RS Recommends: Can’t Find Nintendo Switch OLED In Stock? Get the Switch Lite On Sale

Switch-Light - Credit: Amazon
Switch-Light - Credit: Amazon

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The Nintendo Switch OLED been nearly impossible to grab for the past few months thanks to increased demand, but if you’re looking for a portable Nintendo gaming console to pick up right now, it’s worth taking a second look at the Nintendo Switch Lite.

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After also being sold out for several months, the Switch Lite is back in stock and on sale right now, starting at just $199 on Target.com and on Amazon (for reference, the Switch OLED starts at $349+ when available online).

Credit: Amazon
Credit: Amazon

Amazon

Buy: Nintendo Switch Lite $199.00

The Nintendo Switch Lite had been sold out for several months due to production shortages caused by Covid-19 (and before that, the Black Friday and holiday rush), but the Switch Lite is back in stock and available online at multiple stores right now.

We found the Nintendo Switch Lite on Best Buy and GameStop for its original $199.99 price tag. Amazon has the Switch Lite for $199 as well, with units shipping now. If you want to save an additional $20, GameStop has pre-owned and refurbished models available right now at a discounted price. Multiple colors are on sale.

Nintendo’s handheld gaming system was a popular purchase for people in 2020, as stay-at-home orders made people reach for their gaming consoles to help pass the time. At one point, resellers were taking advantage of the demand, by selling the Switch Lite for up to three times its price, so it’s worth taking advantage now of the $199 sale price.

The Switch Lite differs from the other Switch consoles in a few ways. The biggest difference is that the Switch Lite is a handheld system only; it cannot be connected to a TV like the regular Nintendo Switch OLED. The Switch Lite’s screen is also smaller, and it has 720p resolution (versus OLED), so games will look crisp but not as detailed as the new model.

True to its name, the Switch Lite is nearly one-third lighter than the regular Switch, which makes it a lot more comfortable to hold and carry. Finally, the Switch Lite’s controllers are built into the console — on the Switch OLED, the “Joy-Con” remotes can be detached.

Despite these differences, the Switch Lite can play all Nintendo Switch games without any reduction in performance. It has all of the same internal hardware, just shrunk down. This includes titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Pokémon Sword and Shield, and the most popular game right now, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Physical Nintendo Switch games are in short supply, but all the games can be downloaded digitally. If you plan on downloading several games, you should get a MicroSD card to expand the Switch Lite’s storage.

The Nintendo Switch Lite is in stock now, but it probably won’t stay like that for long. If you don’t want to wait for the Switch OLED, and you’ve been waiting to get your hands on the console, pick up the Nintendo Switch Lite on sale here.

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