Nintendo Switch Lite Coming Sept. 20, Handheld Only

By Andrew E. Freedman
published

Nintendo Switch Lite. (Image credit: Nintendo)

Nintendo today announced the Switch Lite, a $199.99 variant of the Switch that's only be playable in handheld mode. It will debut on September 20 in four colors: yellow, gray, turquoise and a limited edition "Zacian and Zamazenta Edition" for Pokémon Sword and Shield.

This means that the Joy-Con controllers are built into the system and aren't removable. It's also not compatible with the Switch dock. In addition, the Switch Lite's Joy-Cons won't have the HD Rumble or IR motion camera.

There are a few other spec differences. The regular Switch is 9.4 x 4 x 0.6 inches, and the Switch Lite is 8.2 x 3.6 x 0.6 inches, making it far more pocketable. It's also lighter, at 0.6 pounds compared to 0.9 pounds for the regular Switch. The touch screen is just 5.5 inches, compared to the original's 6.2-inch display. The original Switch has a 720p resolution and the Switch Lite will, too.

Oh, and the Switch Lite's left controller has a D-Pad, which the original switch lacks because removable Joy-Cons can be used as individual controllers.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
-Nintendo SwitchNintendo Switch Lite
Dimensions9.4 x 4 x 0.6 inches8.2 x 3.6 x 0.6 inches
Weight0.9 pounds0.6 pounds
Battery Life2.5 - 6.5 hours3 - 7 hours
Joy-ConsDetachableIntegrated
HD RumbleYesNo
IR Motion CameraYesNo
Touch Screen6.2-inches, 720p5.5-inches, 720p
Gaming ModesTV, Tabletop, HandheldHandheld

Nintendo suggests it will last three to seven hours on a charge, which is slightly higher than the 2.5 - 6.5 hours it predicts for the original Switch, though both ranges depend on which games you're playing.

It appears that the Switch Lite is using the same custom Nvidia Tegra processor as the original, but we've reached out to Nintendo to confirm.

The Switch Lite will be compatible with any games that support handheld mode. For the few games that require being played with separate Joy-Con controllers, you can buy those separately, though you'll also need a way to recharge them, which means purchasing a Joy-Con charging grip or third-party docking station

I'm personally looking forward to this, as I play my Switch now almost exclusively in handheld mode. For those who don't care about playing on a TV, this is an easy $100 savings.

Update: July 10, 12:15 p.m. ET - Nintendo confirmed the Switch Lite's 720p display.

Andrew E. Freedman
Andrew E. Freedman

Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Twitter: @FreedmanAE

5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Mandark
    :p.... more moneygrab, less games.... with each console, you get... MAYBE, one zelda game, one mario game, and that's about it. I was done with Nintendo yrs ago, now my son finally quit them as well. what a waste of money and crappy hardware to boot.

    I am disinterested in their greed.
    Reply
  • Exia00
    Mandark said:
    :p.... more moneygrab, less games.... with each console, you get... MAYBE, one zelda game, one mario game, and that's about it. I was done with Nintendo yrs ago, now my son finally quit them as well. what a waste of money and crappy hardware to boot.

    I am disinterested in their greed.

    So let me guess you're more into Sony and Microsoft greed instead because for this is for people that wants the Switch as a handheld only and there is a lot of great games that will support this just the only games that wont are Joycon games like Mario Party and will also be great for people that loves their fighting games as well since it will have a D Pad.
    Reply
  • Giroro
    I feel like Nintendo removed too much of what made the Switch a success for the Switch Lite to be a good value at $199. It would be a different story if they had significantly increased battery life, or kept dock functionality (even if the dock wasn't included), or were pitching a better solution for multiplayer since their online service is pretty very not good.
    It's totally fine to release a lower priced/lower quality console ala 2DS, but $199 still prices them way out of the "buy them for all your kids" market, even though this seems designed for that.

    As is, isn't the Switch lite basically a less-portable Playstation Vita? I mean, I love my Vita in theory, but that thing didn't exactly sell well.
    Reply
  • AnimeMania
    I liked the idea that you could replace the controllers if they started to act up or wear out. That fact alone might be worth paying extra.
    Reply
  • bloodroses
    Considering that in Japan portable gaming is more popular than traditional consoles, this move makes perfect sense for Nintendo. After all, that is their primary client base. :p
    Reply