The Most ADVANCED Metal Shell For The GBA SP

GBA SP Metal Shell WITH The Hinge! | Boxy Pixel “Hinged” SP | Install Tutorial + Review
Boxy Pixel is about to release their latest machined aluminum shell for the Game Boy Advance SP. It’s called the “Hinged” SP shell which essentially is a conventional flip open design just like the original SP but of course in typical Boxy Pixel fashion it's made of beautiful anodized aluminum. Let’s take a look!
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Timestamps
0:00 Intro
2:27 Hinged SP Kit Parts
3:39 Hinged SP Install Tutorial
9:17 Features
11:27 Pros and Cons
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// Intro Music for Retro Renew Series by Matthew McCheskey:
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Disclaimer: This video is only for entertainment purposes. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of tools, equipment, or from the information in this video is the sole responsibility of the viewer and is to be used at the discretion of the end user/viewer and not Macho Nacho Productions or Tito Perez. If you are uncertain about any step of the process or feel unsure about your skill level, seek a more authoritative source.
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#BoxyPixel #GameBoyAdvanceSP #MachoNachoProductions

[@robsquared2]

This is one of the very few channels that I never skip the intro montage. Excellent work.

[@ThisIsSrsBsnsMan]

I say the same thing. The music makes me feel like we’ve just made an amazing discovery 😂

[@NAMEDTODIE]

Yes!! Love it, need a full song

[@kazinwho]

I agree about the hinge covers. And yeah... if he ever made a DS lite metal shell, I would be all over that haha

[@elvisthepelvis447]

Same!

[@DiceRobo]

I know it's less retro than the DS lite, but A Metal 2DS would also be hot (and a lot of their other shells are unhinged so it kinda makes sense?)

[@animeking1357]

@@DiceRobo Honestly having any Nintendo system with a metal shell would be great.

[@fordesponja]

They really need to go into the DS and 3DS, the only repro cases I can get for my broken DS are cheap ones.

[@spider_sf]

@@fordesponja Actually, go look for the extremerate shells, they recently started making them and they actually made new molds, unlike the awful copies everyone else is selling.

[@briangilmartin662]

Very cool shell design! I can't wait to see what the final product looks like. I'm also digging the color options, especially the red one!

[@crestofhonor2349]

They do look great

[@NegativeLegend]

The SP is my favorite portable console. I'm so glad Boxy Pixel is working on a metal one.

[@MrDeelightful]

That light pink is really sick. When you were putting the battery door on I really noticed how tight the tolerances are, too. It looks like a super-expensive flip phone when it's closed, and the hinge system looks less onerous than some of the SP flip cases you've done. The matte/sandblasted finish really tops it off imo. Great video as always!

[@notNajimi]

I adore my pearl pink gba, but I got it second hand so it’s kinda beat up. This seems like a really nice upgrade

[@JollyAndy]

Tito, I've been a fan of your videos for a long time. Your production quality has gotten so good over the years. Keep up the great work!

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Thank you so much Jolly! I always try to keep improving

[@3DCrimson]

I love your videos Tito! The intros are always really cool and the install tutorials are always so relaxing. You always make me want to go out and do these myself lol

[@zogeth117]

I love that thing so much. I recently ordered all Boxy Pixel Shells that i didnt own to make my collection complete. The only one thats missing now is the hinged SP. I m so excited about it and i definitively need to add this one day to finish my whole Boxy Pixel collection. Great Video Tito, i love your Videos.

[@jaidyn1376]

Yo for anyone thinking about buying one of these... just gotta say like, these boxy pixel metal shells are super cool, I bought the original unhinged shell a few years ago and I have to be honest, I feel like it was a huge waste of money. I just do, I didn't consider a lot of things when buying it, like the fact that using it outside in any kind of extreme weather REALLY SUCKS! Too cold, it hurts your hands, too hot... it hurts your hands... Not to mention I dropped like $400 on it and I won't be able to make that money back on a resale..... These are really neat, but if you're thinking about buying one please give it some real practical though, because I didn't and that was a huge mistake.

[@alukkod]

This is thoughtful and frankly I agree

[@plumb3311]

I had a hard time selling mine and I took a $100 loss.

[@jaidyn1376]

@@plumb3311 This Nacho guy really sells these things lol, made me not even consider the practical usage of it. "Metal GBA? Sounds awesome, it'll last forever!" But turns out, they make these things out of plastic for a reason, and it's not just because it's cheaper. It's kind of the ideal material for a handheld console like this. Another thing I forgot to mention was, my boxy pixel shell had some nasty sharp edges where your hands go, not like enough to cut you but enough to leave a painful imprint on your hands after a fair bit of use. Like I'm not trying to be a downer or rain on anyone's parade. If you're just gonna use this at home and never take it anywhere, maybe you'll like it, but they're really expensive and not being able to use it outside in the winter because it'll get so cold it hurts my hands really sucks.

[@Cewrin]

Thanks for sharing, it's helpful to hear from someone who's actually used one of these things. Sometimes it feels like they exist just for people who want to post Game Boy glamour photos.

[@siskavard]

I mean, there's good reason why Nintendo doesn't make their handhelds out of metal

[@retrostashrepairs]

This build is SOLID!!! 😆 super nice, I cant wait to get mine 😊 great video like always! 👌

[@20sBurning]

Ordered the unfinished bronze on Monday! Super excited for it to ship… in 6-8 weeks

[@UltraSteelix]

I got the prototype but I feel the real final design will make it look much better. They nailed the bottom half of the shell but I feel the top shell is still in need of serious improvement.

[@CheatingSoi]

I agree. This is the first boxy pixel case I've seen that I don't think really looks better or even as good as the original casing.

[@TheShoe1990]

Man, I never thought a GBA SP could be so beautiful 😍

[@animeking1357]

Let's goooo! That looks great. I've got an old SP that hasn't worked in years. If I can get around to opening it up and seeing if I can repair it I'd love to do this mod.

[@dilboUZImaki]

Your videos are incredibly high quality and very in depth, you just got a new subscriber👍 thanks man

[@aplsed]

Nothing better than hearing Tito narrate over Salt Lamp by Jobii.

[@lw2266]

Another fun one to watch. I have a few of the retro consoles myself (more because packrat things and not because collector things), but no extra funds to splurge on upgrades like these. Still, always very neat to see these, and I enjoy your explanations about them.

[@SuperNicktendo]

Been waiting for this. That purple looks good. I also got a silver one. I have two busted SPs that need some love.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Nice dude! This will definitely breath new life into your broken SPs

[@Angultra]

Never thought I'd see the day that we get a hinged SP shell!

[@eighty1977]

I hope you never change your intro and sound

[@trigger796]

Would be cool to see one made of pure titanium. Would also be insanely expensive lol

[@racooninvasion]

So cool, Tito! Hey, I would love if they could even do clear plastic hinge covers in red, then have clear red shoulder, volume, etc. That would be so cool!

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Agreed! That’d be a pretty sweet color combo!

[@NAMEDTODIE]

I said it before and I'll say it again, your intro music is so nice listen to! Metal casing looks sweet

[@NerdyWeaponXGames]

God I’d love that unhinged GBA… I remember when you did it and thought, yeah I need someone to do it for me 😅

[@kevingomez3051]

I gotta say aside from the few nitpicks you had, and me thinking the buttons should have come with it, my biggest issue is the exposed cartridges. It scares me im gonna bump it too easily when putting it down

[@Falcon-um7vo]

I also like my cartridges to be fully surrounded structurally when inserted. I wonder why they wandered from the stock design there. Seems odd.

[@HKT-4300]

I can't believe almost no one's talking about that, ain't no way am i gonna bring any carts with me with the labels scratching up in my pocket... it goes from insta buy to absolutle no go for me, 100% form over function..

[@Ray3D]

I just picked up the Brass Variant with Silver buttons.

[@adonian]

I totally agree with you on the additional weight giving it a premium feel. I like my EXPENSIVE products to feel like a quality product, and this looks nice... I'm gonna look in my "retro closet" and see if I can find my old SP's and actually try this mod. edit... OH MAN, if they did one for the DS or DSi XL I'd totally get that.

[@pratikpramanik7782]

Same, all my DS Lites hinges are broken due to bad design

[@4TwEnti-]

Love it! Will get one for my old sp too :)

[@auroradeboer9350]

Great video and great product! I will love to see this metal consent available for the Nintendo DS Light. I think would look awesome!

[@JacobGunner]

That indent on the top shell looks perfectly primed for having custom stickers made... Boxy Pixel should totally capitalize on that

[@stephenshelottiii3272]

Great video for a great product. My SP is due for a new shell.

[@slot9]

Great stuff!

[@lightmagick]

This thing looks pretty darn nice, I'd love to see it with black or dark gray anodized buttons though.

[@James_D.]

So awesome! 🤩

[@Kevin-finity]

Love your content as always. ❤❤❤

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Thank you 🙏

[@leabriana1223]

Would love to see you show off one of FunnyPlaying's custom mobo's that require the chip transplant!

[@tambias]

Another boxy Pixel handheld i will need to get! Looks amazing

[@BaamAlex]

I love boxy pixels stuff. But the unhinged (or the slate. I have both) is my favorite.

[@enthusiasticgamer88]

I'm hoping Boxy Pixel makes a metal Analogue Pocket shell but I imagine that's very unlikely given the number of them in the world vs GB/GBC/GBAs and the RnD costs involved. A man can dream though!

[@HitnRunTony]

This case is super slick

[@omegamog]

I wish it was a rounded replica of the original

[@Rayu25Demon]

You mean no grips for oily hands people

[@r.a.w.talentart]

Lovely stuff

[@biglewis7]

I think Boxy's next project will be a metal GBA Micro tbh, fits nicely in the collection

[@SkylerLinux]

"It's most important feature" the Screen Protection of GBA SP

[@JackMoynihanOfficial]

I just shell swapped my DS Lite with a shell off AliExpress, a metal case would be awesome

[@ls190v2]

A hinged GBA SP? It's a miracle(!)

[@Punisher6791]

Looks promising. Now i have a reason to buy a sp again.

[@nikkelkelly1795]

Love all the boxy pixel stuff tito I got 4 of them myself, just curious if you think a Bluetooth screen mirroring mod could be possible for a gameboy? I know that there are wired video output mods but screen mirroring would be the best

[@kevindesrochers3388]

Curious question. Did you ever list that GBA SP on your ebay page? I know you had mentioned you would list one. Also fantastic videos and intro.

[@Aaron_Bleu]

Did your trigger buttons fit without getting stuck? My prototype hinge the L and R triggers get stuck down, only way I can go around it is to completely take out the back 2 screws.

[@DoubleOhSilver]

I could use a psp metal shell

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Same!

[@edwardgreenjr167]

Looking forward to a new 'ultimate SP' video once the mods are available. Some metal hinge pin caps would have been nice too. But what I really want to see from boxy pixel is a 'Macro' plate that has the 4 face buttons. I don't get why that's not an option. If using a Macro for emulation that just limits what you can play.

[@WiHL]

I really hope the final design does away with the angular corners. I would prefer the rounded OG corners. Curious why they went this route in the first place.

[@simondenis1729]

Great video as usale! Random question, is the bottom plate compatible with the front plate of the slate?

[@SlapNuts4Life]

Man this is phenomenal, I love everything except for the caps on the hinges, they stick out like a sore thumb😂

[@andrasszabo7386]

Won't the aluminium shell wear out the ribbon cable from opening and closing, where it is going through the top shell?

[@mrbrocephus3849]

I love the flat sp ❤

[@vincentp98]

nice case, well to got it perfect i think i will replace the plastic side cover by pink default... is the replacment screen in tempered glass ? i know that the plastic thing is really fragile...

[@loskiblos]

Hi, can I asked how good quality are the buttons from Boxy pixel? Looks great and I want to asked after years are still good? Thank you

[@juangaruti1896]

Well, gotta give it to you, those were $200 I didn't think I would be spending today. Fair play, Tito.

[@danielherrera4477]

Great video, thanks for sharing this amazing mods. Do you know if this shell is compatible with the latest FunnyPlaying kits?

[@rickee2652]

Oh wow... with an ips backlit screen, i wants this. Could we get a top panel with the nintendo logo? Are there plands to make metal shoulder buttons? I'd definitely buy a metal ds lite casing, i love that console.

[@ottie4290]

They need to really smooth out those corners in the next revision.

[@Ash-fl4hf]

Does the boxypixel screen have that strange ghosting and flickering issue that all the other 3rd party screens seem to have? If so, is there a better alternative yet that doesn't have that issue.

[@racooninvasion]

Wow, Tito! Well, they canceld my TV show after 11 years! Onto something new, I will stay in touch, bud!

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Oh man so sorry to here that dude! I know you’ll find something brother. Definitely stay in touch man!

[@dragz]

Don't leave it in the sun haha, major sun burns! 😂😂

[@WadeVillines]

Hey man, if you don't mind me asking, why were the Switch Lite aluminum shells discontinued? Will they ever come back?

[@KenSch2020]

Looks the only thing that would be great if they offered gray or silver colored hinge caps so it can match the shell better.

[@RetroRockGamer]

I notice they don't have the rubber bumpers that protect the screen part from hitting the base when closing. When you shut it, does the metal just hit the metal? Edit: I just noticed you mentioned this towards the end of the video. 😊

[@TWOTONTUN1C]

Me: I’m not buying anything for the next couple months Tito: Haha no. Great video. I know what my next mod will be.

[@FoxBubbleGreen]

Hello Nacho ! I need your help me and my boyfriend have custome our sp and since that the inges are loose we don't know why. Do you have a video about that or a tip ? Thanks you

[@FABBBZ.]

@MachoNatchoProductions ; Hey! can you tell me what soldering iron do you use, it seems to be a very good one and i rly need to upgrade mine. :) Ps: love your Videos!

[@Home_Rowed]

Alternative name idea: Re-hinged SP. Would've also liked if they included metal hinge covers to match the new shell, a clear plastic pannel fastened to the metal edges of the GBA slot to function as the original dust cover but still keep the game viewable, and some metal looking screw cover stickers for the outside top shell.

[@Madblaster6]

As soon as the pre order went live. Do we know how the production model will differ?

[@MachoNachoProductions]

As far as I know, the addition of the usb-c and audio port openings and the tighter hinge cover design so that the ribbon cable is less visible are the primary changes. Also, the plastic hinge bushings should be easier to install

[@legostarwarsrulez]

I’m surprised there isn’t a stronger hinge included. I could see the extra bulk wearing out the stock hinge faster

[@robbyrobot3303]

Pretty sick, but id settle for one with just a mental hinge.

[@godsend1112]

I'm trying to do the ps2 mod that you talked about in one of your other videos, when I connect my 2tb SSD to the ps2 and try formatting it with wlaunchelf from the free mcboot menu, it doesn't show the drive is connected, and therefor won't format it. I tried with a 500 gb SSD as well and it says the same thing, so I downloaded the winhiip program and formatted the 500gb ssd drive using the 48bit format and its still showing in opl that it isnt connected when I boot up my ps2. does anyone here know how to fix this issue? its very frustrating and it seems like almost nobody online has done any troubleshooting for this.

[@NickNichols47]

The only thing keeping from getting this shell is this single thought: how hot does that get in the hands after extended use?

[@finnfiasco]

I love BoxyPixel’s work, but I just have to wonder why they don’t cover the shoulder buttons with their packs. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got the unhinged SP built and love it, so I do support their work, but it’d be a perfect finish to have the shoulder buttons match the face buttons.

[@mldowning]

Imagine if you had an entire run of these that could accomodate wireless charging mods

[@HeroNotch]

Can someone tell me are these buttons which have the designs etched in available for the unhinged?

[@captain_zed]

Looks very cool... but I think I would need to find some third-party hinges. I know from experience that getting the hinges out of a SP is not as easy as it looks.

[@plumb3311]

Prestige hinges by retro six

[@Nathaniel_E_Dearing]

Now that you mention it, they should do a metal shell for the DS. The original 2004 model needs it more than you think, the plastic shells on those earlier models are starting to deteriorate, crack, and in some cases crumble. By way of contrast, the DS Lite and DSi were both made from higher quality plastics and are therefore a lower priority.

[@midastico]

May we get a Roomtour? Love ur Videos!

[@ctomfaith]

This video is unhinged 😏

[@landinhardy7682]

It needs metal R and L buttons, and you mentioned the hinge covers

[@crestofhonor2349]

I’d love to see the DS Lite and the PSP 3000 get the same treatment. I have those consoles and love them

[@VwSvNexus]

Nice vid! I want to do this mod so bad >:) haha, side note though, am I the only one that sees weird artifacts on your face in some shots? Like it looks like overprocessing or something :/ could just be on my end but I think I saw another one of your vids with the same artifacts

[@BvsMAcosh]

Is the hinge clicky or is it silent? How strong does it snap into place?

[@poodlescone9700]

It would be nice to have an aluminum DS original conversion to hingeless.

[@jusufvelovic7562]

i think the biggest flaw is the back cover does not extend far enough to protect the game cartridge like the original does. When you inserted the cartridge only about 1/4 of the game was protected. I could see a potential issue where the cartridge could snag onto clothing and crank it out damaging the cartridge.

[@greenlight45]

How durable are the latches will they break down over time do to open and closing?

[@MachoNachoProductions]

They should break any quicker than when on a standard sp shell. They don’t appear to be under extra stress from what I can tell

[@ztykowork]

The plastic washers by the hinges makes me wary because of wearing down over time from abrasion.

[@RAPTOR948]

I would hope that they can make a 3DS XL shell with the hinges reinforced, ESPECIALLY the right hinge since that one breaks the most!

[@ronin_117]

I wonder if that rear will be compatible with the slate sp

[@sergioin3D]

Me too, these metal shells remind me of the iPhone in metal

[@brooklyn11218]

Does the metal button kit not come with metal shoulder buttons?

[@MachoNachoProductions]

There are metal shoulder buttons but they’re sold separately.

[@MortenSahlMadsen]

I am so much in doubt: Should I go for the Advance Slate SP or the Metal Shell Boxy Pixel? Someone help me decide!

[@anthonyp2312]

I can see them doing a Ds version next

[@Mullratte]

It looks like a makeup case that you flip open with the mirror on top and makeup on the bottom 🤣