Design: (screen) Size matters
In terms of pure design, the Nintendo Switch OLED model looks very familiar to the original Switch which has now been discounted a little. You’re still looking at a touchscreen tablet console to which you attach two Joy-Con controllers when you want to play in handheld mode. If you want to play on the TV, the console still slots snugly into the included dock, which connects to your TV via HDMI.
But there are a couple of fairly significant changes. The most obvious one is screen size, which has been increased to 7in, up from 6.2in on the original model and much larger than the more portable Switch Lite’s 5.5in display. If you predominantly play the Switch in handheld mode, having a bigger screen to look at is obviously a tempting upgrade, especially as Nintendo has achieved it by slimming down the bezels, rather than increasing the overall size of the device, which remains pretty much identical to the original. One issue we do have is that the front of the Switch is now glossy rather than matte. It definitely makes it look more premium, but in turn makes the device noticeably more reflective.
The Switch OLED does weigh slightly more, though, up to 320g from the 297g Switch. With the Joy-Cons attached the whole thing weighs in at 420g, and considering that the Switch was pretty heavy in the first place, this is something to consider. If handheld comfort over longer play sessions is your priority, the Switch Lite remains the best choice./
The other notable design tweak is the much-improved kickstand. The flimsy stand on the original always felt worryingly snappable, and Nintendo clearly agreed privately, because the Switch OLED’s is almost as wide as the console itself, making it much sturdier for tabletop play. You can adjust its angle too, allowing you to find the optimal position for where you’re sat.
The Switch OLED ships with a redesigned dock which now has a built-in LAN port. Before, the Switch was a Wi-Fi only machine for online play. As well as the standard black model we’re used to, Nintendo has also introduced an off-white colour for the Switch OLED.
