Hacking Hardware Which modchip kit to buy

[Dzoni]

I want to install modchip in my v2 switch and I've seen there are couple of modchips. I want to know which one is most reliable and most stable. Which one to choose hwfly v4.2 v5 or v6, Instinct one or picofly core which is sold by same "official" sellers that sell hwfly and instinct.

 

[randy_w]

In terms of stability, hwfly v4 (mv1-7.1/7.2) with QFN fpga chip = Instinct NX (v6) > picofly/rp2040 >>>> v5 with BGA fpga chip imo.

Since you are modding a v2, I'd suggest you get picofly/rp2040 core as it's the easiest one to find right now. Original hwfly chips are out of productions but if you can find one cheap go for it. Instinct NX also works on v2 but you'll need to solder dat0/clk/cmd/rst wires manually. Avoid v5 chips with BGA fpga chip at all cost.

 

[master801]

In terms of stability, hwfly v4 (mv1-7.1/7.2) with QFN fpga chip = Instinct NX (v6) > picofly/rp2040 >>>> v5 with BGA fpga chip imo.

Since you are modding a v2, I'd suggest you get picofly/rp2040 core as it's the easiest one to find right now. Original hwfly chips are out of productions but if you can find one cheap go for it. Instinct NX also works on v2 but you'll need to solder dat0/clk/cmd/rst wires manually. Avoid v5 chips with BGA fpga chip at all cost.

Actually, INSTINCT-NX has a new revision now that includes a FFC for v2 and Lite models.

 

[Dzoni]

In terms of stability, hwfly v4 (mv1-7.1/7.2) with QFN fpga chip = Instinct NX (v6) > picofly/rp2040 >>>> v5 with BGA fpga chip imo.

Since you are modding a v2, I'd suggest you get picofly/rp2040 core as it's the easiest one to find right now. Original hwfly chips are out of productions but if you can find one cheap go for it. Instinct NX also works on v2 but you'll need to solder dat0/clk/cmd/rst wires manually. Avoid v5 chips with BGA fpga chip at all cost.

For picofly you mean one that sells on two "official" stores not one you need to use wires and flash it yourself. And since there is v4.2 with mv1-7.2 this one should be the best one and is it true that it doesnt work well with toshiba emmc. Also are v6 chips which have mv1-8 even good since v5 with bga are bad

 

[randy_w]

For picofly you mean one that sells on two "official" stores not one you need to use wires and flash it yourself. And since there is v4.2 with mv1-7.2 this one should be the best one and is it true that it doesnt work well with toshiba emmc. Also are v6 chips which have mv1-8 even good since v5 with bga are bad

Yes, I mean the one with similar footprint as previous hwfly chips, not those waveshare rp2040 based ones. Of course you can use them but if you are only installing it for yourself and not doing it in bulk, you won't save much money and using the picofly saves you a lot of time and trouble.

It works with toshiba emmc, don't listen to those aliexpress sellers as they are just trying to push new chips. I've installed old hwfly oled v4 on 3 emmc brands, samsung, sk hynix and toshiba. Sk hynix and toshiba works, just gitching time may be longer (about 1 second longer than samsung) and takes more time to train, but that's it. According to some reverse engineering on instinct nx firmware, instinct nx should have best compatibility with toshiba/sk hynix emmc as it uses different timings for different emmc chips, while in old hwfly it uses one timing value for all chips.

Also instinct nx is just a rebranded hwfly v4, it's the same people behind it according to my seller on taobao. They got busted in March/April this year so they simply changed their name and moved on. hwfly v5 is from a different team and they have a lot of issues with quality control

 

[Dzoni]

Yes, I mean the one with similar footprint as previous hwfly chips, not those waveshare rp2040 based ones. Of course you can use them but if you are only installing it for yourself and not doing it in bulk, you won't save much money and using the picofly saves you a lot of time and trouble.

It works with toshiba emmc, don't listen to those aliexpress sellers as they are just trying to push new chips. I've installed old hwfly oled v4 on 3 emmc brands, samsung, sk hynix and toshiba. Sk hynix and toshiba works, just gitching time may be longer (about 1 second longer than samsung) and takes more time to train, but that's it. According to some reverse engineering on instinct nx firmware, instinct nx should have best compatibility with toshiba/sk hynix emmc as it uses different timings for different emmc chips, while in old hwfly it uses one timing value for all chips.

Also instinct nx is just a rebranded hwfly v4, it's the same people behind it according to my seller on taobao. They got busted in March/April this year so they simply changed their name and moved on. hwfly v5 is from a different team and they have a lot of issues with quality control

So i should get either instinct or picofly from the people selling instinct nx

 

[Jax_Ripper]

Yes, I mean the one with similar footprint as previous hwfly chips, not those waveshare rp2040 based ones. Of course you can use them but if you are only installing it for yourself and not doing it in bulk, you won't save much money and using the picofly saves you a lot of time and trouble.

It works with toshiba emmc, don't listen to those aliexpress sellers as they are just trying to push new chips. I've installed old hwfly oled v4 on 3 emmc brands, samsung, sk hynix and toshiba. Sk hynix and toshiba works, just gitching time may be longer (about 1 second longer than samsung) and takes more time to train, but that's it. According to some reverse engineering on instinct nx firmware, instinct nx should have best compatibility with toshiba/sk hynix emmc as it uses different timings for different emmc chips, while in old hwfly it uses one timing value for all chips.

Also instinct nx is just a rebranded hwfly v4, it's the same people behind it according to my seller on taobao. They got busted in March/April this year so they simply changed their name and moved on. hwfly v5 is from a different team and they have a lot of issues with quality control

 

[madisonswitch]

In terms of stability, hwfly v4 (mv1-7.1/7.2) with QFN fpga chip = Instinct NX (v6) > picofly/rp2040 >>>> v5 with BGA fpga chip imo.

Since you are modding a v2, I'd suggest you get picofly/rp2040 core as it's the easiest one to find right now. Original hwfly chips are out of productions but if you can find one cheap go for it. Instinct NX also works on v2 but you'll need to solder dat0/clk/cmd/rst wires manually. Avoid v5 chips with BGA fpga chip at all cost.

What do you mean by "stability"?

There's still hwfly core on AliExpress as of today:

 

[Nephiel]

What do you mean by "stability"?

There's still hwfly core on AliExpress as of today:

View attachment 408644

Those have a RP2040 core.

 

[Harrypulvirenti]

Hi everyone,
I'm writing here because I have a similar problem.
I'm trying to understand which modchip to buy for my Nintendo Switch V2.
Right now I found on AliExpress this modchip based on RP2040 at around 15€.
All the other chip that I found on AliExpress looks the same but I didn't found a way to determine which one of these is the best and / or to understand if it is fully compatible with my switch.

I asked to an installer if it was possible to know where he was buying the chip or buy one from him and he explained to me that the one from AliExpress are dangerous for the console due too poor quality components.

I'm located in Europe so if you have better suggestions for me I'm more than happy to buy a modchip from a different shop

Thanks

 

[Doctorbeefy]

Hi everyone,
I'm writing here because I have a similar problem.
I'm trying to understand which modchip to buy for my Nintendo Switch V2.
Right now I found on AliExpress this modchip based on RP2040 at around 15€.
All the other chip that I found on AliExpress looks the same but I didn't found a way to determine which one of these is the best and / or to understand if it is fully compatible with my switch.

I asked to an installer if it was possible to know where he was buying the chip or buy one from him and he explained to me that the one from AliExpress are dangerous for the console due too poor quality components.

I'm located in Europe so if you have better suggestions for me I'm more than happy to buy a modchip from a different shop

Thanks

I used one from Aliexpress and it works just fine with no issues as of yet. It looks like the same one that was shared above. Was around 12 USD or something like that. On Amazon you can find the same ones as well, I bought a second one from amazon for a different v2 and it works just the same.

 

[madisonswitch]

Hi everyone,
I'm writing here because I have a similar problem.
I'm trying to understand which modchip to buy for my Nintendo Switch V2.
Right now I found on AliExpress this modchip based on RP2040 at around 15€.
All the other chip that I found on AliExpress looks the same but I didn't found a way to determine which one of these is the best and / or to understand if it is fully compatible with my switch.

I asked to an installer if it was possible to know where he was buying the chip or buy one from him and he explained to me that the one from AliExpress are dangerous for the console due too poor quality components.

I'm located in Europe so if you have better suggestions for me I'm more than happy to buy a modchip from a different shop

Thanks

Your installer is BS and lying to you. All mod chips come from China. Makes no difference if you buy it from Amazon or AliExpress. They are simple and easy to manufacture, not like they are making 4nm chips, so QC isn't much of an issue. Plus, it's so cheap, mine were $8 USD and Amazon was selling at $20+ so I figured, if I got a bad one, I could just easily buy another.

Here's how most AliExpress sellers classify their modchips for Switch compatibility:

• NS = V1 and V2 switch
• Lite = Switch Lite
• OLED = Switch OLED

As for the modchip itself, there are these variations:

• RP2040 picofly = probably the most common one now
• Instinct-NX V6 = very similar to the one above
• HWFLY = not many sell this anymore

If you plan to solder on your own, go to YT and search:

• soldering tips
• look for the video with the asian guy
• my first solder job was crap but after watching this video, much easier and higher quality joints

 

[Hayato213]

Your installer is BS and lying to you. All mod chips come from China. Makes no difference if you buy it from Amazon or AliExpress. They are simple and easy to manufacture, not like they are making 4nm chips, so QC isn't much of an issue. Plus, it's so cheap, mine were $8 USD and Amazon was selling at $20+ so I figured, if I got a bad one, I could just easily buy another.

Here's how most AliExpress sellers classify their modchips for Switch compatibility:

• NS = V1 and V2 switch
• Lite = Switch Lite
• OLED = Switch OLED

As for the modchip itself, there are these variations:

• RP2040 picofly = probably the most common one now
• Instinct-NX V6 = very similar to the one above
• HWFLY = not many sell this anymore

If you plan to solder on your own, go to YT and search:

• soldering tips
• look for the video with the asian guy
• my first solder job was crap but after watching this video, much easier and higher quality joints

Actually the HWFLY cost a lot more than the RP2040 Picofly line of modchip, older Hwfly have better stability.

In terms of stability, hwfly v4 (mv1-7.1/7.2) with QFN fpga chip = Instinct NX (v6) > picofly/rp2040 >>>> v5 with BGA fpga chip

 

[SylverReZ]

Your installer is BS and lying to you. All mod chips come from China. Makes no difference if you buy it from Amazon or AliExpress. They are simple and easy to manufacture, not like they are making 4nm chips, so QC isn't much of an issue. Plus, it's so cheap, mine were $8 USD and Amazon was selling at $20+ so I figured, if I got a bad one, I could just easily buy another.

You could just ask the manufacturer/seller for HWFLY if they could send you an older revision before the RP2040. They're far more reliable over the new chips, but they get the job done regardless.

Diagrams are pretty easy to find, following the same procedure as any other tutorial/YT video there is out there.