I wonder if it's worth buying a Nintendo Switch in 2024? The Nintendo Switch handheld console was a huge success upon its launch in March 2017, becoming the company's fastest-selling home console to date. But that was six years ago - since then a whole generation of consoles has come out.
The surprisingly strong Nintendo Switch lineup in its first year of sales solidified its appeal. Launch games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, as well as hits such as Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, enabled Nintendo to avoid the terrible software drought that plagued the Wii U and led to that the Switch overtook its predecessor just ten months after launch. To date, over 110 million consoles have been sold worldwide.
Nintendo has continued to add incredible games to the console over the years, but the age of the Switch is starting to make itself felt. The portable console has difficulty with large open worlds, like in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Console modifications such as the Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch OLED were released, which kept the system's sales high, though did not lead to a significant increase in specifications.
Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service (and its premium tier Expansion Pack) has only gotten better in recent years, now offering a cloud-based selection of NES, SNES, N64 and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games that are updated on a semi-regular basis.
While the Switch seems like an indispensable purchase for handheld gaming, it has notable flaws that put it behind home consoles such as the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. If you haven't bought a current-gen Nintendo console yet, but are seriously considering about it, read on to find out if you should buy a Nintendo Switch in 2024.
Nintendo Switch is widely available for sale
At launch, all three Nintendo Switch models initially experienced availability issues. Incredibly often, the Switch has completely sold out both online and in retail. Luckily, Nintendo Switch inventories have bounced back in recent years, and the console hasn't been hit as hard by a constant supply shortage as, say, the PS5.
Currently, the base Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch OLED consoles, as well as some branded special editions, can be purchased from retailers such as Amazon. You can check out our Nintendo Switch Bundle Deal Center for all the best prices to date.
Nintendo Switch consoles - review of each model
The standard model of the Nintendo Switch is the one that was released in 2017, and of the three models currently available. It arguably offers the best value for money, as the base Switch model can be used either docked with a 1080p TV or on the go in handheld mode, which supports a lower 720p resolution.
Unfortunately, Nintendo Switch does not support 4K resolution. This means that without upscaling, playing in dock mode on one of the best 4K TVs can result in a more blurry picture than you'd like. Therefore, we recommend a 1080p display as the best option for watching Switch games in docked mode.
However, the upcoming Nintendo Switch Sports is rumored to feature open source AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution technology. This algorithmic technology can upscale lower resolutions to crisp 4K without compromising game performance. Nintendo may use FidelityFX in future games, which could be fantastic for games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Metroid Prime 4.
If you want your Switch to be exclusively portable, the Nintendo Switch Lite is a good option. It's cheaper than the base model and slightly smaller, but be aware that, unlike the base model, the Lite's Joy-Con controllers don't detach, and the console can't be played on a TV.
Finally, there's a premium version of the Nintendo Switch OLED, which offers the best picture quality of all three models thanks to a crisp 720p OLED panel. This is another fantastic choice if you plan to use mostly portable devices. However, it's a bit more expensive than the base Switch model, and playing in docked mode doesn't offer any tangible benefits. However, if you want to play games with a more vibrant color profile while on the move, the Nintendo Switch OLED is the way to go.
The Nintendo Switch OLED has other advantages as well. It has 64 GB of internal memory, which is double that of the base model. That's still not much in the grand scheme of things, and you'll want to invest in an extra microSD card for more storage, especially if you plan on downloading and playing a lot of games.
The Switch OLED also features an improved footrest on the back of the console. It's much wider and sturdier than on the base Switch, making OLED perfect for portable gaming.
Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online is an online game subscription service for the Switch that launched shortly after the console's release. In 2018, the paid service became a requirement for access to online multiplayer, and also provided access to cloud saves and a selection of NES and SNES games through dedicated apps.
This meager suggestion was not well received and did not seem to solve the underlying problem, which was the infamous poor quality of the Nintendo connection. Dropouts were common, and the service lagged far behind the PS5, Xbox, and PC online infrastructure.
The service has arguably come a long way since then, and Nintendo is constantly improving the quality of the online connection. In 2021, a premium Expansion Pack was added that allows players to play N64, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games, and more recently, Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games. Add in access to DLC packs like Animal Crossing: Happy Home Paradise from the New Horizons series and the Booster Course Pass from the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe series, and the Expansion Pack has been a real bargain since launch.
You're getting more value out of Nintendo Switch Online now than you were a few years ago. It's still far from perfect, and the Expansion Pack tier will seem a little too expensive to some, but the service continues to improve year after year, constantly increasing the value of the pack. Especially when you can get it cheaper with one of these cheap Nintendo Switch Online deals.
Should you buy a Nintendo Switch?
With an extensive library of games and continued support from top people, the Nintendo Switch is still a worthy purchase in 2024. That being said, you don't risk buying a console that Nintendo is about to replace soon: the company has confirmed that the Switch is halfway through its life cycle, and the next Nintendo Switch 2 (or Nintendo Switch Pro) is a few years away.
Despite the downsides of relatively small storage, lack of 4K support, and imperfect online infrastructure, the Nintendo Switch is still a fantastic handheld hybrid, packed with great exclusive games, a great subscription, and an impressively affordable price tag.
While we'd love to see Nintendo release a model with updated specs, we're still very impressed with the console's durability and high-quality game library. With that in mind, we believe there has never been a better time to buy a Nintendo Switch, no matter which of the available models you like best. I hope we answered your question, is it worth buying a Nintendo Switch in 2024.
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