Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
New Nintendo Switch Lite Coming In September
Nintendo has announced the Switch Lite, a new Switch that supports handheld mode exclusively. The Lite launches on September 20 for the suggested retail price of $199.99 in three colors: yellow, grey, and turquoise.
The unit is smaller and lighter than the Switch – the Lite has a 5.5" touchscreen compared to the Switch's 6.2" touchscreen – and the Lite's integrated controls mean there are no detachable Joy-Con controllers. It also lacks the Switch's HD Rumble functionality and IR Motion Camera. The Lite does, however, replace the Switch's left-side control buttons with an actual d-pad. Nintendo is also saying the battery life of the Lite lasts longer than the Switch. The company says you can play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, for example, an hour longer on the Lite.
Reinforcing the purely handheld nature of the Lite, it does not have a kickstand like the regular Switch, nor does it connect to a TV via video output. Owners can play regular Switch games that support handheld mode. For those that don't, users must wirelessly connect sold-separately controllers. Similarly, Tabletop mode games on the Lite must be played with Joy-Cons connected to the Lite. Compatibility information will be listed on the back of game packaging or in the Nintendo eShop.
The Lite shares the local wireless and online capabilities of the Switch, and up to eight regular Switches and Lites can be linked for multiplayer.
At the time of this writing, Nintendo's website says pre-ordering is coming soon, and at launch a carrying case and screen protector will also be available.
Nintendo has also announced a Pokémon Sword and Shield edition of the Switch Lite for November 8.
Products In This Article
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
