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Did you recently purchase a Nintendo Switch but you are not sure if you can use it while it is charging? maybe you’re considering getting a Nintendo Switch but you want to make sure that you can use it while you are charging it as you normally play a lot at night time.
Well in this article we will go over everything you need to know about playing the Nintendo Switch while it is charging and if it is bad for the system or not.
So is it bad to play with the Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED while it’s charging?
Although using your Nintendo Switch while it is charging will not damage the device, it might be a bit harder to play as you have to avoid hitting the cord that is plugged into the USB-C port. The other issue is that the Switch console will not charge as fast while it is being used as if it is turned off while it is charging.
It is 100% safe to play on the Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED while you have it plugged in and it is charging. The Switch is designed to be played while charging (hence the Switch dock) so you don’t have to worry about damaging the console or the cord.
However, if you are using a third-party AC adapter or USB-C cable to plug in your Switch console while you are playing with it I would recommend paying attention to how hot your console is getting. This is especially true if you have your Switch laying on top of some blankets or other soft materials like a pillow or couch.
Some third-party chargers might put out too much power and when you are playing on your Switch (or watching Hulu/Youtube) while it is charging it could cause it to become too hot. So either only use the charger that came with your Switch originally or just feel the Switch every little while.
If it feels like it is getting too hot then I would recommend either unplugging it for a while or stopping playing on it for a bit.
If you want to know more about the Switch and using it while it is charging, you will want to keep reading this article.
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This Joy-Con grip will make your Switch console look amazing and you can even choose the one that fits your style the best!
Will You Damage The Switch By Using It While It’s Charging?
Although you will not damage the Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED if you use it while it is charging you do need to understand that the device will not charge very quickly while you are using it. Some games that you are playing may even actually drain the battery faster than the charger is able to charge the device.
In general, the Nintendo Switch charges fast enough that you don’t have to worry about this happening but in rare cases, it can happen.
This is especially true if you are charging your Joy-Con controllers at the same time. Your Joy-Cons will pull additional power from your Switch device so your power cable might not produce enough juice to charge your console, Joy-Cons, and run a high-powered game at the same time.
The other issue with playing the Switch while it is charging is the fact that the cord will always be in your way. There will be many times that you will be tempted to take the cord out as it is just so annoying.
If you do this though, it defeats the purpose of charging the device. It would be better if you did not play the Switch while it is charging so it would charge faster.
How Long Does The Switch Battery Last?
You now know that the battery of the Switch won’t be damaged if they play it while it’s charging, but exactly how long can you expect the battery to last between charges? No one wants a device that every hour or two has to be plugged in and charged as that is just annoying.
The good news is that the Switch battery is very impressive for how small the device is. The Switch consoles have the following battery life:
- Nintendo Switch Battery Life: 4.5-9 hours
- Nintendo Switch Lite Battery Life: 3-7 hours
- Nintendo Switch OLED Battery Life: 4.5-9 hours
The exact playing time that your battery will last will depend on what game you are playing, your screen brightness, if you are using Wi-fi, your Wi-fi signal strength, if you are using Bluetooth headphones, if the Switch controllers are attached, and many other variables. In my testing of the original Switch, with regular gameplay, I saw a battery life of about 4 hours of gameplay.
However, newer models of the Switch console will have better battery life and more optimal power usage than those that are a few years old (like mine is).
Nintendo actually found a way to improve battery life on all of the Nintendo Switches and created an update that will now allow the battery on the device to last longer! The original time was impressive, but Nintendo wanted to go a step further as more battery life is always a good thing! With the new update, the battery of the Switch, will now last 4.5-9 hours!
This is one of the biggest updates that Nintendo could have ever done as the customers didn’t have to bring their system into Nintendo to improve the battery life, but simply just download a software update.
This is something that was a game changer, and instantly helped people’s batteries last almost twice as long! If you have a Switch Lite and your battery seems to die pretty fast, you may want to check and make sure that you are on the most recent update.
Should I Let My Switch Battery Fully Die Before I Charge It?
Everyone wants their battery to be in the best possible condition and to last the longest. This is good, but recently there have been rumors going around that in order to make your battery last longer, you will need to always let your battery fully die before you put it on your USB-C charger.
Although this sounds good, it actually is not necessary. Not only is it not necessary, but it has no effect on the battery of your device and it will not make your battery last longer or make it keep its strength.
The battery in the Nintendo Switch does not need to ever fully be drained before you recharge it as it is a lithium battery. Nintendo did not want you to have to worry about the battery of the device when you are playing.
They wanted you to be able to simply use the device and for the system to be hassle and worry-free.
They accomplished this by using high-end parts for the Switch consoles and making sure that the device had all the safety measures in place that allowed the users to never worry about overcharging, undercharging, or ruining the battery.
Conclusion
Now that you know that playing your Switch while it is charging will not damage the device, you can see why so many people do it. Even though the device will not charge as fast as if you are not using it, it will not damage it. The last thing anyone wants to do is to damage their Switch console!
Now that you know that you will not damage it while playing it, you can charge your Switch and play it at the same time. This is assuming that you do not get irritated easily as the cord of the device is always in the way.
The Switch is a great handheld gaming device, and is one of the best-selling handheld gaming devices in the world! They are so popular, that they are hard to find in stock! They rarely if ever go on sale as there is such high demand for these devices.
The Nintendo Switch is the best handheld gaming device today, and if you want one, you better get one before they are gone!