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Nintendo Switch Lite announced at $199, launches September 20th, "dedicated handheld" (smaller, has D-Pad, has gyro, no HD Rumble, no dock/TV output)
- Thread starter NotLiquid
- Start date
TV out would have been nice, but it literally wouldn't had made any sense when the regular Switch is $100 more and includes docking hardware. To make docking the Switch Lite possible, Nintendo would've had to make an accessory (not necessarily a "dock" like the regular Switch has) to handle USB-C to HDMI out with an AC outlet. Making such an accessory for a console like this would be janky as fuck, which is why the concept of a dock exists in the first place.
Pricing such an accessory would also be problematic as even if it was cheaper than the $90-$100 docks they currently sell, they'd have to price it at least in the $50-$60 range for an official licensed product. It doesn't make sense for someone to pay north of $250-$260 for the ability to dock when they could spend $40 more and just get the device that's actually designed for that.
They were pretty much trapped by pricing of the regular Switch.
Pricing such an accessory would also be problematic as even if it was cheaper than the $90-$100 docks they currently sell, they'd have to price it at least in the $50-$60 range for an official licensed product. It doesn't make sense for someone to pay north of $250-$260 for the ability to dock when they could spend $40 more and just get the device that's actually designed for that.
They were pretty much trapped by pricing of the regular Switch.
For those who wanted the dock option, one message: you can still buy the original console. It's a great machine.
I see. There's still the different clock speeds to consider though. As others have mentioned, they may have scaled down the cooling capabilities to make running in docked mode an impossibility.
Nintendo gonna Nintendo, but I doubt they would remove such an integral feature 'just cuz'.
I can already imagine the nightmare of countless parents buying wrong sized docks
It should be mentioned that Nintendo handhelds have been among the highest-selling, most-profitable systems of their generation.
You don't like the functionality being removed? Cool, don't buy one. This isn't for you, this is for the millions out there that just want "another Nintendo handheld", and will probably sell accordingly.
The rumble for Mario Galaxy works the same with regular rumble for finding moons which the Lite still has.
Ok, I'm interested. I may jump in for 150usd but I'll have to wait until the platform get more games I care about. I guess by the time the next Zelda launches it will be cheaper.
I'm a consumer, not a shareholder. Looking at Switch Lite, I don't find it an enticing proposition at that price point, especially when compared to the docked/original SKU.
to tempt me, it needs to be cheaper.
It doesn't matter how focused it is. Wiring up a connector does not detract from focus.
You are describing the DRM back to me. They pull the native-to-tegra Displayport signal. They do their weird, non-standard power delivery that serves no actual purpose. They also authenticate the dock in a billion different trivial-to-defeat ways.
USB-C Alt Display Mode is a chipset level feature. The Tegra can output Displayport and HDMI natively. You just have to actually do it. The system also supports USB-C Power Delivery.
It's gonna be a real shocker when this thing breaks records over the holiday season and people still complain about no docking.
Same nightmare of parents buying popular games like Mario Party that don't work on their kid's new Switch?
My girlfriend has been hoping for a cheaper Switch, but she's going to be ticked at this. Not being able to play in docked mode kills it for her.
And that's lovely, this product is not for you. But having something cheaper also means you lose features. This is just the way products work.
That's my stance as well. I just replaced both sticks in my daughters Splatoon joy cons.
Because there are literally docks that exist that are basically just a cable, no physical construct that holds the switch up.
Because to remove docking ability in the Tegra chip requires Nintendo to disable it in software. Tegra tv out is fundamentally integrated into the specs.
I just came in here to LOL @ the inclusion of rock climbing in a rock climbing space while someone plays BOTW. that was funny.
Optionality. If you need more, pay more. You want less, payless.
$199.99 x ( Open World Poke'mon + Holiday) = $$$$$$
I actually really like the concept of this, but I'm shocked at how many core features (USPs) are missing here: removable joycons, kick-stand, HD rumble, docked play, instant local multiplayer... it's lost a lot of that unique identity.
The size difference is negligible as fuck when you account for the tablet and the 2nd joycon, which leaves me wondering: what exactly is the point of this version? 200 dollars is still pricey for the segment that you're going after (especially when they bought the 2DS for much cheaper than $200), and the elimination of features makes this arguably a worse value proposition than if you simply bought the base model.
So question for those who have used the transfer save data to move save games between Switches...how long does it take? I'm picking up one for my wife, and we plan to play Pokemon Sword and Shield concurrently, so it'd be nice to know how long we'll be waiting to transfer our Pokemon saves between systems. Also is their any limit to how many transfers you can do?
I'm a deal hunter and admittedly it may be a bit unfair to expect anybody to go deal hunting, but at the same time, if your reasoning for getting the Lite is primarily for the price difference you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to. Used, full Switch bundles for $200 or less aren't readily available but it wouldn't take me long at all to find one.
Or, to be fair, if you're considering it as an alternative to the Lite, you don't even need to compare it to a complete Switch. You could buy a Dockless Switch and have a more direct comparison, and a much easier time hitting that pricepoint. Looking at eBay, tablet-only Switches are readily available for $140, multiple Joycon sets for $55, add a dodgy Chinese AC adapter for $5 (not advised!) and it's right on the money: $200. For the same price as the Lite you can have a bigger screen, HD rumble, detachable Joy-Cons, and an upgrade path for docking later (albeit used condition). Or alternatively, check new listings periodically, check Craigslist, and get the dock included for the same price within a few days.
I haven't seen anyone hate it but we are puzzled by the removal of a core feature of the switch, it just makes no sense just like the people defending it's removal.
That isn't actually true, though, that's just apologist stuff. Chucking some fans in the dock would get you all the way there. Mariko itself gets you the rest of the way. There is no material level of 'scaled down cooling' that enables handheld mode play and disables TV play without an easy solution - the differential can easily be dealt with by external cooling.
While true because of the analogue sticks, this could easily be gotten around if the damned original dock didn't have the stupid lump of plastic on the front that only exists to scratch screens anyway. The dock is so poorly designed.
Ha! People that are disappointed. It's exactly what I thought it would look like. Hope it sells well. This is supposed to be the kid friendly switch version and it's what it looks like. Those high end looking mock up and renders you can only hope the pro looks that way. I think this confirms at best we won't be getting a pro until LATER next year at best.
It's also possible to be disappointed by something, and to criticize the said something.
Ok cool, then buy a second switch. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Or wait for the pro model. This product is clearly not for you and not a missed opportunity to get rid of TV out of it means a smaller package.
Sure, if you want to buy a new system that has a worse d-pad than the $100 cheaper version.Great news.
You can buy one of these:
But there will be a Pro. We knew a Lite and Pro version were coming. Just wait a bit longer.