Is the original Nintendo Switch still worth buying in 2026?

If you're buying used, Nintendo's older console still makes plenty of sense.

Nine years after launch, the original Nintendo Switch still has plenty of life left in it. However, whether it's worth buying in 2026 will largely depend on how much you pay for it.

The standard Switch is currently priced at $339.99, with the Switch OLED at $399.99, while the Switch 2 has been priced at $499.99 since September 1. Console prices aren't exactly behaving themselves elsewhere either, with Microsoft raising some Xbox models by as much as $150 in August.

That makes a brand-new Switch OLED particularly difficult to recommend. Saving $100 sounds nice until you look at everything that extra money gets you, but used is where things get much more interesting.

Switch 2 has a growing list of exclusives, but newer games are only part of the argument. It also supports original Switch games, and Nintendo keeps improving that experience.

For instance, Handheld Mode Boost allows supported Switch games to run as if they were in TV mode while you're playing Switch 2 on the go. That could result in a clearer picture than you'd get if you were playing the same game on an original Switch in handheld mode. Some games also get free Switch 2 updates, along with paid upgrade packs that add visual or performance improvements.

The software divide is also becoming harder to ignore. Splatoon Raiders is exclusive to Switch 2, with Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave coming September 17 and Metroid Ravenous coming in January 2027. Major third-party releases are increasingly treating the original Switch as hardware from another generation because, well, it is.

There are some real strengths to the Switch OLED. Its 7-inch OLED panel has higher contrast than the LCD on Switch 2, and Nintendo estimates its battery life at 4.5 to nine hours, versus two to 6.5 hours for Switch 2. Those differences are significant if you play most of your games away from the TV. Our Switch 2 review also found that its LCD couldn't match the OLED model's black levels.