Nintendo Switch Lite

[x7q3]

The Switch Lite looks really cool and slick, but I think 200 dollars is a bit too much. It should be at most 150 dollars.

I'm certain plenty more people would buy it at $150.

It has less features and functionality, compared to Nintendo Switch. But if you want a solely handheld system, the Lite seems practically perfect.

I wonder if Nintendo will cease production of 3DS in the future, and just produce the Lite alongside the regular Switch.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by x7q3

The Switch Lite looks really cool and slick, but I think 200 dollars is a bit too much. It should be at most 150 dollars.

I'm certain plenty more people would buy it at $150.

It has less features and functionality, compared to Nintendo Switch. But if you want a solely handheld system, the Lite seems practically perfect.

I wonder if Nintendo will cease production of 3DS in the future, and just produce the Lite alongside the regular Switch.

I thought the 2DS line was already OOP.

[heyadol]

Since Nintendo is unlikely to release a Switch successor this year, I hope they release an OLED Switch Lite. Every game I play on OLED Switch looks so good, but the Switch light having an actual d-pad is a huge improvement.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by heyadol

Since Nintendo is unlikely to release a Switch successor this year, I hope they release an OLED Switch Lite. Every game I play on OLED Switch looks so good, but the Switch light having an actual d-pad is a huge improvement.

The thing for me is that I like the hybrid portable/console option, making the Switch Light unappealing to me in all respects other than it having an actual D-Pad.

Nintendo really needs to just F-ing make Joy-Cons that don't drift and have an actual D-Pad.

I know they like having the individual buttons so that the two joy-cons can be used as separate controls, and from a certain perspective that is kind of a good thing for families with kids who don't want to buy a ton of extra controllers.

But the lack of a proper D-Pad hinders gameplay for certain games, and most people are likely using both Joy-cons together as a single controller. So the fact that there isn't at least an official first party option with a D-Pad is really absurd.

[heyadol]

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

The thing for me is that I like the hybrid portable/console option, making the Switch Light unappealing to me in all respects other than it having an actual D-Pad.

Nintendo really needs to just F-ing make Joy-Cons that don't drift and have an actual D-Pad.

I know they like having the individual buttons so that the two joy-cons can be used as separate controls, and from a certain perspective that is kind of a good thing for families with kids who don't want to buy a ton of extra controllers.

But the lack of a proper D-Pad hinders gameplay for certain games, and most people are likely using both Joy-cons together as a single controller. So the fact that there isn't at least an official first party option with a D-Pad is really absurd.

Yes, the hybrid feature letting you dock the system and connect to an external display is the biggest problem with the Switch Lite, but for handheld mode it is the best version. Regular Switch feels flimsy as a handheld so I'd rather just play docked with a Pro Controller, but then I miss out on that terrific OLED display. I suppose the other option would be a Pro Controller version of the Switch Lite, guessing we will see how popular that design is this fall when PSQ is released.

[dyne]

My main issue besides the ones stated already with the Lite is that the joycon are attached. When they go tits up you're sending the entire system in.

I've held off getting an OLED. Always thinking I'll get it and the new console would be announced shortly after. Luckily I missed out on the $280 Prime Days deal. But man, I just tried playing my launch model after waking up and could barely see the screen even with the shades drawn.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by heyadol

Yes, the hybrid feature letting you dock the system and connect to an external display is the biggest problem with the Switch Lite, but for handheld mode it is the best version. Regular Switch feels flimsy as a handheld so I'd rather just play docked with a Pro Controller, but then I miss out on that terrific OLED display. I suppose the other option would be a Pro Controller version of the Switch Lite, guessing we will see how popular that design is this fall when PSQ is released.

I don't have the OLED version, so I cannot confirm this first hand, but I thought I heard something about that version being sturdier than the regular version (I could be wrong... and even if there is an improvement, I don't know how big of a difference it is).

I have the regular Switch, and I know what you mean about it feeling flimsy (I do have something that helps with this... more on that further down). I bought my original Switch at launch. I took good care of it. I didn't abuse it or anything. But over the course of using it, I could tell that gradually the joy-cons fit in the rails more loosely than they originally did.

It also started developing cracks on the back plate, which other people started having. It seemed that from just trying to hold it and play it, with it being kind of flimsy and the joy-cons fitting a little loosely, it was causing stress on those areas and caused the cracking.

At one point I bought a new backplate and replaced it.



The other issue for me is that with the joy-cons being so thin and not ergonomic, my hands would really cramp up. For a while I was looking for a good solution to this, but early on there weren't many.

Then Satisfye came out with the first version of the grip (which I bought, and later upgraded to the 2nd gen version). Both of those versions only fit the original version of the Switch. They have a newer version that will fit both the regular Switch and the slightly wider OLED version. I haven't bought that newer version because frankly I have no reason to. (They also have separate versions for the Lite as well).



While my main reason for buying it was for the ergonomic issue, it also helps to stabilize the Switch and give it extra support (since it goes all of the way across the back, and the Switch even rests on those two curved areas at the bottom), making the combo of the Switch and this grip collectively much less flimsy.

I started using one of these with my original Switch, and didn't have any further problems with it cracking after swapping out that back plate. At one point I traded that Switch in for a newer one after they revised the internals, allowing it to run on a somewhat lower amount of power and therefore having longer battery life (even though it was the same size of battery). At the time Gamestop had some really ridiculously good trade-in deal where I think it cost me less than $100 when all was said and done (it may have even been something like $70, but it's been a long time, so I don't quite remember exactly).

I've consistently been using one of these grips with that Switch since I got it, and now a few years later, I've never run into any problem with it cracking.



For the D-Pad problem, I've been the Hori D-Pad controller (which had no battery and only works when connected directly to the Switch), which replaces the left joy-con.



It works pretty good overall. It does not have any of the motion control features. It works best with games that don't require motion controls and where a D-Pad comes in handy (particularly fighting games for me, though there are others as well). I swap between this and a regular left joy-con as needed.

It's pretty good for what it is. I do wish the build quality was a bit better. I have a few of them. Most have held up well, but I have at least one that, while technically functional, is kind of difficult to use now just from wear and tear.


This D-Pad controller is also why I ended up getting the 2nd gen version of the Satisfye grip. It is shaped a bit differently than a regular joy-con, especially on the back, and really didn't fit in the 1st gen version without really forcing it in... and I didn't want to break anything or make the rails any looser than they were already.

Prior to that 2nd gen version coming out, I was stuck in a catch-22 situation of wanting to use the grip, and wanting to use this D-Pad. Finally when they came out with that, giving a little extra wiggle room that would work with either option, I got one immediately.


I know there are other- 3rd party options out there to completely replace the joy-cons with other controllers that are ergonomic and have a D-Pad. I tried the Hori Split Pad, but I didn't like it as much as what I already had. I haven't bothered with others.

In addition to the overall controller quality of 3rd party options varying, the other issue is that most of these options that completely replace the joy-cons simply attach to either side of the Switch like the joy-cons do. Since they don't have something supporting and stabilizing the entire Switch like that grip does, I just worry that they wouldn't be good solutions.





But all of this really illustrates my love/hate relationship with The Switch.

I have own every Nintendo console from the NES up to the Switch. Here is how I rank them:

-NES/SNES (hard to decide which is #1 over the other, and I admit Nostalgia plays a huge part in that).
-Switch
-Gamecube
-Wii U
-Wii
-N64

(to be clear, I still enjoy the systems at the bottom of the list, but they just don't rank higher than the others for me).

So, the Switch is rather high up there for me.

But it is also the system that I have the most frustrations with. Between Joy-Con drift (which I have dealt with to some extent) and all of the the above issues (other QC problems like the flimsiness, the lack of a D-Pad, lack of being ergonomic in the day and age), more than any other system they've made, it's one that I've felt the most need to have to try 3rd party options and go through a lot of trial-and-error just to get it to a place where I can use it in a manner that is comfortable, functional, and won't break (joy-con drift not withstanding). It's just frustrating as hell.


As much of a failure as the Wii U was, I have to say that the gamepad/tablet is excellent. It is VERY sturdy with great build quality. While not perfect, it is rather ergonomic. It has a proper D-Pad and the controls overall feel great. Honestly if the Switch in portable mode had been more similar to the Wii U Gamepad (just with a bigger screen, the better power/resolution/etc of the Switch, and the Switch's motion controls), but could still be docked, that would be nearly perfect for me.

I will say that from an ergonomic standpoint, that grip that I have for the Switch is probably better than the Wii U gamepad, but the gamepad is still more than good enough IMO that I would have been perfectly happy with the Switch being similar.

I get that they wanted the Switch to have a smaller footprint since it is meant to be fully portable, but I think it is more of a compromise than was necessary in that regard.

[heyadol]

Originally Posted by dyne

My main issue besides the ones stated already with the Lite is that the joycon are attached. When they go tits up you're sending the entire system in.

I've held off getting an OLED. Always thinking I'll get it and the new console would be announced shortly after. Luckily I missed out on the $280 Prime Days deal. But man, I just tried playing my launch model after waking up and could barely see the screen even with the shades drawn.

Good point about the Joycon, it's a big problem even if it doesn't affect everybody. Technically not worse that sending in any hardware for repair, but definitely a hassle (took ~6 weeks to get a 3DS back for a broken L shoulder button).

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

I don't have the OLED version, so I cannot confirm this first hand, but I thought I heard something about that version being sturdier than the regular version (I could be wrong... and even if there is an improvement, I don't know how big of a difference it is).

I have the regular Switch, and I know what you mean about it feeling flimsy (I do have something that helps with this... more on that further down). I bought my original Switch at launch. I took good care of it. I didn't abuse it or anything. But over the course of using it, I could tell that gradually the joy-cons fit in the rails more loosely than they originally did.

It also started developing cracks on the back plate, which other people started having. It seemed that from just trying to hold it and play it, with it being kind of flimsy and the joy-cons fitting a little loosely, it was causing stress on those areas and caused the cracking.

At one point I bought a new backplate and replaced it.



The other issue for me is that with the joy-cons being so thin and not ergonomic, my hands would really cramp up. For a while I was looking for a good solution to this, but early on there weren't many.

Then Satisfye came out with the first version of the grip (which I bought, and later upgraded to the 2nd gen version). Both of those versions only fit the original version of the Switch. They have a newer version that will fit both the regular Switch and the slightly wider OLED version. I haven't bought that newer version because frankly I have no reason to. (They also have separate versions for the Lite as well).



While my main reason for buying it was for the ergonomic issue, it also helps to stabilize the Switch and give it extra support (since it goes all of the way across the back, and the Switch even rests on those two curved areas at the bottom), making the combo of the Switch and this grip collectively much less flimsy.

I started using one of these with my original Switch, and didn't have any further problems with it cracking after swapping out that back plate. At one point I traded that Switch in for a newer one after they revised the internals, allowing it to run on a somewhat lower amount of power and therefore having longer battery life (even though it was the same size of battery). At the time Gamestop had some really ridiculously good trade-in deal where I think it cost me less than $100 when all was said and done (it may have even been something like $70, but it's been a long time, so I don't quite remember exactly).

I've consistently been using one of these grips with that Switch since I got it, and now a few years later, I've never run into any problem with it cracking.



For the D-Pad problem, I've been the Hori D-Pad controller (which had no battery and only works when connected directly to the Switch), which replaces the left joy-con.



It works pretty good overall. It does not have any of the motion control features. It works best with games that don't require motion controls and where a D-Pad comes in handy (particularly fighting games for me, though there are others as well). I swap between this and a regular left joy-con as needed.

It's pretty good for what it is. I do wish the build quality was a bit better. I have a few of them. Most have held up well, but I have at least one that, while technically functional, is kind of difficult to use now just from wear and tear.


This D-Pad controller is also why I ended up getting the 2nd gen version of the Satisfye grip. It is shaped a bit differently than a regular joy-con, especially on the back, and really didn't fit in the 1st gen version without really forcing it in... and I didn't want to break anything or make the rails any looser than they were already.

Prior to that 2nd gen version coming out, I was stuck in a catch-22 situation of wanting to use the grip, and wanting to use this D-Pad. Finally when they came out with that, giving a little extra wiggle room that would work with either option, I got one immediately.


I know there are other- 3rd party options out there to completely replace the joy-cons with other controllers that are ergonomic and have a D-Pad. I tried the Hori Split Pad, but I didn't like it as much as what I already had. I haven't bothered with others.

In addition to the overall controller quality of 3rd party options varying, the other issue is that most of these options that completely replace the joy-cons simply attach to either side of the Switch like the joy-cons do. Since they don't have something supporting and stabilizing the entire Switch like that grip does, I just worry that they wouldn't be good solutions.





But all of this really illustrates my love/hate relationship with The Switch.

I have own every Nintendo console from the NES up to the Switch. Here is how I rank them:

-NES/SNES (hard to decide which is #1 over the other, and I admit Nostalgia plays a huge part in that).
-Switch
-Gamecube
-Wii U
-Wii
-N64

(to be clear, I still enjoy the systems at the bottom of the list, but they just don't rank higher than the others for me).

So, the Switch is rather high up there for me.

But it is also the system that I have the most frustrations with. Between Joy-Con drift (which I have dealt with to some extent) and all of the the above issues (other QC problems like the flimsiness, the lack of a D-Pad, lack of being ergonomic in the day and age), more than any other system they've made, it's one that I've felt the most need to have to try 3rd party options and go through a lot of trial-and-error just to get it to a place where I can use it in a manner that is comfortable, functional, and won't break (joy-con drift not withstanding). It's just frustrating as hell.


As much of a failure as the Wii U was, I have to say that the gamepad/tablet is excellent. It is VERY sturdy with great build quality. While not perfect, it is rather ergonomic. It has a proper D-Pad and the controls overall feel great. Honestly if the Switch in portable mode had been more similar to the Wii U Gamepad (just with a bigger screen, the better power/resolution/etc of the Switch, and the Switch's motion controls), but could still be docked, that would be nearly perfect for me.

I will say that from an ergonomic standpoint, that grip that I have for the Switch is probably better than the Wii U gamepad, but the gamepad is still more than good enough IMO that I would have been perfectly happy with the Switch being similar.

I get that they wanted the Switch to have a smaller footprint since it is meant to be fully portable, but I think it is more of a compromise than was necessary in that regard.

The only backplate I've tried was the FlipGrip to play games in vertical/tate mode, but it isn't a good fit for the OLED model. Also tried the Hori Split Pad Pro, it is an improvement ergonomically but it still feels flimsy to me.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by heyadol

The only backplate I've tried was the FlipGrip to play games in vertical/tate mode, but it isn't a good fit for the OLED model. Also tried the Hori Split Pad Pro, it is an improvement ergonomically but it still feels flimsy to me.

I highly recommend the Satisfye grip if you want something ergonomic. It does feel great, and helps stabilize the Switch.

They also have a few options in addition to the standard black.

For example, they have one they call the "Mythic Edition", which is designed to match the joy-cons that come with that new Zelda Tears of the Kingdom system variant.

[dyne]

Originally Posted by heyadol

The only backplate I've tried was the FlipGrip to play games in vertical/tate mode, but it isn't a good fit for the OLED model. Also tried the Hori Split Pad Pro, it is an improvement ergonomically but it still feels flimsy to me.

My split pad pro has developed an awful squeak when pulling the L trigger. A drop or two of 91% IPA makes it go away for a bit. Really should open it up and fix it proper.