I would love to give my Switch 5 stars, but I just can't, due to a myriad of issues ranging from overpriced accessories, dubious design decisions clearly intended to encourage consumers to buy things that should be unnecessary as well as some just awfully cheap parts that don't match an otherwise superb quality.
Let's start with the good:
+ The premise of a home console you can play anywhere is perfectly executed. The Wii U was the Switch's prototype; It showed promise, but it didn't quite deliver. The Switch DELIVERS. Going from TV to handheld and back is seamless and instant, especially if you have a TV that can "sync states" with devices attached to it. And the battery is big enough for a few hours of Zelda or several of something like Snipperclips or NeoGeo games. (It's not meant to replace the DS as the take-everywhere Nintendo console. So the poor battery life is somewhat forgivable.)
+ The screen is very high quality. It is IPS and I found that it doesn't distort colors like some reviews have mentioned (one professional review actually said you should expect poor viewing angles because it's IPS, which just isn't true; IPS are the best LCDs suited for multiple viewing angles). When Netflix comes out or if someone is sitting next to you watching you play or groups playing Snipperclips, etc, everyone will be able to get an excellent view of the screen. No problems with viewing angles. And the color, luminosity and contrast are all superb. 720p is an understandable compromise. If it was 1080p, not only would the screen cost significantly more, but it would need a bigger CPU, GPU, and battery, all which would drive up the price to be exclusive. Nintendo does not want to be an exclusive company. And nothing looks pixelated — though you can see aliasing if you look for it.
+ The plastic on the controllers is luxurious. They feel great to the touch. You really need to experience it in person.
+ Twin ball-joint thumb sticks on a portable. Need I say more?
+ Though the joy-cons are small and seem like they'd be uncomfortable, I really like them, together or apart. The tension in the sticks is perfect with some very slight "grooves" for horizontal and vertical movement (personal preference, but I like it this way).
+ Multiplayer from the get-go. No longer do you have to shell out extra on a second controller to get multiplayer on day one of your console ownership.
+ The operating system is barebones and FAST! with a small footprint. I prefer this to something that tries to be a poor man's computer with unnecessary features and animations that bog it down and increase loading times (looking at you XBone and PS4). And it looks slick, too.
+ Startup times are maybe one or two seconds max. No other console respects your time like the Switch. Pick it up and resume where you left off in Zelda instantly. Put it in sleep mode and it's instantly off so you can go get your life things out of the way before getting back to Zelda. Then instantly turn it back on and game away!
+ The fan is very quiet and does a great job at keeping the console cool. It does get noticeably warm during long sessions, but it's a pleasant warmth to the touch and not alarming at all.
+ The size of the console is right on point. It is probably the most comfortable handheld from Nintendo (they're not very good at comfortable handhelds though), but it's not so big you can't easily fit it into whatever bag you have. That being said, and as I said before about the batteries, the Switch isn't really a replacement for the 3DS and unless you're a big dude like Boogie2988, you'll never find a pocket this will fit in. Being so large, the screen guarantees a cinematic experience on the go; something which even the 3DS XL doesn't quite deliver.
+ It feels very sturdy and tough. This is Nintendo. They make tough devices. (There are some issues though. Look in the negatives, below.)
I feel like I could keep fishing for compliments for this System, but I think I've exhausted anything of significance... Let's move on to the gripes:
– The cover for the screen is hard plastic, much like the one for the upper screen of the 3DS. Except this one is about 5x as glossy as the 3DS and intended to be touched. This causes two problems: 1) if playing in a bright room or outside, the reflections on the screen make it nearly impossible to see details in the game you're playing. I hate seeing my face overlaid on top of my game. 2) it scratches easily. For a handheld touch device of this size and price, a glass screen is almost a necessity. However, glass also breaks, so if the console is for a child, that would mean it has a great chance of cracking from a drop. Conversely, children are not delicate with touch screens and will inevitably cover their screen with scratches. However, Nintendo is not really marketing this console to children like it has others in the past — millennials seem to be their target demographic, judging from their ad campaign — and that makes me think a glass screen would have been the right decision, even if it elevated production costs.
– $70 for a pro controller. $80 for a second pair of joy-cons that don't come with a grip. $30 for a charging grip (you can't buy a non-charging one independent of the console). Depending on how you look at it, this makes the official controllers for the Switch the most expensive in the business. But controllers have always been too expensive, in my opinion. ($70 might be okay for a pro controller because it's so good.)
– There is only one charging port and it is on the bottom. The Switch needs a bottom charging port, of course, so that the docking gimmick works perfectly, but it really needs a second one on the top to charge it during table-top play, since the battery is not fantastic. The Wii U controller has a charging port on the top and bottom for similar reasons. A second port would be cheap because it wouldn't need the full USB functionality, just the ability to carry a current. Why didn't Nintendo do the same with the Switch? Because they want you to spend $20 on the official stand that raises it up so you can charge it from the bottom. Ridiculous.
– The battery should be 50–100% bigger. It is something like 4350 mAmp. I would have paid another $50 for a battery twice as large. But maybe it's not only a cost, bust a space issue. If you want to play Zelda for more than 2-3 hours handheld, you will need a battery bank. I picked up a 10000 mAmp battery with a USB-C outlet and it will completely charge the console one time while playing Zelda and 1.75 times or more while the console is in sleep mode.
– Paid online services required to play multiplayer games. Boo Nintendo. Boo. You were often praised for not doing this BS like your competitors, but now you've decided to start nickel and diming your customers. Fortunately, the only online Nintendo game I can think of worth playing is Splatoon. There may be a possibility that no one pays for the service and Nintendo drops this crap. Fingers crossed! (At least I'll never have to pay extra fees for online PC gaming — the only way I play online games anyway.)
– It is very true: The left joy-con can lose connection from even just crossing your legs the wrong way. I told Nintendo on the phone about it and they offered to "repair" it for free. But that means like 3 weeks or more without Zelda... also shipping costs. I just can't send it away right now. (By repair, they probably mean put in the quality receiver it should have had in the first place. Apparently just soldering a copper wire to the receiver is enough to make it work wonderfully... might be something I attempt myself in the future.
*UPDATE*
I sent my left joy-con off for repairs. After 4 business days it returned with absolutely zero connection problems. If your joy-con is having issues I highly recommend Nintendo's repair service.
– The dock needs to be heavier. It moves around too much. It feels cheap compared to the console, but fortunately, it's not something you have to touch frequently.
– The dock WILL scratch the screen if you're not careful. Fortunately it won't scratch it any on the viewing surface, just the black borders.
– the resistance for docking and removing the Switch should be a little firmer, too. It can be difficult to remove the joy-cons without lifting the console back up. In order to address this problem and the one listed above, I added a piece of the soft side of Velcro to each track on the dock. This helps protect the screen as well as adds just enough resistance to make the act of docking and undocking the Switch much more pleasant and stable.
I have no problems with the kickstand. Though I can't get mine to pop out like it's supposed to. It looks like it's bolted in place on mine. Maybe I'm just being too timid, but I don't want to break it. It will tip over if you touch it on the left side while it's in table-too mode. But the reality is that you're not supposed to be touching it when it's on a table, anyway.
I love my switch, but I'm worried Nintendo is headed down the same path as Apple has with their products in that they are started to intentionally gimp their products in favor of selling accessories and adapters. Also, I can't stand behind fees to play games online when I already have to pay for an internet connection.
I absolutely would not hesitate to recommend this console. I just wish it didn't feel like Nintendo was starting to become the kind of company that uses cheap tricks to get customers to spend more than should be necessary.