Recently I was thinking about buying a console. I didn’t want to chain myself to the sofa, so I decided to consider a portable option and settled on the Nintendo Switch.
All that remained was to choose one of the three models currently available on the market. The first Switch was released in 2017, and since then the Japanese company has introduced two modifications of it – Lite and OLED. At the end of the second fiscal quarter of 2022, Nintendo reported that cumulative console sales reached 114.33 million units.
Coolest – Nintendo Switch OLED
OLED is the latest version of the console. It didn’t receive new hardware compared to the base Switch, but the screen snatches the coveted points and brings it to first place in our rating. The difference from LCD is best seen in bright and dark games such as Animal Crossing and Metroid Dread. If you play on a sunny day, OLED again has an advantage: what is happening on the screen will be seen better.
In addition to the screen, reviewers note that the Switch now has a good built-in stand. Previously, the console had one leg for support, which opened from the side. The new Switch has a stand along the entire body. This not only prevents the console from falling, but also helps the player choose a comfortable position and makes the device more comfortable.
The main disadvantage of this model is the price. The console costs 7,000–10,000 rubles more than the basic version and almost twice as much as the Lite. But if you want the best Switch experience, you shouldn’t skimp.
Middle option – Nintendo Switch
The standard Switch has everything the same as the OLED except for the screen. It is also 3 mm shorter, 22 g lighter and several thousand rubles cheaper.
The standard model is best suited for those who mainly play at home, in front of the TV. The screen of the console itself is not important in this case, so you don’t have to overpay for OLED.
Basic – Nintendo Switch Lite
The Switch Lite is a cheaper model designed specifically for portable gaming due to its small size. It is smaller and lighter than its counterparts, and has five bright body color options.
There are almost no differences in graphics, display speed, sound design or other characteristics with older models, although it has the smallest screen – 5.5 inches. This console is one-piece, the controllers are not detachable from it, but there are some games that require detachable joycons with a vibration response system and an IR camera . These are, for example, Ring Fit Adventure and Super Mario Party. To play them, you will have to buy additional joycons , which on the Yandex Market cost approximately 5,000 rubles and a charger for them costs 790 rubles.
Team criteria
I looked at the products in the main online stores, read reviews and testimonials on various sites and identified several selection criteria.
Portability. Any of the three Nintendo Switches weighs no more than half a kilogram – from 420 to 275 g. The size of the consoles is also compact – approximately 10 × 24 cm . They will easily fit into your bag and will not take up much space. Battery life on a single charge depends on the model and game, but it is enough to use the console outside the home:
- Nintendo Switch OLED: 4.5-9 hours.
- Nintendo Switch: 4.5-9 hours.
- Nintendo Switch Lite: 3-7 hours.
Screen. The main feature of the Nintendo Switch OLED released in 2021 is the same OLED screen . Past iterations of the Switch have an LCD, the previous generation, which projects light onto the screen from under a layer of liquid crystals. OLED works differently. The diodes here do not scatter light, but create it independently. For example, this achieves the effect of true black, which is important in many games.
In addition, in the latest model the screen has become slightly larger – 7 inches instead of 6.2 and 5.5 inches, although it retains the resolution of 1280 × 720.
Through Nintendo Switch Online, you can access a lineup of classic NES and SNES games, as well as multiplayer. But you will have to subscribe to it from Russia through intermediaries or using a bank card from another country.
Memory. The Switch only has two options for internal storage size – 32GB or 64GB depending on the model. The first thing they advise you to do after purchasing a console is to buy an additional microSD, since games, especially flagship ones, will quickly take up all the free space. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild alone weighs 14.7 GB.
Game modes. Switch is a hybrid console. It can work both in portable mode and in stationary mode, on a TV. Plus, by detaching the joycons, you can play with someone else. All this is true for the base and OLED models . The lightweight Lite operates exclusively in portable mode.