1-2 Switch Switch - Nintendo Releases reasonably priced Nintendo Switch Lite

[Drak3]

7 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

It's capitalism. You tend to the greatest audience. 

So, are you going to make an actual counter argument?

[kaiju_wars]

I'm disappointed in the Lite.

 

Here's what I like/okay with:

• It's portable only out of box (I'll clarify on this in a bit)
• attached joycons
• better battery life (at least advertised)
• Smaller

Here's what I'm indifferent on:

• $199 price tag... in a vacuum (again, I'll clarify on this in a bit)
• no HD Rumble

Here's what disappoints me:

• Lack of motion controls
• No ambient brightness
• Not able to be docked, at all
• no kickstand
• Portable only, and that's all she wrote.
• Wants to be portable only device, but the screen size is quite a bit smaller.  Sure, it's a smaller footprint, but this is all the screen you're gonna get.

Now, here's what I need to clarify on.

In a vacuum, you only have brand new devices.  Let's assume there isn't a used market.

For $100 less, the Switch Lite ain't bad.  I even like the design.  I think really love the turqoise one.  But we aren't in a vacuum.  For $50 more than the Lite, you can get a used Switch from GameStop, comes with a 30 day warranty (granted you can buy a longer one).  Comes with the full switch experience, including a dock.  Plus, we don't know if Nintendo fixed the joycon drift issue with this Switch Lite.  Where with the regular switch you can just buy new joycons, or repair it yourself if you're brave enough.  You're SOL out the whole device with the Lite.

 

I don't think they should have removed the ability to dock.

I would be okay if they even released (separately) a smaller, proprietary, "the Lite can only use this dock" dock along side it.  Or even use the regular Switch dock.  Now it's not a Switch, it's just a GameBoy Advance grown up.  Some people don't see this as an issue, I do.  It didn't need to be included.  For the longest time the dock by itself was $80, iirc, it's like $60 now.  There's $60 in savings, woo.  Smaller screen, all in one, lack of rumble, at the end of the day, that adds up to $100 or more in savings for the final product's MSRP.

Lack of motion controls.  Some games are basically required.  If you want to really have a chance at Splatoon 2, playing in any competitive sense (read, actually be able to be somewhat decent) you need motion controls.  They're gone with this. They help in some shrines even in BoTW, and some other games also benefit from them.  I think it was a major oversight to get rid of them.

 

No ambient brightness.  I don’t know how much of an impact battery life takes with this feature, but since it’s strictly probably, I’m going to assume you aren’t staying stationary 24/7 with the Switch Lite.  Makes no sense to remove it.  One shouldn’t have to stop the game they’re playing to quickly adjust brightness if they’re outside or inside.  

 

Lack of a kickstand.  You're not going to give the ability to dock, you're not going to include motion controls.  But we can buy your $70 pro controller and use that!  Cool!  But no kickstand built in.  The kickstand should have been built in.  If you're going to limit us to portable only, and to make up for some of the short-comings, we have to buy accessories, such as controllers, it should have had a kickstand so we could more comfortably use the pro controller while playing our Switch Lites (or whatever other controllers you wanted to use).

 

All in all, it's a cheaper Switch.  That's fine.

We can have a lesser product as a result, that's also fine.
But we shouldn't accept what, in my opinion, is too much of a lesser product, for lack of a better term.

 

 

EDIT:  So I was wrong about the motion controls, but that spot instead has been taken by lack of ambient brightness.  Lack of ambient brightness on a purely mobile device in 2019 makes zero sense to me.

 

I’ve edited my post accordingly.

Edited July 11, 2019 by kaiju_wars

[ARikozuM]

Just now, Drak3 said:

So, are you going to make an actual counter argument?

Are you? 

 

People asked for a more portable device? Check.

People asked for non-detachable joycons? Check. 

People want a less expensive Switch? Check. 

 

It looks like capitalism at work to me.

[Drak3]

Just now, ARikozuM said:

Are you? 

 

People asked for a more portable device? Check.

People asked for non-detachable joycons? Check. 

People want a less expensive Switch? Check. 

 

It looks like capitalism at work to me.

So no, you're not going to make an actual counter argument. You're just going to deflect.

[ARikozuM]

2 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

So no, you're not going to make an actual counter argument. You're just going to deflect.

All of your replies in this thread are ineffective non-arguments. You're complaining about something that isn't for you by saying "bad design". 

[Nowak]

6 minutes ago, kaiju_wars said:

Lack of motion controls

Been reading that it does have gyro.

[Drak3]

Just now, ARikozuM said:

You're complaining about something that isn't for you by saying "bad design".

The ergonomics of the joycons (lack thereof) is a very common complaint of Switch owners, as well as a lack of decent alternatives without resorting to modding or adapters.

 

The design is so bad that there is a viable market for wired and wireless adapters that allow people to use Dualshock and Xinput controllers.

[kaiju_wars]

8 minutes ago, Nowak said:

Been reading that it does have gyro.

I read there won’t be (coulda sworn the advertisement also said no motion controls, unless I misheard)

[Nowak]

Just now, kaiju_wars said:

I read there won’t be (coulda sworn the advertisement also said no motion controls, unless I misheard)

I guess we'll find out when it releases in September?

[kaiju_wars]

2 minutes ago, Nowak said:

I guess we'll find out when it releases in September?

Guess so.  I won't be as disappointed if it ends up including the motion controls, but overall I'd still be disappointed in it.

[Nowak]

Just now, kaiju_wars said:

Guess so.  I won't be as disappointed if it ends up including the motion controls, but overall I'd still be disappointed in it.

Considering how they're advertising it with BotW, which requires gyro for a number of shrine puzzles, I think they'll include motion controls in it.

[Crossbred]

@kaiju_wars @Nowak 

I would find it strange that it would have no gyro if they advertise it alongside BoTW... I played the game mostly off the dock solely because the tilt controls felt better for arrows. 

Similar to the "no hd rumble", it doesn't mean no rumble but it does mean it's gonna be inferior *if it's there.

[TheSLSAMG]

50 minutes ago, ONOTech said:

Yeah I'm not a big fan of this. If it was cheaper, sure - but $100 isn't worth the compromises in my opinion. It's essentially a DS now, but for Switch games.

 

Personally - I would spend $199 for a home version of the switch that's not UN-dockable. Slash this Switch Lite by $50 to $149 MSRP, and then I think you have a killer Switch family line-up.

That would be more interesting to see. You could have a more traditional console experience (and maybe you can even target slightly better performance through higher clocks and beefier active cooling.) 

[ARikozuM]

12 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

The ergonomics of the joycons (lack thereof) is a very common complaint of Switch owners, as well as a lack of decent alternatives without resorting to modding or adapters.

I can agree with the ergonomics issue, but the replacement shells aren't expensive and does open up a nice third-party market that Nintendo should make first-party controllers for just so that we get molded-inner cases for the more ergo joycons. 

12 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

The design is so bad that there is a viable market for wired and wireless adapters that allow people to use Dualshock and Xinput controllers.

That means there's a population that wants something and is getting something to fix it. Would you rather Nintendo block the ability to use Xinput/DS? 'Cuz that's what companies do. 

[Drak3]

1 minute ago, ARikozuM said:

That means there's a population that wants something and is getting something to fix it.

That means that there is a design flaw and third party companies are trying to fix it because Nintendo won't.

 

2 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

but the replacement shells aren't expensive and does open up a nice third-party market that Nintendo should make first-party controllers for just so that we get molded-inner cases for the more ergo joycons. 

The common user shouldn't have to fix bad design. Especially for a "kid's console."

[AndreiArgeanu]

Looking at it, for 100USD less I suppose it's ok. I mean I hope at the least that they ditch the plastic screen. I mean come on, smartphones 1/5th of the price use glass instead of plastic for the screen. I might consider buying one though, never really tried any nintendo handheld. Also does anyone know how well homebrew works on the switch if it does at all?

[RyomaSJibenG]

looks pretty close to the PSP now, i might really consider it for Monster Hunter purpose

[Ithanul]

9 hours ago, TacoSenpai said:

I think thats really what this is about.  Less about having a 'lower end Switch' and more about putting the 3DS out to pasture. 

Yep.  That what I see.

 

Plus, this mostly being aimed for kids.  I view this Lite model like I view the 2DS.  A cheaper model that may get parents more willing to pick one up for their kids. 

[Crossbred]

40 minutes ago, Ithanul said:

Yep.  That what I see.

 

Plus, this mostly being aimed for kids.  I view this Lite model like I view the 2DS.  A cheaper model that may get parents more willing to pick one up for their kids. 

Most of my college-age friends have been hoping for something like this for months... Although I'm personally not sold quite yet, I can attest that it's not just appealing to kids.

[SteveGrabowski0]

45 minutes ago, Ithanul said:

Yep.  That what I see.

 

Plus, this mostly being aimed for kids.  I view this Lite model like I view the 2DS.  A cheaper model that may get parents more willing to pick one up for their kids. 

IDK, the 2DS felt like such a gimped 3DS, while this looks like a premium product. No docking, no motion controls, but $200 for a handheld this good is a deal. Especially considering New 3DS XL were going for $175 last Christmas in their swan song.

[D13H4RD]

2 hours ago, kaiju_wars said:

All in all, it's a cheaper Switch.  That's fine.

We can have a lesser product as a result, that's also fine.
But we shouldn't accept what, in my opinion, is too much of a lesser product, for lack of a better term.

The thing that really gets to me about this is that to hit a lower price point, they basically removed most of what made a Switch......a Switch.

 

Maybe that’s what some people want but given that a standard Switch with the dock and all the Switch features can be had for not much more, the value proposition of the Lite is less rosy to me. The Switch itself is rather underpowered but people got them due to its game library and unique form factor. Take the latter and you still have the game library, but you’re also left with “just another handheld gaming device”. 

[kaiju_wars]

4 hours ago, Nowak said:

Been reading that it does have gyro.

 

3 hours ago, Crossbred said:

@kaiju_wars @Nowak 

I would find it strange that it would have no gyro if they advertise it alongside BoTW... I played the game mostly off the dock solely because the tilt controls felt better for arrows. 

Similar to the "no hd rumble", it doesn't mean no rumble but it does mean it's gonna be inferior *if it's there.

 

Ends up I was incorrect on lack of motion controls, I updated my post already.

[kaiju_wars]

1 hour ago, D13H4RD said:

The thing that really gets to me about this is that to hit a lower price point, they basically removed most of what made a Switch......a Switch.

 

Maybe that’s what some people want but given that a standard Switch with the dock and all the Switch features can be had for not much more, the value proposition of the Lite is less rosy to me. The Switch itself is rather underpowered but people got them due to its game library and unique form factor. Take the latter and you still have the game library, but you’re also left with “just another handheld gaming device”. 

Honestly, I was expecting a cut down Switch... I wasn’t expecting it to be this cut down.  I think defending it at this point isn’t right.  But that’s my personal opinion on the matter.

[Nowak]

4 minutes ago, kaiju_wars said:

Ends up I was incorrect on lack of motion controls, I updated my post already.

-snip-

Yeah, I figured. They wouldn't advertise gyro-heavy games if it didn't have gyro.

 

Apparently the lack of HD Rumble and smaller screen allows for the slightly better battery life? So some tradeoffs were necessary to make it a better portable experience.

 

I myself will pass as I already own a Switch but I wonder if my sister would be interested. She's still on the 3DS and Wii. Zelda and Pokémon, mostly.

[kaiju_wars]

1 minute ago, Nowak said:

Yeah, I figured. They wouldn't advertise gyro-heavy games if it didn't have gyro.

 

Apparently the lack of HD Rumble and smaller screen allows for the slightly better battery life? So some tradeoffs were necessary to make it a better portable experience.

 

I myself will pass as I already own a Switch but I wonder if my sister would be interested. She's still on the 3DS and Wii. Zelda and Pokémon, mostly.

Eh, for not much more you can get the full switch.  I’d honestly say hard pass on the Lite