The great debate: Nintendo Switch Vs Lite

With the discontinuation of the PlayStation Vita in 2019 and its own 3DS in 2020, Nintendo’s Switch line of consoles became the only truly portable console on the market. While mobile games are currently thriving on smartphones and tablets, iOS and Android can only capture a fraction of the experience offered by Nintendo’s Switch. Classic, well-known game series like Super Mario Bros. and Mario Kart have mobile versions, but the options, pay structure, and smoothness of gameplay leave a lot to be desired for many gamers. Players looking for games with deep, Day-One content and dozens of hours of gameplay don’t consider the mobile vs. Switch debate, but rather the Nintendo Switch vs. Lite debate.

The standard switch plugs into a larger television to enable gaming on the biggest screen in your house.The Switch Lite can’t do that. It’s handheld only. Nintendo Switch battery life depends on the game, with some being more taxing than others. Generally, a fully charged Nintendo Switch will play games for somewhere between 4.5 hours and 9 hours. A battery recharge takes about 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Nintendo Switch initially debuted way back in 2017. The Switch’s versatility sets its hardware apart from typical home-bound consoles like the Xbox Series X and the PS5. Plugged into a TV, the Switch acts like a typical gaming machine. The Switch Lite isn’t so much an improved Switch, as it is a refocused Switch. Some might argue that Nintendo Switch vs. Lite isn’t a necessary debate, as they are for slightly different gaming populations. Ditching the versatility of the original, the Switch Lite is a single form-factor machine that can only be played as a portable system.

The Switch Lite only weighs roughly 10 ounces. The overall size of the system, except for depth, is also smaller, measuring 8.2-inches long and 3.6-inches high. This makes the Switch Lite easier to hold for smaller hands. While the Nintendo Switch Lite battery life outperforms the original 2017 Switch model, the Nintendo Switch battery life of any Switch manufactured since late 2019 is improved as it features an updated battery with the play time listed above.

For the vast majority of gamers, the traditional $300 Nintendo Switch is the better choice simply because of its versatility. Even if you don’t plan to play Switch much on your home television, the fact that you can is paramount. Tabletop mode, with the Switch screen acting as a small monitor, is more useful than you would think if you’re interested in games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

The Switch Lite’s smaller size makes it easier for smaller kids to play. The traditional Switch in handheld mode is one of the biggest handheld consoles of all time, and may ever feel slightly too big for some adults. The online functionality is unchanged, offering not only game downloads and online play (through WiFi) but also some entertainment and streaming apps like Netflix or YouTube.

The local multiplayer experience on a Switch Lite is demonstrably worse unless every player has their own console. Additionally, you don’t need to purchase an additional set of JoyCons, which would set you back $80, if you want to play motion-controlled titles. That purchase alone would nearly eat up the $100 savings that the Lite offers.

The one situation in which the Switch Lite is a clear-cut winner is if you are purchasing one to be used by a child or preteen. The smaller Switch Lite will fit their hands better, they may or may not have access to a television to play the Switch in their room (which is likely going to be their most common play space).

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