Nintendo recently announced the Nintendo Switch Lite, the long-rumored handheld-only Switch that will launch on September 20 at a discounted price of $199. Since the Switch Lite's reveal, more information on the handheld console has come to light, including details on its battery life compared to the original Switch.

The official Nintendo Switch battery life is 2.5-6.5 hours, depending on a variety of factors. The Switch Lite, meanwhile, has an expected battery life of 3-7 hours. This means that the Switch Lite battery life is generally better than the standard Switch's battery life, but it doesn't appear to be by all that significant of a margin.

The Switch's battery life has long been a point of criticism for the console. Its gimmick of being a home console/handheld hybrid is hurt somewhat when one takes into account its short battery life compared to other mobile and handheld devices, and it doesn't appear as though the Switch Lite will be doing much to address those concerns. However, it's worth pointing out that the 3DS had a comparable battery life, so perhaps it won't bother consumers too much.

The original DS had between 5-20 hours of battery life, though, so some handheld gamers may still be disappointed in the Switch Lite's battery life. However, the Switch Lite is obviously more powerful than a DS, running graphically intensive games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, so it's understandable that it doesn't have the most impressive battery life.

The Switch Lite's battery life could be a deal breaker for some, but others won't be bothered by it. In the meantime, there are other factors to take into account when it comes to comparing the Switch and Switch Lite consoles. Namely the fact that the Switch Lite will struggle to play certain games that require motion controls, as well as titles that use HD rumble, as the Switch Lite does not have the Joy Cons' HD rumble feature.

Nintendo Switch Lite launches on September 20.