Turn on the Lite (Switch)!

By now you’ve probably heard of the Nintendo Switch, but if you haven’t, it’s a new type of game console that Nintendo came out with in March of 2017 that puts handheld gaming and console gaming together. One of its biggest features that draws people in is the way that it can easily “Switch” from being connected to your tv to being a handheld gaming device. While these features are very cool, the Switch isn’t very compact, and it has a very short battery life when it isn’t connected. In September, Nintendo released the new Switch Lite, which is a smaller version of the Switch without the removable controllers that was the solution to the problems that the original Switch had. The new version looks very similar to the original but it does have a few differences that are good and effective changes. 

Some of these solutions that the Switch Lite brings are things like its size reduction. In total, the difference in length is about an inch, and it also weighs a little bit less. This reduction in size makes it more compact and portable. The smaller screen size also allows the resolution of the screen to look brighter and sharper. Since the new Switch is all together now, they made an improvement to the buttons, and there is a D-Pad on the left side instead of four directional buttons that are on the Joy Cons. Another feature that people have been really excited over is the three different colors that the Switch Lite is available in: the colors are grey, yellow, and turquoise. While the OS is the same for both versions of the Switch that are available, meaning the Switch Lite has most of the same features as the original, the Switch Lite comes with an updated and smaller Tegra chip, which allows for a longer battery life that was lacking on the full-sized Switch. When running games like “Link’s Awakening” at 50% brightness, the Lite lasts about 4 hours, but it can last up to 7, depending on the game you play and the brightness at which you play it. Another thing that is cool about the Switch Lite is that it is really the only updated handheld console that is available at this time. 

There aren’t many cons to this new version of the Switch, and the few that are there aren ́t deal breakers for the smaller console. One of the cons is that it doesn’t have Bluetooth support, so you can’t use anything wireless along with your Switch Lite. One of the cons to buying it is the lack of TV mode that the Switch Lite has. Because of this, you also aren’t able to play the full library of Switch games because some of the games can only be played in that mode. Another drawback is the lack of motion controls. But all of these cons don’t outweigh all of the improvements that were made to the Switch with this updated console. So, all in all, this new addition to the Nintendo Lineup is a great new idea for anyone who is a very avid handheld gamer, and I would definitely recommend looking into it.