A brand new Nintendo Switch console has just been announced and this one is looking decidedly… Lighter? Introducing the Nintendo Switch Lite.
Nintendo’s latest offering will do away with the Switch’s dock, opting instead to focus solely on handheld play. As you can imagine, this means you won’t be able to hook the Switch Lite up to your TV, which is a small caveat, but not a deal breaker. This also means that the detachable Joycons will now be firmly fixed to the side of the Lite’s body as a less expensive option for the discerning gamer on the go.
Check out Nintendo’s official announcement video below for a proper look at what’s on offer:
The Lite will come in at a cool $199 (no word on UK or European pricing yet) which is $100 less than the regular model. Not too shabby if you’re looking to get the Switch experience but you’re not looking to break the bank.
With the price point being a good whack lower than that of its sister console, The Lite has naturally lost a few features along the way, but picked up a few benefits. While it lacks the ability to dock with a TV, battery life is reportedly increased to an average of three hours (up from two), while Infared and HD rumble has also been removed. Thankfully though, the systems’ 720p resolution has been salvaged.
Sadly, the smaller frame will also encompass a smaller screen, with 5.5″ (compared to the original 6.2”) on offer. The lack of Joy-Cons will also mean that games taking advantage of their IR sensors will require additional controllers to play in all their glory, but you’ll still be able to make the most of your accessories and Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC are still supported. Not a bad trade-off for the price and portability of the thing, if you’re asking me.
According to The Verge, who were lucky enough to go hands-on with the Lite, the unit is apparently much lighter than the Switch (go figure) but also feels much more sturdy, in no small part thanks to the fused Joycon/body design.
You’ll also have noticed that this model comes in a variety of dashing colour options, with Yellow, Grey and Turquoise available at launch. There’s also word of a special light grey version created for Pokemon Sword & Shield.
Rumours of a ‘Switch mini’ had been banded around for some time, namely with the early release of a wide array of peripherals by third party websites before the thing was even official, but this is the first time Nintendo have acknowledged that it actually exists.
So, I hear you cry, when will I be able to actually purchase the Nintendo Switch Lite for myself? Well, Nintendo have announced that September 20 will be the worldwide release date, which is coincidentally the same date as the Link’s Awakening remake.
All in all, I’d say this is a net win for gamers and Nintendo. Better get saving then eh?
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Mark is the Gaming Editor for UNILAD. Having grown up a gaming addict, he’s been deeply entrenched in culture and spends time away from work playing as much as possible. Mark studied music at University and found a love for journalism through going to local gigs and writing about them for local and national publications.