Do Nintendo Switches ever go on sale?
July 17, 2019 7:26 PM Subscribe
I've been itching for a Switch for quite some time now, but until recently I've been too busy with grad school to seriously consider getting one. I graduated in June (woohoo!) and my new job won't start until end of August - is this as good a time as any to buy a Switch, or should I wait?
It's been weirdly hard to find any info online about whether or not Switches ever really go on sale - they certainly didn't during the recent Amazon Prime thing, and it's not clear to me if waiting for cyber Monday in November (or something else) would be worth it or not. I'm not really interested in a Switch Lite but could wait a while if a better deal on the current iteration is just around the corner - I'm only now finally playing Skyrim on my laptop so I definitely don't need the latest and greatest anything, but on the other hand, I've got a ton of free time right now and would love to finally get my hands on Breath of the Wind while I can.
Anybody who's more in the know than I am - what would you do if you had the time to play games right now but are also good at waiting? Should I just keep on leveling up my Argonian on my PC, or is this as good a time as any to take the plunge and get a Switch?
It's been weirdly hard to find any info online about whether or not Switches ever really go on sale - they certainly didn't during the recent Amazon Prime thing, and it's not clear to me if waiting for cyber Monday in November (or something else) would be worth it or not. I'm not really interested in a Switch Lite but could wait a while if a better deal on the current iteration is just around the corner - I'm only now finally playing Skyrim on my laptop so I definitely don't need the latest and greatest anything, but on the other hand, I've got a ton of free time right now and would love to finally get my hands on Breath of the Wind while I can.
Anybody who's more in the know than I am - what would you do if you had the time to play games right now but are also good at waiting? Should I just keep on leveling up my Argonian on my PC, or is this as good a time as any to take the plunge and get a Switch?
Anecdotal and not necessarily expert, but I've been watching for the right time to buy a Switch for my teenage kids who grew up on the Wii. My impression is that it's like all the other Nintendo properties - your best bet to save money is in console + game or accessory bundles.
Ars Technica's DealMaster is as good as any other IME. NB - the upcoming switch light does not seem to have the same capabilities as the switch, so do your research. In general, I've not seen Nintendo properties discounted like Microsoft or Sony, unless you get a black friday console + gift-card deal.
In short, I'm looking for a switch + game deal and expecting to pay about $300
posted by ElGuapo at 7:41 PM on July 17, 2019
Ars Technica's DealMaster is as good as any other IME. NB - the upcoming switch light does not seem to have the same capabilities as the switch, so do your research. In general, I've not seen Nintendo properties discounted like Microsoft or Sony, unless you get a black friday console + gift-card deal.
In short, I'm looking for a switch + game deal and expecting to pay about $300
posted by ElGuapo at 7:41 PM on July 17, 2019
The Nintendo Switch Deals subreddit lists sales on the Switch itself under the "console deal" flair.
At major retailers it's rare to see a sale below about US$280, but there are somewhat frequent deals on bundles with accessories, games, or eShop gift cards. There are also sometimes cheaper offers from discounters, or on refurbished consoles. I do think it's likely that discounts on the current model will increase a bit around the release of the new revision.
posted by mbrubeck at 8:15 PM on July 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
At major retailers it's rare to see a sale below about US$280, but there are somewhat frequent deals on bundles with accessories, games, or eShop gift cards. There are also sometimes cheaper offers from discounters, or on refurbished consoles. I do think it's likely that discounts on the current model will increase a bit around the release of the new revision.
posted by mbrubeck at 8:15 PM on July 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
I don't think you'll ever see a huge discount on the Switch. Maybe a bundle where the console plus a game will be $50 off or something like that. I probably wouldn't have one if my partner didn't give it to me as a birthday present.
I'm playing Skyrim on my Switch and it is pretty good. I've never played it before but it is amazing to me that I can play a game like that or Civ 6 on the bus.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 8:30 PM on July 17, 2019
I'm playing Skyrim on my Switch and it is pretty good. I've never played it before but it is amazing to me that I can play a game like that or Civ 6 on the bus.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 8:30 PM on July 17, 2019
Have you considered buying used? It’s a bit different because Switch is portable but in general used game consoles are a pretty good buy imo: they are built well for their intended use case and people don’t use them much outside that. Even more potentially worthwhile if you don’t foresee tons of mobile usage.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:11 PM on July 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:11 PM on July 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
I think the principle explained in this video applies to the hardware as well. With the new version coming out there might be a brief period of minor sales but I wouldn't necessarily bet on it.
posted by soren_lorensen at 4:23 AM on July 18, 2019
posted by soren_lorensen at 4:23 AM on July 18, 2019
Having a ton of free time for BotW would be amazing, and my biggest frustration with Skyrim on Switch is that there's no way to import my super-buffed PC character, so I vote that the opportunity cost is worth it. And it'd mean not having to stress over Black Friday shopping. And it's not like the current battery is bad, particularly if you'll mostly be using it at home or on a predictable commute.
posted by teremala at 4:26 AM on July 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by teremala at 4:26 AM on July 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Nintendo refurbs and sells Switches with full-year warranties on them at $260 all the time. Sometimes you can find bundles for $300 at Amazon that include a game, but if you just want a base system, the refurb deal is a good one.
posted by deezil at 4:46 AM on July 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by deezil at 4:46 AM on July 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you don’t already know about camelcamelcamel, it plots product prices over time. I clicked through on just the first couple of consoles, and just for Amazon, but for those, the price hasn’t varied.
posted by daisyace at 5:12 AM on July 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by daisyace at 5:12 AM on July 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
Based on what I know about video game sales, and just looking at some of the major retailers, most don’t even have new Switch consoles (as opposed to refurbished) on their site right now. That lends credence to the theory that a new one is coming out soon, because typically you sell out of inventory and take down the old SKU before you launch the new one.
If Nintendo is launching an updated model in August, then I would feel pretty comfortable predicting that there will be some kind of deal for Black Friday/Cyber Week. But not earlier than that.
posted by Autumnheart at 5:28 AM on July 18, 2019
If Nintendo is launching an updated model in August, then I would feel pretty comfortable predicting that there will be some kind of deal for Black Friday/Cyber Week. But not earlier than that.
posted by Autumnheart at 5:28 AM on July 18, 2019
Response by poster: Thank you for the input, everyone! A refurbished one seems like a great idea, especially if it seems like there's really not a whole lot of value in waiting for the newer version to come out. I may sit on it another day or so but this feels like the right time to take the plunge!
posted by DingoMutt at 3:01 PM on July 18, 2019
posted by DingoMutt at 3:01 PM on July 18, 2019
You can also buy just the tablet portion refurbed (i.e. on eBay) and buy joycons and other peripherals and accessories separately. You can get out the door for right around $200 this way, but be careful of sellers and read reviews of offbrand peripherals and accessories.
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:08 PM on July 18, 2019
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:08 PM on July 18, 2019
I would wait a month...the new one was just announced (it's supposed to be available in august). There's pretty much only one difference, but it's a big one...battery life...up from 3-5 hours to around 9.
posted by sexyrobot at 11:12 PM on July 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by sexyrobot at 11:12 PM on July 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
This is a late comment, but it might help somewhat. Costco sells Nintendo Switches as a bundle package, for Costco members only. It includes the new model of Switch, a premium Switch carrying case, an 128GB SanDisk Nintendo Licensed Micro SD Card, and a 12 month Online Family Plan.
I'm a Costco member in WA State, and the following package was $349.00 before tax: Costco Nintendo Switch Bundle. You can order it online, but you'll need to sign in and have a valid Costco membership in order to do so.
posted by spinifex23 at 12:43 PM on October 25, 2019
I'm a Costco member in WA State, and the following package was $349.00 before tax: Costco Nintendo Switch Bundle. You can order it online, but you'll need to sign in and have a valid Costco membership in order to do so.
posted by spinifex23 at 12:43 PM on October 25, 2019
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posted by cozenedindigo at 7:30 PM on July 17, 2019