Topic: Would i be a dummy for buying a switch Oled at this point?

I still have my launch switch and it's working fine but the fan is making alot of noise and it feels like it's on it's last legs. I thought about upgrading to Oled but i fear I'll barely have it three months then Nintendo will announce a true successor.

Depends on how much you intend to use it and what your budget is like. I picked up an OLED a couple of months back because my launch Switch had the screen starting to lift and a gap in the top. Which I thought could potentially be due to an expanding battery

So I grabbed an OLED and .... it was probably overkill but the screen upgrade is significant. And having a second dock is a nice bonus. Will I get my money's worth out of it over the next year? Maybe not. But it's a worthwhile upgrade regardless

Nintendo may announce a successor soon, but current rumours say it could be a full year until we actually get to see the successor. It's a bit of a roll of the dice, but I personally wouldn't want to go a year without a well functioning Switch. I've been worrying about this also because my OG Switch is getting worn out but not enough to warrant upgrade yet. I have a lite also, so personally for me I would have to decide whether to go full-portable for a year or not. A lite is a third cheaper option than OLED; sort of a downgrade but it would be temporary if Switch 2 is coming.

The other factor to consider is what hardware you'll have AFTER the Switch 2 releases. Towards the end of 2015 I was considering picking up a New 3DS XL as my 3DS at the time was starting to wear a bit. But I was fairly confident that the "NX" was going to be a portable so I held off. And even when the New 3DS was going for super cheap at the shops after the Switch launched I figured I had a Switch now so who cares

I regret not picking one up now. Because the New 3DS XL was, and remains, the best piece of hardware to play 3DS games on. And also just generally a decent piece of hardware for portable gaming. So when I feel the need to revisit that library of games it's on a well worn piece of hardware. Not a huge deal but, would've been nice. And since the 3DS XL has been discontinued the cost of picking one up just skyrocketed

Will this also be true for the Switch once Switch 2 comes out? Maybe not. The general guess right now is that there will be Switch backwards compatibility with the possibility of enhancements, higher resolution modes etc. But it probably won't have an OLED screen and we're just guessing when it comes to how backwards compatibility will play out. It's all a bit of a gamble at this point

I had your same doubt till last week, but the delay launch of the Switch 2 get me convinced to upgrade to Oled.
I bought a refurbed Oled grade A for 220 euros, it's almost comparable as a new one, and we'll, it's absolute worth it.
The 7 inch screen is a game changer, especially with darker games, that on the og switch was almost unplayable in lighted ambient.
The battery life is infinite compared to V1, and if you play a lot handheld is a big change.
And least, having two docks, is very useful if you have more than one monitor/TV where you can play.
Wired connection is also important if you play online.
I was very doubtful, but now I'm very happy with my choice.

Yea, it's a tough call.

It's probably gonna be a solid year until the Switch 2 comes out, regardless of when they announce it.

The other thing I'd be wary of, though, is a price drop this coming Fall/Holiday. If Switch 2 is hitting in 2025, it's almost guaranteed Nintendo's gonna cut Switch 1 prices as soon as they announce the successor.

My OLED's going strong, but when they cut prices, I'm definitely picking up another one.

It's so hard to tell. You wouldn't be a dummy, but all the usual sign posts of a price reduction etc that would normally alieviate any anxiety about a new console on the horizon just aren't there. It doesn't help when the internet has built this narrative of them having a really quick announcement to release timeframe that it practically feels like it's going to get shadow dropped!

I dunno, I replaced mine when folk were on about a Switch Pro or 2. I'm glad I did. If you can't play games, get it replaced. If they release another console afterwards, then you just have a different problem to solve. Trade in etc.

Since it is Out of Warranty you can replace the fan until the Switch 2 comes out and then get a Switch 2. But when and how you upgrade is something you have to decide. Upgrading the Fan is the cheapest solution right now. And if you don't have NSO Cloud to backup your game your asking for problem should it take a dump on you as well. There are some smart things to do and having a Cloud backup helps when upgrading Switch consoles except from some games that may not allow Cloud backup those are the extreme but even ACNH is giving one that Cloud option by updating their game to do so as well. Also when was the last time you cleaned your Switch Fan fins? That could be clogged with dust as well and cleaning that might help the fan work better.

@Truegamer79 If you did end up regretting the OLED, you could always trade in the OLED to put toward the newer hardware, if that ever comes out. You can get a lot money/credit for trading in a Switch.(last I knew)

Have you considered the new OLED Steam Deck?

If you OG Switch is still working competently, albeit the fan is noisy, then the SD could be a nice way to pave the gap between Switch - - -> Switch 2.

I'm a Switch OLED owner, and got the original LCD Deck (256GB) back in October.... and honestly, between these 2 machines I feel I have access to an incredible library of games.

The Deck battery life sucks (but newer OLED model is much improved I hear) and the UI is a bit tricky vs Switch... but the Steam library and Deck power means I've been able to play games like Baldurs Gate, Lies of P, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk etc...
(nb. Of course the Deck is NOT the 'ideal' way to experience those noted games, but they run well enough and I travel too much to justify a home console..)

I upgraded from Switch1 -> OLED, and there are definitely some great QoL improvements. But considering Switch2 is not a million miles away, you might appreciate a broader gaming library via the Deck. I'm pumped for Switch2, but definitely felt I needed a bridging unit whilst I wait

@CJD87 Steam Deck Oled costs x2,5 the price of a refurbished guaranteed Switch Oled.....and it's not to esclude a Steam Deck 2 in 2025 too.

@GeneralFulbright I should have been clearer, I was actually advocating the original LCD Steamdeck (256GB) which has just had a price drop - so the LCD Deck is pretty much exactly same price as OLED Switch.

Forgetting that the Deck exists for a second though, I'd still advise OP to upgrade to the OLED Switch - especially if their OG is beginning to tank a bit. If OP plays majority/exclusively handheld, they'll reap the benefits of the new screen

@CJD87 i agee
Screen and battery life are both really a big improvement if the Switch is used mostly handheld

I say do it. The games look great and always will look great on the Oled no matter what comes next. I started a thread about multi handheld users because there’s not just one machine that’s the best for every game, older games included. This is true for the Switch Oled which will continue to be a great display for Switch games even after more powerful hardware releases. It won’t be obsolete! Lol

We have to also remember the LCD for Switch is a 2024 LCD tech not a 2015 LCD tech. Sony PS5 handheld is a LCD at 8" and a OLED 8" from Sony probably cost far more then the current price they are asking for their PS5 HandHeld. So one should be caution just going OLED 8" probably will not be cheap by any stretch of the imagination here-otherwise why didn't Sony use one for their HandHeld PS5 you have to ask this question as well? So for all Switch 2 LCD bashing why isn't anyone bashing the PS5 HandHeld even though it uses a LCD 8"????? It's not the sense of a true Handheld but it's a example of LCD current.

@GeneralFulbright The kickstand actually being decent as well is a game-changer!

@SwitchForce
Nobody is bashing the LCD screen. People are just, rightly given the thread title, talking about whether the OLED screen is worth upgrading to. And the PS-Portal is an entirely different device for an entirely different use case and isn't really relevant to this discussion at all. It's a tethered device that requires a PS5

The only other device mentioned was the Steam Deck. Which for portable gaming is a relevant device to bring up. It's a direct competitor and covers all the same use cases. The hypothetical Switch 2 is also in the discussion for the same reasons. The PS-Portal is not

I got my OLED for Christmas (as my previous one was from August 2017 and I figured it was time for a little upgrade)

I bought mines in March 6 of last year. I don't regret it ONE BIT. My original plan was just to buy another Switch Lite after I've sold mines. But I wanted to upgrade after waiting for awhile.

@MarioOnTheBox
OLED is more expensive but not nearly as much as some people seem to believe. Depends on what price point they're going for. If they end up selling this thing for something like $450US? An OLED screen would've been fairly easy to fit in, especially if they're cheap on storage and RAM. But if they're wanting to hit an aggressive price point of say ~$350US? OLED is going to be a stretch

Honestly I'm half expecting two SKUs. One with 256GB of storage and an LCD screen for ~$350-400US and a second with 512GB of storage and an OLED screen for ~$450-500US