Switch Lite television ouput technically ‘not possible’, teardown suggests

It is technically not possible for the Nintendo Switch Lite to output video to a television, a hardware teardown has suggested.

Switch Lite was released on September 20 and is a cheaper, portable-focussed variation of the Nintendo Switch.

The console’s hardware similarities to the original Switch had led to speculation that it might be possible to make Switch Lite output to a television via a custom firmware hack, however this now does not appear to be possible.

“It appears that the hardware that is needed does not exist on the board, which is a semiconductor that’s required to interpret video,” YouTuber Jonathan Downey concluded in a detailed Switch Lite teardown video.

“There’s nothing there to interpret and put out any type of video,” he added.

“So unfortunately for anyone who’s wondering if that would ever be possible if it gets hacked or something down the road, it does not appear to be the case from what I’m seeing.”

The teardown also suggests that the Switch Lite features analog sticks that appear to be identical in design to the standard Joy-Con versions, which have reportedly been prone to a ‘drifting’ issue that inspired a recent class action lawsuit.

The Lite also has a smaller 13.6 watt-hour (Wh) battery, which is 16 per cent smaller than the 16Wh battery found in original Switch model.

This means the Switch Lite’s slightly increased battery life is being achieved mostly by using a more efficient processor. The handheld-only Switch also has a smaller screen.

The Switch Lite’s screen is manufactured by InnoLux, the teardown reveals, which is the same company behind the screen inside the updated Nintendo Switch model, and not the upgraded IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) display from Sharp reported to be lined up for a future version of the console.

In VGC’s Nintendo Switch Lite review, we call the console an “overall a more convenient, higher quality and cheaper console compared to its predecessor.”