Help me decide: should I get a Switch Lite or a PS Vita?

[longestseason]

First, let me explain myself. I know these two machines are quite different despite both being handheld consoles. I actually want to get both, it's just that for the time being I can only afford one. So, in order to make a decision, I made the following list of pros and cons of each console:

PS Vita

Pros​	Cons​
Can also play PS1 and PSP games and older systems.	Relatively small library of original and exclusive games.
Portable and easily carriable.	Lack of L2/R2 and L3/R3 buttons.
Easily moddable.	Extremely short console support.
Nice form factor and premium feel.	A bit pricey for a console of its age.

Nintendo Switch Lite

Pros​	Cons​
Huge library of original and exclusive games.	Exclusive games are quite expensive, especially in developing countries.
Long-time console support.	Not easily moddable.
Nice form factor.	Portable, but you can't really take it everywhere.
Fair price.	Lack of joycons and dock.

Like I said, I want to get both. All the cons are really not a problem with me, as long as I can play games portably without much hassle. I know the Switch Lite can play PS1 and PSP games as well, but I'm not willing to take the risk of bricking my console or getting banned, so if I ever get the console, I will simply wait for a software exploit to be discovered (which probably will take a good while, I'm fully aware), instead of installing a chip.

But anyways,

If you were me, what console would you get and why?

 

[bjork]

If I cant decide between two things, I will usually do a best 2 out of 3 coin flip. Then if I don't agree with that, best 3 out of 5.

 

[Burzuru]

If I cant decide between two things, I will usually do a best 2 out of 3 coin flip. Then if I don't agree with that, best 3 out of 5.

but if you didn't agree with the result doesn't that mean you really wanted the other thing instead?

anyways i don't like how much of an iron grip nintendo has on their product and consumer base, so i would suggest getting the vita.

 

[qw90700]

I would buy PS Vita. As for Switch I would rather wait for Nintendo to release the best version of it before considering buying a Switch (which is why I didn't buy a Switch yet). Rather wait for a good Switch 2 for the ultimate Switch experience.

 

[SoThankful]

Now that you've weighed the pros and cons, the decision ultimately comes down to which benefits matter most to you.

Personally, I'd go for a new Switch Lite. It's just as portable, and for me, a fair price and brandnew condition outweigh an unfair price for something used. I wouldn’t mind waiting for a softmod either.

 

[poppy_]

ps vita is epic so i would go with that

 

[samus12345]

Vita. Easy moddability beats specs in this case.

 

[therabidfrog]

Do not get a Switch Lite. Speaking as someone who's had to repair his nephew's Switch Lite several times you will inevitably get controller drift. It could be years. It could be as little as a month. The repair isn't hard, but the fact is the Switch Lite is made like garbage. Yes, you can pair a controller with it, but then what's the point if you have to set it on a table anytime you want to use it?

It's my honest opinion that Nintendo should have been sued into the ground for releasing the Lite knowing full and well that it would have the same issues as the standard joycons. At least you can buy more joycons or even cheaper third party alternatives with the standard or OLED Switch.

Either shell out for a standard Switch or go with the Vita. The Vita is easier to mod/homebrew and you have a more robust rom scene.

And to anyone who buys Nintendo's BS about them improving the drift issue in the more recent models I've had to repair his newest one twice in under a year. The entire device is flimsy.

 

[cloudsets]

But anyways,

If you were me, what console would you get and why?

I have both a PCH-11xx Vita and a launch-model Switch. When it comes to homebrew, I use the Switch far more, but the PS1 and PSP compatibility and the OLED display make the Vita my preferred way to play those games outside PC emulation.

Also worthy of note: Instead of L2/R2 and L3/R3, you have touch panels on both the front and back of the Vita. You can tap the top-left or top-right corner of the back of the console to do L2 or R2 inputs, respectively. Many native Vita games also make use of finger taps on the back panel or the bottom-right corner of the display in place of L3/R3 inputs as well.

I think which you choose will ultimately come down to how important Nintendo games are to you, though. Additionally, please keep in mind the added cost of a modchip service or the soldering equipment needed for modding a Switch Lite.

 

[Don Patch]

Only a matter of time before the Nintendo hackers bust the Switch lite wide open, then you'll be able to do a lot more with it than a PSP.
I say grab a switch lite and sit tight.

 

[cloudsets]

And to anyone who buys Nintendo's BS about them improving the drift issue in the more recent models I've had to repair his newest one twice in under a year. The entire device is flimsy.

I feel like I won the lottery every time I hear people talk about Joy-Con drift. It sounds to be a widespread issue, but between 4 sets of Joy-Cons and 2 Pro Controllers, I have yet to encounter it once.

 

[bjork]

but if you didn't agree with the result doesn't that mean you really wanted the other thing instead?

anyways i don't like how much of an iron grip nintendo has on their product and consumer base, so i would suggest getting the vita.

Maybe it means I don't really want either. I also have a thing at the store where if I debate a thing for more than about 30 seconds, I don't really want it.

 

[SoThankful]

And to anyone who buys Nintendo's BS about them improving the drift issue in the more recent models I've had to repair his newest one twice in under a year. The entire device is flimsy.

That's a good point. I hadn't considered that when making my decision. Still, I wouldn't be comfortable paying an unfair price for a secondhand Vita that likely shows signs of wear and may have underlying issues you're unaware of. If it's a fair price then I would say Vita too.

 

[therabidfrog]

I feel like I won the lottery every time I hear people talk about Joy-Con drift. It sounds to be a widespread issue, but between 4 sets of Joy-Cons and 2 Pro Controllers, I have yet to encounter it once.

He's a kid so he's probably rougher on it than you or I would be. I always clean the interior before proceeding with the repairs to ensure it isn't just dust or gunk, and that's rarely the issue. It's pretty much always that the stupid plastic cradles the sticks attach to get ground down after a while resulting in the contact points separating.

I own a standard launch edition Switch. I've only had to replace the joycons once as far as I can remember, but I'll go years without picking it up. I've also had friends my age who have bought new joycons and had them last under a month, and they don't ever take the thing outside of the house.

It just burns my butt that Nintendo released those things knowing that the controllers are ticking time bombs. Your average person isn't going to bother learning how to repair them (again not hard and non OEM replacement parts are pretty cheap) so the only option is to pay through the nose to have Nintendo repair them which I suspect was by design.

Sorry, if this is a bit of a rant, but save up a few more weeks for a regular Switch if you don't have one. It isn't just the joycons. The Lite is very flimsy inside out.

 

[Turbo Kid]

I guess the Vita if the Switch Lite can't be modded or hacked (I have a modded OLED Switch)

Lots of great ports, fantastic PSP library, tons of PS1 classics, emulators for lots of retro stuff, OpenBOR games, and also homebrew games (which includes some unofficial ports).

For me, having a Switch that isn't modded or hacked is a deal breaker. The very fact that I can't back up my saves on physical media is a big no no.

 

[therabidfrog]

That's a good point. I hadn't considered that when making my decision. Still, I wouldn't be comfortable paying an unfair price for a secondhand Vita that likely shows signs of wear and may have underlying issues you're unaware of. If it's a fair price then I would say Vita too.

I get that. The whole retro market has gone utterly insane since the pandemic. To keep beating a dead horse go with a standard Switch or any other model than the Lite. I know it's a fair bit more expensive, but it's a much safer and more robust option given you can connect it to your TV as well as play it portable.

Post automatically merged: Today at 7:42 PM

I guess the Vita if the Switch Lite can't be modded or hacked (I have a modded OLED Switch)

Lots of great ports, fantastic PSP library, tons of PS1 classics, emulators for lots of retro stuff, OpenBOR games, and also homebrew games (which includes some unofficial ports).

For me, having a Switch that isn't modded or hacked is a deal breaker. The very fact that I can't back up my saves on physical media is a big no no.

Not only that you soft mod a Vita. Meaning you don't need to add components or modify the hardware in any way. It's very easy.

 

[PSVitaForever]

I know the Switch Lite can play PS1 and PSP games as well, but I'm not willing to take the risk of bricking my console or getting banned,

Then you already know what you want: a psvita you can mod and where you can get all the Vita, psp and ps1 games you want (I suppose you will find them here in the repo).

Yes, with Switch you can choose more modern games and also better-graphics versions of games you can find on Vita, but... with a modded Vita you could get all the games you want right here, try them, delete them if you don't like them; with a Switch the games are not cheap, there are demos but not of everything. If you already know there are games that you WANT to play on Switch, let's say three or four, maybe long rpgs (not games you finish in a day), then go for Lite instead, and after those games you will surely find other titles.

If there are not Switch exclusive you wish to play, but you like ps1/psp/vita more, then go for Vita (I had one, bought a lot of phyiscal games, enjoyed every minute with it, sold it... and then bought one again last year and modded, to replay some of the vita titles I've liked most).

 

[KenShjIN]

Vita is Life.Ultimate Retro Machine

 

[thetwaz]

Any reason you wouldn't get a Steam Deck or one of the other clamshells? Some of these have comparable power to a Switch Lite, and can play PS1, PSP and many, many more games.

 

[ThatOneLum]

I'd probably go with the Vita because of its versatility. The Switch is great, but with a Vita and PKGj you can have access to a huge amount of PS Vita, PS1 and PSP games on demand wherever you have access to the WiFi.

With a Swite Lite, you could A) end up getting really unlucky and having almost immediate drift, especially if it's second-hand, and it's a pain to fix on the Lite, or B) end up not having any games to play on the thing or having to wait to get your hands on more games.

Also, if you do go with the Vita, I highly recommend an SD2Vita rather than their janky Proprietary media format. It's waaay cheaper that way.

 

[CheesyExplosive]

First, let me explain myself. I know these two machines are quite different despite both being handheld consoles. I actually want to get both, it's just that for the time being I can only afford one. So, in order to make a decision, I made the following list of pros and cons of each console:

PS Vita

Pros​	Cons​
Can also play PS1 and PSP games and older systems.	Relatively small library of original and exclusive games.
Portable and easily carriable.	Lack of L2/R2 and L3/R3 buttons.
Easily moddable.	Extremely short console support.
Nice form factor and premium feel.	A bit pricey for a console of its age.

Nintendo Switch Lite

Pros​	Cons​
Huge library of original and exclusive games.	Exclusive games are quite expensive, especially in developing countries.
Long-time console support.	Not easily moddable.
Nice form factor.	Portable, but you can't really take it everywhere.
Fair price.	Lack of joycons and dock.

Like I said, I want to get both. All the cons are really not a problem with me, as long as I can play games portably without much hassle. I know the Switch Lite can play PS1 and PSP games as well, but I'm not willing to take the risk of bricking my console or getting banned, so if I ever get the console, I will simply wait for a software exploit to be discovered (which probably will take a good while, I'm fully aware), instead of installing a chip.

But anyways,

If you were me, what console would you get and why?

neither... get a samsung device.

 

[EnthusiastGuy]

First, let me explain myself. I know these two machines are quite different despite both being handheld consoles. I actually want to get both, it's just that for the time being I can only afford one. So, in order to make a decision, I made the following list of pros and cons of each console:

PS Vita

Pros​	Cons​
Can also play PS1 and PSP games and older systems.	Relatively small library of original and exclusive games.
Portable and easily carriable.	Lack of L2/R2 and L3/R3 buttons.
Easily moddable.	Extremely short console support.
Nice form factor and premium feel.	A bit pricey for a console of its age.

Nintendo Switch Lite

Pros​	Cons​
Huge library of original and exclusive games.	Exclusive games are quite expensive, especially in developing countries.
Long-time console support.	Not easily moddable.
Nice form factor.	Portable, but you can't really take it everywhere.
Fair price.	Lack of joycons and dock.

Like I said, I want to get both. All the cons are really not a problem with me, as long as I can play games portably without much hassle. I know the Switch Lite can play PS1 and PSP games as well, but I'm not willing to take the risk of bricking my console or getting banned, so if I ever get the console, I will simply wait for a software exploit to be discovered (which probably will take a good while, I'm fully aware), instead of installing a chip.

But anyways,

If you were me, what console would you get and why?

I own both of these, what I can tell you is that for a couple of years I played a lot on both of them and they have their particular fun. Haven't played for years on them. Nowadays I play most of my games on Steam Deck and I'm staring at the new ROG Ally that's about to come out since that will support windows and I feel I can easily turn it into a desktop computer when I'm on the go.

To get back to your question, I think it also heavily depends on your preference of gaming. In my case, I wanted to play Zelda and that's pretty much the whole reason I got the switch for. Yeah, I also played Moving out, great couch game with friends. But I feel PS Vita is a bit more.. fun.
Plus, if you own a PS4 (maybe PS5 too, I haven't checked yet) you can stream play.

 

[longestseason]

Then you already know what you want: a psvita you can mod and where you can get all the Vita, psp and ps1 games you want (I suppose you will find them here in the repo).

Yes, with Switch you can choose more modern games and also better-graphics versions of games you can find on Vita, but... with a modded Vita you could get all the games you want right here, try them, delete them if you don't like them; with a Switch the games are not cheap, there are demos but not of everything. If you already know there are games that you WANT to play on Switch, let's say three or four, maybe long rpgs (not games you finish in a day), then go for Lite instead, and after those games you will surely find other titles.

If there are not Switch exclusive you wish to play, but you like ps1/psp/vita more, then go for Vita (I had one, bought a lot of phyiscal games, enjoyed every minute with it, sold it... and then bought one again last year and modded, to replay some of the vita titles I've liked most).

lol at that username

Nothing beats having access to the full library of a console for free. We all agree on this. But I also have to take into consideration the emotional attachment to certain games. Because a console is nothing without its games, right?

I'll get straight to the point: I'm more familiar with Nintendo games than PlayStation games. And for Nintendo, that's usually their selling point. But for the PS Vita, what attracts me the most is the design, form factor and premium feel of the device. And I know for a fact that it would easily satisfy my portable gaming necessities, but... I always wanted to get a Nintendo Switch, ever since it got announced.

And by the way, Rhythm Heaven Groove got announced with a 2026 release window, so uhh...

Yeah

Tough decision

 

[PSVitaForever]

With a Swite Lite, you could A) end up getting really unlucky and having almost immediate drift, especially if it's second-hand, and it's a pain to fix on the Lite,

We've been lucky; we changed three switch lite, only first one had drift and the only downside was it was pokemon zacian zamazenta limited edition, so it was really cool in colors.

After that we got a grey one and then a green one, no drifts; all of them were used and bought on ebay at good prices.

First one sold during covid, also because of the drift that was gettin worse; second one sold because of colour (we got bored of that, but we're not spoiled brats, we made sure we could sell the grey one at a good price and the green one has come with cover for both console and joystick, always at a good price, so it's been a good deal with almost no loss).

Post automatically merged: Today at 10:16 PM

lol at that username

Nothing beats having access to the full library of a console for free. We all agree on this. But I also have to take into consideration the emotional attachment to certain games. Because a console is nothing without its games, right?

I'll get straight to the point: I'm more familiar with Nintendo games than PlayStation games. And for Nintendo, that's usually their selling point. But for the PS Vita, what attracts me the most is the design, form factor and premium feel of the device. And I know for a fact that it would easily satisfy my portable gaming necessities, but... I always wanted to get a Nintendo Switch, ever since it got announced.

And by the way, Rhythm Heaven Groove got announced with a 2026 release window, so uhh...

Yeah

Tough decision

From your first post I misunderstood, I thought you had a choice for ps games. If you're more into Nintendo but at the same time you think you would be happy with a Vita, than IT'S a difficult choice...

I hope that reading comments here, watching videos and reading reviews of the console (and also reading posts on other sources like redditt / gamefaq and so on will help you decide for the best). Just google "psvita vs switch" and you should find other topics that may be of help.

About my username, I totally get myself lost when it's time to choose one for some forum, so they're not original at all lol (but as said in my previous comment, PSVita has been for sure one of my fav consoles, maybe the most fav)

 

[NeonKnights]

Make sure you get a launch edition (PCH-11xx) Vita if you want one with an oled screen.