Hi, it's Frostfire here... So it's now 6 years since the Nintendo
Switch launched... and 18 months since the Switch OLED delivered that bigger blacker
and brighter... OLED screen. And with a potential Switch 2 announcement, this year
or next is it even currently worth buying? To answer this we'll compare all its features
against Nintendo's Standard and Lite versions, as well as the increasingly popular
Valve Steam Deck. We'll also look at its best lineup of exclusives,
future releases and Switch 2 rumors. First let's take a look at that "Vibrant" OLED
screen. Now for a handheld gaming device this screen looks absolutely stunning. With Deep
blacks, Vivid colors and Impressive brightness. This is also especially noticeable compared
to the Standard Switch and Lite versions. So good that I found myself enjoying another
playthrough of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey and Metroid Dread. It's worth mentioning that the original
2017 switch was improved in 2019, which has some upgrades and when making
comparisons I'll be referring to this model. The Switch OLED has a 7-inch diagonal screen
size which is 11.4 percent larger than the Standard Switch at 6.2 inches and 21.4
percent larger than the Switch Lite at 5.5 and that extra screen real estate really
does make a difference in terms of immersion. Now although the image does look great it is
still limited by the 720p resolution. This was disappointing when released but makes
it more likely that we'll see a bump to 4K for the next gen switch. The switch
OLED also has improved viewing angles, there's no loss in color or black levels no
matter which angle you're viewing at. With the only exception in bright sunlight. Unlike the
plastic display on the Standard and Lite versions, the Switch OLED's glass screen makes
for greater clarity and better visuals. To protect the glass display Nintendo also
included a pre-installed screen protector. This was done with machine precision at
the factory. Even with this, I'd still recommend picking up a carry case. They're
pretty cheap too retailing here for $25 AUD. Next let's talk about the other design
and spec improvements... Now one of the main reasons to Switch OLED looks more premium
is because of its much thinner bezel design, making the older version seem quite dated now in
comparison. The other noticeable difference is the improved tabletop stand. Instead of this
flimsy leg on the Standard Switch which you would flip out and pray it sits straight
or the completely stand-less Switch Lite. The Switch OLED has a sturdy full width stand
which also offers a much wider tilt range and viewing angle. Now one of the other under the
hood upgrades is the bump to 64 gigabytes of internal storage. Which has doubled from
32 gigabytes on the Standard and Lite versions. To bolster this you have the option
to add up to 2 TB of external storage via a Micro SD card. Which is the same as on
the Standard and Lite versions. The CPU, GPU and RAM are no different and it still uses
the same Nvidia processor which was one of the biggest letdowns when released. The Switch OLED
now has front firing closed type speakers which results in louder, better quality sound and
won't distort at higher volumes. Unlike the Open type speakers on the Standard and Lite versions,
which results in dispersed distorted and weaker sound. Now as far as the Top Edge controls the
power button is bigger and easier to use and the volume buttons have been streamlined and
slightly improved. The vent was also improved stopping stuff getting in and is less prone
to cracking compared to the Standard Switch. The Switch OLED also has the same headphone jack.
The game cartridge flap was slightly tweaked, they removed this handy "Gap" seen here on the Standard and Lite versions making
it fingernail dependent to pop open. In terms of dimensions the switch OLED is
0.25 centimeters wider than the Standard, as well as 1 cm taller and 3.3
cm's wider than the Switch Lite. In terms of weight the switch OLED weighs
422 grams which is 21 Grams and 5% heavier than the Standard at 401 grams and is 35.5
% heavier than Switch Lite at 272 grams. Now apart from the white on black color
scheme there's no difference between the Joy-cons on the new Switch OLED vs the
Standard. The Joy-con rails on the OLED do feel sturdier with less give or wiggle
of the joy-cons while playing in handheld mode and they are still just as easy to
remove via this little button on the back. The other minor change is this
"White Accent" on the straps. Now the Switch OLED and Standard
Version have three play modes. Handheld, Tabletop and TV. The Switch OLED and Standard
Version play absolutely fine in Handheld mode. Which is great while on the go, on the couch or
lying in bed. And unfortunately for the Switch Lite, it will only work in this mode. Tabletop's
best use is to turn a one player setup into two players instantly, taking advantage of the L&R
buttons on the top edge. With the straps attached it's also good if you want to use a Joy-con
in each hand, for any movement based games. The buttons on the strap attachment also make
the single Joy-con even easier to use. Finally when your Switch OLED is docked, you can slot
them into the Joy-con grip and play in TV mode. Playing in TV mode also enables
a resolution of up to 1080p via HDMI. It's worth noting that not all
games are supported in 1080P so be prepared for some bad upscaling
especially if you have an 8K TV. As someone who plays roughly 50% docked I'm
sure I'm one of the few that actually likes the ergonomics of the Joy-con grip. If it's not for
you there are plenty of other options available including the Pro Controller which retails for
$89 AUD. There are approximately 4,500 games on the eShop and the three exclusives
I've played the most are... 1. Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Great to play when commuting
or while on the couch in TV mode not the typical dungeon crawler we grew up with but the Open
World and Game Mechanics are still very cool. 2. Metroid Dread is a worthy addition
to the series with great bosses, familiar upgrades and new weapons. I tend
to play this at night to get the most out of the run and gun gameplay and creepy alien
environments and finally 3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which is great in all three play modes and
especially with family and friends, the booster course DLC gives you an extra 32 tracks
to date and another 16 before the end of 2023. The 3 non-exclusives I've also enjoyed. 1. Cuphead
- is a Run and Gun action game heavily focused on boss battles. With 1930s hand-drawn cartoon
visuals, mixed with retro jazz music. Both the original Cuphead and DLC make for one of
the hardest games of all time. 2. Streets of Rage 4 - is a playful Revival of the old 90s
beat em up and a great game to jump into if you've had a bad day. The Mania modes are also fun
after you've beaten the game however multiplayer co-op is where this game really shines. And
finally, 3. Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania, which has many iconic weapons from the series
coupled with a remixed soundtrack, three boss fights including Dracula and that fun biomes
format with a unique play-through... every time. So "The Dock" in general has had
some nice polish from Nintendo, it now has a glossy interior coating that
is softer than the rough matte plastic on the Standard Dock. Which helps prevent
scratching on the screen and they've also added some felt cushion. Behind the
back plate they added a LAN port to help you run and download games faster alongside
the existing Wireless option. You could still do this on the Standard Switch but it required
a USB to LAN adapter purchased separately. The only downside of the OLED dock compared
to the standard is this strange "Wobble" The battery life of the Switch OLED
ranges between four and a half to nine hours. The Battery Life does depend on
the game you're playing for example it will last five and a half hours
for Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This is no different to the Standard Switch
as the battery is unchanged, but it will last on average 26 percent longer than the Switch
Lite, which only lasts three to seven hours. Regardless of the version
it will take approximately three hours to charge while in sleep mode. So after 18 months and approximately 200
charge cycles I've experienced roughly a five percent drop off in the battery
life which is on par with expectations. The current price of the Switch OLED
is $489 AUD compared to the Standard Switch which is $399 and the Switch Lite
which is $299 and after considering the Switch OLED's enhancements and minor
tweaks if you do any sort of handheld or tabletop gaming it is the best
option and worth the extra money. Okay, now's a good time to compare the Switch OLED
with Valve's popular Steam Deck. The brightness, black levels and colors on the Steam
Deck's IPS LCD display doesn't compete with the Switch's Vibrant OLED panel
and even though the Steam Deck has a bigger resolution at 1280x800 versus
the 1280x720 on the Switch OLED it doesn't make up for the difference in
quality. A win for the Switch OLED. Now in terms of computing power it's no surprise
that the Steam Deck has the edge here. It's a newer machine the specs are better and it can
run better frame rates even if it's at the cost of battery life. It can also be used as a full PC
with Linux or Windows. A win for the Steam Deck. So I think this is where it gets a little
subjective as some people prefer the Nintendo exclusives over what's offered by the Steam
Library. But even though the Switch's library has improved compared to the Wii U days,
if you're looking purely at the amount of games and the available AAA titles...
it's another win for the Steam Deck. So when comparing the Ergo friendly
joysticks and buttons on the Steam Deck to the tiny buttons and joysticks on the
Switch OLED it does feel more comfortable. However the Steam Deck's controls can't be
detached, if you want a stand you need to purchase separately and if you want to play
TV mode you'll need a Bluetooth controller... purchased separately. The Switch OLED is
also 37% lighter compared to the Steam Deck, making it much easier to handle for longer
sessions. Overall a win for the Switch OLED. Now both the Switch OLED and base model Steam
Deck have 64 gigabytes of storage. Both can be increased up to 2 terabytes with a Micro
SD card. However as the Steam Deck offers bigger sized options with some cool, "albeit"
minor perks. It's a win for the Steam Deck. As mentioned earlier the Nintendo Switch will
give anywhere between 4.5 and 9 hours of gameplay, where as the Steam Deck gives you between
2 and 8 hours. If you're playing more graphically intensive games as well it will
be closer to two. A win for the Switch OLED. As mentioned previously the Switch OLED
retails here for $489 AUD and if you compare that to the baseline steam deck which
retails here for $829 AUD it's 41% cheaper, but these are just the upfront costs. The
Steam Deck's games are of course cheaper compared to the switch's expensive
exclusives but the Switch OLED also uses cartridges giving you the ability
to share games for free or buy and sell for cheaper on any Online Marketplace. So
overall, it's a win for the switch OLED. Now the Switch OLED's pick up and play nature
means you won't have too many issues with games not working and even though some Steam games don't
work it gives you a huge amount of options when it comes to tinkering. You can drop your Refresh
Rate and Frame Rate to 40 to save battery life. You can run software like GE proton to
make Windows games compatible with its Linux OS and with Emu Deck you can
install emulators to play all your old school classics. A win for the Steam Deck. Overall, it's a tie but this just shows
me that other portable gaming machines are catching up to Nintendo and another reason why
people are expecting a Switch 2 announcement. With Zelda tears of the Kingdom
only days away from release on the 12th of May. Gamers can't wait to
experiment with Link's new abilities, like Ultrahand for making bridges, vehicles
and rafts. Fuse for combining weapons and items opening up all sorts of fun gameplay.
Ascend for ascending through objects, ceilings or even enemies. And Recall, which
can be used to reverse an object's movement. And whether Zelda returns to
the Dungeon Crawler format or not it will most likely win game of the
year 2024... something to think about. The only other Nintendo exclusive which may
entice you is Metroid Prime 4. In February this year Nintendo released one of the
best remasters of all time for Metroid Prime. They fixed the main problem with the
original game, "the controls" and updated the models and textures and since Metroid
Prime 4 was teased back in E3 2017 the only hint this game is still in development was a
Nintendo UK survey revealed in March this year. Alluding to the fact that although
there's progress It's unlikely to release this year and could be a launch
title for the Switch 2 in 2024 or beyond. Which brings us nicely on to rumours
for the "Next-gen Switch", "Switch Pro", "Switch 2" or whatever you want to call it. As the existing Switch is up to 1080p docked
and 720p handheld we would expect a docked resolution of 4K and 1080p for handheld.
This was substantiated in October 2021 as the real Tech chip inside the OLED dock
was advertised as 4K UHD multimedia system on chip. A Nvidia leak in March
22 suggested Ray tracing support, which we've loved on the PS5 and Xbox Series
X so again seems like another logical upgrade. The same leak also suggested Deep Learning
Super Sampling, this basically means it will utilize AI to supercharge its Graphics
increasing frame rates and resolution. A separate leak in September 22 confirms the
existence of the Tegra 239 chip, the same leak clearly highlights an 8 core CPU and will be
an Ampere based GPU with Lovelace features. The switch OLED has the best screen,
the full length table stand is a good addition and the changes to the dock
make it a premium upgrade. A 5 here. Due to the old processor it's starting to
fall behind other gaming handhelds. The Joy-con joysticks are prone to stick drift and
64 gigabytes of storage is small compared to today's game files. Fortunately the micro SD
storage is a reasonable counter, a 3.5 here. The battery life is solid but
mainly because the processing power is limited. You can pick up and
play quickly though and the Nintendo exclusives are still fantastic
after all these years, a 4 here. The Switch OLED comes in at $489 AUD which
is reasonable but it can be pricey if you buy the latest exclusives online.
However if you swap game cartridges with friends or shop around online
it can be good value, a 3.5 here. Compared to the other Switch machines
the OLED version is the best value but compared to the Valve Steam Deck
and upcoming competitors to market, the switch OLED is starting to show its age. And the main reason to buy it in 2023 is
for Nintendo's biggest exclusive Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and after we've
all slayed Ganon for the 100th time, let's hope we get a "Switch 2" announcement. Thanks for watching, appreciate any
feedback in the comments... until next time.
