Is The Nintendo Switch Lite Worth It In 2021

The Nintendo Switch Lite is a slimmed-down handheld-only version of the fantastic Nintendo Switch, but is the Nintendo Switch Lite worth it in 2021? I researched the internet, and used my own experience to find out.

2021 is the best time to buy a Switch Lite with tons of amazing first-party Nintendo games like Breath Of The Wild and AAA 3rd party games like Witcher 3 to play. But the Lite can only be played in handheld, has no detachable joy-con but it is $100 cheaper than the Switch.

I shouldn’t have to tell you if the Switch Lite is worth it is an AMAZING gaming experience! I will explain everything about the Switch Lite and how it compares with the original Switch and which one you should get.

If your interested in getting the Switch Lite for the best possible price check it out on Amazon here

Why The Switch Lite Is Worth It In 2021

Nintendo Switch Lite Has Amazing Exclusives

Sure on the surface games like Breath Of The Wild and Mario Odyssey might appear childish, with the cartoony graphics and lack of realistic violence but if you let this put you off you are missing truly special gaming experiences.

Breath Of The Wild flat out is one of the best games ever made. Don’t believe me? It is 97% on Metacritic and won 189 game of the year awards!

That’s a lot of rewards! Nintendo games are famous for being of the highest quality, and with Breath Of The Wild 2 releasing sometime between 2021-2022 there will be even more reasons to have a Switch!

Similarly, Mario Odyssey is 97%, and the reason I bought a Switch the fantastic fighting game Super Smash Bros Ultimate is 93%! I could go on again and again about numerous Nintendo exclusives and how well rated they are but you get the point.

Sure I am just some guy on the internet, but check this Reddit thread of numerous adult gamers JUST like you who bought the Switch and are LOVING it. The user ExcessiveGravitas quote below is just one of many who never played an exclusive Nintendo game but are loving the time spent gaming.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Zelda, to a degree that has honestly surprised me. Ive never played a Zelda game before, nor an open-world game, nor any 3D games other than Portal. And yet I’ve sunk 200+ hours into it, defeated Ganon, and am still playing and enjoying it

ExcessiveGravita

Just like in life in gaming appearances can be deceiving. Don’t let the childish look of a game put you off, as it could be one of the best games you ever played!

Nintendo exclusives also don’t drop in price, one reason is you can ONLY play them on a Nintendo console, to see the other reasons see my post here.

Nintendo Switch Lite Is Perfect For Pick Up And Play

If your married or have kids or never have the living room TV to yourself to play games, I’d argue the Switch Lite is not just worth it, it is the BEST console for you! Let me explain.

If you want to play a PS4 or Xbox One you need a TV to play the system on, not the case with the Switch. In the Reddit users, ExcessiveGravitas words the ‘Switch is the perfect bridge between the two worlds’.

The Switch Lite gives access to amazing blockbuster gaming experiences with similar portability to your mobile phone!

Whenever you have a spare 5 minutes, simply whip out your Switch and get access to tons of excellent games within seconds! Play it on your lunch break or your train commute, or whilst your partner is on the phone!

With the PS4 unless it is always on rest mode it takes some time to boot up and to truly enjoy yourself you need to play in the living room without distractions or another room with a TV.

With the Switch, you can play on your bed, standing whilst waiting for your microwave to beep, or practically any time you can think of. The zero start-up time makes it perfect for adult gamers who think they are too ‘busy’ to do have Switch, honestly it is the perfect adult gaming console!

Other consoles like the PS4 or Xbox simply do not allow this. Does the PS4 allow you to play Witcher 3 on a train? Can the Xbox One? Not it cannot and as an adult, this is where the Switches potential really shines.

I’m a traveler and recently on a trip to China I took my switch and the brilliance of the console appeared before me. All this time spent in commute or in airplanes or hotel rooms is perfect for the Switch and far more practical than bringing an Xbox or PS4 with you or settling for an inferior mobile phone gaming experience.

The Switch Lite is even more portable than the original Switch, check out the dimensions below by dimensions.com. It will easily fit into a woman’s handbag or a mans jean pocket with room to spare.

The Nintendo Switch Lite has a height of 3.58” (91 mm), the width of 8.18” (208 mm), total depth of 1.12” (28.4 mm), and an approximate weight of 9.77 oz (.277 kg). The display size of the Nintendo Switch Lite is 5.5” (139.7 mm) with a resolution of 1280 x 720 px.

Switch Lite Dimensions

I hope I convinced you to buy a Nintendo Lite, honestly is one of the best gaming consoles ever made, but you have an important decision. Is a Switch Lite or Switch right for you? Lets discuss.

Why To Buy A Switch Lite Over A Nintendo Switch

Switch Lite Is $100 Cheaper

In most retailers the Switch Lite will cost you $200-$240 depending on availably with the Switch costing at least $330 and more during times like the Covid epidemic as Nintendo struggled to meet consumer demand.

Nintendo AAA exclusives like Breath Of The Wild do not drop in price, see the interesting reasons why Nintendo games never go on sale here but buying the Switch lite saves you enough money two buy 2 Nintendo exclusives.

The question you have to ask yourself is, do you even somewhat want to play Switch games on the TV? If the answer is yes I recommend buying a Nintendo Switch not a Lite as saving $100 isn’t worth the inability to play on the TV. Get a Switch for a great price on Amazon here.

However, I have a Switch and I NEVER play on the TV mostly the couch or my bed as I love the freedom the console gives me, but certain games like BOTW are better played on the TV and my the Switch I always have that option.

Switch Lite Is More Portable & Comfortable

It is not called the ‘Lite’ for no reason!

The Lite only weighs 277 grams, with the Switch including the Joy-cons weighing in at 397, a whole 120 grams lighter. This may not seem like a lot but after a long gaming session, you will notice the difference, especially if your a smaller person with smaller than average hands.

The Lite has a 5.5-inch screen compared to the switches 6.2-inch screen but as the pixel density is the same on both consoles games actually look more crispy on the Lite, despite the 0.7 screen size difference.

A big issue with the Switch is it’s not super comfortable to play, the Joy-cons are not natural controllers and your hands start to ache after a while, you can buy a grip for Switch like the Amazing Satisfye Switch Grip on Amazon which I own and love but this dramatically makes it bulkier and less portable.

With the Switch Lite due it’s smaller size and more ergonomic design it is far more comfortable to play than the Switch, Satisfye do make a grip for the Switch Lite but it is less necessary than with the Switch.

Both consoles are portable, but the Lite is about as portable as the Switch without the Joy-Cons and is easy to take with you everywhere.

With the Lite you are getting a gorgeous handheld only console that comes in turquoise, grey red, or yellow, and between 3-7 hours of battery life depending on what your playing and your brightness levels.

Charging until full will take about 3 and a half hours and you can always play whilst it is charging, both consoles have 32GB of internal memory and as BOTW takes up 13.4 GB of storage a little under half the memory, an SD card is more or less a necessity

Luckily they are very cheap, I recommend getting a 128 GB which is plenty of memory for tons of Switch games, get it for the best price on Amazon here.

BOTW will drain the battery far quicker than Animal crossing, speaking of Animal Crossing see if it’s worth buying a Switch for.

Reasons To Buy A Switch Lite Over A Original Switch

The Switch Gives You Freedom On How To Play

One of the best things about the Switch is the ability to transition easily between playing docked on your TV and playing on the go, it was it’s biggest selling point when it first released. The Lite sacrifices this option for a smaller place and improved portability

I mean what other console can you play at home enjoying a fantastic single player experience and take it with you on your business meeting across the country?

As an adult, this gives you tremendous freedom on when and how you use the Switch. You CAN choose to play Super Smash in the living room with up to 8 people on one TV and simply take your Switch out and play upstairs in the comfort of your bed. No other console comes close to the flexibility it delivers

Your kids can enjoy it at the back of the car during a long road trip, giving them something to do aside from screaming, and you can enjoy it kicking back whilst the kids are asleep on wherever you choose to play.

Whilst the Switch Lite gives you tremendous freedom on where you want to play, the Switch gives you FAR more freedom. The Switch is the first of it’s kind a true hybrid between handheld and console(my post)

The Lite is superior hand held gaming experience, but having that ability to dock it to play with your family/friends and take it out and play it in the comfort of your own bed makes the Switch so special.

Original Switch is A Better Offline Multiplayer Experience

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKTDbvHJOC0

The biggest problem with the Switch Lite is it’s purely a single player hand held gaming experience. A big part of the Switches appeal is the ability to play ANYWHERE with your friends.

I’ve played multiplayer on my Switch in my friends car, waiting for a lamb doner kebab in a restaurant and waiting for a Kickboxing match. I’m sure life will have me playing my Switch in even more strange places!

Not only does the Lite have a smaller screen than the Switch making multiplayer gaming more awkward it lacks a kickstand to hold the game up for gaming, unlike the Switch.

Yes, you can buy a stand for the Lite, and the Satisfye grip mentioned earlier is equipped with a stand but it is an inferior gaming experience as the smaller screen makes looking over someone’s shoulder to game a pain.

Worse still, for your friends to play amazing local co-up multiplayer games like Super Smash and Mario Kart(see the best local Switch games here) you need to purchase additional Joy-cons which are Super expensive!

Switch Joy-cons have tons of tech inside of them, including a thermal camera and they cost Nintendo $45 each to produce! To learn more see my post.

The Switch Lite does not contain any Joy-cons whilst every Switch bundle will contain 2 Joy-cons so out of the box you can play with one other person. Better still, you can purchase plastic grips that make Joy-cons far more comfortable to use see my review on the best budget Switch Accessory the snail grips here.

Regardless of which Switch you purchase, it is DEFINITELY worth it, but if you even have a slight urge to play on the TV you should buy a Switch over a Switch Lite, after all it is the first of it’s kind a true console/hand held hybrid and one of the best gaming consoles ever made.

Recommend Products

Nintendo Switch Lite(Amazon Link)

Nintendo Switch (Amazon Link)

SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SD Card (Amazon Link)

Satisfye – ZenGrip Pro (Amazon Link)

Satisfye – ZenGrip Go Slim Bundle (Lite) (Amazon Link)