Nintendo Switch OLED or Switch 2?

[Crazy Jamie]

As I alluded to in the achievements thread, I want to get back into the Nintendo game. I owned the Wii and Wii U at the time but didn't put a huge amount of time into those consoles. I picked up a Switch bundle a year or two ago from a friend but have never really played it. I picked up some good value Switch game bundle recently when everyone bought the Switch 2, and am now attracted to the idea both of getting a Switch 2 (because, you know, getting in on the ground floor with new tech is exciting), and plugging back in on Nintendo generally, which I haven't done properly since the Gamecube.

The question is, do I do that by getting a Switch OLED and enjoying all of the Switch games I've just bought without the expense of the Switch 2, or do I just go with the Switch 2, play Switch 2 games with the odd enhanced Switch game here and there? My initial thought is Switch 2, both for the excitement of the new console and games, and the fact that Switch games run better on it along with some of the more prominent switch games getting updated versions for it (like Zelda), and if I'm playing those games for the first time it might as well be the best versions of them.

As I see it, the only real reason I wouldn't do this is price. But actually, whilst price does matter, I won't miss the extra money for the Switch 2, and I suspect it won't drop in price for a while, and if I did want to sell up due to massive regret, it'll hold its value alright too and I won't lose too much.

So, thoughts, particularly from those who own a Switch 2 like @dimmerwit and @Tommy Boy? Is there really any reason apart from price and the OLED screen why anyone would get a Switch OLED and wait on a Switch 2?

Also, just in terms of setting up a profile, I assume I'm just setting up an account, it's recording everything I do, games are purchased from the store and downloaded on the memory card but are connected to my account? Am I missing anything on that?

Final question. If I let my kids near the Switch 2, does anyone know the situation with profiles for kids? Can they be connected to mine like Steam accounts can? Or do they have to be separate? Can mine/their accounts also be on a Switch OLED/multiple consoles or can they only be on one? Questions I could find answers to myself, I know, but this is me processing plans whilst on holiday to execute them when I'm back, so I thought I'd ask here because I don't really have time for all the research on holiday.

 

[Tommy Boy]

The question is, do I do that by getting a Switch OLED and enjoying all of the Switch games I've just bought without the expense of the Switch 2, or do I just go with the Switch 2, play Switch 2 games with the odd enhanced Switch game here and there? My initial thought is Switch 2, both for the excitement of the new console and games, and the fact that Switch games run better on it along with some of the more prominent switch games getting updated versions for it (like Zelda), and if I'm playing those games for the first time it might as well be the best versions of them.

I would go with this as my preferred option. You're investing in the future of the console by getting the Switch 2 now. But I know there are some downsides if you're looking to jump directly into old games, rather than the 5 or so that are optimized for Switch 2 right now.

As I see it, the only real reason I wouldn't do this is price. But actually, whilst price does matter, I won't miss the extra money for the Switch 2, and I suspect it won't drop in price for a while, and if I did want to sell up due to massive regret, it'll hold its value alright too and I won't lose too much.

The Switch 2 will probably stay the same price for the next three years at the very least, with maybe a sale or two along the way. Even that feels kind of unlikely - I doubt we will see a Switch 2 Pro/OLED for quite some time (if ever).

So, thoughts, particularly from those who own a Switch 2 like @dimmerwit and @Tommy Boy? Is there really any reason apart from price and the OLED screen why anyone would get a Switch OLED and wait on a Switch 2?

The only reason aside from price I personally could see why someone would want to buy an OLED instead of a S2 would be to enjoy older switch 1 games that are not optimized in its intended presentation. However, you already have a Switch 1, so I don't think that makes a lot of sense when you can enjoy all of your Switch 1 games on the normal Switch with a slightly worse screen. Additionally, if you're planning to play your Switch 1 docked, then it doesn't matter what the screen is (probably doesn't need to be mentioned, but I never play handheld. I know that's a me thing and a lot of people enjoy the Switch for portability. Not I, lol).

A good example of this is WarioWare - some of the games require the IR sensor that is only on Switch 1 joycons. You can pair S1 joycons to the S2, but that's silly. Another example is resolution, which I think might be a huge factor. If I play any of my Switch 1 games on my Switch 2 that have not gotten an optimization patch, then it runs the game without cleaning up any of the resolution. Mario Party Jamboree looks blurry and weird, unless you shell out $20 for the Switch 2 version. Totally playable, but noticeable. Pokemon Legends: Arceus didn't get an optimization patch, so it's stuck running on 30 FPS, and arguably feels like it runs worse on the Switch 2 due to how badly it looks. If I really had a hankering to play any of these games at this point, though, I would just play them on my Switch 1. Currently, I only am interested in titles that are optimized for Switch 2 since I've run my Switch 1 library into the ground since 2020.

All that being said - I still think the Switch 2 is the winner here, but it's ultimately you're preference if price is not a factor. I never play handheld, and I know that the OLED switch battery does outlast the Switch 2 battery, at least the last I've seen.

Also, just in terms of setting up a profile, I assume I'm just setting up an account, it's recording everything I do, games are purchased from the store and downloaded on the memory card but are connected to my account? Am I missing anything on that?

That's correct - your profile is linked to your Nintendo account. If you buy the game digitally, it will be downloaded to your primary console and able to be played or shared from there.

Final question. If I let my kids near the Switch 2, does anyone know the situation with profiles for kids? Can they be connected to mine like Steam accounts can? Or do they have to be separate? Can mine/their accounts also be on a Switch OLED/multiple consoles or can they only be on one?

You can sign into the same Nintendo account on multiple Switch consoles, but only one console can be designated as the "primary console". The primary console allows anyone using it to play your digital games, while other consoles linked to your account require you to be logged in to play your digital games, which wouldn't be an issue since you'd be supervising your kid's usage and would be able to log in as necessary. You can also make them their own profiles on the switch 2 so they have their own save files to games, rather than risking yours. Only profiles with an associated Nintendo account can use cloud saving, so their saves would be to the device and not backed up. But all of these things are nuances - in reality, it's quite easy to set up a Switch for family use. Game share/Virtual game cards seem daunting at first, but they're a reasonable way to share digital purchases to different consoles without buying the same game multiple times.

Questions I could find answers to myself, I know, but this is me processing plans whilst on holiday to execute them when I'm back, so I thought I'd ask here because I don't really have time for all the research on holiday.

All good man, if you have any more follow up questions I'm happy to chime in again.

 

[dimmerwit]

I was about to write a more full response but waited as I saw Tommy had read the thread and I'm glad I did since he more or less wrote what I would have.

On the display, whilst I do prefer OLEDs I'm not that bitter by the loss. Much of that is because I'm playing more docked so I'm on OLED anyway, but I think part of it is because Switch OLED's display is not nearly as good as Steam Deck OLED or that of a comparable mid-range phone. The LCD fares pretty well with similar colours to the OLED model, with my main gripe actually being the mediocre motion blur which can be visible in some titles (e.g. Bananza). I don't think it's a deal-breaker though especially since the performance uplifts have meant that I've been playing a lot more in docked mode, and frankly if a Switch 2 OLED with a Steam Deck tier OLED was ever launched and I changed my mind and felt like a handheld upgrade I'd be happy to trade-in or sell and upgrade at that point.

Incidentally the difficulty with having OLED for launch is somewhat due to VRR. For various technical reasons it's difficult to make OLED and VRR work together in a power efficient way (and VRR is a weakness even on otherwise brilliant OLED monitors) which is why everyone currently selects one or the other. Steam Deck has 90Hz OLED but no VRR, Switch 2 and ROG Ally went the 120Hz VRR IPS route. I'd have gone the Steam Deck route to be totally honest, but I respect the choice and it's notable that ASUS went the same way. Whilst phones have some variable refresh rate technology it's not true VRR. I'm sure this will be solved one day but it's worth pointing out.

That said, if you're playing docked then all that's basically irrelevant anyway. As is the battery life, which I know Tommy mentioned but is probably the most meaningful difference outside of the screen and performance.

I ultimately agree with Tommy's conclusion. I'd probably look through the games you own and see what has been improved. For some games (Pokemon Violet/Scarlet, Zelda BotW, TotK, Link's Awakening) it's game changing and I could never go back. For most of the others (Mario Odyssey, Mario 3D World, Splatoon 3, ARMS etc) it's more significant than I expected but those games ran relatively better on the original. Outside of Nintendo games there haven't been that many patches and as Tommy said the lack of native res means that in some cases they can actually look a bit worse in handheld mode, although this doesn't apply for docked mode at all. For docked mode it's a bit more complex but unpatched games won't look worse, and might look a bit better if it had an inconsistent framerate or dynamic resolution (or both). Load times are also much improved on Switch 2.

For parental controls, there are kids accounts that would help with that. They are not separate, and in fact are created by the parent account. I've never heard of a restriction on them being on multiple consoles and some quick searching shows that doesn't seem to be a problem, although in truth I'm a solo user so I'm just not as familiar with restrictions on multiple consoles in general. I actually use the parental controls app simply to more granually track my play time. I do know that a family NSO account would cover the cloud save issue as everyone in the family gets the benefits.

 

[Crazy Jamie]

That's all incredible helpful guys, thanks. I would be using the Switch 2 in handheld mode. I have a few trials coming up where I'll be away from home, and will be taking something away with me to play. I have been really enjoying my Vita on my current holiday, so may well take that. I also have a Steam Deck, which I really rate as a console for a host of reasons. But it is quite large, I tend to play different games on it than on my desktop due to the control layout (I played Hades exclusively on the Deck, for example, but won't play the likes of Helldivers 2 on it), and one small but mildly irritating issue is that it doesn't record my playtime on the go when I'm not connected to the internet. So for those reasons I will take my Steam Deck to some places, but not others. I brought my Vita on holiday because it fits nicely into a small compartment on the dashboard in my car, for example, and the Steam Deck won't fit there.

When it comes to the Switch 2, I really like the idea of playing a game at home, and then continuing with the same game seamlessly on a train or in a hotel when I travel for work. It may still be too bulky when I'm just on a train during the day and travelling light, but it'll be fine for overnight stays. The battery life won't be an issue. I have, again, enjoyed the very long battery life of the Vita slim, but that's because charging is a bit of an inconvenience due to adapters and the amount of stuff we have on holiday. No such problems when I'm travelling for work, and it will charge from my MacBook charger like the Steam Deck does. I won't be playing for more than 2 hours in one go usually, and I don't mind charging regularly in a hotel room if I need to. So the longer OLED battery life isn't an issue for me.

When it comes to the games, I'm not going to be burning through the game library at a fast pace, so I'm completely fine with sticking with Switch 2 games and only playing original Switch games that have been properly updated. BotW and TotK would both be on that list anyway, so that sounds like a reason to get the Switch 2 more than anything.

So yeah, looks like the Switch 2 is the way to go here. I'll figure out the profiles/kids/membership side of things, but it sounds fine. Any particular accessories you guys would recommend? I'd need travel case of some kind and I expect the pro controller is essential (for me, if not generally). Though I'm sure I have a Switch 1 pro controller, so don't know if the upgrade is worth it. Anything else?

 

[Fool's Requiem]

Switch 2 apparently still looks better in handheld than the Switch OLED. Not to mention, Switch 1 games almost all perform better on the Switch 2.

Also, you can't play DK Bananza on the Switch 1.

I only got a Switch 1 OLED because it was a special variant on a decent price (IMO) and I don't intend to get a Switch 2 for a while. I've never been a console early adopter.

 

[dimmerwit]

So yeah, looks like the Switch 2 is the way to go here. I'll figure out the profiles/kids/membership side of things, but it sounds fine. Any particular accessories you guys would recommend? I'd need travel case of some kind and I expect the pro controller is essential (for me, if not generally). Though I'm sure I have a Switch 1 pro controller, so don't know if the upgrade is worth it. Anything else?

The Switch 1 Pro Controller works fine with the caveat that you can't turn the system on or wake from sleep with it - you have to use the button on the console or the Switch 2 joy-con. This got Tommy to buy the new one!

The other changes are a dedicated Gamechat button, two reprogrammable buttons on the back and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It supposedly charges a bit quicker too. I'd probably use the original controller unless that wake limitation frustrates you too or you really want the new buttons or jack because outside of that they're substantially the same. On a similar vein the original joy-con controllers with Switch 1 do work with Switch 2 albeit with the same sleep/wake limitation and the fact that you'll need to charge them somehow.

I've never used a pro controller. I've always quite liked the joy-con, especially when you put on the straps which adds a bit of thickness to them.