Lite Savings: The Nintendo Switch Lite Is Marked Down to Its Lowest Price of the Year
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The Nintendo Switch OLED continues to be a popular portable gaming console, but at $350 right now, the Switch OLED doesn’t come cheap. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative or a Switch console on sale, it’s worth taking a second look at the Nintendo Switch Lite.
After also being sold out for several months when it first launched, the Switch Lite is in stock and on sale right now, starting at just $189 on Amazon and just $169 at Walmart.com. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the handheld gaming console all year.
Nintendo Switch Lite – Gray
When it launched in 2019, the Nintendo Switch Lite quickly sold out for several months due to production shortages caused by Covid-19 (and before that, the Black Friday and holiday rush). Fortunately, the Switch Lite is back in stock and available online at multiple stores right now.
The cheapest Nintendo Switch Lite deal is on Walmart, which has the console for $169, with units shipping now. There is no promo code required. If you want to save an additional few bucks, 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 $169 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, especially if you’re taking it on your daily commute or on vacation. 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 on sale now, but it probably won’t stay like that for long. If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on the console, pick up the Nintendo Switch Lite on sale here at Amazon and on sale here at Walmart.
