The Nintendo Switch is almost upon us as the retail release swiftly approaches. While most people already know if they’ve secured the new console, what doesn’t seem to be common knowledge is what Nintendo Switch accessories people should think about buying with the new system. There are quite a few Nintendo Switch accessories that can make your first day experience considerably better, so sit back and take a look at some of the must have Nintendo Switch accessories that we recommend including an MicroSD Card, USB LAN adapter, Charging Grip and more.
128 GB MicroSD Card
We’re all heard the concerns about the 32 GB of internal storage in the Nintendo Switch. At least one game (Dragon Quest Heroes I and II) is already too large to download with just the internal memory included in the Switch. However, like an external hard drive for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, players will need to pick up their own storage if they plan to download quite a few Nintendo Switch games or a lot of DLC for their Switch games.
One advantage people are overlooking when compared to the PS4 and Xbox One is that a lot of people already own MicroSD Card for their cell phone, digital camera or some other device (more so than the number of people who own an external hard drive). If you aren’t one of those lucky people to already have a 128 GB or larger MicroSD Card, you can pick one up at Amazon for fairly cheap.
Extra USB Type C Charger
The Nintendo Switch comes bundled with one USB Type C wall charger. This can plug into the dock or directly into the Nintendo Switch handheld. However, if you plan to switch frequently between handheld mode and TV mode, you’re going to want another charger.
Most people will likely place the Switch dock in an entertainment center or around their TV or monitor, making access to the charger a bit more difficult if you want to quickly unplug it and take it with you. If you have a second charger you don’t need to worry about unplugging your dock all the time and can just toss your extra charger in your carrying case so it’s ready when you need it.
USB LAN Adapter
Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch does not come with a LAN port. You can connect the console to the internet via Wi-Fi out of the box, but nothing more. If you want a direct cable connection to get your Switch online, you will need to purchase a USB LAN adapter (or use the one you may already have for the Wii U) and connect it to one of the USB ports on the Nintendo Switch dock. As you might expect, when the console is in handheld mode it will only be able to connect via Wi-Fi, but if you don’t want to use Wi-Fi and want the best online connection for gaming, you’ll need a USB LAN adapter.
Carrying Case
The tablet portion of the Nintendo Switch is larger than a closed Nintendo 3DS. That’s not including one Joy-Con on either side of the console when you’re actually ready to play. Suffice to say, most people will not be carrying it around in their pockets. In addition, the game cartridges are extremely small and easy to lose if you’re not careful.
Your best bet is to pick up a dedicated Nintendo Switch carrying case. Of course there are plenty of generic cases that will work, but with a dedicated Nintendo Switch case, it will include pockets specially designed to hold game carts and other Switch accessories. At the very least you’ll need room for games, a USB-C charging cable and maybe even the Joy-Con Grip or Charging Grip in addition to the tablet and two Joy-Cons.
Charging Grip
Out of the box the only way to charge your two Joy-Con controllers is by connecting them to the Nintendo Switch tablet while it’s charging. The Joy-Con Grip that comes included with the system is not the same as the Charging Grip that’s sold separately. The main difference is that you can charge the Joy-Cons while they’re in the Charging Grip, while the Joy-Con Grip is mainly just for ergonomic purposes.
If you want to be able to charge your Joy-Con controllers without attaching them to the system you will need a Charging Grip. For people who will be using the Switch as a console more so than a handheld, it can be tedious to attach both Joy-Cons to the docked console every time you want to charge. Doing this means you can’t play and charge your Joy-Cons at the same time while in TV mode. With the Charging Grip you have a lot more flexibility on when and how you charge your Joy-Cons.
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Suffice to say, the Joy-Con controllers are super small. Even if you don’t mind the overall size of the two Joy-Cons (especially when they’re in the Grip), the buttons are very small in order to fit within the confines of the controller size. Most people with average or larger hands are likely going to have issues with the Joy-Cons in some way or another.
While it’s unfortunately that the 70 dollar Pro Controller may be necessary for a large number of people, it does give you two full size controllers when coupled with the Joy-Con Grip or Charging Grip. Some games will allow the use of a single Joy-Con so you can use both for multiplayer, it’s not the ideal way to play in many cases. Your choice is to either pick up a second set of Joy-Cons or get a Pro Controller, which feels more like the Xbox One controller or Dual Shock 4.
Be sure to check out what comes inside the box as well as our features in our Nintendo Switch console hub!
