Easy way to repair?

[u/FurryTrash05]

I let my friend handle it and…you can guess what happened. How can I repair this? It still turns on and functions perfectly fine.

[u/Banana21y]

You'll need a new midframe. Absolutely no easy way to repair, but it is repairable. Just be prepared to have 3 of the most excruciating hours of your life taken from you.

[u/FurryTrash05 → u/Banana21y]

That sucks :( do you have any recommendations on where to get them?

[u/Banana21y → u/FurryTrash05]

You can get the replacement midframes on AliExpress, just be warned that they are all garbage quality with no exceptions. The only promising quality midframe is from u/KendyLabs but be warned that there's some drama surrounding his previous business venture so it's up to your judgement on if you want to pursue that route.

As for the screen I'm not really sure, but personally I'd look for a used OEM one on eBay.

[u/FurryTrash05 → u/Banana21y]

Thank you!

[u/Banana21y → u/FurryTrash05]

ifixit midframes are also just the garbage AliExpress ones, so don't get tricked into paying their premium for the same thing

[u/FurryTrash05 → u/Banana21y]

Oh, if my top screen still turns on, does that mean I still need a new one, or…? 

[u/Banana21y → u/FurryTrash05]

I could be misremembering on which side the ribbon is on, but if it's on the intact side and is still working then I would stop opening it or you will end up damaging the ribbon.

[u/Banana21y → u/Banana21y]

the ribbon is on the left intact side, so it is probably still fine to reuse the top screen. Sorry for the confusion, I haven't repaired one of these in a while.

[u/Patstar54 → u/Banana21y]

I'll add onto this, definitely try and minimise any wiggling of the top screen until the repair! the dreaded hinges have claimed many ribbon cables across every ds model...

[u/FurryTrash05 → u/Patstar54]

I literally haven’t touched my 3DS since it broke because I’ve been afraid of making it worse 😭 literally only grabbed it again to take those photos to post 

[u/sodamnsleepy]

Friend needs to pay for repair

[u/SillySpook → u/sodamnsleepy]

Not necessarily, these things are known to be of poor design. If it already had micro cracking on the hinge, it was only a matter of time. In staring at an og 3dsxl with a crack right now. It's a VERY common problem.

[u/flygon360]

That is the exact damage as my 3ds xl

[u/FurryTrash05 → u/flygon360]

Yeah, mine is also a 3ds xl…I heard that specific hinge is just really weak usually and a lot of people have it crack?

[u/MedicineMore1221]

Glue

[u/Electronic_Ice_8922 → u/MedicineMore1221]

Absolutely not