The Nintendo Switch Lite will be landing worldwide on the 20th September 2019, so here are all of the key differences to be aware of to help you make up your mind about the new arrival. It’s one of two Switch console updates planned for this year with the “Switch Pro” powering up the standard console a little with a likely release date in September too, so we’ll be factoring that into our run down of differences at the end.
It’s been a big few years for Nintendo, which has managed to do a complete 180 from the slow selling Wii U to the hugely successful Switch. With the console updates on the way and a big fat raft of epic games in development, things are only going to get better and better for the big N and the Lite version should be a big part of that in the coming years.
What is the Nintendo Switch Lite?
The Nintendo Switch Lite is essentially a hand held console variant of the standard console, which focuses all of its efforts on the gaming experience on the move. It operates as a single unit with the controllers built into the system and takes up a slightly smaller frame making it a little more compact than its big brothers, the old school Switch and the upcoming updated system.
Obviously, to compensate for the handheld-only side of things, the price is a good deal lower, and there’s also a slight up-tilt to the battery life. You can see a breakdown for each of these elements in more detail in the sections below, along with all the other variances to be aware of.
Differences between the Switch Lite and the standard Switch console
You can check out the image at the bottom of the page to get a summary of the main differences between the Switch Lite and the standard console, however, each of the points are detailed below the image to give you more information. In addition to this, sections have been added for differences that aren’t covered in the summary image, including things like price considerations. You can also keep up with the latest from Nintendo with its official Twitter page.
No TV Mode for the Switch Lite
Essentially, you won’t be able to connect the Switch Lite to a TV screen and play the games on the big screen. This is easily the biggest difference between the two consoles and it will be the fundamental point in terms of what console to go for. If you’re just looking to play hand held and don’t mind sacrificing TV Mode then the Lite is going to be a contender.
No Joy-Con controller
As the Lite is a handheld console, the controllers are built into the system itself and don’t detach. While there are no Joy-Con controllers bundled with the console, you can borrow or buy some separately and wirelessly connect them to play games like 1-2-Switch and Super Mario Party, which are designed for tabletop play.
No kick stand
There’s no kickstand either, so the console as it’s sold isn’t suitable for tabletop Mode, which is why there’s a cross in the section in the image summary. However, as you will have read the point above you can connect Joy-Cons sold separately to play tabletop games, so you’ll need to lean your console against something else to set this up.
In all fairness, the games that are designed for tabletop play aren’t all that many and they’re far from the pick of the roster, so the lack of a kickstand isn’t that big a loss if you’re not that fussed about 1-2-Switch or Mario Party tabletop action.
Slightly better battery… sort of
Okay, so we’ve covered a lot of the No point differences, so thought we’d throw in a few positives, because the Nintendo Switch Lite is definitely going to be a good option for a lot of gamers. The overall battery life for the two consoles is very similar, clocking in at a little over 6-hours depending of what software you’re playing. However, Nintendo has also dropped the fact that the Lite will give you around 4-hours of gaming while playing The Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild on a single charge, an hour more than with the standard Switch console.
Super Size differences
Another big difference is that the handheld variant is smaller and lighter than its bigger older brother. Weight is the most important point though with the Lite weighing just 275g, which is 22g lighter than the standard console without the Joy-Con controllers attached (297g). When you add in the Joy-Cons and take the standard Switch into full handheld mode you’re looking at 398g, making the Lite 123g lighter.
If the weight difference isn’t enough to give the new console edition massive mobility points, it’s also a little smaller with 91.1mm x 208mm x 13.9mm dimensions compared to 102mm x 239mm x 13.9mm for the standard Switch.
Screen size differences
It may be a winner to have a smaller, lighter console for dedicated handheld gaming, but the payoff is that the screen size is obviously going to be smaller too. It’s 5.5mm LCD touchscreen is 0.7mm smaller than the 6.2mm screen on the Switch proper. However, both are 720p HD, so you don’t lose anything in terms of resolution.
Price differences
One of the biggest selling points for the Nintendo Switch Lite is that it’s meant to be a lot cheaper than the original console and when you check out the differences of the consoles on their own you’re looking at approx. £80/$100 of savings. However, when you start looking at the details of offers and price comparisons when you take a bundle into account things get a bit less clear cut.
In the UK, for example, you can get an old-school Switch bundled with a game and eShop credits for £310, but the Lite doesn’t come with a game, so when you factor that in you’re looking at around £250, depending on the game, which takes the saving down to £60 excluding the credits. As a result, you might want to shop around to see what deals you can get before deciding on what to get. Equally, there are bound to be bundles for the Switch Lite in time, so you could hold fire and wait to see how the pricing changes in the run up to Christmas 2019.
Console color
The handheld console will retail initially in three colors; grey, yellow and turquoise. However, this will be expanded in time and we already know that there is a Pokemon Sword and Shield edition of the Switch Lite planned for November 2019 to coincide with the game’s release. For it’s bigger brother it’s just the Joy-Cons that come in different colors. To see more info on the color and version variants you can check things out over at Nintendo.
Differences between the Lite and the Pro
Details are still slim on the ground for the Switch Pro, or updated Switch model as it’s now being referred to, but we do know a few things about it. For the most part the differences above are the same, but the updated Switch is being given a battery update that takes its approximate play stats up to 9-hours at its max capabilities.
Obviously, this will depend on the software being played, but in terms of the console with the best battery stats. That crown will once again revert to the standard console after the updated unit’s arrival in September, which will add to your decision making challenge.
The good news from Nintendo is that the updated main console will be priced the same as the existing unit, so the price differences above should still be relevant after both new Switch consoles arrive.
Switch and Switch Lite differences image summary:
