “Nintendo is more reliable.”

Overall comparison

*Switch 2 has only been on the market since 2025, so there's much less long-term failure data.

The biggest Nintendo weakness: controllers

The original Switch's console itself is quite durable. The notorious reliability problem is the Joy-Con, particularly analog-stick drift. iFixit's investigation found that the potentiometer-based sticks wear mechanically over time, and cites a Which? survey in which about 40% of surveyed Switch owners reported Joy-Con drift.

That's important because it can make a Switch feel less reliable even though the actual tablet/console is still perfectly functional.

Nintendo eventually offered free Joy-Con repairs in various markets, but the problem persisted across the Switch, Switch Lite and OLED generations.

PS5 and Xbox

The PS5 and Xbox Series consoles have generally had a better reputation for long-term hardware reliability, particularly because they're conventional home consoles rather than portable systems exposed to drops, battery aging, detachable connectors, etc.

The PS5's DualSense controller isn't immune to drift, either—iFixit specifically documents the problem—so Sony doesn't completely escape the same underlying joystick technology issue.

Xbox controllers likewise aren't indestructible. The important distinction is that replacing a $60–$70 controller is considerably less disruptive than having a problem with the main console.

What about Switch 2?

The Switch 2 is interesting. Its Joy-Con 2 still uses potentiometer-based sticks, rather than moving to Hall-effect sensors, so iFixit says drift remains a potential concern.

More concerning from a long-term ownership standpoint is repairability. iFixit gave the Switch 2 a 3/10 repairability score, citing its strongly glued battery/display, soldered components and lack of official repair documentation/parts.

That doesn't mean Switch 2s are failing at a high rate—it means if something does fail outside warranty, it's relatively difficult to repair.

My practical ranking

If I were buying specifically for 10-year ownership and minimizing hardware headaches:

1. Xbox Series X / PS5 — best bet for conventional console durability 2. Nintendo Switch OLED — surprisingly durable main unit, but Joy-Con is the weak link 3. Nintendo Switch 2 — potentially excellent, but we don't yet have enough 5–10-year data to know how it ages

However, there's a major caveat: Nintendo's advantage is that its games and system are designed around a much lower-power, simpler platform, and Switch consoles can survive years of ordinary family use remarkably well. The original Switch has now been around since 2017, and the fact that its most notorious failure mode is a replaceable controller rather than widespread motherboard/CPU failure is actually a pretty good sign. iFixit's eight-year retrospective found that the original Switch's repairability score fell primarily because modern standards became more demanding—not because the console suddenly became unreliable.

Bottom line: If you're worried about a console dying, I wouldn't be particularly concerned about a Switch. If you're worried about something going wrong over many years, however, I'd give PS5/Xbox a slight edge, primarily because the Switch's portable design and Joy-Con introduce more wear points.

If you're deciding which one to buy for a child/family and expect rough use, I'd actually rank them somewhat differently.

When comparing the reliability of the Nintendo Switch to PlayStation (like the PS5) and Xbox (like the Series X/S), the conversation shifts depending on whether you mean the core console body or the accessories (controllers), as well as the factor of portability.

In general, home consoles from Sony and Microsoft are built for stationary setups with robust cooling, whereas the Switch balances mobile constraints.

Core Hardware Reliability

• Xbox (Series X/S / One)Go to product viewer dialog for this item.: Generally regarded as having very sturdy build quality and reliable thermal management in recent generations. Microsoft learned hard lessons from the infamous Xbox 360 "Red Ring of Death" era, and modern Xbox units experience relatively low rates of catastrophic hardware failure under normal use.
• PlayStation (PS5 / PS4): Highly reliable, though they have specific mechanical weak points. The base hardware is generally sound, but issues like optical disc drive failures, HDMI port damage (often from cable snags), or dust accumulation affecting cooling are the most common complaints. Early PS5 models also drew scrutiny over vertical placement and liquid metal cooling distribution, though widespread failure rates remain low.
• Nintendo Switch (Base Unit): The core tablet/console itself is surprisingly durable structurally, featuring solid plastic/glass-plastic front faces and efficient passive cooling (no loud fan grinding). However, because it is portable, it is far more susceptible to accidental damage (dropped units, cracked screens, worn USB-C charging ports) than a box sitting safely on an entertainment center.

The Controller Problem (Where the Switch Struggles)

• Joy-Con Drift: The single biggest reliability blemish for the Nintendo Switch family is Joy-Con drift , where the analog sticks register movement when untouched due to dust or physical wear on the internal contact pads. This defect is widespread enough to have triggered class-action lawsuits and extensive public revision by Nintendo.
• PlayStation & Xbox Controllers: While DualSense (PS5)Go to product viewer dialog for this item. and Xbox wireless controllers are not entirely immune to stick drift over years of heavy use (due to standard potentiometer wear ), their failure rates—and the frequency with which users encounter mechanical breakdown out of the box—are significantly lower than the original detachable Joy-Cons.

Lifespan & Maintenance at a Glance

The Verdict

If you treat all three strictly as stationary home systems, PlayStation and Xbox have an edge in raw structural longevity for their primary boxes and controllers. However, the Nintendo Switch trades some mechanical resilience for extreme versatility—and while you may have to replace or repair a pair of Joy-Cons over a 5-to-6-year span, the core console itself holds up remarkably well if kept out of harm's way.

If you are deciding which one to buy or troubleshoot, let me know:

• Are you looking at buying a new or used system?
• Are you more concerned with handheld vs. docked usage?

I can give you specific tips on what to look out for or how to avoid common hardware faults.

Overall, Nintendo Switch consoles are generally reliable as a main console, but they have one major weakness: the Joy-Con controllers. Compared with PlayStation and Xbox, the answer depends on whether you mean the console hardware itself or the entire system including controllers and accessories.

Quick comparison

Nintendo Switch strengths

• The main console unit is quite durable. Many owners have used Switch systems for years without major failures.
• Nintendo hardware historically has a strong reputation for longevity.
• The system is simpler and lower-power than PS5/Xbox Series consoles, which reduces some thermal stress.
• The OLED model improved the screen and some internal components. Nintendo has said it made improvements to Joy-Con stick durability over time.

Nintendo Switch weaknesses

The biggest problem is Joy-Con stick drift: the controller registers movement even when the stick is untouched. This became the Switch's most notorious reliability issue. Repair specialists have documented the wear mechanism, and independent surveys have reported high numbers of owners experiencing drift, although exact comparisons with PlayStation and Xbox are difficult because equivalent large-scale data is not available for those platforms.

Other reported Switch issues include:

• Worn Joy-Con rails
• Weak kickstand on the original model
• Battery aging after many years
• Occasional dock/screen scratches if handled poorly

How PlayStation compares

PlayStation consoles are usually very reliable, but they have had their own issues:

• PS4: some early models had overheating, noisy fans, and hard-drive problems.
• PS5: generally reliable, though DualSense controllers have had drift complaints.

A key difference is that a PlayStation controller is a separate, larger device, while the Switch's detachable Joy-Cons are smaller and have more moving parts.

How Xbox compares

Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles have generally had a strong reliability record:

• Good cooling designs
• Solid controllers
• Fewer widely publicized hardware defects than some competitors

Xbox controllers can also develop stick drift because they use similar analog-stick technology, but the Switch's Joy-Con issue became much more prominent due to how frequently it was reported and how central the controllers are to the system experience.

Bottom line

• Most reliable overall hardware: Xbox and PlayStation have a slight edge.
• Most reliable console for casual/family use: Switch is still very good, especially if you treat the Joy-Cons carefully.
• Biggest reliability risk: Switch Joy-Cons.
• If you buy used: A Switch OLED with tested Joy-Cons (or a Switch used mostly with a Pro Controller) is a safer choice.

If you are comparing Switch OLED vs PS5 vs Xbox Series X/S for a 5–10 year ownership period, the ranking changes a bit.

When comparing the reliability of the Nintendo Switch to current-generation PlayStation (PS5)Go to product viewer dialog for this item. and Xbox (Series X/S)Go to product viewer dialog for this item. consoles, the distinction largely comes down to form factor and mechanical vulnerability versus stationary desktop design.

None of these modern systems suffer from catastrophic, generation-defining systemic hardware failures on the scale of the historic Xbox 360 "Red Ring of Death" or PS3 "Yellow Light of Death". However, their real-world reliability profiles differ noticeably:

1. Nintendo Switch Go to product viewer dialog for this item.: The Most Vulnerable to Peripheral and Physical Wear

• The Core Hardware: The actual internal processing unit (the tablet and dock) of the Switch Go to product viewer dialog for this item. is reasonably durable and relies on solid-state architecture with no moving disc drives to fail.
• The Weak Points: Because it is designed as a hybrid portable device, it is exposed to risks stationary consoles never face.
  • Joy-Con Drift: The analog sticks on the original Joy-Cons are notorious for developing sensor wear ("drift") over time, requiring cleaning, calibration, or replacement.
  • Charging Ports & Screens: USB-C port damage from rough plugging/unplugging in handheld or dock mode, alongside scratched or cracked plastic/glass screens, is common.
  • Repairability: According to hardware assessments by groups like iFixit , components like the battery and charge port on the Switch are glued or heavily soldered to the main board, making deep internal repairs difficult.

2. PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X/S : Sturdier, But Complex

• The Core Hardware: Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are stationary, heavy-duty home consoles built with robust cooling solutions and massive heat sinks. They generally sit safely in one entertainment center location for their entire lifespan, shielding them from drops, liquid spills, or transport damage.
• The Weak Points:
  • Mechanical Disc Drives: Models that include physical disc drives feature moving laser/optical components that can wear out or fail over time (though digital-only editions bypass this risk).
  • HDMI Port Fatigue: Careless handling of heavy HDMI cords or moving the console while plugged in can bend or break the onboard HDMI port—a frequent repair-shop fix for both systems.
  • Overheating & Dust: If left in poorly ventilated entertainment centers, dust buildup can clog internal fans, leading to thermal shutdowns if not cleaned periodically.

Summary Comparison

Would you like to know more about how to prevent or fix Joy-Con drift , or are you looking for guidance on troubleshooting a specific issue with one of these consoles?

The short version: Nintendo Switch consoles are generally very reliable as consoles, but they have a bigger reputation for controller problems than PlayStation or Xbox. If you compare the whole system (console + controllers + long-term ownership), the picture is more mixed.

Hardware reliability comparison

Where the Switch does well

• The Switch console itself is quite dependable. Many owners have systems running for years with no major failures.
• Nintendo hardware has a long reputation for durability, and the Switch benefits from relatively modest power demands compared with PS5/Xbox Series consoles.
• The lack of a high-performance cooling system means fewer extreme heat-related concerns.

Where the Switch falls behind

The biggest issue is Joy-Con drift: the analog sticks can register movement when the player is not touching them. This has been widely reported, and some surveys have found high percentages of Switch owners experiencing it, although exact failure rates are debated.

Compared with PlayStation and Xbox:

• PS5 DualSense controllers can also develop stick drift, but the problem is usually discussed less frequently than Joy-Con drift because Switch owners often use detachable controllers that get much more handling and wear.
• Xbox controllers also experience stick drift and button failures, but the traditional controller design tends to feel more robust for long sessions.

Long-term ownership

A rough ranking for durability:

1. Xbox Series X/S – very strong console reliability; controllers are conventional and sturdy
2. PlayStation 5 – strong console reliability; DualSense has some known wear issues
3. Nintendo Switch (original/OLED) – excellent console longevity, but Joy-Cons reduce the overall reliability score

The exception: if you mostly play the Switch docked with a Pro Controller, its reliability becomes much closer to PlayStation/Xbox because you avoid the main weak point.

If you are buying used

• A used Switch OLED is usually the safest Switch choice because it has refinements over the original model.
• Check Joy-Con sticks carefully before buying.
• A used PS5 or Xbox Series X is often a safer bet if your priority is “buy it and keep it for 5–7 years with minimal maintenance.”

Overall: Nintendo Switch consoles are reliable; Nintendo Switch controllers are the reason the platform has a weaker reliability reputation.

When comparing the reliability of the Nintendo Switch to PlayStation (PS4/PS5) and Xbox (One/Series X|S) consoles, the definition of "reliability" splits into two distinct categories: the core console/tablet unit versus the controllers and moving parts.

In short: the main Nintendo Switch tablet is generally robust and less prone to catastrophic core silicon failure than historic consoles (like the Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death), but it suffers from high rates of peripheral annoyances (Joy-Con drift) and wear-and-tear due to its portable nature. PlayStation and Xbox home consoles enjoy more stable stationary environments, though they aren't immune to specific hardware snags.

1. Core Console Durability & Failure Rates

• Nintendo Switch (Tablet/Dock): The main Switch console body (and the OLED/Lite variants) is structurally resilient. Because it uses a passively cooled mobile chipset (Nvidia Tegra), it doesn't suffer from the massive heat-sink or thermal-paste degradation issues that plague heavy, high-wattage desktop hardware. However, internal storage (eMMC flash) wear or charging port (USB-C) damage from aggressive docking/undocking can occur over years of heavy use.
• PlayStation (PS4/PS5): Sony’s modern stationary hardware is generally well-built, but repair technicians frequently report that physical trauma—specifically damaged HDMI ports from shifting the heavy console or yanking cables—is a leading cause of hardware failure. Early PS5 models also saw isolated issues regarding liquid metal cooling displacement if stored strictly vertically in cramped areas, though it is rare.
• Xbox (Xbox One / Series X|S): Microsoft turned its hardware reputation entirely around after the disastrous Xbox 360 era. The Xbox Series X and One X/S feature exceptionally sturdy, efficient cooling layouts. They have very low rates of structural failure unless an internal power supply or solid-state drive (SSD) component faults out, which is uncommon under normal operating conditions.

2. The Achilles' Heel: Controllers & Peripherals

This is where the user experience diverges significantly:

• Nintendo Switch (Joy-Con Drift): The standard Switch Joy-Con controllers are notorious for analog stick drift —where the joystick registers movement when untouched—due to physical wear on the internal contact pads. Rail-connection wobbles and battery degradation in portable use are also standard complaints.
• PlayStation & Xbox Controllers: DualSense (PS5) and Xbox Wireless controllers Go to product viewer dialog for this item. are not immune to stick drift (especially with heavy use of high-tension sticks), but they are bulkier, standard-sized gamepads that endure less mechanical stress from being constantly snapped on and off a portable screen or tossed into backpacks.

3. Wear-and-Tear and Lifespan Factors

• Portability vs. Stationary Risk: The Switch is a hybrid. Because it is designed to travel, it faces drops, screen scratches, battery capacity loss over hundreds of charge cycles, and loose kickstands . A PS5 Go to product viewer dialog for this item. or Xbox Series X Go to product viewer dialog for this item. sits safely in an entertainment center, dramatically reducing the risk of accidental physical impact—provided it has adequate ventilation to avoid overheating.
• Repairability: Nintendo Switch parts (like replacing a battery or a rail) are relatively modular, and Joy-Cons can be swapped or sent in. Conversely, modern home consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X are tightly integrated; if a core component on the motherboard dies, it usually requires professional micro-soldering or a complete unit replacement.

Summary Comparison

If you are deciding between these systems or troubleshooting a specific hardware issue, let me know:

• Which specific model you are looking at (e.g., original Switch, Switch OLED, PS5, Xbox Series X)
• Whether you plan to play mostly handheld or docked/stationary

I can give you more targeted advice on what to watch out for or how to maximize its lifespan.

If by reliability you mean “How likely is it to keep working for years without needing repair?”, the answer is a little nuanced:

Overall comparison

The Switch itself is generally quite durable. The bigger weakness is the Joy-Con controllers, rather than the console motherboard or core hardware. Stick drift has been a well-documented recurring issue, caused in part by mechanical wear in the analog sticks.

That's an important distinction: you can have a perfectly functional Switch for many years but end up replacing or repairing the Joy-Cons along the way.

Where PlayStation/Xbox have an advantage

The PS5 and Xbox Series consoles are physically larger, stationary machines with fewer moving/connecting parts exposed to everyday handling. Their controllers also use conventional full-size gamepad designs rather than the unusually small, detachable Joy-Con design.

Repairability is another meaningful difference. iFixit's assessment has put the PS5 and Xbox Series X around 7/10 for repairability, compared with 4/10 for the original Switch.

That doesn't necessarily mean a PS5/Xbox is less likely to break—repairability and reliability aren't the same thing—but it means a problem can be easier to deal with when something does go wrong.

One thing the Switch does exceptionally well

The Switch has been around since 2017, and there are plenty of examples of units still functioning after many years. Its relatively low-power hardware also doesn't face the same thermal demands as a PS5 or Xbox Series X.

So I wouldn't characterize the Switch as a fragile console. I'd characterize it as:

Reliable console + relatively unreliable detachable controllers.

Nintendo has also provided repair support for Joy-Con drift, which helps mitigate the problem.

If you're buying one today

If you're comparing a Switch OLED vs PS5 vs Xbox Series X/S, I'd rank them roughly:

Console longevity:
PS5 ≈ Xbox Series X > Switch

Controller longevity:
PS5 ≈ Xbox > Switch Joy-Cons

Ease of repair:
PS5/Xbox > Switch

Resistance to everyday portable abuse:
Switch is surprisingly good, but portability also means it's exposed to drops, scratches, bent connectors, and more handling.

And if you're specifically considering the Switch 2, that's a somewhat different question: early teardown evidence indicates Nintendo improved a lot of the hardware but still has concerns around Joy-Con joystick durability and repairability.

Bottom line: If your #1 priority is buy it and have the fewest hardware headaches over 5–8 years, I'd give PS5/Xbox a modest edge over Switch. If you want a Switch, I wouldn't avoid it because of reliability—I would simply budget for the possibility that the Joy-Cons may eventually need repair or replacement.

When comparing the hardware reliability of the Nintendo Switch to PlayStation (PS4/PS5) and Xbox (Xbox One/Series X|S), the Nintendo Switch generally comes in as the least reliable in terms of peripheral wear-and-tear and physical vulnerability. However, the nature of its failures is fundamentally different from the catastrophic system-wide failures that have plagued past generations of home consoles.

Here is how they stack up across key categories:

• Core Console Build & Durability:
  • Xbox Series X / PS5: These modern home consoles are heavy, stationary block systems with robust cooling apparatuses. They are designed to sit in one place and rarely experience physical stress, making their core internal components very sturdy.
  • Nintendo Switch: The core tablet body and screen of the Switch are surprisingly resilient, but because it is a hybrid portable device, it is inherently exposed to drops, bumps, warping from heat in dock mode, and wear on the USB-C charging port.
• The Controller Problem (Joy-Con Drift):
  • Nintendo Switch: This is the Switch’s biggest reliability blemish. The detachable Joy-Con controllers are widely notorious for "stick drift"—where the analog sticks register movement when untouched due to dust or physical wear underneath the contact pads. Most Switch owners have had to replace or repair at least one pair of Joy-Cons.
  • PlayStation / Xbox: While PS5 DualSense and Xbox controllers can occasionally develop stick drift or bumper issues over heavy use, they are built sturdier, are larger, and suffer from systemic failure at a much lower frequency than early-to-mid generation Joy-Cons.
• Moving Parts & Mechanical Failure:
  • PlayStation & Xbox: Many configurations of PlayStation and Xbox consoles feature disc drives. Optical disc lasers and mechanical gears are classic historical points of mechanical failure over long timelines. (Though fully digital PS5 and Xbox Series S models sidestep this).
  • Nintendo Switch: Uses solid-state game cartridges and internal flash memory with no moving mechanical parts , making the media reading mechanism virtually immune to the mechanical disc-drive failures that sometimes plague traditional consoles.
• Lifespan & Repairability:
  • PlayStation / Xbox: When a modern PS5 or Xbox Series X experiences a major internal failure (such as an APU or custom SSD failure), it usually results in a bricked system that requires professional, often costly motherboard-level repair.
  • Nintendo Switch: Most issues that end a Switch's life or prompt a repair are battery degradation over 5+ years, charging port replacements, or replacing the cheap rails/controllers. The base console itself easily lasts 6–10 years with basic care.

If you are deciding which system to buy or trying to troubleshoot a specific hardware issue, let me know:

• Which specific model (e.g., original Switch, Switch OLED, PS5, Xbox Series X) you are looking at
• Whether you plan to play mostly handheld or docked/stationary

I can give you targeted advice on what to watch out for!

Short answer: Nintendo Switch consoles are generally quite reliable, but the overall experience is dragged down by Joy-Con controller problems. Compared with PlayStation and Xbox, the Switch is usually about average to above average for the console itself, but worse for included controllers because of the well-known Joy-Con drift issue.

A rough comparison:

Nintendo Switch strengths

• The main Switch unit is surprisingly durable. Many owners report launch-era consoles still functioning after years of use.
• It has fewer catastrophic hardware failures than some historically problematic consoles (for example, early Xbox 360 or early PS3 generations).
• The lack of a disc drive removes a common mechanical failure point found on disc-based consoles.

Nintendo Switch weaknesses

The biggest issue is Joy-Con drift:

• The analog sticks can begin registering movement when untouched.
• It affects detachable Joy-Cons most notably, and it became the defining hardware complaint of the Switch generation.
• The problem is less serious if you use a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller or third-party controller instead of relying on Joy-Cons constantly.

Compared with PlayStation

Modern Sony PlayStation consoles are typically very solid. The PS5, for example, has generally avoided the kind of widespread hardware scandal seen with older generations. Its controllers can also develop stick drift, but the issue is usually discussed less intensely than Joy-Con drift because DualSense controllers are larger and built differently.

Compared with Xbox

Modern Microsoft Xbox consoles are also reliable. Xbox controllers are often considered comfortable and durable, although analog stick drift can occur on any modern controller using similar joystick technology.

If you care about a console lasting 5–10 years:

• Best bet for the console hardware: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch are all generally good.
• Best portability: Switch, but expect possible Joy-Con maintenance.
• Best “buy it and forget it” experience: PlayStation/Xbox have a slight edge because their controllers are less notorious for failures.
• Best for families/kids: Switch is still a strong choice, but a protective case and possibly a Pro Controller help.

Overall reliability ranking (typical ownership experience):

1. Xbox Series / PS5 (tie) – excellent console reliability, fewer notorious issues
2. Nintendo Switch – excellent console, weaker controller reliability
3. Older generations (especially early Xbox 360/PS3) – much more problematic

So the Switch itself is not fragile; its reputation for unreliability mostly comes from the Joy-Con rather than the console.

In general, Nintendo Switch consoles themselves are about as reliable as modern PlayStation and Xbox consoles, but there is one important exception: the original Joy-Con controllers are significantly less reliable than Sony's DualSense or Microsoft's Xbox Wireless Controller due to stick drift.

Here's how they compare:

The console itself

The Switch console has a strong reputation for longevity. Many launch-day units from 2017 are still functioning well after years of daily use. Common console issues (battery aging, worn fans, USB-C wear) tend to appear only after heavy use and aren't unusually frequent compared with PlayStation or Xbox consoles.

The biggest weakness: Joy-Con drift

The Switch's reputation took a hit because of Joy-Con stick drift, where the analog sticks register movement without being touched.

Compared with PlayStation and Xbox:

• Switch Joy-Cons are the most commonly criticized first-party controllers for drift.
• PlayStation DualSense controllers can also drift, but generally less frequently.
• Xbox controllers can develop drift as well, especially after extensive use.

The difference is that the Switch's compact Joy-Con design appears to wear more quickly than full-size controllers. Consumer surveys have consistently found drift to be much more common on Switch than on competing platforms.

Nintendo's response

Nintendo has acknowledged the issue over the years and, in many regions, offers free Joy-Con repairs even after the warranty period. Repair experiences are generally reported as straightforward, though policies vary by country.

If you're buying today

If you're concerned about reliability:

• Nintendo Switch OLED: Excellent console reliability; the Joy-Cons remain the primary wear item.
• Use a Switch Pro Controller if you mostly play docked. It has a much better reliability record than Joy-Cons.
• Any modern controller from Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft can eventually develop stick drift because they largely use similar potentiometer-based analog sticks, but the original Switch Joy-Cons have historically experienced it more often.

Overall reliability rating (long-term):

• Switch console: ★★★★☆ (4.5–5/5)
• Switch Joy-Cons: ★★☆☆☆ (2–3/5)
• PlayStation console + controller: ★★★★☆ (4–4.5/5)
• Xbox console + controller: ★★★★☆ (4–4.5/5)

So if you're judging the console hardware, Nintendo is on par with PlayStation and Xbox. If you're judging the included controllers, the original Switch Joy-Cons are the least reliable of the three major platforms because of their well-documented drift issue.