Modding kits

Modding kits transform an original console without spoiling its character: IPS screen kits for the Game Boy DMG, Game Boy Color, GBA and Game Gear, USB-C charging modules, SMD LEDs, switches, silicone wire, soldering consumables and tools. Some installs require no soldering, others call for an iron and some patience.

84 items
Outils d'atelier 57 Fers à souder & stations 9 Consommables de soudure 8 Kits de démontage 18 Poste de travail 7 Antistatique & ESD 5 Pièces détachées 86 Kits de modding 84 Réparation & restauration 104

Choosing a modding kit based on the soldering skill required

The soldering iron is the real sorting criterion

A 2.9-inch IPS screen kit for the Game Boy Advance advertised as solder-free plugs into a ribbon connector and goes in over an evening. A USB-C charging module for the Game Boy Advance SP, a set of 0402 to 1206 SMD LEDs or SS12D00 switches, on the other hand, call for a station that holds a stable temperature: the build-it-yourself kit covers 200 to 480 °C with 70 W T12 tips available in 11 profiles. Flexible 20 to 30 AWG silicone wire and 33 m polyimide tape round out these wired installs.

No-cut does not mean no modification

The claim refers to the shell, not to the electronics. A no-cut kit spares you from widening the screen window with a craft knife, often because a new shell comes with the panel. It says nothing about the internal wiring, nor about reversibility: as soon as a wire is soldered to the board, going back to the original state takes as much work as the install.

What it doesn't do

  • No console is supplied with the kits: they go into a machine you already own.
  • No protection-bypass chip or copying device is offered.
  • A screen mod does not fix a faulty board: on an unstable console, repair comes before modding.

Replacement screens · Shells and casings · Soldering irons and stations · Soldering consumables · Spare parts · Workshop tools

Questions fréquentes

Does a solder-free IPS screen kit really go in without an iron?
Yes, for the kits that carry that label, such as the 2.9-inch panel for the Game Boy Advance: the connection is made with a ribbon cable on an existing connector. Mechanical work remains, in particular seating the panel with double-sided tape and reassembling the shell. A suitable screwdriver and a pair of tweezers are enough.
At what temperature should you solder on a console board?
With lead-free solder, the usual working range sits between 320 and 360 °C depending on the mass to be heated and the tip size. The T12 station sold as a kit covers 200 to 480 °C, but pushing the temperature up needlessly lifts the pads. A broad tip at the right heat beats an overheated fine point.
Which button cell for a cartridge's save battery?
The CR1616, CR1620 and CR1632 formats cover most retro cartridges with battery-backed saves, all 3 V lithium. The last two digits give the thickness: 1.6 mm, 2.0 mm and 3.2 mm for the same 16 mm diameter. Open the cartridge to read the exact reference before ordering.