Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch Lite Comparison: Price and Release Date
The Nintendo Switch OLED costs $349.99 / £309 / AU$539 and launched on October 8, 2021. It’s technically the fourth version of the Nintendo Switch console, as Nintendo refreshed the original model in 2019 with improved battery life and a more CPU efficiency. With the release of Nintendo Switch Lite.
Speaking of the Switch Lite, Nintendo’s portable model only costs $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$329.95 and was released in 2019. This makes the Switch OLED model $150 more expensive than the Switch Lite, which is a huge saving for some.
Comparison of Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch Lite: Design and Features
The Nintendo Switch OLED looks almost identical to the original Switch console, with removable Joy-Con controllers, the same button layout, and the same available Neon Blue and Red color scheme — though it also has a stylish white option. The biggest difference is the console’s OLED display, which is 7 inches compared to the original’s 6.2 inches, with thinner bezels that give it a more modern look.
The Nintendo Switch OLED platform has also undergone an overhaul. It’s wider, more flexible, and allows you to position the console at more angles while in tabletop mode. The Switch OLED is equipped with better speakers, too, along with 64GB of internal storage — double the original. All this while barely increasing the console’s size and weight.
Those who pick up a Nintendo Switch OLED will get access to a nicer-than-original dock, which features rounded edges and a built-in Ethernet port for a more solid connection when playing online. Here’s what’s inside the Nintendo Switch OLED:
- Size: 9.5 x 0.55 x 4 inches (W x D x H)
- Weight: Approximately 0.71 lbs / 0.93 lbs with Joy-Con controllers attached
- Monitor: Multi-touch capacitive touch screen / 7 inch OLED screen
- Precision: 1280 x 720 (720p)
- CPU/GPU: Nvidia Custom Tegra processor
- storage: 64 GB (expandable with microSDHC or microSDXC cards up to 2 TB)
- Wireless: Wi-Fi (compatible with 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac)
- Video output: Up to 1080p via HDMI in TV mode, 720p in handheld mode
- Audio output: 5.1 Linear PCM
- Loudspeakers: stereo
- USB connector: USB Type C for charging
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- battery life: About 4.5-9 hours
- Shipping time: about 3 hours
Nintendo Switch Lite is a different proposition. It ignores the Switch OLED’s discrete Joy Con-nature in favor of being portable-only, which gives it the enviable advantage of being the only Switch with a dedicated D-Pad. You can’t view games on the TV, and you can’t get out of the Joy-Cons.
Its portable focus means it’s even smaller, with a 5.5-inch screen, which is 1.5 inches shorter than the Switch OLED. There’s a wide range of case colors to choose from across the new Switch, too, including gray, turquoise, yellow, coral, and blue.
From a technical perspective, the Switch Lite is identical to the Nintendo Switch OLED. However, it doesn’t have impressive battery life – an average of three to seven hours versus 4.5 to 9 hours.
Here’s what’s inside the Nintendo Switch Lite:
- Size: 8.2 x 0.55 x 3.6 in (W x D x H)
- Weight: about 0.61 lbs
- Monitor: 5.5 inch multi-touch capacitive touch screen / LCD screen
- Precision: 1280 x 720 (720p)
- CPU/GPU: Nvidia Custom Tegra processor
- storage: 32 GB (expandable with microSDHC or microSDXC cards up to 2 TB)
- Wireless: Wi-Fi (compatible with 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac)
- Amplifiers: stereo
- USB connector: USB Type C for charging
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- battery life: about 3-7 hours
- Shipping time: about 3 hours
Comparison of Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch Lite: Games
The good news is that the Switch OLED and Switch Lite can play the best Nintendo Switch games available. Nintendo has noted that experiences with Nintendo Labo series Toy-Con accessories may differ due to the Switch’s larger OLED screen, but that seems to be the only issue.
It is important to note that Nintendo Switch Lite will not allow you to experience games on the big screen, even though it is a handheld device only. You can’t detach the Joy-Con for some multiplayer fun or use the motion controls, and its LCD won’t look as pleasing to the eye as the new OLED display. However, the Switch Lite is much cheaper and is still a great way to play the latest Switch games.
Another area where the Nintendo Switch OLED has a clear advantage over the Nintendo Switch Lite when it comes to gaming is that it has 64GB of internal storage instead of 32GB. This means that you’ll have more room to play if you want to download your games digitally from the Nintendo Switch online store.
However, you can expand the storage of both Switch consoles thanks to the microSD card slot, which supports compatible cards of up to 2TB. These tend to be cheap, especially during events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday, so it’s quite a difference.
Comparison of Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch Lite: Verdict
Nintendo’s updated Switch OLED model will no doubt appeal to newcomers who want the best Switch experience available. But the Nintendo Switch Lite is still a compelling proposition due to its cheaper price point and more portable form factor.
While you can’t go wrong with either model, the OLED Switch offers more flexibility, as you can play on the go or on your TV when docked. However, it won’t look any different than the original Switch when playing on the big screen, as Nintendo has opted for 4K output. Where it shines, though, is in manual mode, thanks to its vibrant and larger OLED display.
The choice between the two consoles tends to come down to how you expect to use the Switch. If you can’t picture yourself playing in any other way than handheld mode and want a more compact form factor, the Nintendo Switch Lite might be the way to go. If you want to enjoy everything the Switch has to offer, including TV mode, handheld mode, and tabletop mode, we recommend the pricier Nintendo Switch OLED.
- What is the difference between Nintendo Switch OLED and Nintendo Switch?