I love my Nintendo Switch. But I don’t think it’s a great buy right now…Here are 3 reasons why.
Reason #1: The switch is not as affordable as it seems.
Sure, it’s cheaper than a PS5, or a decent PC set up. You can get a brand new Switch on Amazon at $350. Compare this to the Xbox Series S, which is priced at $300. And while the Switch can play games fine, it won’t run nearly as well as the Series S.
Games on the Switch are also notoriously expensive. Big first party games rarely go on sale. Even some older third party games are more expensive on the Switch than on other platforms. There’s a cheaper alternative. Buy or trade used physical switch games. But let’s be real, most of us will end up buying digital games anyway, for the convenience.
Reason #2 The next generation is on the horizon, maybe.
Nintendo releases a brand new console every five to five and a half years. We’re at the 6 year mark now. Let’s be generous and say that the lifespan of the Switch as the golden boy of Nintendo will be 7 years, that’s only 2 more years before they release a new console And then the FOMO sets in.
Worst yet, Miyamoto of Nintendo has gone on record to say that compatibility between generations is not their main focus when developing a new console. Source
If they stick with this philosophy, then that plays a part in how future proof the switch is. If you play switch games, you will notice frame rate drops, or decreased graphical fidelity. And it affects even first party titles. It’s often not that bad, and most games on the platform are perfectly playable. But I worry about future game releases.
So will there be a new Nintendo console soon? Nintendo is pretty quiet about whether or not they’re releasing a new console this year. Looking back, they officially announced the Nintendo Switch 5 months before its release. If they release a new console in time for Tears of the Kingdom, they have until later this month to reveal it.
Reason #3: There are better alternatives in the market.
The Steam Deck is a popular handheld alternative, as it’s a full PC in the palm of your hands. That means a huge library of cheap games. All hail the steam sale. It isn’t widely available, though, and third party sellers usually add a premium.
My next recommendation is the Xbox Series S. Because it’s affordable, and gamepass is an amazing deal. This is perfect if you tend to finish single-player games once and never return to them. Like I do.
And next is, a hot take, an iPad. iPads these days are pretty powerful, they have amazing screens, plus great support. Apple Arcade is pretty good too, but there are still not a lot of big games and it is more expensive.
UNLESS, you really want to play exclusive nintendo switch games, in that case go get it, right now.