The Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite is an essential debate if you’re looking to add Nintendo’s handheld console to your collection. However, there are several features that need to be considered if you are comparing the two and making your next purchase.
The Nintendo Switch is a tough console compared to the Nintendo Switch Lite. It’s compact, convenient and bridges the gap between home and handheld consoles. However, the Switch Lite is cheap, and if you find yourself constantly on the go, the ability to connect your console to a TV might not be a selling point anyway.
In fact, soon after the console’s release, it was found that the handheld mode was the most popular with players. So it came as no surprise when Nintendo’s next move was to release nintendo switch lite And continue the tradition of the handheld-only console market.
Potential Switch owners currently have options for Nintendo’s latest console (until the Nintendo Switch Pro makes an appearance), thanks to the launch of the Nintendo Switch OLED in 2021. But if you are still looking at the previous options, which model suits you? Is this a handheld-only Switch Lite? or the original hybrid?
To help you decide, we’ll walk you through the similarities and differences between each console, comparing designs, prices, and game libraries. Keep reading to settle the Nintendo Switch vs Switch Lite battle.
Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite: Price
The current Nintendo Switch model retails for £259.99 / $259.99 / AU$435 with lots of bundled options. For that price, you get yourself the console, two Joy-Con controllers, a dock, and the associated cables. Bundles include massively popular games like Mario Kart 8: Deluxe, Pokémon Sword and Shield, or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – all of which are great games to get you started.
Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch Lite retails for a lower price point of $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$329.95 for the console on its own. The console is focused on handheld play, so you don’t get a dock or detachable Joy-Con controllers (more on that later), but bundles containing the most popular games can be found at most retailers, with games usually adding one. Little extra on cost.
Bundles aside, just looking at the console prices reveals that the Switch Lite does, as you’d expect, cost less than the original version. If you’re not interested in the Switch’s TV output capabilities, the Switch Lite option is worth saving the money on, as it might be enough to get you a few more games.
Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite: Design
Arguably, the Switch’s main selling point is the console’s versatility. It’s instant and almost feels like magic when you transfer your game from screen to television and back again. You can use your console to conquer Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, before docking the console when you get home to play with your separate Joy-Con or Pro Controller .
Nintendo has opted to leave this hybrid functionality on the cheaper Nintendo Switch Lite. It has fixed Joy-Con controllers and can’t be docked to a TV – and while this may be a deal breaker for many, we think it could be very attractive to new and existing customers Is.
For example, the bright colors really help give it a more toy-like feel that younger players will find appealing. Between yellow, grey, coral and turquoise, there’s plenty of room to express yourself – albeit without swapping joy-cons to your heart’s content.
The low price is ideal for those looking for a second device for a small child, or simply a console you can carry more easily – the more plastic looking Switch Lite is little more than its few moving parts The durable looks of its more versatile big brother.
While the controllers are fine, they mostly offer the same buttons as the original Switch — except the A, Y, B, and X buttons have been replaced by a D-pad — while some functionality has been removed, which we’ll get to. Very soon. Both models also allow for wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, and a microSD card to expand the console’s storage up to 32GB.
Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite: Performance
The Nintendo Switch offers a 6.2-inch LCD display with a maximum resolution of 720p. With the PlayStation and Xbox chasing higher and higher pixel counts, 720p certainly sounds unnatural, but the system’s fleet of high-quality exclusives belies any technical shortcomings. Of course, you can also dock the console to output at 1080p: It’s not 4K, but it’s crisper when stretched to your TV or monitor.
The Switch Lite’s low cost means the system will have to make some cuts. While the display is still an LCD with capacitive touch functionality (and reaches the same 720p resolution), it’s slightly smaller than the original Switch, measuring 5.5 inches. Nevertheless, fishing in Animal Crossing: New Horizons would be ideal for younger siblings.
Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite: The Games
This is where things arguably get a little complicated, given the discrepancy between the feature sets of the two consoles. Because the Switch Lite’s controllers are static, they don’t offer the HD rumble, motion controls, or IR motion camera found on previous models’ Joy-Cons. This means that any game that requires either of these pieces of kit will require a wireless connection to a pair of additional Joy-Con controllers.
For example, this means that SniperClips (with the Plus version) and Mario Tennis Aces require additional controllers for those playing on the Nintendo Switch Lite. However, this is not all. Because many games require the Joy-Con controllers to be detached, the following are unsuitable for the Switch Lite: Labo Kit, 1-2 Switch, and Super Mario Party.
Perhaps the biggest concern is that there’s a chance that games will eventually launch that aren’t compatible with the Switch’s handheld mode, meaning you’ll be unable to play them on the Switch Lite. It doesn’t seem like it, but consider a world where the next big Mario platformer requires full Joy-Con support, and you might feel like you’re missing out.
Also, consider that the Joy-Con charge either by connecting to the Nintendo Switch or by charging a stand. If you only have the Lite, you’ll need to invest in a charging stand.
Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite: Software and Interface
The interface of the console is very easy to understand. The Switch offered a clean, arguably bare-bones UI that’s seen only minor incremental updates over the past two years, and the Lite offers similar functionality. You can share screenshots, get the latest Nintendo news, and access your settings just like you can on the full-fat Switch. This means you’ll have your friend list, your titles and the eShop all at the push of a button.
You can play multiplayer games like Splatoon 3 with friends no matter which Switch model you’re using, although a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online is required. It currently costs $3.99 / £3.49 / AU$5.95) per month, $7.99 / £6.99 / AU$11.95 for 90 days, or $19.99 / £17.99 / AU$29.95 per year – a family plan with eight accounts will set you back $34.99 / £31.49 Set Will / Australia$54.95.
Whether you have a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch Lite, you’ll be able to enjoy online play, cloud saves and exclusive offers for members. The big draw here is the ability to play NES games, while any masochist will also have access to Nintendo’s uniquely awesome smartphone apps.
So there you have it, two Switch models to peruse as you prepare for your next vacation. what will you be jumping in? Thankfully, whatever you choose, you’ll be able to play a huge library of excellent games.