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Update: Okay, it might ACTUALLY be a bad time to buy a Nintendo Switch now

Four years after a Nintendo Switch successor was first rumoured, it might actually be a bad time to buy a Nintendo Switch now.

By Brodie Fogg

Mar 11, 2025

4 min read

Originally published as Is it a bad time to buy a Nintendo Switch? in August 2020.

Nintendo graphic featuring Mario in a repeating computer window

Would you believe me if I told you the Nintendo Switch 2 was first rumoured over four years ago? In August 2020, Bloomberg first reported a 4K upgrade for the Nintendo Switch (an upgrade everyone collectively deemed the Nintendo Switch Pro.) We waited and waited while Bloomberg's incognito insider continued to leak promising technical specs about the next Nintendo Switch.

Some of these leaked details ended up pertaining to the Nintendo Switch OLED, a bigger 7-inch display with 64GB internal memory and an OLED panel. Despite the major disappointment amongst Switch "Pro" hopefuls, the Switch OLED was a solid mid-life upgrade. But it didn't feature half of the rumoured improvements and was quickly deemed an "interim model" by industry experts.

Before that announcement, I wrote the following article, warning against an investment in a Nintendo Switch console. With an upgrade so close, according to the rumours, it seemed like a civil duty. Do I regret publishing this PSA? Yeah, a little.

Having used it myself, the Nintendo Switch OLED definitively offers the premium handheld Nintendo experience. But it doesn't have any exclusive games and only makes a difference to those who play primarily in handheld mode.

At the time, I speculated that, whatever the outcome, the standard Nintendo Switch would become cheaper thanks to the upgrade. The Nintendo Switch launched in 2017 for $469.95 RRP in Australia. EB Games is still selling the same model for $469. You can find it for a lot cheaper on sale but the fact is, the Switch OLED's release didn't budge the price tag of the original Switch.

Despite being revealed back in January, we really don't know much about what the Nintendo Switch 2 rollout will look like. We know the Switch 2 will be backwards-compatible with most games but there are still so many more questions to answer: how much longer will Nintendo release Nintendo Switch games? Will most new Nintendo first-party games be exclusive to Switch 2 or will there be downgraded ports for the original Switch and Switch Lite? It's these sorts of factors that will ultimately decide whether the Nintendo Switch gets a significant price cut when the Switch 2 is finally released.

In the meantime, we know one thing for sure: the Nintendo Switch 2 will be released this year and it will offer a bigger display and better magnetic Joy-cons that seem to have some mouse-like qualities for additional control options. While not confirmed, it will likely be a lot more powerful, capable of delivering 4K quality in TV mode too. It's also more than likely that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be priced higher than the Switch OLED.

Even if none of those upgrades sound all that appealing to you, you would still be better off waiting until the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct in April gives us a closer look at the new console before spending full price on the original Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite or Switch OLED.

Keep reading for the original article...

Original article follows

While we’re still a ways out from the holiday season, you might already be brainstorming gift ideas for your friends and family. In my family, my brother already has a gift idea in the running: a Nintendo Switch for his kids. I blame Animal Crossing, mostly.

But with recent reports of an incoming 4K upgrade for Nintendo’s handheld hybrid, it got me thinking whether it’s the best time to buy a Switch, or whether it’s worth saving your Nook Miles until next year.

Bloomberg's report suggests that the 4K Nintendo Switch (let’s call it the Nintendo Switch Pro for now), will be released next year alongside a new lineup of first-party and third-party games, presumably optimised for the extra grunt. It’s aiming for a 2021 release, handing the 2020 Holiday season to the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

Whether you’re interested in a 4K-capable Nintendo Switch, or simply the existing base model, there’s nothing worse than paying full price for a current-gen model when an upgrade announcement is right around the corner. There are two outcomes: you’re either stuck with a last-gen console while the conversation shifts to the shiny and new version or you’ve missed out on a significant price drop on the current model.

Details on the upgrade are lite at the moment. We don’t know what it will cost, whether it will impact the price of the existing Nintendo Switch, and what the console family will look like with a new addition.

When the Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro were released, Microsoft replaced the base Xbox One model with the budget Xbox One S, and Sony replaced the PlayStation 4 with a slimmer, cheaper model. Two very similar strategies. However, Nintendo is in a different position. Not only did it quietly upgrade the standard Nintendo Switch model last year, but its budget option, the Nintendo Switch Lite, is a handheld-only device and serves a separate audience.

In Australia, the Nintendo Switch still costs roughly $450 from most outlets, and the Lite costs roughly $300 to $329. Thanks to the Switch’s versatility, I’ve used it more than any other console in my house since its 2017 release. Despite the fact it still costs more than a more powerful PlayStation 4, or an Xbox One S (which features the insanely valuable Game Pass), I’ve got no qualms with the price I paid. But with the new console generation coming, and a rumoured budget Xbox Series S, the Switch’s price tag will be rightly scrutinised over the coming months.

Should you hold off on buying a Nintendo Switch?

We don’t know for sure whether a new 4K Nintendo Switch will drive the price of the Lite and standard Nintendo Switch down. It almost seems inevitable, but Nintendo works in mysterious ways. In the case that it does, you’ll be kicking yourself for paying full price come next year.

At the very least, it’s probably a bad time to buy or upgrade your Nintendo Switch if 4K graphics are a big deal for you.

For me, superior graphics aren’t and never have been an important factor in the Nintendo Switch experience but after three years of international trips and late-night Mario Kart sessions, my Switch has seen better days. I’m close to needing an upgrade, and I don’t mind forking out a little extra for the best version of the console I use the most.

Whatever the upgrade ends up being, I just hope it doesn't inherit the Switch's disastrous Joy-con issues.

Compare handheld gaming consoles

On the hunt for a decent handheld? Check out the table below for a small round-up of some of our favourite handheld gaming consoles to date.

Gaming handheld	Display	Weight	Storage	Price	View more
Steam Deck	7/7.4-inch 1280x800 IPS or OLED	From 639 grams	64GB, 256GB, 512GB, MicroSD	From$705	Shop Now
Evercade EXP	4.3-inch 800x480 IPS screen	270 grams	4GB	From$190.82	Shop Now
Lenovo Legion Go	8.8-inch 2560x1440 IPS	640 grams	512GB, MicroSD	From$1348	Shop Now
Nintendo Switch	5.5/6.2/7-inch 1280x720 IPS or OLED	From 276 grams	32GB, MicroSD	From$329	Shop Now
Razer Edge	6.8-inch 2880x1080 OLED	401 grams	128GB, MicroSD	From$889.95	Shop Now
Backbone One	N/A Requires smartphone	138 grams	N/A Requires smartphone	From$125	Shop Now

Written by

Brodie Fogg

Brodie Fogg is the Australian editorial lead at Reviews.org. He has covered consumer tech, telecommunications, video games, streaming and entertainment for over five years at websites like WhistleOut and Finder and can be found sharing streaming recommendations at 7NEWS every month.