Why The Nintendo Switch Lite Is The 3DS Upgrade You Need

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A portable for a portable gaming device? A Nintendo Switch that doesn’t “switch”? No detachable Joy-Con controllers and doesn’t connect to a TV? What is even the point of having a “lite” version of the Switch then? So many questions but we trawled the Internet and put together everything we know so far on the Nintendo Switch Lite.

What Are The Differences?

First things first. If you’re dying to know the full difference between the two, here’s a handy guide created by Redditor u/StinkyFishSauce.

The Lite is smaller, lighter, more compact, USD100 bucks cheaper and designed only for handheld gaming. The biggest difference is the inability to dock and play your games through the TV. Is it a deal-breaker, does it matter? Personally, I don’t think so and I think many others will agree. In fact, there’ll be even more people looking to buy the Switch Lite now that it’s cheaper and more compact than before.

Things to Take Note

With a slightly smaller screen and inbuilt Joy-Cons, battery life sees a slight improvement. The original Switch lasts about 2 – 6 hours (depending on the game) while the Lite will have about 3 – 7 hours. The screen sees a reduction in size from the original’s 6.2″ to 5.5″ but maintains a 720p resolution.

Can you still play games that require handheld-mode? Yes you can. You’d just have to purchase and pair a set of Joy-Con controllers to the Lite. But why would you do that? With an extra purchase of Joy-Cons you might as well buy the original Switch.

And for Nintendo’s Labo cardboard construction kits, it will unfortunately not work with the Lite since it’s a different size.

Why The Nintendo Switch Makes Sense

After the dearly departed Playstation Vita, the Switch was truly a portable gaming experience that you could take with you anywhere. On the bus, train and in bed, so it was quite a headscratcher that Nintendo decided to unveil a stripped-down version of the Switch. But if you read more into it, it really does make sense in the end.

In today’s media consumption landscape, there are so many media devices out there that I’m sure some people don’t even own TVs anymore. I can’t even remember the last time I sat down and watched one. So there are gamers out there who don’t need this feature and see no need to pay extra for it. Personally, when I owned the original Switch, I barely even used the dock. It could just be me, but I bet there are more people out there who feel the same way.

Also, the Lite could potentially be the end of the 3DS. And with kids looking for an upgrade, this is a no brainer. On top of that, there’ll be millions of Pokémon fans waiting to play Pokémon Sword and Shield. The game releases November 15, just five days before the Lite launches. So, the Lite will provide a much cheaper point of entry into the entire Switch ecosystem. It’s the same thing Nintendo did with releasing the 2DS and Pokémon X&Y years back.

Final Thoughts

Yes, yes I’ll be getting one! It took me a long time before I decided empty my wallets for the original Switch ($405) back then because of its price. Now that it’s going for nearly half the price ($250), it’s quite a snatch. If the $405 price point deterred you from playing Zelda’s Breath of The Wild, now’s the time to get into it.

The Nintendo Switch Lite will be launched on September 20 in Turquoise, Grey and Yellow at a suggested retail price of $250. For more info, click here.