On July 10, 2019, Nintendo announced a version of the Nintendo Switch dedicated to handheld gaming called the Nintendo Switch Lite. The Switch Lite is a single unit, integrating the Joy-Con as part of the main unit’s hardware, and uses a smaller 5.5 inches (14 cm) screen. Additionally, a classic D-Pad replaced the four directional buttons on the integrated left Joy-Con. While using a smaller battery than the main Switch, the Switch Lite uses a more power-efficient chipset to extend the estimated use from 2.5-6.5 hours to 3-7 hours on a single battery charge. Because of the integrated Joy-Con, the Switch Lite is primarily limited to those games that can be played in handheld mode, while some other games like 1-2-Switch require a separate Joy-Con to be used.
The Switch Lite was announced on July 10, 2019, and it launched worldwide on September 20, 2019 with an MRSP price of US$199.99. It was available in three colors at launch: yellow, grey, and turquoise.
I’ve spent a good chunk of gaming time with my Switch Lite, finishing up titles such as Zelda Link’s Awakening and Astral Chain and also getting busy with Overwatch and I can honestly say that the Switch lite feels so much better than the Switch.
Now this will of course vary from gamer to gamer but when I used to play the O.G Switch in handheld my forearms would start to hurt an hour or two in any game and it never felt as comfy as the Switch Lite. I hardly used to use the Dock feature as well so most of my playtime with the original Switch was handheld so I can really feel the difference when “Switching” over to the Lite.
That is where I am most satisfied, the lite is so light, you barely feel like you’re holding a handheld, not to mention its fatter design is way more comfortable to hold than the original slim size.
Speaking of the size, it’s a lot easier to carry around too, thanks to its smaller dimensions and lightweight feature. it’s a lot travel friendly compared to its much heavier and bigger ‘big brother’, I should know since I travelled abroad for 2 weeks with the original Switch, and recently took my Switch Lite on a trip as well. It’s crazy how much more travel friendly the Lite is.
Overall the Switch Lite just feels like a sturdier machine thanks to its attached joy cons. It feels like a single piece of hardware and that just makes you feel complete in a way where the original Switch always had a very slight wobble cause of the detachable joy cons.
The Switch Lite is from all sides best at what it was made for, which is being portable. Nintendo did a brilliant job from all sides to make sure that portability stays number one and that’s just what gamers like me want. If you’re a gamer that travels a lot or just want something to play around your house in your different rooms without really wanting to play on your telly, then the Switch Lite will not disappoint.
