Nintendo released the follow-up to its massively successful Nintendo Switch console, earlier this summer. Now for the holidays, you can jump in and grab yourself the new Nintendo Switch 2 for $450. However, if you missed out on the Switch generation, picking yourself up an older model may not be the worst idea. Right now, Amazon has the Nintendo Switch OLED on sale for 10% off. That brings the price down from $400 to just $360 for a limited time. You end up saving yourself $40 from its current retail price, but more importantly, you save yourself $90 over picking up the Switch 2.
Although the Nintendo Switch initially launched way back in 2017, the company has introduced a new wave of hardware more recently in between that and the new Switch 2. The Nintendo Switch OLED debuted in 2021, midway through the console’s lifecycle, offering significant upgrades over the original model. The standout feature is its 7″ OLED screen, which delivers vibrant, stunning visuals, especially when playing games like Metroid Dread (which released alongside the OLED version).
OLED vs LCD Screen
Even the new Switch 2 doesn’t have an OLED display. It features an LCD screen with HDR, which, while an improvement over standard LCDs, still falls short of the vividness and depth OLED provides. This seems to be a strategic, cost-saving decision from Nintendo, opting to scale back in that particular area (and chances are pretty good we eventually get a Switch 2 OLED in a few years from now). Though, as it stands right now, some Switch games actually look better on the OLED than the Switch 2.
Beyond the screen, the OLED model of the original Switch even has better battery life than the Switch 2. The Switch 2 only totes lasting between 2 and 6.5 hours, depending on the games you play. The Switch OLED’s battery life is anywhere between 4.5 to 9 hours. The Switch 2 does have a larger lithium-ion battery of 5220mAh versus the 4310mAh. Though, because the Switch 2 has a larger display, and is able to run games handheld at 1080p, it drains the battery much faster than the OLED.
While the new Nintendo Switch 2 titles like Donkey Kong: Bananza and Mario Kart World are a blast, the first year lineup of games is still a wee bit light. You may not find it necessary to jump into the new generation just yet and find that the Switch OLED is more than adequate. Afterall, there are thousands of titles available on the e-Shop right now for the first generation Switch. You can hop into great games like Super Mario Odyssey or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There’s also swathes of awesome indie titles supported on the original Nintendo Switch. Games like Celeste, Hollow Knight, and Hades will provide you with hours and hours and hours of fun.
