The Nintendo Switch OLED is a welcome upgrade, but one that pleases more than it wows. It's an inherently flawed product due to the console's original hybrid design: dock the Switch OLED, and the benefits of the sumptuous new 7-inch display, redesigned kickstand, and enhanced speakers vanish. If you’re a first-time Switch buyer this is undoubtedly the model to buy, but the improvements to the Switch OLED will only really benefit handheld and tabletop mode users – and if you’re thinking of upgrading, don’t expect a Nintendo Switch Pro.

Larger 7-inch screen makes a difference; OLED provides perfect blacks and accurate colors; Enhanced speakers sound fantastic;

No upgrades in TV mode; Internal specs remain the same; Durability concerns still not addressed

It’d be too easy and perhaps a little unfair to judge the Switch OLED on what it isn’t, rather than what it is. It isn’t the 4K Nintendo Switch of your dreams that’ll comfortably last an entire long-haul flight in handheld mode, which is a shame. It is, though, an already great console made quite a lot better by a stunning new display, louder speakers and a stand that actually does what it’s supposed to. Sure it’s still a little heavy and unwieldy in the hands, but we wouldn’t want to sacrifice the Joy-Cons or that 7in display for something lighter. And if you do, the Switch Lite still exists, and it’s a delightful little machine. If you’ve been holding off on buying a Switch until now, we think the OLED model is well worth the extra 50 sheets. If you’ve had a Switch since day one and find yourself tempted by the upgrade, ask yourself how you use it. If the answer is mostly handheld and you can afford it, the OLED is a much nicer on-the-go gaming device. But it’s not quite an essential buy, and there’s no guarantee the more powerful Switch won’t arrive in the next year or two. It’s perhaps not the Switch you wanted, then, but once you’ve seen Link gallop across Hyrule on that OLED display, it is quite hard to go back.

OLED displays are simply much nicer to look at ; Much, much improved stand; Decent speakers; More storage;

Larger display only shows up the limitations of 720p more; Pretty heavy for a handheld ; Unchanged performance and battery life; More reflective than before;

OLED screen offers a huge upgrade; Bigger screen, but still very portable; Stand is a lot sturdier now; Increased storage capacity ;

No performance upgrade; No substantial upgrades for docked mode;

OLED displays are simply much nicer to look at ; Much, much improved stand; Decent speakers; More storage;

Larger display only shows up the limitations of 720p more; Pretty heavy for a handheld ; Unchanged performance and battery life; More reflective than before;

Much of the discussion around the Nintendo Switch OLED model has been about what it’s not, as opposed to what it is. From its initial announcement, fans were vocally disappointed about the upgrade’s lack of three main things: 4K graphics while docked, a resolution bump in handheld mode, and a battery boost. That left many to completely write the system off as an inessential midlife Switch upgrade instead of the version they’d envisioned. So let’s talk about what the Switch OLED actually is: It’s a better version of the Nintendo Switch, unequivocally. It sports a bigger, brighter screen that makes the old Switch look washed out. That alone would be enough to make this a notable improvement, and it’s not the only new feature here. The question is whether or not it’s enough of a difference considering that the Switch is a four-year-old console that lags behind nearly half a decade of tech advancement in gaming. The answer is likely no, but it hardly matters when Nintendo is playing by its...

Improved screen; Improved onboard audio; Much better kickstand; Cleaner dock design;

No upgrades for TV; Storage is still small;

Bigger & better display; Much-improved kickstand; Refined design all-round;

No resolution or performance upgrades; Joy-Con drift remains an issue;