Nintendo today revealed the hand-held Nintendo Switch Lite, the less expensive alternative to the original Switch, and it will not contain detachable Joy-Con controllers. It cannot be plugged into a TV via USB-C.
The Nintendo Switch Lite costs US$200 which is $100 less than the original Switch.
Featuring a 5.5-inch 720-pixel screen, the Switch Lite will come with an array of aesthetically pleasing colors- Gray, Yellow and Turquiose.
It has been described as being more compact than the original Switch, with the Lite being relatively more slimmer and a little smaller. The outer material of the Lite is matte plastic and solid, and the lack of detachable controllers makes the sides of the device flex or creak much less, comparatively.
The Switch Lite features 32GB of storage, a microSD card slot, the same volume button layout as the original, a headphone jack, USB-C for charging along with the same charger as that of the Switch, along with Wi-Fi, NFC and option of connecting to extra controllers.
Making use of a processor that allows smaller heat vents on the top of the system vouches for an increased efficiency which is expected to extend battery life by up to 30% in the Lite system.
Instead of four buttons on the Joy-Con side of the original Switch, the Lite will come with a new true D-pad on the left side and have the same functions as those of the four buttons found on Switch.
Doug Bowser, President of Nintendo of America, described the Nintendo Switch Lite as “compact, lightweight, dedicated gaming device” that can complement and co-exist with the Nintendo Switch in the market.
There are no plans or nothing to announce, in terms of further variations of Joy-Con – Doug Bowser, President of Nintendo of America
There are a few flaws in the Nintendo Switch Lite. Firstly, the non-detachable controllers would not allow for their replacement in case they wear out. Secondly, the Switch Lite does not allow for any video output because of the non-compatibility of the USB-C port with the Switch dock, which cannot be connected to the TV. Thirdly, the 5.5-inch screen of the Lite lacks an auto-brightness sensor.
Fourthly, even though the Lite is compatible with all handheld-mode-capable Switch games such as 1-2 Switch, Just Dance, it does not work for Nintendo’s Labo cardboard construction kits due to its size. Fifthly, the Switch Lite lacks a kickstand, making it harder to prop it up. Sixthly, the Lite does not have the facility to connect with Bluetooth audio headsets.
But the Lite can act as a companion piece to an already existing original Switch. According to Bowser, the Switch Lite can easily fit beside an original Switch- “… I could see this fitting into a household where there are multiple players … and one flagship Nintendo Switch.”
He also mentions that games and gameplay experiences will be able to be transferred from one system to another.
The Nintendo Switch Lite is all set to release on September 20.
Nintendo does not plan to provide any upgrades to its Switch hardware at present.
