Technologies

Nintendo Switch OLED vs. the Others: Which Should You Buy?

We’ll help you pick the best Nintendo Switch for you to enjoy the games you play.

The Nintendo Switch is 5 years old this year. Since the original Switch debuted in 2017, we’ve seen the release of the Switch V2, the Switch Lite and the latest Nintendo Switch OLED. (Not to mention there could be another Switch on the way.) With all those options, deciding which one is best for your gaming needs can be complicated. Or even trickier: Which should you buy if you already own one of the other models?

While the Switch OLED looks like the best version, it’s not necessarily the right pick for everyone. Here’s my advice after testing and reviewing each model.

Making the upgrade call: Solo vs. group; TV vs. handheld; budget vs. splurge

The biggest factors to weigh out involve how you’re planning to use the Switch. This is how you’ll know Switch makes most sense for you, and they’re more important than any single spec.

Playing solo vs. friends and family: If you’re a solo gamer, you might be fine with a Switch Lite, especially if you’re playing in a cramped dorm room or at your cubicle. If you’re a little more liquid, the OLED Switch with the bigger screen is a luxury choice, and a must for TV-docking. But for families playing games, make sure you get a Switch that docks to a TV (sorry, Lite).

Almost always playing on a TV: If this is you, don’t get a Switch Lite. But also, if it’s all happening on the big screen, maybe you don’t need the OLED Switch either. Stick with the original.

Mainly handheld gaming: The Lite is portable and cheap, but handheld-only. The OLED model has a great screen, but it’s bigger and more expensive. Deciding whether you need that better screen could come down to whether you’re 70% handheld or 90% handheld.

Money’s no object: Then get the OLED Switch, obviously. (It’s not that expensive at $350, all things considered.)

Will there be a new Switch this year? Nintendo can’t seem to help coming up with new models of its handheld game hardware every other year or so. Reports of a graphics-upgraded 4K Switch still loom, maybe called the Switch Pro, or the Switch 2. Just a reminder that the OLED Switch almost certainly won’t be the final Switch. You could always just wait it out and be happy with the Switch you have (if you have one).

For more, check out why you shouldn’t worry about OLED screen burn-in on the Nintendo Switch and the best controllers for the Switch.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 16, #889

Here are some hints — and the answers — for the NYT Connections puzzle for Nov. 16, #889.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is a fun one. As a pop-culture junkie and game lover, I enjoyed the purple category. If you need help sorting the answers into groups, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Different strokes for different folks.

Green group hint: Ho-hum.

Blue group hint: Flags often qualify.

Purple group hint: Do not pass Go.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Technique.

Green group: Run-of-the-mill.

Blue group: Stripy things.

Purple group: Words on Monopoly squares.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is technique. The four answers are approach, method, philosophy and school.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is run-of-the-mill. The four answers are banal, everday, humdrum and pedestrian.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is stripy things.The four answers are barcode, IBM logo, rugby shirt and zebra.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is words on Monopoly squares. The four answers are avenue, parking, railroad and tax.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 16 #623

Here are hints — and answers — for the NYT Strands puzzle for Nov. 16, No. 623.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is tough. It’s a weird theme, and some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Around it goes.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: They’re often on a roll.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

CARE, SCARE, CRASS, SWAT, PELL, HELL, SCAR, HALT, STENT, HALTS, TENT, POLL, LOTS

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

FOIL, SCARF, SHAWL, STOLE, FLATBREAD, CELLOPHANE

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is THATSAWRAP. To find it, start with the T that’s three letters up from the bottom of the far-left row, and wind down, over and then up.