Can my Nintendo Switch Lite connect to my TV?
- sep
- 26
Best answer: No, the Nintendo Switch Lite is is a dedicated handheld device and was not designed to be connected to the TV. This is by design as the focus is on portability now instead of variety.
- Designed for mobility: Nintendo Switch Lite ($200 at Amazon)
The focus of the Switch Lite is different
When Nintendo first announced the Nintendo Switch one of its main selling points was versatility. The idea of having a console you can play on your TV and you can take with you is a powerful one. However, it turns out most people weren't using that versatility.
Nintendo has been gathering data on how we use our Nintendo Switches, and the overwhelming consensus is that the Switch is more fun when you play it in handheld mode. I think we all knew that to be the case, but Nintendo has taken it to heart and made the Switch Lite solely handheld.
It just won't fit
Not only is the hardware different on the Switch Lite, which stops you from playing it on the TV, but the Switch Lite itself also doesn't fit in the larger Switch's Dock. Because the Switch Lite has a smaller screen — 5.5 inches, down from 6.2 inches on the Switch — and the controllers are integrated, so the footprint doesn't match.
If you can imagine the original Nintendo Switch with one Joy-Con missing, that's about the size of the Switch Lite. Even if it did have the right internals, it wouldn't fit in the Switch Dock as it is now.
Could I use cables to get the Switch Lite to show up on my TV without docking it?
So you want to know if you can bypass the Dock and simply use cables to connect the Switch Lite to your TV? Unfortunately, this isn't possible. Nintendo didn't include the necessary hardware inside the Switch Lite to allow it to work with a TV. This isn't too surprising considering that Nintendo typically doesn't like people using their devices for anything other than what they were intended for.
It's probably for the better that this isn't possible. The original Switch was designed to have a resolution of up to 720p in handheld mode and resolution up to 1080p when docked. If you somehow can mirror the Switch Lite screen to a TV, it will still show in 720p, which will look horrible on a large TV.
When can I have one?
The Nintendo Switch Lite is currently available for just $200. That's a $100 saving over the original Switch and on par with the Nintendo DS hardware it's surely replacing. You can order it at Amazon, and it is available in three different colors; yellow, turquoise, and gray.
Nintendo Switch Mini
Nintendo Switch Lite
A smaller, less expensive Nintendo gaming system
This mini version of the Nintendo Switch works solely in handheld mode. It uses the same cartridges as the standard Nintendo Switch and can link with standard Switches to play local co-op games. Pre-order it now.