Nintendo just released a new version of their hybrid console, the Nintendo Switch OLED. Its main feature is that it comes with a new OLED screen that gives the games you play a better image quality (so long as you are playing on handheld mode).
In addition to the increase in graphical fidelity, the OLED model has a few improvements over the standard model: Increased internal memory, a dock with an adjustable kickstand, and a wired LAN port.
Do you need to buy a whole new Switch to benefit from these "new" features? Not at all.
How to connect a LAN cable to your Nintendo Switch without the new dock
We already touched on this feature when we talked about the OLED´s new dock. The OLED´s dock has a LAN port, allowing you to stick a LAN cable to connect to the internet directly without using wi-fi.
The advantage of a wired connection is that you can enjoy a more stable online experience. It is unlikely that you will disconnect from the internet with a LAN cable, and the numbers of "packets" that your connection loses on transit are also down.
So? How can you connect a LAN cable to your Switch without buying the new OLED dock? (Which can be purchased separately from the console, if you are interested). By buying a LAN adapter for your Switch. Many manufacturers have been selling them for almost as long as the console´s been on the market.
Once you have an adapter, all it takes is plugging your LAN cable into it and then the adapter to the Nintendo Switch. That should be everything you need to do to connect to the internet without wifi.
How to get an adjustable kickstand for your Nintendo Switch
The default kickstand for the Nintendo Switch is not great. While it does keep the console standing up if you prop it against a table, it is fragile and doesn´t allow you to adjust the angle of the console.
The OLED changes the old, weak stand for a better one that is more stable and lets you adjust the angle of the Nintendo Switch. But is it worth it to buy a whole new Switch just for that? Instead, you can buy one of the many other stands available on the market now.
If you don´t care about adjusting the angle and want something more stable for your Switch, even Nintendo has its own external charging stand. It also charges your Switch while it is on it, so that´s a plus.
If the official stand is too pricy for you, or you want to have the ability to adjust the angle, then there are slightly cheaper third-party alternatives that got you covered.
How to increase the storage of your Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch OLED has an internal memory of 64 Gb, while the regular Switch only has 32 Gb of storage. This is probably one of the easiest fixes, you can increase your Switch internal memory by plugging in an SD card.
SD cards come in a variety of sizes, from 32 Gb cards to up to 512 Gb. You might want to buy the cheapest card and match the storage space of an OLED Switch, but that might be inadvisable.
As we said before, Breath of the Wild, Mario Oddysey, Animal Crossing, Smash Bros Ultimate, and Mario Kart 8 all together weigh a bit more than 45Gb. If you only want to install the Switch's best sellers, a 64 Gb card will do nicely but will not leave you with much room for other games.
Can you increase the graphic quality of your Nintendo Switch?
This is the tricky one and the selling point of the new model of Nintendo Switch. The OLED screen is supposed to give you a much better graphical fidelity than the plain old LCD screen.
Well, this time there isn´t a third-party gadget that you can buy to clear up the image in your Switch, but I think it´s worth pointing out that the OLED only comes into play when you are playing on handheld or tabletop mode.
If you use your Switch mainly on the TV, it should not make any difference which model or version you use, so long as it´s not the Lite. Do be careful, however, that the OLED screen is prone to getting "burned-in" images if overused.
Yes, you can get most of the advantages of an OLED Switch without getting the new console.
The Nintendo Switch OLED brings an update to the Switch line of consoles. Not only does it upgrade the classic LCD screen to an OLED screen, but it also comes with a brand new LAN port, an adjustable kickstand, and increased storage capacity.
Only... you can get most of these benefits on your current Switch without buying a new version of it. The only exclusive feature is the OLED screen, all the other characteristics can be bought, and at a cheaper price too.
So, if you don´t care about having clear graphics on handheld mode, you can spend 20 dollars on a memory card, 15 on a kickstand, and 30 on a LAN adapter to get all the new benefits of the OLED model for only 65 dollars, instead of having to spend 350 on the new console.
One thing you should keep in mind is that another difference between the OLED with the "regular" Switch is that it comes with a 2.0 HDMI cable. These cables are known to cause blackouts while you play on some TVs, so bear that in mind if you have technical issues.