#How Much of an Upgrade Is Nintendo’s OLED Switch?

Nintendo fans around the world have been patiently waiting for a Switch Pro to launch. With the new Switch OLED model, fans are getting an upgraded console, but it’s not quite the Switch Pro fans have been looking for.

Nintendo Switch OLED Model Reviews Are In

Whenever Nintendo releases a new console, the world takes notice. Sure, the Switch OLED model might not be a full 4K Switch Pro like some people were hoping for, but based on the reviews, it seems to be a substantial upgrade over the original console.

RELATED: Nintendo Switch OLED: Is Screen Burn-in a Problem?

Andrew Webster with The Verge said, “It’s not 4K, but it sure looks good.” In the end, the new console received an 8 out of 10, which is solid. The big positives are the improved kickstand, the beautiful screen, and the extra storage. The main negatives of the review are the fact that the Joy-Con controllers haven’t changed and the lack of performance gains.

Over at Engadget, Kris Naudus called the console “beautiful, but not a must-have,” which seems to be the main opinion offered by reviewers. With that said, the review also gave the console an impressive 89 out of 100. It says the “OLED screen is larger and brighter,” and there’s “improved battery life over previous models.” Those alone outweigh the publication’s main issues, which are the heavier console, a lack of an option to charge the console in tabletop mode, and the fact that it costs more than the original.

IGN addressed whether current Switch owners should upgrade. Writer Taylor Lyles said, “The Switch OLED does enough right to make it the current Nintendo flagship, but not enough to make most Switch owners upgrade.”

Polygon‘s Russ Frushtick agrees, saying, “For someone who has never purchased a Switch and is deciding whether to spend $50 more on the OLED model, I’d say it’s worthwhile.” For current owners, it doesn’t seem like upgrading is worthwhile. Frushtick said the upgrade is “not so big that I’d recommend everyone, or even most people, throw out their old hardware in favor of this device.”

Should You Get One?

The consensus seems to be that the OLED Switch is a fantastic device on its own, but it’s probably not worth upgrading if you already have a Switch.

Sure, you’ll get a better kickstand if you play in tabletop mode a lot and the battery life is a little better, but because there are no actual improvements to the performance for games, the upgrade isn’t as substantial as it could be.

The console is set to release on October 8, 2021, so if you’re interested in picking one up, you won’t have to wait too long (assuming they’re actually available on launch day).