Should you buy a Switch or wait for the Switch 2?

Even in its swansong era, the Nintendo Switch continues to find new players. It recently became the third best-selling console of all time, and gamers like my kindergarten-age nephew represent millions of new or recently converted core gamers who are just having so much fun with the great games of the last seven years on the console. It’s important that the Switch 2 will actually come onto the market in late 2024 or early 2025.

Obviously not everyone is like him and fortunately doesn’t know the console release cycles. And with new rumors about the Switch 2 circulating every week or so, you may be wondering whether you should buy one of the Switch consoles on shelves now (for yourself or as a gift for someone else) or wait for the new one , starts whenever she comes. So should you buy the Switch or wait for the Switch 2? There is no one answer that is right for everyone. So let’s look at some scenarios below.

Image: Nintendo

Have you played the Switch’s library of games?

If not, just buy the damn console now. We only have a limited time on this precious planet, so don’t wait any longer to catch up on the incredible games from the last six years. We’re left at the whim of Nintendo to launch its next console (it is Really It takes time), but you can take control and play through or give away some great games while you wait.

Do you need the latest and greatest technology?

There is a part of me that understands this feeling. It would suck to buy a Switch now only to have Nintendo launch the hot new model in the coming months. Luckily, the regular Switch is still a perfectly good way to experience gaming. With a few exceptions, most games published by Nintendo run beautifully on the console. So don’t let FOMO get in the way if you just want to play the games. In case it helps you make your decision, Nintendo often releases tentpole games for its newer console on the previous console, so you may not have to miss out on the regular Switch.

Photo: Russ Frushtick/Polygon

Looking for amazing performance in a handheld?

Then you probably already know that the Switch won’t satisfy your craving for high-resolution graphics (not that the Steam Deck OLED and its contemporaries in this category are perfect either). I won’t defend the Switch too much; When the console launched in 2017, its graphics chips seemed outdated.

Still, the best games have outstanding graphics that more than make up for the lack of performance, and the Switch model that can help you get the most visual splendor possible from stylized games like these Splatoon 3, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomand many more that is $349.99 Switch OLED. It has the same components as the other models, but has a larger OLED screen. The OLED itself has the same 720p resolution as the LCD screen in both Switch $299.99 And $199.99 Switch Litebut everything looks better, from contrast to brightness to image quality.

Are you worried about Nintendo backwards compatibility?

It’s unclear whether the Switch’s successor will work with all existing Switch games, as Nintendo has made no comment on the rumored console. Of course, we hope to see full backwards compatibility with Switch games, in part due to the console’s huge success. It just makes sense that Nintendo would lean on the Switch’s incredible existing library to increase value for long-time Switch fans as well as new players who want a seemingly endless supply of games to play.

As for access to older titles, it’s possible that Nintendo will continue to offer a subscription that offers SNES, Game Boy, and other titles for a monthly fee. For larger remasters released on Switch, such as Mario vs Donkey Kong And Metroid Prime Remasteredhopefully they will still be available in the eShop for the Switch 2.

As for Switch accessories, I would imagine that many of them (except those that fit due to the physical dimensions of the current Switch) should also work with the newer model. I imagine things that connect to the console via USB-C or to the dock via USB-A would work fine with a future device.

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Photo: Nintendo

There are some edge cases where it makes sense to wait before purchasing a Switch. For example, if you’ve been waiting for the Switch 2 for years so you can experience the Switch’s greatest hits with higher resolution graphics, you might as well keep waiting.

Then there’s the crowd tired of buying new Joy-Con controllers, some of which are prone to developing “Joy-Con drift,” a broken condition in which the analog sticks move in one direction without input drift. I understand your frustration and also hope that this won’t be an issue in the future if Nintendo decides to redesign the Joy-Con instead of replacing it entirely. And what if the company surprised us all with an early 2024 launch?

If you’ve gotten to the end of this article and are sure that you should just buy the regular Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED that are available now, I fully support that decision. While it may be technically outdated the moment Nintendo unveils the next Switch, it’s still capable of playing some unforgettable games that you won’t be able to experience on any other console.