Nintendo Switch 2 Lite: predicted price, release date, and what to expect
Could we get a handheld-only Nintendo Switch 2 in the future?
🤲 The Nintendo Switch 2 Lite would be a handheld-only console, similar to the original Switch Lite
💰 It could cost around $349.99, offering a more affordable option compared to the Switch 2 OLED
📆 The release date is predicted for 2027, following the three-year gap pattern of the original Lite
👏 Expect features like improved battery life, a smaller 6.7-inch display, and bold color options to appeal to younger gamers
There's been a lot of talk about a Nintendo Switch 2 OLED model arriving in the future. But what about a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite?
It's easy to overlook the popularity of the Nintendo Switch Lite. Despite being designed to play in handheld mode only, many players were happy to give up the Switch's hybrid nature for a cheaper price.
The Nintendo Switch Lite was released in September 2019, almost three years after the Switch, and featured more than a few design changes. The most obvious is the inability to dock the system and play on a TV, or remove the Joy-Con. The kickstand was also removed, making tabletop mode a no-go.
What's more, Nintendo replaced the four directional buttons on the left Joy-Con with an actual D-Pad, something many players prefer, and the screen size shrank from 6.2-inches to 5.5-inches. The Switch Lite was also lighter, had improved battery life over the launch model, and was generally more robust due to its uniform design.
A Nintendo Switch 2 Lite would likely adopt similar changes, and could appeal to younger gamers. Here's how much the Nintendo Switch 2 Lite could cost, when it might be released, and what we can expect to see.
Nintendo Switch 2 Lite price prediction
The Nintendo Switch Lite retails for $199.99. That's $100 cheaper than the original Switch, and $150 cheaper than the Switch OLED. Nintendo will hope to achieve a similar discount on the Nintendo Switch 2 Lite. This means it could cost $349.99 instead of $449.99.
That would bring the Nintendo Switch 2 Lite in line with the Switch OLED, which would be impressive considering the new console will likely retain most of the larger console's benefits, at least in terms of power and performance.
Nintendo Switch 2 Lite release date prediction
The Nintendo Switch Lite arrived almost three years after the Switch was launched. Nintendo could aim for a similar timeframe for a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite, though it'll likely analyze how people play the console to make its decision.
If the price is presenting too much of a barrier to entry and data shows many people predominantly play handheld mode, then the decision to release a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite will make sense. We can expect the Nintendo Switch 2 Lite release date to be in 2027, if Nintendo sticks to its previous release schedule.
Nintendo Switch 2 Lite: what else can we expect?
Like the previous Switch Lite, the Nintendo Switch 2 Lite could have better battery life. The Switch Lite offers between 3 and 7 hours of battery life over the Switch 1's 2.5 to 6 hours of battery life. However, this was later eclipsed by the 2019 Switch model, which lasts between 4 and 9 hours.
One aspect that might make a Switch 2 Lite more troubling for Nintendo is that games that support mouse mode will no longer work. Nintendo was happy to release some games that weren't compatible with the Switch Lite, like Nintendo Switch Sports, but with the Switch 2's added mouse controls, there may be a few more incompatible titles this time around – or at least a few games with gameplay modes that will no longer work.
The Switch 2 Lite will likely retain all of the console's impressive display features like VRR, 120Hz and HDR, albeit on a smaller screen. With the Switch 2's screen being 7.9-inches, a similar reduction of 1.2-inches would mean the Switch 2 Lite's display would be far more impressive at 6.7-inches. That's far bigger than the Switch Lite's 5.5-inch screen, and larger than the Switch 1's 6.2-inch display.
We can expect the Nintendo Switch 2 Lite to release in a variety of bold colors too, similar to the Nintendo Switch Lite. Nintendo will want to make the handheld more appealing to younger users, so don't expect the same sleek, all-black design.
Nintendo sold 25 million Switch Lite models, which means we could see another smaller, handheld-focused Switch 2 in the future. We'll have to wait for an official announcement from Nintendo or some Switch 2 Lite rumors and leaks to emerge for more information.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.