Nintendo Switch

Will you buy it?

  • Yes

    Votes: 13 31.7%
  • Maybe

    Votes: 17 41.5%
  • No

    Votes: 11 26.8%

  • Total voters
    41

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
The thing is, it really depends on the games you're playing. Breath of the Wild is not something I'd play in portable mode for example. My usage has been portable but with games I deem compatible with a small screen, and I'm safe in the knowledge I can just plug it to the TV if I want to.

The Lite looks like a great device, and I think they'll sell boatloads of it, but personally if I had to buy my first Switch now, I'd probably still go for the regular one, or wait for a "Pro" version like Walter said.

Yeah... if they had just included a way to simply cable it to your TV, like an old-ass PSP, I'd probably jump. But that's the rub, they want you to buy a regular Switch in that case, except I'd rather have the solid one piece device, and a cord in the back of my TV when I feel like it, than all the detachable parts, accessories and potential hassles (and I don't appreciate the seemingly artificial barrier from a product standpoint). So, I'll probably be waiting to see if the Pro is really the one to get, or it it makes the regular Switch clearly the middle way for me.

Or I just end up getting whatever Lite + Zelda combo I can in a couple months because I'll probably just be playing it at work anyway. :ganishka:
 
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Walter

Administrator
Staff member
So, I'll probably be waiting to see if the Pro is really the one to get, or it it makes the regular Switch clearly the middle way for me.

Btw, the "Pro" isn't even an official product yet, it's just a rumor from the Japanese industry press. Could be more than a year out.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Btw, the "Pro" isn't even an official product yet, it's just a rumor from the Japanese industry press. Could be more than a year out.

Yeah, but once the also rumored Lite model came to be I think we all started assuming the "Pro" or "Plus" model is likely as well, but things change.

The plot thickens with Nintendo upgrading the Switch's battery in standard models starting this August, so that's one reason not to make another swit... change for now. I'd rather they change the hardware to ensure issues like joy con drift are eliminated. For someone already on the fence about a major purchase, the idea it could break down in a matter of months isn't reassuring. Of course, it's hard for me to tell if this is truly a widespread issue or a vocal minority with an internet bullhorn bringing it to my attention.
 
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Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Yeah, but once the also rumored Lite model came to be I think we all started assuming the "Pro" or "Plus" model is likely as well, but things change.

The plot thickens with Nintendo upgrading the Switch's battery in standard models starting this August, so that's one reason not to make another swit... change for now. I'd rather they change the hardware to ensure issues like joy con drift are eliminated. For someone already on the fence about a major purchase, the idea it could break down in a matter of months isn't reassuring. Of course, it's hard for me to tell if this is truly a widespread issue or a vocal minority with an internet bullhorn bringing it to my attention.
Yep, Joycon drifting is real. I sent my controllers back to Nintendo after about 6 months, and they replaced them within a few weeks. Funnily enough, in the replacement request I also said the HD rumble felt shitty and broken, like the motor was bad (or like one of these). They wrote back that it was serviced and determined to be working as intended, but they replaced anyway. And the new joycons' rumble feels just as shitty and broken. So that's just how they work :ganishka:
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Yep, Joycon drifting is real. I sent my controllers back to Nintendo after about 6 months, and they replaced them within a few weeks. Funnily enough, in the replacement request I also said the HD rumble felt shitty and broken, like the motor was bad (or like one of these). They wrote back that it was serviced and determined to be working as intended, but they replaced anyway. And the new joycons' rumble feels just as shitty and broken. So that's just how they work :ganishka:

Bowser is not going to put you on the Nintendo marketing team! :carcus:

Anyway, I hope they make it a priority to fix the sticks on the Lite! I mean, you'd think it would be a simple enough thing to change the regular Joycon specs since they're detachable/replaceable anyway. Come to think of it, I've killed two 3DSes by burning out buttons and it's not like I'm a hardcore portable player spending hours on the thing everyday or mistreating it, they just stopped working.
 
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Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Man you guys seem to be unlucky with your devices, never had a problem with my NDS, 3DS or Switch myself. In fact I think the only hardware problem I ever had with a console was the PSX back in the day, I fried it during a multiplayer session (cable link!) and had to cough something like $100 to get it fixed. That was a major bummer.
 
Yep, Joycon drifting is real. I sent my controllers back to Nintendo after about 6 months, and they replaced them within a few weeks. Funnily enough, in the replacement request I also said the HD rumble felt shitty and broken, like the motor was bad (or like one of these). They wrote back that it was serviced and determined to be working as intended, but they replaced anyway. And the new joycons' rumble feels just as shitty and broken. So that's just how they work
My right Joy Con started drifting after a year of use. I kind of knew it was an eventuality, especially since I only use it in portable mode. There are two ways that drift can occur:

1.) The thumbstick flap has some dust or small debris under it
2.) Natural degradation. Simply using it will wear down the components and make it drift

Either way, Nintendo of America offers free repairs for the Joy Cons now; regardless of warranty status. It's also a very easy fix on your own -- even if means simply replacing the thumbstick. Before fixing mine, I've fixed many Joy Cons for friends/colleagues.

--

Also, I don't remember what vibration on the Switch is like. I hate rumble, so I always turn it off whenever I get a new console. But it doesn't surprise me that you think it's shitty.

The Switch is an awesome device with great support (especially retro/arcade stuff), but I do think it is one of Nintendo's worst devices when it comes to quality control.
 
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Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
The Switch is an awesome device with great support (especially retro/arcade stuff), but I do think it is one of Nintendo's worst devices when it comes to quality control.

I'm impressed it's held up as well as it has given the relatively dainty and detachable parts, which was one of the things that initially gave me pause about it. I'm still weighing my options as far as whether or not I grab a Lite, a used one on the cheap after it comes out (particularly since they also upgraded the base model), or wait to see what happens with the next iteration and whether it's significant. Link's Awakening is enticing, and I still really want to play Mario Odyssey, but the real urgency isn't until BOTW2 is coming out.
 
I'm impressed it's held up as well as it has given the relatively dainty and detachable parts, which was one of the things that initially gave me pause about it.
I know it isn't easy to design something so modular while also keeping up with QA, but I think the thumbstick issue could have been avoided entirely.

I'm still weighing my options as far as whether or not I grab a Lite, a used one on the cheap after it comes out (particularly since they also upgraded the base model), or wait to see what happens with the next iteration and whether it's significant. Link's Awakening is enticing, and I still really want to play Mario Odyssey, but the real urgency isn't until BOTW2 is coming out.
I would have gone with the Lite initially if I had not bought one last year. I pretty much never play in docked mode; and the fact it comes with an actual D-pad is really enticing (I'm aware of HORI's "Joy Con" that has a D-pad, and I always use it), since as I mentioned, I play a lot of older games on my Switch.

If you have waited this long, I don't see the harm in waiting longer. I'm worried that the drifting issue will remain on the Lite. Trying to replace a thumbstick in that device would be a lot more annoying than just a Joy Con, but it also voids your warrants. So if the issue is still there, you're going to have to send it to Nintendo if you don't want to risk doing it on your own.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I know it isn't easy to design something so modular while also keeping up with QA, but I think the thumbstick issue could have been avoided entirely.

Definitely, I don't know if everything that went into it just sucked up too much literal and figurative resources, but it's a rather basic oversight in an otherwise effective little device.

If you have waited this long, I don't see the harm in waiting longer. I'm worried that the drifting issue will remain on the Lite. Trying to replace a thumbstick in that device would be a lot more annoying than just a Joy Con

Yeah, I basically lost two 3DS to defective/worn out buttons, I tried Frankensteining them back together into one but once the tiny screws started sticking and stripping it just wasn't worth the time and effort anymore.
 
New Switch Model is basically OLED model with 7.0" screen, so we should expect enhanced colors and contrast. Also it has adjustable stand, according to Nintendo - better audio, Ethernet port.

From perspective of someone who bought Switch V2 (the one with better battery) 5 months ago - I don't think that it's a deal for me. Also issues can be burn in in the screen. In my OLED phones I've had burn in issues so you get better colors and contrast that's for sure, but with a risk. I have OLED tv but I play on it occasionally and watch lots of movies/tv shows and there's also anti-burn in technology in it and lots of options for image so you can minimize the risk. I wonder if there will be any technology to combat burn in issues in Nintendo console. But I guess it will depend how much you play on this console and what type of HUD there is in the game, if it's not very bright HUD then maybe OLED will be ok with it.

 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
I'd upgrade if there were a CPU or memory bump. But without that, this isn't worthwhile to me. I only play my Switch docked. My son plays it portably, but he's not going to care about a screen upgrade.
 
Yeah. I think Nintendo will have to upgrade power of console to convince most of people who already have Switch. I think DLSS 2.0 on portable console would be game changer. It would enable possibility of porting bigger and bigger, newer games to Switch and making original Nintendo games bigger and more ambitious and still - playing relatively smoothly.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply that I was holding out for this new model having better hardware. It clearly doesn't. It's a shame we'll have to wait another cycle for Nintendo to up its output. The latter upgrades to the DS and 3DS set the precedent they could do the same for Switch. But they probably didn't want to bifurcate the software ("only for NEW Switch!"). Oh well!
 

RaffoBaffo

Ex-Newser of the late Berserk Chronicles
Yeah, they confimed that the hardware is the same, and that the [drifting] controllers are the same.
 
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