To Switch or not to Switch? Amazon's annual summer sale is rapidly approaching, and with rumors continuing to swirl around the next Ninty console, many may find themselves wondering whether they should buy a Nintendo Switch on Prime Day. Whether you're questioning if Prime Day is the best time to buy, or you're weighing up grabbing the hybrid console at all, we're here to help you work out the best course of action.
This is a multi-faceted debate. There are three Nintendo consoles on the shelves right now; the Lite, the standard edition, and the OLED model, and each brings its own use-case. On top of that, though, we've also got a full year of sales ahead of us - who's to say Prime Day gaming deals are going to yield the best value?
Ultimately, the question of whether you should be parsing this year's Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals for a saving comes down to what, when, and how you want to play. That's why we've split this guide into two sections, with advice for newbies looking to pick up their first console and for those looking to upgrade their existing device.
Of course, there's another shadow looming on the horizon as well...
The Switch 2 conundrum
The next Nintendo console has been picking up steam on the rumor mill since 2019, with the brand's relative silence only fueling intrigue around a new release. The truth is, we don't know much about the Nintendo Switch's successor, and the nuggets of information we do have suggest this won't be a hard cut between console generations. Just this week the brand pledged a 'smooth transition' to its next device. With no release date in view and some signs pointing to being able to play your Switch games on the new device, we're not considering the next Nintendo console to be a reason not to buy a Nintendo Switch in the coming months.
That is, of course, unless you're tied to one new console in the next few years and you can wait for a new generation device.
Newbies
If you're brand new to the Nintendo Switch system, Prime Day is going to be particularly kind to you. While we don't see too many straight discounts on the consoles themselves during this summer sale, the last few years have been plentiful in their bundle supplies. That stretches across Lite, standard, and OLED models, so whether you're going all out on the latest device or picking up a cheaper handheld-only system you should be covered with some solid discounts on included games and accessories.
Picking up a Nintendo Switch over Prime Day gives you four months of play time before November's Black Friday sales hit the shelves, where we do typically see slightly better offers. If you can wait that long to get your hands on a console you'll likely find lower prices across bundles and potentially even a few straight discounts as well. However, we anticipate your total savings to only be around $10 or $20 more later on in the year. If you want the absolute lowest price possible and you're happy to go another four months Switch-less, we'd skip this year's sale.
Upgraders
Prime Day is also an excellent opportunity to save if your old system is in need of an upgrade. However, the best value is going to be in trading up from a Switch Lite to a Switch OLED. While the standard edition may be cheaper, we don't tend to see as many bundle offers and even straight discounts on this middle child - and considering there's less than $100 / £100 in between the two consoles taking the leap to that boosted display is well worth an extra nudge of cash.
If the plethora of new announcements from the latest Nintendo Direct (June 2023) have you excited, then, Prime Day is going to be a blast. Bundles might play less of a role for you this year, though - after all, we generally see older titles taking part in these package deals and they may already be in your repertoire if you're keen on them. That means we'd recommend keeping a close eye out for any straight discounts (Woot, an Amazon sub-brand, is our go-to for these rarer offers) that may pop up. These are going to be hard to find, but far more valuable for the upgrader. It goes without saying, if the Nintendo Switch OLED drops below its current record-low price ($330 in the US and £289 in the UK), you're onto a winner.
Because you might not be relying on bundles as much, the question of waiting for Black Friday does hold a little more weight. As we've seen in previous years, you're far more likely to find a straight price cut during Black Friday (and bundle deals might include newer releases). Plus, if you've already got a console to tide you over for those four months you're not going to feel the hit of missing out quite so keenly.
If you're after the absolute lowest price possible, or you want to save on bundles with 2023's games included, Prime Day might not be the best time to buy.
Should you buy a Nintendo Switch on Prime Day?
Whether you should buy a Nintendo Switch on Prime Day or not comes down to your reasons for buying. The threat of a new console isn't quite as dramatic as one might think with all the rumors flying across the web, and shouldn't put you off enjoying the Switch's catalog now. If you're upgrading, you might find better value in sales later in the year all while still enjoying the console you've got now. However, those additional savings could only amount to a small change in the grand scheme of things. Newbies, however, can find excellent value in Amazon's summer sale - especially because it traditionally leans more towards bundles than straight discounts.
Buy a Nintendo Switch on Prime Day if:
Don't buy a Nintendo Switch on Prime Day if:
We're also getting you prepped for all this year's Prime Day PS5 deals and Prime Day gaming laptop deals if you're after more ways to save. Or, take a look at the latest Nintendo Switch deals on the market for discounts available now.
