Nintendo Switch vs OLED: which is right for you?
Picking between the Nintendo Switch vs OLED is tricky. Our in-depth comparison will make things easier
Choosing between the Nintendo Switch vs OLED model can be a tough decision. The differences between them aren’t nearly as pronounced as those of the Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S, and picking one over the other is far more difficult than deciding between the PS5 Disc vs Digital.
The Nintendo Switch OLED is the latest version of Nintendo’s hybrid console and likely the last until the Nintendo Switch 2 comes around. Its large OLED screen easily supersedes the smaller LCD display of the standard Nintendo Switch. But, other than a few quality-of-life changes, it’s practically the same console with no performance improvements to speak of.
In some ways, that’s a good thing. You can play the best Switch games on both consoles without worrying about getting a subpar experience on the standard device, and all of the best Nintendo Switch accessories and best Nintendo Switch controllers are compatible across them, so upgrading to the OLED won’t cause you any headaches.
However, the Nintendo Switch OLED undoubtedly offers a better gaming experience because of its improved screen, but its benefits can only be enjoyed in handheld mode. It delivers the same performance as the standard Nintendo Switch, so don’t expect any graphical differences between the two, and no new features are present when using it in docked mode.
If you’re looking for a portable device but aren’t fussed about screen quality, check out our rundown of the Nintendo Switch vs Lite to see if the cheaper handheld-only model is right for you.
Nintendo Switch vs OLED: price 💲
The Nintendo Switch retails for $299, a little less than the $349 of the Nintendo Switch OLED. It’s not a huge price gap but could be the deciding factor if you want to push your dollars as far as they'll go.
Both consoles have been featured during Black Friday and other big sales periods, but rather than receiving straight discounts, they’re usually bundled with a game or two at their standard retail prices. It’s a handy way of nabbing a couple of big hitters like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Animal Crossing: New Horizons for a price cut, and giving yourself something to play on your new machine as the Nintendo Switch doesn’t come with games on its own.
Even better, it’s unlikely either console will be getting a price hike anytime soon. Last year, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said the company wasn’t considering raising the consoles’ price as Sony had done for the PS5. We’d prefer a price drop, of course, but there’s no suggestion that’s on the cards either.
Nintendo Switch vs OLED: tech specs ⚙
You don’t have to be a hardware aficionado to look at the specs below and see both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch OLED are virtually identical on a technical level. The OLED features a slightly larger screen and doubles the storage space – but that’s it. In terms of internal components, the two are essentially the same.
Nintendo Switch specs
🤓 CPU/GPU: Custom Nvidia Tegra
🐏 RAM: 4GB LPDDR4
💾 Storage: 32GB HDD
📺 Display: 6.2-inch LCD
🔋 Battery: 4.5 - 9 hours
Nintendo Switch OLED specs
🤓 CPU/GPU: Custom Nvidia Tegra
🐏 RAM: 4GB LPDDR4
💾 Storage: 64GB SSD
📺 Display: 7-inch OLED
🔋 Battery: 4.5 - 9 hours
Nintendo Switch vs OLED: games 🕹
Nintendo has kept things simple in terms of compatibility. The Nintendo Switch and Switch OLED can run the same games, meaning if you upgrade from the launch console to the OLED you can bring your whole library straight over. If you’re picking up one of the handhelds for the first time, don’t worry about ever being excluded from the fun.
Both consoles sport a cartridge slot, letting you play physical versions of games, and connect to the Nintendo eShop so you can download titles from the official store. But they’re not backward compatible. Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games bought through the Nintendo eShop don’t carry over to the Switch. If you bought Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U, for example, you’ll have to buy it all over again for Nintendo’s latest hardware.
Regardless, you’ll still have plenty to play. The Nintendo Switch game library is nothing short of marvelous, and between the many best Mario games for Switch, non-Nintendo titles, and games featuring the company’s other famous mascots, you’ll always find something to play.
Nintendo Switch vs OLED: differences 🤔
There are a few key differences between the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch OLED. While the OLED is undoubtedly the better machine due to its superb display, the rest of the console’s improvements are negligible, and might not be worth the extra $50 to some.
📺 Screen size: The Nintendo Switch OLED sports a 7-inch display, larger than the 6.2-inch of the standard version of the console. A 0.8-inch difference might sound trivial, but it’s noticeable when you’re holding the console close to your face in handheld mode.
Most of that size increase is made up by reducing the significant bezel around the original Switch console’s screen, meaning the OLED provides a bigger screen without increasing the console’s overall dimensions – it’s practically the same size as the original Switch.
🤩 Screen quality: This is where the newer Switch really shines. The OLED’s screen is brighter and more vibrant. It’s able to render black pixels as perfectly black, rather than the dark gray of the standard Switch’s LCD screen, and whites as pure white, producing incredibly vivid color palettes.
Remember that you’ll only enjoy the screen quality improvements when using the console in handheld mode. If you plan to mainly play the console docked, think carefully if you’ll ever actually take advantage of the improved visuals.
💾 Storage: The Nintendo Switch OLED contains 64GB of storage, which is double the 32GB of the standard Nintendo Switch. An expansion of that size might sound like a slam dunk, but you’ll probably still end up purchasing an SD card as your game library expands. You won’t need to buy that many games to eat up 64GB, so don’t let storage be the deciding factor in your decision-making.
🛵 Kickstand: The original Nintendo Switch featured a spindly, fragile kickstand on its rear left side. It did the job, just about, but was prone to skidding or even snapping off under the hands of less gentle users. The Nintendo Switch OLED packs a wide kickstand that extends across the entire width of the console and can be adjusted for the perfect tilt. It’s a small change, but one that you’ll find useful if you often game in groups on the go.
🔊 Speakers: Not only are the OLED’s speakers shifted to the bottom of the console, they’re also of a much higher quality. They sound crisper and louder, making for an overall better audio experience – handy if you don’t want to use headphones.
🕸 Ethernet port: While both the Nintendo Switch OLED and standard Nintendo Switch come packaged with an accompanying dock, only the OLED’s features an Ethernet port. You can wire it up directly to your router for a more reliable connection – not to say the Nintendo Switch’s Wi-Fi connectivity particularly needs improving.
Nintendo Switch vs OLED: similarities 🤝
As only a mid-generation upgrade, rather than a fully next-gen console, the Nintendo Switch OLED doesn’t reach far beyond its predecessor. The two handhelds are the same in a few key departments.
🏃♀️ Performance: With the same internal chipset and memory size, the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch OLED offer identical performance. You’ll find negligible differences between their framerates, loading times or quality-of-life features. There’s no game that the OLED can handle that the launch Switch can’t, so don’t expect your gaming experience to be radically improved
🌟 Resolution: To the disappointment of many, the Nintendo Switch OLED doesn’t support 4K. In fact, it doesn’t offer an improved resolution at all. Like the standard Nintendo Switch, it has a 720p screen and targets 1080p at 60fps in docked mode. You’re not getting any greater graphical fidelity by using the OLED model. A missed opportunity? Perhaps. But at least it simplifies things.
🔋 Battery: Despite its more recent release date, the Nintendo Switch OLED doesn’t feature a bigger battery than the standard Nintendo Switch. Nintendo says the two consoles will push between 4.5 to 9 hours of battery life, which has proved true in our experience. Travel with a USB-C charger for top-ups between sessions, and you’ll rarely find you have to put the console away because it’s run out of juice.
🎮 Controllers and accessories: All the accessories you can buy for a standard Nintendo Switch are perfectly compatible with a Nintendo Switch OLED. It connects to the same Joy-Con and Switch Pro controllers and will take all the same third-party accessories, too, which makes upgrading to the OLED model very smooth. Bear in mind that cases and screen protectors will differ between the two models due to the size difference.
😤 Joy-Con drift: The Nintendo Switch OLED also has an unfortunate hardware fault with the standard Nintendo Switch. Joy-Con drift, whereby the split controllers take on a mind of their own and sporadically register inputs even if you aren’t touching them, continues to affect both consoles. Nintendo’s yet to address the problem with a hardware fix, so we’ve no option but to grin and bear it. The issue doesn’t crop up for everyone, however, and usually only appears after a few years of use.
Should I get a Nintendo Switch or OLED? 🆚
Although the Nintendo Switch OLED doesn’t offer many major improvements over the standard Nintendo Switch, it also doesn’t come with much of an inflated price tag. Is the extra $50 really worth it?
Yes. Probably. If you expect to often play in handheld mode, the OLED’s brighter, crisper and larger display will sell itself. It’s a brilliant screen, and while the console doesn’t do anything to improve the performance of games, it sure does make them look a whole lot prettier.
Even if you’re not a graphics enthusiast, the Nintendo Switch OLED’s upgrade in display quality will be obvious if you compare the two side by side. Plus, don’t forget the difference a larger screen size can make. Switch games look so much better when there isn’t a thick black border taking up a chunk of the screen.
If your Switch is going to be spending a lot of time docked, the standard model is probably for you. With the same internal components and resolution support, the OLED doesn’t offer any noticeable performance improvement. It’s the handheld screen you’re shelling out for, so if you’re probably never going to take it out of the dock, don’t bother with the Switch OLED.
Last updated: April 9, 2024