Some Black Friday Switch Bundles Include Older Versions Of The Console With Worse Battery Life
There’s a $300 Switch bundle that includes a digital version of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on sale this Black Friday at a lot of stores. It would be a solid deal, but there’s a catch: The bundle includes the original model of the Switch, with much worse battery life than the other ones currently on shelves.
Nintendo released its own holiday gift guide earlier this month, headlined by this particular Black Friday deal and at first it seemed like a no-brainer for anyone who is currently in the market for a Switch. In the fine print, however, Nintendo pointed out that the model included in the bundle wasn’t the newest one. “Includes original Nintendo Switch model HAC-001, battery performance ranges from 2.5 – 6.5 hours,” the description reads.
Earlier this year, Nintendo released a revised model of the Switch, with the product number HAC-001(-01) with a battery life of between 4.5 and 9 hours and sold it at the same price as the existing models. In addition to the (-01) at the end of the model number, the newer versions are sold in solid red boxes, as opposed to the predominantly white ones from when the console launched.
There is at least one Black Friday bundle that includes the newer Switch model and Spyro Reignited Trilogy for the same $300 price, but it already appears to be sold out at places like Walmart, at least online.
For people who plan on mostly keeping their Switch docked, the difference in battery life isn’t a big deal, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a great game that is rarely discounted. But for someone who plans to predominantly play their Switch on the go, that extra few hours, especially for power-hungry games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, goes a long way. You don’t want to spend nearly full price on the old model when a significantly upgraded one costs roughly the same.
Eitherway, if you happen to be in the market for a Switch this holiday, make sure to check the model number on the box so you know exactly which one you’re getting.