2020 survey: How are you playing your Switch?

[Carassius Auratus]

The rare times that I play it, docked. Always.

Almost none of my games feel remotely optimized for handheld play, and the damn thing is too big for a handheld IMO.

 

[Mbolibombo]

Depending on the game!

I play both.. currently playing DQXIS and that's been 100% handheld experience so far.. but I mix and match for the most part

 

[Easystride]

Switch Lite only, no regrets here.

 

[ghibli99]

Mostly portable, but the SN30 Pro+ has me docking my Switch more often due to how comfortable it is to use.

 

[Taco_Human]

Docked only, portability sucks. The joycons suck, it's heavy and causes hand cramps. It was nice in the beginning but meh now.

 

[LuckyLinus]

Hardly use my Switch anymore, but when I do its handheld for travelling.

 

[Aprikurt]

That poll is like a perfect reason for Nintendo keeping this whole docked/portable thing going.

 

[crienne]

Still have an OG, but grabbed a Lite when it came out because I never docked the original and wanted a smaller solution for handheld stuff.

 

[Tali'Zorah]

Nearly entirely portable. I've occasionally used it docked but it's just more convenient to use it as a portable console

 

[Golden Boy]

99% of the time has been docked. I only remember one or two sessions of Tetris 99 in handheld mode.

 

[meaulnes]

These results say a lot about why the concept is so succesful. Almost a normal distribution we have there.

 

[Deleted member 40010]

Portable while travelling, mostly docked at home. If I just want to play a couple of Tetris 99 matches, it's quicker to pick up the Switch from the dock and play handheld. Longer gaming sessions are more comfortable to play docked.

 

[Pankratous]

I only have Pokémon at the moment and I've been playing it entirely handheld. Used to it for those games.

 

[MechanicalWall]

Only ever play docked for Smash. Literally everything else is handheld.

 

[Maxflier]

99% docked.

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

I never plugged my Switch dock into the TV, 100% handheld since launch day.

 

[dreamlongdead]

Chose option 5.

Got the Switch with the improved battery life, because I knew I'd be entirely in handheld mode. Having the ability to go docked is nice, and it's something I'll try down the road.

 

[diablo900t]

I started off being primarily docked, but have migrated to using it about 50/50 portable and docked. During the week, I have smaller stretches of uninterrupted time, and may only have a few minutes here and there, so portable is convenient. On weekends, I can devote more time to a longer session and can play docked.

 

[Deleted member 17207]

50/50. I bring my Switch to work, play it on some breaks, some lunch hours, and then at night if I'm playing a game on my Switch, it's on the TV.

This system was 100% made for me and I never want to go back.

 

[KrillinLikeAVillan]

Always docked using the pro controller, i just cant use it as a handheld, those pathetic tiny controllers do a real number on my carpal tunnel, not that i mind tho since i much rather play it on my nice big tv.

 

[Lobster Roll]

The poll results are so incredibly pleasing to me. This is exactly why the Switch exists.

 

[ramenline]

from 2017-2018, it was 90% portable play, even with multiplayer (we played in the car). since 2019, it's been 50% portable 1P playing and 50% docked when friends come over for Towerfall/Smash

 

[Moz La Punk]

I work from home, so docked always. Love the instant resume and wide game offering. Play it the most from all my consoles. Oh and I use pro controller always.

 

[ShadowFox08]

Docked polls slightly beat portable. It's pretty close to a 40-20-40.

I play docked pretty much 100%. If a switch pro comes out and lets us play at current docked specs or better in it's handheld mode, as well as offer Bluetooth support, I'd be inclined to play portable mode, though majority of my playtime will likely still be docked.

If a traditional non handheld switch variant came out, I would be hard pressed to go back, unless it's for vacation periods.

 

[mhayes86]

Mostly docked, but I love the option to go portable when the need arises.

 

[ShadowFox08]

Always docked using the pro controller, i just cant use it as a handheld, those pathetic tiny controllers do a real number on my carpal tunnel, not that i mind tho since i much rather play it on my nice big tv.

Click to shrink...

You could play the pro controller in handheld mode also.

 

[Tetra-Grammaton-Cleric]

Mostly docked but I also have a Switch Lite which I take with me everywhere.

 

[exodus]

Depends entirely on the game. Some games like Ori just demand to be played on the big screen. I'd say 50/0.

 

[MaverickHunterAsh]

Mostly docked, but I do play it on handheld fairly often as well, mainly when I travel or am out and about with downtime.

 

[NightShift]

Mostly docked. I have big hands so anything but the Pro controller is uncomfortable for me unless what I'm playing doesn't require me to cover all the buttons like a puzzle game or something. I think I need to get a big, chill RPG to play it portably more.

 

[Zukkoyaki]

I haven't played docked in like two years

 

[Mediking]

When I got my Switch at launch, I used it as a handheld but now?

DOCKED, BABY

 

[Mantorok]

Mainly docked. Portable mainly when I want to watch sport on TV and play at the same time or in bed.

Surprised to see people still having drift issues. There are DIY kits on Amazon for 7.99 that do the job.

 

[Professor Beef]

It's too big and clunky for me to consider it a handheld, so it stays docked all the time for me.

 

[DontHateTheBacon]

It's really changed since I first picked it up. For about a year and some change it was strictly docked, all the time, no exceptions.

At some point in 2019, I dunno, just started undocking the thing and playing games. I'm at 50/50 now and it's still amazing that it works exactly as advertised.

 

[Kilbane65]

Docked like 70% of the time. Both of the kids' Switches stay docked almost exclusively due to severe joycon drift.

 

[Kingpin Rogers]

I'd like to use portable mode more often but my joycon are fucked so I'm mostly docked.

 

[Damaniel]

100% portable. I plugged it into the dock to play Octopath Traveler for half an hour once, but that's the total extent of docked play for me.

 

[NioA]

Entirely portable, doesn't make sense for me playing docked.
The home version is a console with a shitty pad, no jack for microphone and worse graphic than my PS4.
The handheld version is the most powerful portable console ever made. There's really nothing to discuss about this for my tastes.
(I always loved the portables, so it's only naturally thinking this way but really, Switch is an incredibile console and I'm still amazed by it after more than 2 years: Dragon Quest XI was a surreal experience, really)

 

[Mark1]

50/50.

Depends on the day and scenario. And how much time I have to play games.

Some days when working from home will just boot it up on my TV for an hour or so for a break. If I'm commuting to work or different cities sometimes I'll take my Switch and play Smash Bros. Or if I'm not finished on a main campaign in another game (such as Luigi's Mansion 3, Zelda, Doom, etc.) and want to complete it when on the bus before work.

This is partially why I use the Switch more than other consoles. I can have it fit better with my overall schedule.

 

[Arithmetician]

I am 50/50, but I'm always playing one game docked and one game portable, and I almost never mix them.

For example, I recently finished Bayonetta (docked) and started Hollow Knight (portable).Even though I was playing them at the same time, I would never play Bayonetta portable, or Hollow Knight docked.

Generally I play full 3D camera games docked and fixed camera (usually 2D, but also stuff like Pokémon) games portable. If I'm in the middle of a big docked game, like Super Mario Odyssey, and travel abroad, I will only play my portable games until I'm back home.

 

[nikos]

Mostly handheld. Since buying the Lite, my regular Switch has been on the dock and hasn't got much use.

Time played also doesn't sync properly between two consoles, so I usually stick with one and I prefer holding the Lite. OG is pretty much for multiplayer now.

 

[evilromero]

Entirely docked. Changing physical games is a pain. Wish they'd make a non-portable version with an uncovered game slot right in the front.

 

[LavaBadger]

I love being able to play it in bed. It has allowed me to easily tackle huge games like DQ11, FE:3H, and Pokemon without irritating my wife by not going to bed with her.

 

[Kyuuji]

Portable all the time and have both the lite and the main. Still was 100% portable when I only had the larger size so went with that.

 

[BizzyBum]

99% docked. OG Switch.

I want to like the Lite for some portable play but I don't know how people play a lot of the games on that thing. The screen is small and UI and text were not made for it in mind so everything is tiny and strains my eyes.

 

[Jaime.GGG]

Mostly handheld. Since buying the Lite, my regular Switch has been on the dock and hasn't got much use.

Time played also doesn't sync properly between two consoles, so I usually stick with one and I prefer holding the Lite. OG is pretty much for multiplayer now.

Click to shrink...

Same here, I just love the dpad, how the buttons feel, the texture of the lite itself and the pixel density of the small screen.

 

[ReyVGM]

I figure most people have gotten into a groove with their usage.

How are you playing it and has it changed from how you originally envisioned?

Click to shrink...

I do not play in public.

I'm shy, guy.

 

[Dr. Mario]

Ha that even split is something.

Mostly portable. TV is to play my backlog of PS4 games, my commute is to play my backlog of Switch games. However if I'm babysitting my kids they obviously prefer Pokemon to Death Stranding, so it does still get quite some use in the dock as well.

 

[Oreiller]

Always docked when I'm home, always portable when I'm away from home.