Not a fan of the Nintendo Switch OLED? The original model could see a price drop
Potential price drop for the portable peril
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
With theNintendo Switch OLED’s release mere weeks away (it’s due October 8, 2021), rumors are circulating that theoriginal 2017 modelcould see a price drop very soon.
As reported byNintendo Life, a French Twitter leaker by the name of Nintend’Alerts claims that the original Nintendo Switch model will receive a fairly hefty price drop before the release of theOLED, from €329 to €270. For other territories, that equates to around $320 / £240 / AU$440.
Currently, the source of the leak makes it clear that the price drop is at least occurring in France, but there’s no word as of yet on whether the Nintendo Switch will receive the price drop worldwide, or if it will even get one at all.
Info Nintend’Alerts - La console Nintendo Switch devrait baisser à partir de lundi et se vendre autour de 270€. C’est la première baisse depuis la sortie en mars 2017.➡️ https://t.co/fEhbIUtSeh pic.twitter.com/Jx65zr18gySeptember 9, 2021
Analysis: a Switch price cut would be most welcome
With the brand new Nintendo Switch OLED a little under a month from hitting store shelves, a price drop would benefit the original 2017 model in a number of ways. First, it makes the original look more appealing to those who think the OLED’s changes aren’t worth its $349.99 / £309.99 / AU$539 price tag.
Plus, given that the Switch is nearly five years old at this point, a price drop shouldn’t surprise anyone. In fact, it’s probably coming a bit later than expected for the aging hardware.
A price drop would mean that the difference between the Nintendo Switch Lite and the original model wouldn’t be so disparate anymore. The original Switch would be much closer to the Switch Lite ($199.99 / £199.99 / AU$329.95) in terms of price, then, meaning Nintendo would have three Switch models at three very distinct price tags.
A prospective price drop would also, of course, lend a more premium feel to the Nintendo Switch OLED, which the company is clearly positioning as the enthusiast’s Switch with its sharper 7-inch OLED screen. It costs more than the 2017 model’s RRP, but if the discount comes to pass, the gap in price will widen significantly.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
We also have to wonder what a Nintendo Switch price drop could mean for future limited edition consoles. For example, the Nintendo Switch Lite Pokémon Dialga & Palkia Edition, made in conjunction with thePokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlremakes, is retailing at the same price as the original Switch Lite.
It’s possible, then, that future limited edition Switch consoles could share the rumored price drop if it comes to pass. We’ll have to wait and see on that, though.
Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.
Nintendo finally confirms that the Switch 2 will be backwards compatible
Don’t miss this rare sale on the Nintendo Switch Lite: Animal Crossing Bundle
This new malware utilizes a rare programming language to evade traditional detection methods
