After months of rumors and graphical artists one-upping each other with stunning design renders, Nintendo has officially announced a smaller and cheaper version of its best-selling console: The Nintendo Switch Lite will arrive September 20th at a price tag of USD 199.99 or EUR 199.00.
The refreshed design will be a bit smaller in its measurements and also lighter: 275g compared to 398g. The screen shrinks from 6,2 inches to 5,5 inches – even if that’s not really noticeable in play, as some journalists report after a first hands-on. The resolution of the screen will stay the same at 720p, though. Battery Life will improve by about half an hour per charge to what Nintendo claims will allow you to do 3 – 7 hours of mobile gameplay.
Image: Screenshot Nintendo
In order to reach those smaller dimensions and lower price however, Nintendo seems to be omitting a few features: For one, the new Nintendo Switch Lite is designed to be played in portable mode only and thus won’t be able to be connected to an external screen like a TV or a monitor. This brings it much closer to a replacement for Nintendos older handheld console, the (New) Nintendo 3DS (XL).
Also, you won’t be able to detach the Joy-Con Controllers on either side of the Nintendo Switch Lite – they’re now built in. You can, however, still pair additional Joy-Con Controllers or all the other peripherals you’ve come to know and love (Pro Controller, PokéBall Plus, …). You’ll also notice the controller interface now has a proper D-Pad on the left side instead of the four directional buttons the Switch had.
Image: Nintendo
And of course: One of the big differences is the colors that the console will be available in. While you could order your classic Nintendo Switch in any color as long as it was black, the new Nintendo Switch Lite will arrive in three colors: yellow, gray, and turquoise. In addition, Nintendo will launch a special «Pokémon Sword & Shield» Variant of the Console on November 1st.
[任天堂HP]ニュースリリース「携帯専用『Nintendo Switch Lite』に『ポケットモンスター ソード・シールド』のデザイン『Nintendo Switch Lite ザシアン・ザマゼンタ』11月1日発売」を掲載しました。 https://t.co/WAarSBeLDC
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) July 10, 2019
