Opinions on Nintendo Switch Lite nowadays?

[AlyssaAC]

Hi everyone! Just got a few questions here. I’ve had my Switch now for a couple years and I’m starting to notice some problems with it, so I’m thinking of buying a new Switch. Here’s the thing, I don’t really play on my tv, as I’m more of a handheld gamer than a tv gamer, so I’m thinking of just going with the Switch Lite, but I’m curious to see if anyone has been having problems with theirs today. The reason I ask is because of joycon drift. Is it still bad today and will I be okay to buy a Switch lite without any problems? This can be answered by anyone, even those who either just bought a Switch lite or had one for a while. Just want to make sure I’m safe to get one or if I should just go with the regular Switch.

 

[Croconaw]

I haven’t personally had any problems at all with joycon drift. I never saw it as bad and I think the Switch Lite is a way better value, especially if you’re only using it handheld. I prefer handhelds when it comes to Nintendo. I’ve had two different Switch Lites and I haven’t had any problems with either of them.

 

[DarkDesertFox]

What are the main problems you're having with your current one? I still don't think the Switch Lite is worth it. Even if you don't plan to use it on your TV, it still locks you out of games that are purely motion control involved like Super Mario Party unless you use a separate pair of joycons. This also includes games that utilize motion control features like Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Luigi's Mansion 3, etc. If you have a friend or someone you want to do a co-op game with, it'll also be more awkward to play on a tiny screen. The Switch Lite lacks any kind of rumble feature without using external controllers. While people experience drift differently, it CAN happen with extended use. It's nice to have the option to swap out the joycons if needed as well as being able to open and fix a joycon rather than opening the console itself. I'm not sure how much online multiplayer you do, but some games really benefit from the ethernet cable which is only doable with a dock.

My opinion sounds kind of harsh, but I just always like to look at if something is really worth the price cut. It honestly isn't a bad option. For me personally, I like to have all the stuff I mentioned. If you do go with it, I'd recommend getting this grip. I use the regular Switch version for handheld mode all the time and can't play without it it's just too comfy.

 

[AlyssaAC]

What are the main problems you're having with your current one? I still don't think the Switch Lite is worth it. Even if you don't plan to use it on your TV, it still locks you out of games that are purely motion control involved like Super Mario Party unless you use a separate pair of joycons. This also includes games that utilize motion control features like Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Luigi's Mansion 3, etc. If you have a friend or someone you want to do a co-op game with, it'll also be more awkward to play on a tiny screen. The Switch Lite lacks any kind of rumble feature without using external controllers. While people experience drift differently, it CAN happen with extended use. It's nice to have the option to swap out the joycons if needed as well as being able to open and fix a joycon rather than opening the console itself. I'm not sure how much online multiplayer you do, but some games really benefit from the ethernet cable which is only doable with a dock.

My opinion sounds kind of harsh, but I just always like to look at if something is really worth the price cut. It honestly isn't a bad option. For me personally, I like to have all the stuff I mentioned. If you do go with it, I'd recommend getting this grip. I use the regular Switch version for handheld mode all the time and can't play without it it's just too comfy.

Thank you for replying and your opinion isn’t that harsh at all! My games have been loading pretty slowly, much more slowly then it used to. I’ve also had several of my games freeze on me from time to time. I’m not sure if those are problems with the Switch itself or not. The only other problem that I can think of that does concern me is the fan. A good majority of the time I’ve noticed is when I turned it on, it starts running excessively. My mom’s first Switch did the same thing before it stopped running. I think the fan was going out and so is mine now. Also, I don’t really use online that often, other than to trade in New Horizons and maybe get on the internet for Pokémon, so I wouldn’t really need all the extra features that the regular Switch has. That’s why I was thinking of the Switch lite.

 

[DarkDesertFox]

Thank you for replying and your opinion isn’t that harsh at all! My games have been loading pretty slowly, much more slowly then it used to. I’ve also had several of my games freeze on me from time to time. I’m not sure if those are problems with the Switch itself or not. The only other problem that I can think of that does concern me is the fan. A good majority of the time I’ve noticed is when I turned it on, it starts running excessively. My mom’s first Switch did the same thing before it stopped running. I think the fan was going out and so is mine now. Also, I don’t really use online that often, other than to trade in New Horizons and maybe get on the internet for Pokémon, so I wouldn’t really need all the extra features that the regular Switch has. That’s why I was thinking of the Switch lite.

I was running into some major problems with one of our Switch consoles out of nowhere with freezing, crashing and other issues. I finally pinpointed the source to the microSD card. After swapping that baby out it started to work again. Not really sure why it started misbehaving out of nowhere, but if you use a microSD card on yours that might be why you're running into some issues. If so, it could be worth investing in a new one and moving everything over instead of a new console.

 

[AlyssaAC]

I was running into some major problems with one of our Switch consoles out of nowhere with freezing, crashing and other issues. I finally pinpointed the source to the microSD card. After swapping that baby out it started to work again. Not really sure why it started misbehaving out of nowhere, but if you use a microSD card on yours that might be why you're running into some issues. If so, it could be worth investing in a new one and moving everything over instead of a new console.

Oh, wow! Didn’t realize the sd card could cause some issues. I’ve had the same one in my Switch since I got it a couple years ago. I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you!

 

[VanitasFan26]

Since I bought the Switch Lite from last year just to have a 2nd island with ACNH I will give my honest thoughts on it. I mean for it being a handheld console its not so bad. It reminded me so much of when I used to play GBA games when I first got the Gameboy Advance (man I miss that thing). Also for it being called "Switch" lite you can't really like take the controllers off because its attached to the system.

You can use your old Joy Cons on it but I didn't see the point because I had issues where they wouldn't connect. After messing around with it I got it to work. The Switch Pro Controller does work with it, but I gotta be honest these controllers won't do you much. You're better off with the original Switch or OLED version if you wanted to play on the TV.

The Switch Lite was designed to be mostly taken on the go so if you were thinking about using it for your TV its not possible to connect it to the TV. Before you ask the original Switch Dock is not compatible with the Switch Lite so it won't work either. So if you're looking for a handheld system for both TV and taken on the go then get the latest Switch which is the OLED, but if you don't care about playing your TV and your someone who is on the go most of the time, the Switch Lite is a great solid choice to get.

 

[TurnipBell20]

To be honest, I was never a fan of the Switch Lite. I don’t get it. Just spend a little more money and you have an actual Switch that is not so limited. Some games don’t work on the Switch Lite (games that use motion controls a lot). And eventhough you usually don’t play on the TV, the possibility to do so can be useful when playing certain games. I would go with the normal Switch. I don’t mean to criticize anyone who has the Switch Lite, but in my opinion the Switch just wasn’t made to be a handheld only.

 

[Xara]

if you mostly play in handheld mode, i think a switch lite would be your best option. no sense in paying $400+ for a console that you only use one mode of when you can pay around $260 for a console that is strictly handheld. i only like handheld consoles myself, and i don’t regret my choice of going with a lite over a regular switch.

however, i’ve had my switch lite since february/march 2020, so my answer might not be exactly what you’re looking for. i’m not sure what joycon drift is like with switch lites nowadays, but mine’s pretty bad lol. it started a few days after i first started using it, and it’s just gotten progressively worse since. i still recommend the lite for the price difference alone, though.

 

[deana]

I have had my Switch Lite since May 2020 and as of now: I have no joy con drift *knocks on wood*
Based on what I hear from other peoples experiences this could be mostly luck but I do out of habit like to use the d-pad a lot where I can

I do 100% agree with everything said about the Switch Lite limitations, but it's up to you to know your own play style and if these things matter to you personally. For me, they don't and I'm perfectly happy with my Switch Lite. I really consider it to be the successor to my 3DS not the successor to my previous TV consoles.

Also just a small tidbit, it is physically lighter and I find that to be more comfortable vs when I have held other peoples regular Switch.

Disclaimer: I don't actually own a TV at the moment so that was a factor in my decision lmao

 

[AlyssaAC]

Thank you everyone who has commented so far. Funny thing is, (of course Murphy’s law) my switch started working again, so it’s all good for now.

I don’t know why, but it always seems like once I start worrying or complaining about something, it always fixes itself or goes back to normal. Weird…

I will however try to keep my Switch clean and well taken care of for now on. I’ve been kinda slacking cleaning it off every now and then. Stupid sweaty hands of mine…

 

[nightglow]

The switch lite I had I sold cuz of being annoyed with Nintendo on various things and my spouse is getting me a Deck. After about a year of using it I had to replace buttons on it. I've never had to replace buttons on anything. I never experienced drift on it. The switch is said to run games little better than the lite. Personally I would just go for a regular switch over a lite if you do not mind the weight and if your not wanting a Deck.

 

[Alienfish]

As someone who switched (lol) to a 2019 OG Switch model, Lite is so much worse for me, might be that I broke my Lite from start and the drift was really bad so I had to get another one but it's definitely worth chopping an extra $100 for an OG one unless it's more expensive than that.

I also felt Lite being low budget it was rather noticeable on the buttons and it got hot really fast from playing. Screen size was alright I suppose and honestly it's not so much more Lite to me other than being low budget and yeah drift annoyed me since I can't really send it to Ninty here nor fix myself so.. shrug.

And the OG is definitely not that heavy, and works fine with baby hands that I have too. So yeah I'd say price were definitely a factor when I got my Lite back in 2020, OG ones were still expensive here.

Good luck in the future though, and glad that yours work!

 

[azurill]

That’s great that your switch starting working again. I have two switch lites. One I got in March 2020 and the second I got in January 2021. Have not had a problem with either of them. I prefer handheld gaming so it made sense for me to get the lite.

 

[Romaki]

Personally I'd be way too worried about not being able to replace the joycons.

 

[Pintuition]

I have both a regular switch and the lite. I "upgraded" from the lite to the regular in 2020. Since late last year I have almost exclusively switched back to just using my lite, it wasn't worth it.

I have to admit that I prefer the lite much more as the regular switch is heavier and almost too large to use handheld for me. If you have smaller hands or don't mind the screen being slightly smaller I'd say the lite is the way to go. I've never had a problem with mine drifting or anything. My regular switch, on the other hand, is sparingly used but gets super hot easily and the joycons are already starting to creak and show signs of wear. I rarely play on the tv as well so not being able to do that is not a deal breaker. Keep in mind though it doesn't rumble on the lite so some games might be missing key features (i.e., can't feel fish has hooked in NH, etc.).

That said, if I was forced to choose between the two I'd choose my lite any day. I like how portable it is, it is much easier to store and use in a smaller space. To fix not being able to dock it I just bought a phone stand on Amazon and use that to charge it when I'm not using it. To me, none of the drawbacks of the lite are big enough to stop me using it. I still have it for my main island and use it to play most of the other games I play.