Nintendo Switch vs. Switch Lite: Which Switch Is Best?

The Nintendo Switch is a remarkable game system. It isn't as powerful as the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, but its tablet design lets you easily switch between using it as a home console in its TV-connected dock, or as a gaming handheld with its Joy-Con controllers attached to the sides. The Nintendo Switch Lite is the Switch's little sibling, foregoing the home console mode for a slimmer design and lower price tag. Let's look at how they stack up against each other.

Price

Let's get this out of the way first. The Nintendo Switch is $300, and comes with the tablet-like system, two Joy-Con controllers, and a dock. The Switch Lite is $200, and comes on its own (with controls built into the system). It's a 50 percent price increase for the regular Switch from the Switch Lite. Here's why.

The Switch Difference

The original Switch is designed to flip between home console and gaming handheld with ease. You plug it into its dock so it will display on your TV, or snap the Joy-Cons to the side of the system and remove it from the dock so you can use it like a standalone portable game system. That's the "Switch" part.

The Switch Lite doesn't switch. It only functions as a gaming handheld, and has no TV output. If you plug it into the Switch dock, you won't get the system on your TV (and you might scratch your screen in the process). The extra $100 of the Nintendo Switch gives you that home console functionality with TV output.

Joy-Cons

The Nintendo Switch was built around the concept of Joy-Cons to enable it's switchability. They're simple, wand-like controllers with an analog stick, four face buttons, and two trigger buttons. They're packed full of motion sensors, too. They can be used wirelessly with the Switch, or attached to the sides of the tablet for handheld gaming functionality. The Switch comes with two Joy-Cons, along with a grip to use them like a conventional gamepad.

The Switch Lite is an all-in-one handheld, with the controls built into the device itself. You can still connect wireless controllers to it, but it's ultimately designed for one user as a gaming portable.

The Switch Lite's permanent controls make the system more stable and solid-feeling than the Switch in portable mode, but the history of the Joy-Cons raises an unfortunate possibility. Users have found that, over time, the analog stick on a Joy-Con can develop drift, slightly signalling a directional movement even when you aren't touching it. This is a known issue for Nintendo, and one that has prompted replacement Joy-Cons. That's easy for the regular Switch, but when the same types of controls are built into the Switch Lite you don't have quite as many options. I've used a Switch Lite heavily for nearly a year and not experienced drift, but it is a possibility, just like it is with the Joy-Cons. It's something to keep in mind for the Switch Lite.

Power

In terms of processing power, the Switch and Switch Lite are effectively identical. They have the same CPU/GPU combination, and can play all the same games (except games that specifically require TV mode, like party game 1-2 Switch). Both systems will display games at 720p on their screens, with similar performance. The standard Switch can output video to a TV at 1080p, but that feature is moot for the Switch Lite, since it can't output video at all.

Screen Size

The screens are also nearly identical, though the Switch's screen is larger. The Switch features a 6.2-inch LCD, while the Switch Lite has a smaller 5.5-inch LCD. Both are touch screens with 720p resolution, and get similarly bright and colorful.

Battery Life

The original Switch had modest battery life, lasting 2.5 to 6.5 hours between charges depending on the type of game you're playing. However, Nintendo released a revised Switch, model HAC-001(-01), with a bigger battery that can last 4.5 to 9 hours. Check the specific model of the Switch you're looking at to determine if you're getting the one with the bigger battery. The Switch Lite sits between the two versions of the Switch, with a battery that can last 3 to 7 hours.

Portability

Both systems are designed to be used on their own, on the go. The Switch Lite is a single piece gaming handheld, while the Switch can become a handheld by snapping two Joy-Con controllers to the sides and removing the system from the dock. In this mode, the Switch measures 9.4 inches long and 4 inches high, while the Switch Light measures a slightly slimmer 8.2 inches long and 3.6 inches high (both are 0.55 inches deep). That makes the Switch Light a bit more easy to fit into a jacket pocket.

The Switch's design has a notable portability advantage and disadvantage compared with the Switch Lite. It's already larger, and the fact that the Joy-Cons can be removed means they can accidentally pop free when tossed around in a pocket or a bag. However, the system features a kickstand that lets you prop it up on a table and use it with the wireless Joy-Cons as a tabletop game system. The Switch Lite lacks the kickstand, though you can still connect additional Joy-Cons wirelessly if you want to try to rig up a way to stand it upright yourself.

The Verdict

Both Nintendo Switch models are excellent game systems. One is more expensive and flexible, and the other is more affordable and designed exclusively for portable use. If you're looking for a good console to play on your own, anywhere, the Switch Lite is a good choice. If you want to play on the couch, get the regular Switch.