IPS Ready Upgraded eXtremeRate Clear Custom Replacement Housing Shell for Gameboy Advance SP GBA SP – Compatible with Both IPS & Standard LCD – Console & Screen NOT Included

This replacement housing worked perfectly for my GBA SP and was a noticeable upgrade. The shell feels durable, fits well, and provides good protection once installed. The clear blue color looks great and really refreshes the console’s appearance. Installation went smoothly, and the material seems resistant to light scratches from normal handling. Overall, it functions exactly as intended and offers excellent value for the price. Very happy with the look and quality.

Just as with any review I want to preface this by saying I use my own tools and I generally use all the original OEM screws where possible. I have been modding multiple systems over the past year and I greatly enjoyed the quality of the shells that ExtremeRate has to offer (just wish that they offered an olive/swamp clear green color for the Rayquaza shell inserts) for both the GBA SP and the NDSL (I have reviewed those housings on Amazon as well). They're without a doubt one of the first names a recommend for reviving old consoles such as these. They're not only mod friendly (IPS ready) but they're also engineered well. Id go as far as saying theyre better than OEM shells (manufacturers have come a long ways since the GBA SP days). They have good tolerances which allow for a snappy, fresh out of the factory feel. A lot of shells out there just don't feel as tactile as these ones. When it really boils down to it, I am not sure you can this high of quality for this low of a price. Now onto the three I have bought, the two transparent ones are by far my favorite. The ABS material and finish make these not only feel good to the touch but also make them very wear resistant. The color of these two shells was just about what you'd expect from the photos. The only thing I'd say they should change is the "Emerald Green" is much more a sea green color (which my wife loved). However if they did make a shell that was the same color as the Pokémon Emerald color, I'd throw my money at them without hesitation. Now onto the golden boy. I have to say, I loved it for about a month and then the fingerprint magnet finish began to bother me a bit. If you simply want this as a display piece, this is the shell for you. Otherwise you may want to keep a polishing cloth nearby (in my case with in the carrying container I stored it in). There is nothing wrong with the functionality of the shell in fact it was just as good performance wise as the other two. I know this could be a topic that some might be curious about so here's my thought on the buttons that came with these kits. They're possibly the best buttons I have ever installed on a gaming device in years. They're very durable and they also fit excellent. I even bought some for a cheap Rayquaza shell I bought on Amazon because the Rayquaza shell buttons where smaller than the OEM. I'd highly recommend the membranes and buttons that come with these kits. The only troubles I had with the kits were the quality of the screws. I'd love to pay a few more dollars just to have better screws. The Philips heads screws were not honestly bad but the tri-wing screws were abysmal. This is one of those moments I'd recommend using the OEM hardware or if ExtremeRate wants to improve these kits just simply including all Philips head screws with the correct length and pitch.

If you are in the Gameboy modding/repair community you know that everyone was selling the same 2 types of GBA SP shells that come from the same factories. The older opaque ones that are poorly molded and made with pretty bad plastic. Or the newer transparent ones that were better molded, but can develop cracking issues (specially around the hinges.) Looks like we have a 3rd option now! eXtremeRate seems to have their own unique molds, for both the shell and buttons. (the witness marks being in in different places, and lack of branding, are obvious tells) The molding seems well done with fine and straight lettering, everything fits perfectly with no creaking, no gaps, no sharp edges on the shell. The plastic feels thicker and stronger then the no name transparent shells. Time will tell if that makes a difference, but eXtreme rate seems to know a thing or two about making aftermarket shells for controllers so. I haven't tried their opaque shells but I imagine they use the same molds. I will go out on a limb and say, as of 2022, these are the highest quality SP aftermarket shells. I hope eXtreme rate adds more colors. Right now I'm using "Atomic Purple". I personally wouldn't describe it as that, since its not really that close to the OG GBC color, its a warmer purple. But it is a really nice shade of purple. If there ever was a "Pokemon Amethyst" THIS would 100% be the cartridge color. Some minor criticisms though: Screws: They could have been better organized and packaged in a resealable bag. With the amount of extras its slightly hard to tell what goes with what. - I also feel since this shell isn't pretending to be original, there isn't really a good reason to use Triwing screws. It really could have been all Phillips/JIS and that would have been fine. Also the screw on the battery door does not have a captive ring. Springs: The Shoulder springs are weak. I don't recommend using them unless you have to... Buttons: I can't help but feel its kinda tacky they come with buttons of the same color as the shell? But maybe thats just me. They aren't as good as originals, and they seem to be copying other aftermarket buttons - meaning the middle post is flat. Their remedy for the wiggle this causes is that the silicon pads are thicker, and while this works, the buttons again just don't feel as good as originals. EDIT: Slate compatibility. There is some minor incompatibilities between this shell and the 'Slate' Mod. It seems like the screw holes are in slightly different places (off by < 1mm maybe?) and the shell it's self might be slightly off? Unless your mixing and matching eXtreme rate shell parts with other shell parts, this won't affect you so.

So I heard the hype about this product, but having been involved in the modding scene, it seems like every brand of shell has it's issues. This one is it's screws. With these being the most expensive normal plastic shells I've seen, so you'd hope they would be better quality screws involved. You sneeze on them wrong and the tops will strip. Use original screws, or the one that come in the funny playing kit. Anything would be better than these. You just The shell itself is great though. They feel sturdy and higher quality than most, but will be difficult for me to recommend at it's premium price, unless you have prime and get the 2 day shipping. It does come with 2 tools, which is helpful, but would have rather traded those for better screws. Most of us in the modding scene already have the tools needed anyway. I do love the feel of these though. I got the transparent red due to the funny playing shell cracking in several places. It was pretty to look at as it was more of a candy red like pokemon ruby game, and it was a glossy, so prone to prints and smears a bit. This brand feels more satisfying in my hands though, and has a comfy weight to it now. My go with with a solid color next time though. These are definitely higher quality shells than funny playing, and does fit the IPS funny playing screen, though it is a bit off center as a previous review reads. It's hardly noticeable unless you're looking for it, but combined FP screen, FP's GBA SP battery, and this shell, you'll be pretty happy.

Ok so the shell itself looks and feels amazing, as good or better than OEM to me. Also bought a set of the aftermarket buttons which feel the same as well, no complaints in look or feel and i havent seen a blemish or crack yet. Took maybe an hour to get it all torn apart and put back together. Now for the annoyances. The drivers they send are cheap so if you have your own set of tri-wing/phillips mini drivers great or were looking for an excuse to buy a set, this is it. Screws - use the OEM ones if you can. As you disassemble your OEM shell, soak the OEM screws in 91% ISPA and if they need a good scrub add some coarse salt and shake vigorously. The OEM screws and the replacememts look pretty much exactly the same so it wont matter. Thread holes - NOT PRE-THREADED. So before you try to assemble the shell, watch a tutorial and as theyre putting it together use the right screws and SLOWLY pre-thread each hole about 3/4 of the way down. This will not only save you time and headache but will also help keep the holes from stripping or the shell from cracking. Once youve got all of the holes pre-threaded then you can go back and start putting parts in and assembling the SP. As you reassemble - DO NOT CRANK DOWN THESE SCREWS!!!!!!!!! FINGER TIGHT!!!!! Turn with 2 fingers until the screws stops and that should be plenty, if you over tighten these screws will strip the housing or worse crack it. The foam pad that comes with it to keep the back of the screen from touching the case is also slightly to thigh but theres nothing you can really do about that. Pre-thread the screw holes, then line up the screen and foam pad, put the to top halfs together but dont SQUEEZE them hard; then put in the screws in a star pattern to close the shell halves evenly and itll compress the foam pad enough and the shell will close nicely and eventually the very slight buldge from the foam will go down as it compresses. Over all its a great shell and im deff going to be buying one for my GBC also.

Great Quality for a great price. Feels sturdy. Maybe a little flimsier than original but still pretty close. Everything fit well. Would recommend using your own screw drivers though.

ExtremeRate has done it again. Every single product I have purchased from them has been spot on in quality, value, and aesthetics and this one was no different. I cannot tell you how many different GBA SP shells I’ve tried from various sellers and they all felt cheap, light, and creaky. They never felt as good as the OEM shell and the pieces didn’t fit together perfectly. This feels as good if not better than the OEM shell and is drop dead gorgeous. It’s subtly transparent so you can see the internal PCB but the she’ll still has a durable matte finish that feels premium in the hand. This shell is rock solid. I personally recommend getting the Torx screws from Handheld Legend as they are better quality and won’t strip as easily as the ones in this kit but the included screwdrivers are good enough to not strip the default ones if you’re careful. Stunned at how premium this shell is given the price and cannot recommend this brand enough.

This replacement shell turned out to be just right. I think it's decent quality. It is great for the price I guess since the economy in 2025 is horrible. It comes with everything you need and the instructional video is great to follow along step by step. I did have an issue in the video where I had to use the other color screw driver to loosen the screws but that's nothing bad just my gba sp had different screws in that area. Overall, it fit together well and tight. I used the sponge provided. It was thick so the backing shell that closes the sponge in didn't stay in place I had to hold, squeeze and then tighten the screws. It all closed well and tight in the end with all screws tightened down to the respective tightness it's supposed to be. I have some extra parts left over which is nice in case I need to replace something small like a screw or something. I also, ended up using my original gba sp buttons instead of the ones they provided because I didn't like that they would be the same color as the transparent shell. It just looks better with the grayish white button contrast. Throw a clear case over this shell and it will be complete.

My childhood SP was very much showing its age, and as practice for a couple of DS swaps, I decided to pick up this kit. I do recommend doing this swap alongside an iFixit video, but it's actually a very easy process. The shell is high quality, and I am an absolute sucker for anything atomic purple. The shell can be used with the normal screen or an upgrade IPS screen. Would absolutely recommend to fellow millennials who still have their SP's sitting around.

Great quality, recommended if you are fitting a funnyplaying v3 IPS screen. Fit exactly like a genuine nintendo shell (minus the nintendo logo on lid) 5/5

easy to put together

El material se ve de buena calidad ( no como el original pero si mejor que otras versiones chinas ), hay videos para la instalación en Youtube, todo ensambla perfectamente en su lugar y tiene múltiples repuestos de tornillos, gomas, resortes etc etc. Excelente producto.

The eXtremeRate replacement case for the Nintendo Gameboy Advance SP exceeded all my expectations! I wanted to give my childhood console a fresh look, and this case was the perfect solution. The materials feel premium and sturdy, with a smooth finish that closely matches the original quality. Installation was straightforward thanks to the included tools and clear instructions. The precision of the shell is spot-on; everything fit perfectly, and I had no issues with alignment. I especially loved the vibrant color options—it gave my SP a unique, modern flair while keeping its classic charm. If you're a retro gaming enthusiast looking to breathe new life into your GBA SP, this case is a must-have. It looks fantastic, feels durable, and offers excellent value for the price. Highly recommended!