Nintendo Switch vs. Switch OLED: How the 2 versions differ and which you should buy

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Few consoles in history have been more popular than the Nintendo Switch, and it's not hard to understand why: It has an ever-expanding library of great games, nearly all of which can be played on either a TV or the console's handheld screen. The system's affordable price doesn't hurt either.

But it's easy to forget that the Switch actually comes in a few different versions. And if you want a model that can connect to your TV, you'll need to pick between the original Nintendo Switch or the newer Nintendo Switch OLED. Nintendo still sells and completely supports both versions and although they're alike in most ways, the OLED offers a few key upgrades that make it worth considering.

Here's a full comparison between the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch OLED models, including our take on which one is worth buying.

Nintendo Switch vs. Switch OLED: Display and design

The Nintendo Switch OLED's main selling point is right there in the name: It's got a sleek OLED screen that's almost a full inch bigger than the original model's LCD screen.

OLED panels are used in some of the best TVs, smartphones, and tablets, and they have an edge over LCD displays in a few key areas. Most notably, OLED screens can have much higher contrast than LCD screens, and they look better when viewed from different angles.

But where OLED screens really stand out is the way they display the color black. On a technical level, LCD screens work by illuminating all the pixels with a backlight; on an OLED screen, each individual pixel creates its own light. This means that when an OLED wants to show the color black, it can completely turn off its pixels to erase all light, while most LCDs can only dim the lights. 

OLEDs are the closest a digital screen can get to "true" black. This makes games that use a lot of dark colors — like Persona 5 Royal or Metroid Dread — look amazingly sharp without the washed-out look that LCDs can produce.

The Switch OLED's bigger built-in screen is also great for appreciating its enhanced contrast quality. It's got a 7-inch screen compared to the standard Switch's 6.2-inch screen.

As a result, the entire Switch OLED unit is a bit bigger too. Both models are 4.02 inches tall and 0.55 inches thick. But the Switch OLED is 9.53 inches wide, while the standard Switch is 9.41 inches wide. The Switch OLED is also made out of a harder magnesium alloy than the plastic original and weighs about 0.05 pounds more.

The Switch OLED also comes with a wider kickstand that runs along the entire length of the console. The original Switch's kickstand is just about an inch wide on the console's right side.

Nintendo Switch vs. Switch OLED: Performance and graphics

In the lead-up to Nintendo revealing the Switch OLED, a lot of players assumed it would be a more powerful version of the Switch, like the PlayStation 4 Pro was for the original PS4.

Unfortunately, those predictions didn't come true. When it comes to performance, there isn't any difference between the standard Switch and Switch OLED.

Both models use the same Nvidia "System-on-a-chip" (SoC) processor, which runs at the same speed, has the same graphical capabilities, and has the same amount of RAM (4GB). 

Despite the OLED's better built-in screen, it still runs at the same resolution as the standard model: 720p when playing in handheld mode and 1080p when playing in TV mode. That won't increase even if you're connected to a 4K screen. Games will also run at the same amount of frames per second (usually 30 to 60 FPS, depending on the title).

The two Switch versions also run the exact same games — there aren't any titles that are exclusive to one model. These games can be played either with physical game cards or by downloading them from the internet.

The only internal improvements that the Switch OLED received were to its built-in storage and speakers. While the original Switch comes with only 32GB of storage (generally enough to download three or four games), the Switch OLED comes with 64GB. And both models let you expand that storage with a microSD card up to 2TB. Check out our guide to the best microSD cards for Nintendo Switch to see our top recommendations.

Both versions of the Nintendo Switch can output Linear PCM 5.1 audio to your TV. But the Switch OLED's built-in speakers feature a new closed-type design that lets the console produce louder and clearer audio in handheld mode.

Both Switch models use the same controllers. And the Switch OLED's Joy-Con controllers are just as susceptible to "Joy-Con drift" as the standard Switch's Joy-Cons. If you're looking for alternative gamepads to use with either model, check out our roundup of the best Nintendo Switch controllers. 

Nintendo Switch vs. Switch OLED: Battery life

Although OLED screens tend to use more power than LCD screens, Nintendo claims that both current versions of the Nintendo Switch have the same amount of battery life.

According to Nintendo, you should expect a standard Switch or Switch OLED to last anywhere between four to nine hours on a single charge. That number will gradually decrease over the Switch's lifespan and will be lower for games that take more processing power.

For example, a visual novel like Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney will take less battery than dynamic RPGs like Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.

Nintendo Switch vs. Switch OLED: Extra features

Aside from the upgraded screen and storage, the Switch OLED comes with a few other bonuses, both found in the dock.

Firstly, the Switch OLED's dock has a built-in LAN port that lets you connect your Switch to the internet with an Ethernet cable, rather than over WiFi. It replaces one of the original dock's USB ports. Ethernet connections are faster and more stable than WiFi, making them fantastic for games that require quick responses, like Super Smash Bros. or Splatoon.

The original Switch's dock supports Ethernet connections too, but you need to buy a separate adapter for it that plugs into one of the dock's USB ports.

Secondly, the Switch OLED's dock can be updated. So far, this is a pretty meaningless upgrade since Nintendo hasn't actually released any updates that add new features. However, some experts have suggested this might let Nintendo update the OLED dock to support 4K resolutions in the future, which would be a massive change, albeit unlikely.

Nintendo Switch vs. Switch OLED: Price

And finally, the big question: How much does each version of the Nintendo Switch cost?

The original Nintendo Switch costs $299.99. The Nintendo Switch OLED costs $349.99. 

Nintendo also sells refurbished versions of both Switch models, which brings the prices down to $259.99 and $319.99, respectively.

Both packages come with the Switch itself, a dock, an HDMI cable and USB-C charging cable, two Joy-Con controllers, Joy-Con wrist straps, and a controller grip. The controller grip lets you combine the two miniature Joy-Con controllers into one full-sized controller.

Nintendo Switch vs. Switch OLED: Specs at a glance

Nintendo Switch vs. Switch OLED: The bottom line

At the end of the day, there's not much of a difference between the original Nintendo Switch and its newer OLED counterpart. They both play the same games with the same graphical fidelity, but the Switch OLED has a better built-in screen, improved speakers, and more internal storage space.

If you don't own a Nintendo Switch at all yet, buy a Switch OLED. There's not much of a difference in features, sure, but there's not much difference in price either. For about $50 more, you'll get a much better handheld experience, and a connected-to-TV experience that's just as good as the original model's. If you can afford it, it's a no-brainer.

If you already own an original Nintendo Switch, don't bother upgrading. You've already paid for the most important features, and the OLED's improvements aren't worth throwing your current console away.

If you're buying this console for a younger player — let's say preteen age or earlier — then you're probably better off sticking with the original Nintendo Switch. Younger players are unlikely to appreciate the OLED's subtle upgrades, and you'll save some cash.

But before you make your final purchase, remember that Nintendo also sells a third version of the Switch: The Nintendo Switch Lite. This version is smaller than even the original Switch model and can't be connected to a TV — it's handheld only.

That said, the Nintendo Switch Lite can be a great choice for kids, casual players, or gamers who need a more portable option. It's also a good choice if you don't see yourself playing while connected to a TV often. 

The Nintendo Switch Lite costs $199.99 new or $169.99 refurbished, which is a sizable discount.