If your priority is gaming on the go, the Nintendo Switch Lite is the console to beat. It delivers better battery than the original Nintendo Switch while upping the portability with a smaller form factor and permanently attached controllers. All that, and it costs much less. Of course, for a console you’ll be taking on the go, you’ll be needing some accessories, from protectors and cases to extra storage or a backup battery.
Some of the best Nintendo Switch accessories will still work with the Nintendo Switch Lite, so you don’t have to worry about needing a special storage solution to hold all your games on the device. And, luckily, there are a lot of affordable case options to help you keep your Nintendo Switch Lite protected wherever you go. Here are the handy accessories we think will offer the most for your Nintendo Switch Lite.
TL;DR – These are the best Nintendo Switch Lite Accessories:
1. Nintendo Switch Lite Carry Case + Screen Protector
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Case
Your Nintendo Switch Lite’s portability is one of its chief assets, and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice that to protect it when you’re on the go. The Nintendo Switch Lite Carry Case + Screen protector has you covered in that regard. It adds minimal bulk by sticking close to the dimensions of the Switch Lite itself while providing 360-degree protection.
The case zips open for you to slide your Switch Lite in, and though it’s compact, it offers additional storage for you to carry a collection of game cartridges. The fact that this product also includes a screen protector to put on your Switch Lite is just a nice little bonus.
2. ButterFox Switch Lite Carrying Case
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Rugged Case
If you don’t mind a little extra bulk when you’re taking your Nintendo Switch Lite around with you, the ButterFox Switch Lite Carrying Case is an excellent option. The case offers a sturdy shell to protect your Switch Lite and other accessories inside from drops and scratches.
When it comes to other accessories, this case provides a decent amount of space and uses it cleverly. Two organizer layers provide slots for 19 game cartridges and two microSD cards, and they double as a protective layer over the screen and a buffer to keep other accessories from pressing the Switch Lite’s controls. A mesh pocket provides room to hold charging cables, earbuds, and even a modest power bank. All that and the case is still surprisingly affordable.
3. Hori DuraFlexi Protector
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Cover
While the Nintendo Switch is designed to sometimes live by your TV and sometimes live with you on the go, the Switch Lite is a true traveler. But, that makes it more susceptible to damage out there in the wild. It’s amazing what a difference just a little bit of plastic can make wrapped around it though. The Hori DuraFlexi Protector covers the Switch Lite around the sides and back in a flexible TPU that can absorb shock for the portable console.
This sleeve doesn’t cover up the design of your Switch Lite either, since it’s transparent. It even has convenient cutouts to ensure you can easily access all of the Switch Lite’s ports while the sleeve is on. You’ll even get a bit of extra grip thanks to the material used. And, if the impressively low price raises any concerns about quality, it’s worth noting that the DuraFlexi protector is officially licensed by Nintendo.
4. Orzly Grip Case
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Rugged Cover
Sometimes we drop our Nintendo Switch. It’s a fact of life. When we do, we want to be sure it’s going to bounce back OK, and that’s where a really rugged case can make a difference. The Orzly Grip Case is ready to put your Nintendo Switch Lite in a protective embrace with coverage all around.
The Orzly Grip Case adds just 25 grams of weight to your Switch Lite, so you won’t have to stop calling it Lite just because you’ve tucked it into this case. What you get from the case is far more considerable than its weight. It covers the front, back, and sides in a rubberized sleeve that protects that device from bumps and scrapes while also giving your hands more grip. Orzly even added some thicker handles to the sides to make up for the lack of ergonomics around the Switch Lite’s controls. This kit also provides covers to protect the thumbsticks from wear. You can snag this case in a variety of colors or opt for a clear model.
5. amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Screen Protector
The Nintendo Switch Lite features a plastic screen just like its console brethren, which means it’ll be very prone to scratching and you’ll want a screen protector to prevent any damage. There are a ton of Switch Lite screen protectors popping up on the market, but amFilm’s Tempered Glass Screen Protector is the one I would trust most.
amFilm produced my favorite screen protector for the original Switch and so I have every confidence that the one for the Switch Lite will be just as good. This particular Switch Lite screen protector is made of tempered glass, which won’t scratch nearly as easily as plastic and it’ll give your handheld the glossy, premium glass screen it should have had from the get-go. This also happens to be a three-pack so you’ll have enough screen protectors to use as replacements for years to come.
6. Satisfye Switch Lite Grip
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Grip
Don’t leave your hands to suffer from the small controls and tight grip of the Nintendo Switch Lite. You can upgrade your hold with the grip from Satisfye. This attachment slides right onto your Switch Lite, adding two palm fins to give your hands something to really grab onto. This can help give your thumbs a bit more room to move, especially when reaching for the D-Pad or right thumb stick.
We loved the version of this grip for the full-size Nintendo Switch (read our review), so it’s great to see a model for the smaller Switch Lite.
7. SanDisk 128GB Ultra
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Memory Card
If you’re building up a healthy collection of games on your Nintendo Switch Lite, you’re going to want to make sure you’ve got enough room for them. The SanDisk 128GB Ultra drive is a helpful option, as it’ll provide plenty of room for your game library while costing just $20. If you think you’ll need more space, you can grab a larger version or you can just wait and grab a second one to split up your library onto multiple drives.
The SanDisk 128GB Ultra microSD card doesn’t just have the space you need for your games but also the speed. The card offers read speeds of 120MB/s. This can help ensure you’re not waiting forever and wasting precious battery life while you wait for your games to load up.
8. Anker PowerCore Nintendo Switch Edition
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Portable Battery Power Bank
The Nintendo Switch Lite has more than enough battery to get you through even a long commute. But if you know you’re going to have a long day away from a power outlet, it can’t hurt to have a bit of extra power available. Anker makes a lot of the best portable chargers you can get, and this one is specifically tailored to work for Nintendo Switch.
This charger is officially licensed, and can give you hours of extra play time from its 13,400mAh battery bank. With two available ports, you can even charge a second device like a smartphone or tablet as well.
9. SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Gaming Headset
The lack of Bluetooth support on the Nintendo Switch Lite might be a shortcoming, but you can get around it with this wireless gaming headset. The SteelSeries Arcits 1 (read our review) is one of the best gaming headsets you can get, and its even better given it works wirelessly with the Nintendo Switch.
It pulls off a wireless connection using a USB-C dongle that can plug into the bottom of the Switch to deliver a lag-free, lossless audio connection. You can also use a wired connection. It doesn’t get much better than that level of versatility. The sub-$100 price tag makes it a steal.
10. GuliKit Route Air Pro
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Bluetooth Adapter
Nintendo really failed to acknowledge the times with the Switch and Switch Light when it omitted Bluetooth support for Bluetooth earbuds and wireless headphones. Fortunately, there are workarounds like the GuliKut Route Air Pro. This little kit can get you up and running with your favorite Bluetooth audio devices, and when we say little, we mean little.
The GuliKut Route Air Pro is a super-compact little dongle that plugs into the bottom of your switch and largely stays flush with the bottom of the device. It also includes a tiny microphone you can plug into the Switch Lite’s headset jack. With the adapter plugged in, you can pair it with up to two audio devices and even stream audio to them simultaneously. The adapter supports aptX for higher quality audio and also aptX LL for the lower audio latency that’s crucial in games.
11. Nintendo Joy-Cons
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Controllers
The Nintendo Switch Lite might have a pair of integrated controllers, but they lack much of the special functionality of the Nintendo Joy-Cons. By pairing these wireless controllers to your handheld, you’ll get back HD rumble as well as the infrared and motion-sensing sensors that some games like 1-2-Switch and Arms need to be played properly.
12. Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Going Pro
As portable as the Nintendo Switch Lite is, we can’t imagine it’s too comfortable to hold for hours on end and the same goes for even a pair of Joy-Cons slotted into a Charging Grip. That’s why users should pick up a Switch Pro Controller (read our review) for extended play at home or on the go. Not only is this more traditional controller easier to hold, but it also sports better triggers and bumpers while giving you back HD rumble and motion controls.
13. Adonit Mark
Best Nintendo Switch Lite Stylus
Like most smartphones and tablets, the Nintendo Switch Lite offers a display with touch input. And sometimes a finger isn’t always the ideal tool for the job. Your fingers can leave oils and grease on your display, making it harder to see over time and requiring more cleaning, and your hands can get in the way of what you’re playing.
So, if you plan to play a lot of games that are centered around the touch input on the Nintendo Switch Lite, like Scribblenauts Showdown, a stylus can come in handy. The Adonit Mark is an affordable stylus that will register just like a finger on a touchscreen, but it won’t leave the same residue as your fingers. As the Adonit Mark has a mesh tip, it can also hold up better over time than some of the soft, silicone-tipped styluses you might find. Since the Nintendo Switch Lite’s display is in charge of registering the touches, the Adonit Mark also doesn’t require any power, making it a portable partner for your portable Switch Lite.
What to look for in a Nintendo Switch Lite Accessory
The most important thing you should keep in mind while shopping for Switch Lite accessories is that all accessories designed for the original Switch won’t necessarily work with Nintendo’s new handheld system. The Switch Lite is simply a different system that has smaller dimensions, integrated controllers, a lack of motion and IR sensors.
Cases and battery cases for instances are just going to be too large and while the Switch Lite will fit, it’ll probably jumble around with all the extra space inside. The same thing goes for screen protectors unless you’re ready to cut them down with a box cutter or some kind of knife they’re going to be too big for the Switch Lite’s smaller display.
Unfortunately, most if not all of the Labo Nintendo has released isn’t going to work with the Nintendo Switch Lite. This is especially true of any pieces of Labo designed to hold the screen by itself like the Labo VR Kit or Labo Piano, due to the system’s slightly different proportions and its inability to detach the controllers.
While you may be able to use other Labo kits like the Vehicle Kit, it wouldn’t quite be the same because you can’t connect the Switch Lite to a TV.
Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
Mark Knapp is a regular contributor to IGN and an irregular Tweeter on Twitter @Techn0Mark