Shop for nintendo switch lite at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. Shop for nintendo-switch-lite at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. The Switch Lite has more potential points of failure than the Game Boy did, though. And that’s why I’m still so anxious about it. Still, Nintendo clearly knows how to make a handheld that can. The Switch Lite comes in three colors — gray, yellow, and teal — and the entire unit, bezel included, is a uniform shade, so you don’t get the ugly black border of the original Switch. In today's video we showcase and EASY DIY method for docking the Nintendo Switch Lite. Surprisingly, you probably already own the dock required to play the S.

I’m a Nintendo Switch Lite owner and I have buyer’s remorse. It’s not that the Switch isn’t a great console, because it absolutely is. In fact, the console is so much better than I’d anticipated that I can’t ignore everything I’m missing out on. I love the Switch but I regret buying the Lite, and you probably will, too.

My reasons for picking up the Switch were simple: I got nostalgic for my old SNES games, felt like playing Yoshi’s Island, and impulsively went to GameStop to grab a console. I wasn’t deadset on getting the original Switch model. My plans for the gadget were simple — I hadn’t owned a portable console since the near-ancient Sega Game Gear and the idea of being able to carry around high-quality games in my pocket was appealing.

GameStop only had the Switch Lite in stock and I didn’t feel like driving across town in search of its larger sibling, so the choice was quickly made and soon lamented.

I loved the Switch Lite and don’t get me wrong, I still love it. But. But. In retrospect, I wish I had bought the main console for the extra features it offers, the ones I didn’t expect to want but that I now desperately need. The removable Joycons are great, but even better is the ability to play your games on the big screen — two features the Lite totally lacks.

There are some other good reasons to pick up the Switch rather than the Switch light — it has a larger 6.2″ display rather than the smaller 5.5″ offering, for example. The Switch Lite can only play games that support handheld mode without requiring the user to wirelessly connect a separate controller. As well, the Switch has an IR motion camera and HD Rumble whereas the Lite does not.

The only advantage you get with the Lite compared to the Switch is the lower price — but at only $100 cheaper, you’re not saving much compared to the features you’ll miss out on. The larger display on the Switch is easier on the eyes when playing certain games, but the ability to rapidly toggle from handheld to TV gameplay is where the magic happens.

Some games run perfectly on the Switch, but are too visually complicated to play on the small screen — the small details are lost in the chaos and it gets frustrating trying to keep track of everything. That’s not a big deal for Switch owners, of course, as they can drop the console into its dock and fire up the game on the big screen. But try to play DOOM on the Lite and you’ll soon rage quit.

The other key loss is the ability to play with other people, something I didn’t anticipate wanting to do initially — I have a PS5, after all, and that could fit the bill. But whereas the PS5 is massive, the Switch is incredibly portable and there’s something special about being able to bring a small device with you, then fire it up on the big screen for an impromptu round of Super Smash Bros.

Switch Lite Colors

The simple fact is, the original Nintendo Switch can do everything the Lite can, but the Lite is a stripped down compromise to save $100. The savings aren’t worth it in the long-run — if you own a Switch, you’re already prepared to spend generously on games, and saving that extra money by going for the Lite instead of the original console seems to make less sense the first time you drop $50 on a single game.

I still own the Switch Lite and I still love it. But every time my eyes feel strained and I long to see Stardew Valley on the big 60″ TV, I’m reminded of the fact that saving $100 wasn’t worth it. I’ll eventually swap the Lite for the original Switch and regret nothing.

Story Timeline

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Since Nintendo launched the Switch Lite on September 20, I have transitioned to using it as one of my primary gaming devices. And while I immediately fell in love with the dedicated handheld, I’ve had some concerns about durability. I take the Switch Lite with me everywhere. I drag it along around the house, in the car, and any other place you can think of. But I don’t keep it in a case or in a bag. It’s usually in my pocket. And I’ve worried since day one that it’s going to start falling apart.

With those fears in mind, I figured that now is a good time for a check-in. The Switch Lite should hold up for three months even if I am kind of rough on it. But is it actually withstanding everyday use? And even if it is, is it showing signs of wear?

The short answer is that it is in like-new condition. And that’s not due to me going easy on it. I’m not trying to damage it, but I’m not coddling it, either. My kids even get their hands on it sometimes. I’ve caught my 1-year old almost trying to peel the tips of the analog sticks off. And yet, it can put up with everything we are dishing out.

Let’s go over the biggest points of concern.

Nintendo Switch Lite 3-month check-in

Analog sticks

When I find the baby trying to rip off the analog sticks, several more of my hairs turn white. Even before the Lite came out, I figured that these sticks would have the highest potential for failure or damage. That was the case for me with the original Switch. I ran through multiple Joycon controllers because the rubber grips would rub off.

So far, that hasn’t happened here. It’s not even starting to happen. I’m starting to have more confidence that Nintendo really did make the Switch Lite with kids in mind. It doesn’t mean that I’m going to let my child keep trying to demolish it, but it does mean that I feel better about putting it in my pocket.

Buttons

But it’s not just the stick that could fail. Lint could get in the buttons and cause malfunctions or some other problems. But again, the Switch Lite just hasn’t had any of those problems.

I think this is most indicative of solid build quality. Gunk and grime just isn’t finding its way into the crevices around the buttons. The space is too tight because Nintendo has refined its manufacturing process.

Switch Lite Size

Overall wear and tear

Let’s forget about the mechanical components. Is the Nintendo portable holding up aesthetically? Yes. I’m most surprised that it just doesn’t seem to get bumps and bruises very easily. The screen doesn’t have any noticeable dings. And the plastic still has that new-look coating.

Conclusion

A $200 consumer-electronics device should withstand three months of regular use, and the Switch Lite does. But my use drifts beyond “regular” and into “rough,” and I’m growing more confident that the Lite is made for that as well.

Nintendo has made a lot of tough devices. The company’s Nintendo World Store in New York has a Game Boy on display that survived a bombing in the Gulf War. It still works. The Switch Lite has more potential points of failure than the Game Boy did, though. And that’s why I’m still so anxious about it.

Still, Nintendo clearly knows how to make a handheld that can last, and the Switch Lite is in the beginning stages of living up to that legacy.

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