Nintendo Switch OLED Review

By: computermaster3

Introduction

The ever-so-popular Nintendo Switch has been a fan favorite for quite some time. With features like portability, versatility, and a great line-up of high-quality exclusives, it’s no surprise that this console has been the hot topic for many. Nintendo has always been a unique console manufacturer in the gaming industry. They tend not to be very graphics-oriented but rather they focus on gameplay and bringing quality games to their platforms. Although the Nintendo Switch is a great console, it is lacking in the hardware department and is in need of upgrading. The Nintendo Switch Lite, released in 2019, was an attempt to give fans a portable-exclusive device that was essentially a cheaper deal. Despite the low price being excellent for gamers on a budget, the lack of TV mode took away from the whole idea of “versatility” with the Switch.

Poor reception led to this variant of the Nintendo Switch receiving mixed reviews and confusion among the fans. The new edition of the Switch was heart-warming, but the lack of a definitive version of the Switch led many gamers to believe that an upgraded version of the Switch isn’t even possible. This would all change, however, as, on July 6, 2021, Nintendo announced a brand-new Switch model coming in the near future. This discovery excited fans, but also begged a lot of questions; for one, was the console even good? Sure, I mean you get a new screen, but is the investment worth it? This review will determine that.

What’s New?

There’s a lot to unravel with the new Switch OLED, but let’s start with the basics. Upon closer inspection, you will notice that there is a brand new 7-inch OLED screen with amazing picture quality and sharper details. Compared to the previous Switch models, the Switch OLED by far has the largest screen size in the Switch family, meaning that portable gamers will benefit from these new changes. Unfortunately, the resolution remains at 1280 x 720p. However, this can be forgiven with the amazing contrast and color variants. These upgrades are unfortunately not applicable to TV mode which means that these features will only apply to the portable side of the Switch. It’s a shame Nintendo didn’t experiment with this and attempted to bring us an upgrade for both TV and portable modes. After all the whole selling point of the Switch was its versatility.

Besides the screen updates, you are also getting some brand-new feature upgrades including a new ethernet port. Having the ability to plug an ethernet cable into your Switch without buying an external adapter is definitely a welcome feature. The new ethernet port can be super helpful for playing online intensive games that demand a good signal. A good example of this would be the popular fighting game Super Smash Bros. All in all, this is definitely a nice feature to have because it will certainly make the online scene of the Switch much more favorable if people take advantage of the ethernet cable.

Other enhancements include a brand-new kickstand, enhanced storage, better sound, and new joy cons. The new kickstand is miles better than its previous counterparts. I can’t tell you how many times I have broken the old kickstand when playing with friends. It was quite a common occurrence. Nintendo has addressed this issue by creating a brand-new kickstand for the Switch OLED. This new kickstand is vastly superior to the previous version. With this new enhancement, players will get a more durable kickstand that will ensure that they get the best experience possible in portable mode.

As for the storage upgrade, well it’s not great. You are getting more storage with this version, yes, but it isn’t significant enough to hold games long term. Chances are you will probably have to buy a micro-SD card or an external hard drive over time as this console doesn’t have the best storage, period.

The sound quality on the Switch OLED is phenomenal. The new Switch OLED puts the original Switch to shame with its incredible speakers. Unfortunately, this feature only applies to the portable side of the Switch, but nonetheless, it’s a very cool addition.

Should You Buy?

The Switch OLED, as cool as it is, has its shortcomings. One major downside of this console is its lack of hardware-based upgrades. This is a huge letdown, as these upgrades could have made this new edition of the Switch more favorable in the eyes of gamers. Another major critique of the Switch OLED is its lack of TV mode features. If the whole point of the Switch is to be both portable and a home console, then why solely focus on the portable side of things? TV mode users will be disappointed to hear that there are almost no changes to TV mode aside from the addition of the ethernet port. Likewise, though, portable gamers will be blessed with a plethora of new portable features like better sound, good screen quality, and a new kickstand. All these features favor portable mode significantly; which means that if you are on portable mode most of the time, then you will benefit from this the most.

For the price of $350, it is definitely not a bad price point for people looking to get into the Nintendo Switch. With that said though, players who have already bought a Nintendo Switch might be disappointed with the overall content of the Switch OLED. Unless you are a hardcore portable gamer or are a huge Nintendo nerd that must own everything, then I just simply cannot recommend this product.