Nintendo has unveiled the newest member of the Switch family: the Nintendo Switch Lite. Marketed as a console dedicated to handheld gameplay, it doesn't have the full feature of the original Switch, which basically means you can't connect it to a television and it doesn't have detachable Joy-Cons either.
It's scheduled for a September launch, so we have a few months left before we get to try it with their hands. The Nintendo Switch Lite is the first hardware revision for the original Switch, which Nintendo released in March 2017. The newest console will come two and a half years after the original version.
We're still confused why Nintendo didn't reveal the Switch Lite at E3 last month and had to put off the announcement this month. Whatever they're up to, we have no clue, but the announcement is a pleasant surprise.
The Switch Lite is intended to be portable. In fact, that is the focus of the redesign. It's approximately 32 percent lighter than Nintendo Switch, weighing only 0.61 pounds. And as mentioned, it doesn't come with Joy-Cons. The controls are attached to the device itself, with a proper D-pad on the left side. This means that there is no "HD Rumble" feature for the controllers.
Because the Switch Lite is only a portable device, it doesn't come with a Switch dock, and you can't connect it to your TV. The screen is smaller as well but with the same resolution. The Switch comes with a 6.2-inch screen, while the Lite has a 5.5.
According to Nintendo, the Switch Lite "no longer has an automatic brightness sensor, although users can still control brightness manually." it added that the device's battery life is "slightly" improved compared to the launch model. You can play for 3 to 7 hours, but that depends on the type of game you're playing.
The console itself will only work with Switch games that can be played in handheld mode. If a user with a Nintendo Switch Lite attempts to buy a digital game that doesn't support handheld mode, the Nintendo eShop will alert them to that fact. Retail games will have a label on the box to indicate whether they support handheld play.
You can choose between three pretty colors: turquoise, gray, and yellow. Nintendo said it will sell the Lite for $200, so it's a $100 cheaper than the original Switch, which costs $300.
The Switch Lite will be available worldwide on Sept. 20. A special Pokémon-themed Zacian and Zamazenta Edition will be released Nov. 8.
