After much rumour and speculation, Nintendo has finally announced a new version of the Nintendo Switch. It’s called the Nintendo Switch Lite, and as expected, it is a smaller, cheaper version of the original console.
Check out the launch trailer below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59yuBFRSZdg
The Switch Lite will launch on Friday 20th September at a cost of $199.99, which should work out to about £160 in the UK. It will be available in three different colours at launch: yellow, gray and turquoise.
Nintendo has described the Switch Lite as a “compact, lightweight console that’s dedicated to handheld play.” To achieve this, Nintendo has removed the support for video output to TV. Essentially, the Switch Lite will feel more like a 3DS. Due to the lack of TV support, games without handheld support can only be played by connecting a compatible controller to the Switch Lite. Everything else in the Switch library of games is fully compatible.
The detachable Joy-Cons have also been removed, replaced by integrated controls, which feature an actual d-pad on the left-hand side, rather than the four smaller buttons on it’s predecessor. Other omissions from the original Switch include HD rumble and IR motion, as well as a smaller screen size. The touch screen of the Switch Lite measures 5.5″; if you compare that to the 6.2″ of the original you can see how Nintendo has managed to drop the weight of the new Lite down to 275g from 297g. (398g with the joy cons)
Small improvements have been made to battery life, however, with Nintendo stating that the Switch Lite will last approximately 3-7 hours, as opposed to the 2.5-6.5 hours of the original.
Finally, in celebration of the release of Pokémon Sword and Shield, a limited-edition Nintendo Switch Lite will launch on Friday 8th November.
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