On July 10, 2019, Nintendo officially announced the Nintendo Switch Lite, a version of the console dedicated to handheld mode. The announced US price was US$199.99, and the launch was set for September 20, 2019.
The differences from the original model are clear. The screen is smaller, at 5.5 inches versus 6.2 on the standard Switch. The controls are built into the body of the unit, meaning the Joy-Con don’t detach, and the Lite doesn’t connect to the TV via the dock. HD Rumble and the infrared camera were also left out. Because of this, the Switch Lite only runs games compatible with handheld mode; those that require separate Joy-Con call for extra controllers connected via Bluetooth.
One detail caught my eye, as a fighting-game player: the Lite swaps the four separate directional buttons of the left Joy-Con for a traditional cross-shaped D-pad. For those who play Street Fighter, King of Fighters or Samurai Shodown on the handheld, a real D-pad makes a difference in the precision of half-circles, charges and dash movements. Besides the lower price, it’s a good option for anyone who always plays in handheld mode.
What came next
The Switch Lite reached stores on September 20, 2019, in yellow, gray and turquoise, and later got coral and blue options. Inside, it uses the more efficient 16-nanometer Tegra X1+ chip, with a 3 to 7 hour battery, versus 2.5 to 6.5 hours for the launch-day original Switch, and weighs 277 grams. Special editions followed too: Pokémon Sword and Shield, in November 2019; Pokémon Dialga and Palkia, in November 2021; and a golden Zelda edition, in September 2024.
Where to buy
Source: Nintendo, via Gematsu.
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