Nintendo's only Black Friday bundle offers an old version of the Switch - here's how to find the new one with improved battery life

AP/Koji Sasahara

• The Nintendo Switch is the best-selling video game console of the year, but there's only one Black Friday deal for the Switch at major retailers this year.
• Major retailers are offering a Switch bundled with "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" for $299 - that's the normal retail price of the Switch with a free game.
• However, the Switch included with the "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" bundle is actually an older version of the console with less battery life than the newer model Nintendo released this summer.
• The original version of the Switch (model number HAC-001) only had a projected battery life of 2.5 to 6.5 hours, whereas the new model (HAC-001(-01)) can last anywhere from 4.5 to nine hours.
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The Nintendo Switch has been dominating the sales charts this year, and it's sure to be one of the most sought-after items during this weekend's Black Friday sales. But most major retailers - including Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy - are only offering a single deal on the Switch: a $299 bundle with "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe."

To be frank, it's not much of a deal - that's the normal price of a regular Nintendo Switch, with a free game that was originally released for the Wii U back in 2014. To make things worse, the "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" bundle includes an old version of the Switch with less battery life than the current model.

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Nintendo released an updated model of the Nintendo Switch in August with improved battery life. The new Switch can last from 4.5 to nine hours, while the old Switch included in the Black Friday bundle only lasts 2.5 to 6.5 hours. You can tell the different versions of the Switch apart by their packaging and their model number. The old Switch is HAC-001, while the new Switch is HAC-001(-01).

The new Switch comes in a box with a primarily red background, while the old Switch comes in a box with a mostly white background. The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle comes in special packaging, but an ad from Best Buy confirmed that it is the old model of the Switch.

Nintendo

The old Nintendo Switch packaging (left) vs. the newer Nintendo Switch packaging (right).

Nintendo also released the new $200 Nintendo Switch Lite in September, but it won't be on sale for Black Friday. The Switch Lite comes in three colors, but unlike the regular Switch, it cannot be connected to the television, and you can't remove the controllers. The Switch Lite is meant to be used as a portable-only console.

So, before you go buy the "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" Nintendo Switch bundle consider how much you'd pay to have about 50% more battery life for your Switch, and think about shopping for a refurbished Switch bundle so you can pick your own game for the the same $300 price.