Nintendo Switch OLED pre-orders have been underway for a few weeks now although stock has been incredibly rare after the initial batch sold out incredibly fast. The Switch OLED will be released October 8, and we're confident there will be more opportunities to reserve one ahead of time and this guide will tell you where to look. Don't pay over the odds though, the US Nintendo Switch OLED price is $349 and £309 in the UK.
US pre-orders were slow to get off the ground with most retailers waiting until July 15, whereas the UK was super keen and went live on July 6, the same day the console was announced. Oddly enough, it actually took a few days to sell out in Britain, whereas US Switch OLED pre-orders have been getting snapped up straight away.
One thing's become apparent though, the white version is the one that's selling out first, whereas the one with a black dock and red/blue Joy-Cons hangs around much longer. So if you're not fussed about which one you get, next time they go online, opt for the latter and you might not get beaten to the punch by other buyers/bots.
While this new upgraded console isn't the 4K Nintendo Switch Pro we were hoping for it might still be worth a look. If you're on the fence, be sure to take a look at our Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch guide to see what's new. We've actually tried the new console for ourselves now, so be sure to take a look at our Nintendo Switch OLED hands-on report.
We'll show you which retailers you should be keeping an eye on below to see if Switch OLED pre-orders open up again. You could always ask us to give you a shout when Nintendo and other retailers confirm their plans by signing up to our Switch OLED pre-orders newsletter below for the latest updates. Hopefully, you won't have to wait for the Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals to get one.
- Nintendo Switch OLED $349.99: Amazon | Walmart | Best Buy | GameStop | Dell | Newegg | Target
- Nintendo Switch OLED £309: Amazon | Very | John Lewis | Currys | Argos | Game | ebuyer
That may come in handy over the next few months - just ask anyone trying to find PS5 stock or Xbox Series X stock this year and they'll tell you what a nightmare it's been. Even finding a regular Nintendo Switch deal has been super hard, especially in the US. So expect the Switch OLED pre-orders to give us a fair bit of grief before bagging one too.
Switch OLED pre-orders at launch will include two options. One with white Joy-Cons and a white dock and the other with the traditional neon blue/red controllers and black dock.
Nintendo Switch OLED pre-orders - US
At the time of writing, not seen any stores post Nintendo Switch OLED pre-orders online in the US. Most stores haven't even got the product pages online yet (Best Buy aside that is). But we've listed the retailers most likely to get them in and we'd wager these are the ones most likely to go first. Expect more stores to go live very soon around the world.
Amazon
Amazon's first Switch OLED pre-orders promptly sold out. Amazon is always one to watch, although, truth be told, it's lagged behind the other big US stores for other consoles this year by a considerable margin. Perhaps it has a better relationship with Nintendo than it does sony and Microsoft though. Here's to hoping.
Walmart
Walmart is currently sold out of the initial Nintendo Switch OLED pre-orders. We're optimistic though given how often it's had the PS5 and Series X this year. It's buried the console if you try and search for it manually right now, but the listing pages can be found here: White model | Neon Red/blue model.
Target
For the first half of the year, Target was a real contender for next-en console stock, so it's worth keeping a watchful on it for the next wave of Switch OLED pre-orders too. Sometimes console stock is limited to local zipcodes and might require an in-store pickup.
Best Buy
The initial batch sold out pretty fast after the announcement, but Best Buy is bound to get more Switch OLED pre-orders online well in advance of the October 8 release date.
GameStop
Like the stores above, GameStop is currently sold out. However, we have heard some gamers have been able to simply walk into a store and place a pre-order, old-school style. Fingers crossed we won't have to go into another lockdown by the time the console is released on October 8th and not be able to pick it up.
Nintendo Switch OLED pre-orders - UK
A slow start from some of the UK retailers after Game initially broke cover not long after the console's announcement. More joined the fray since, but as things stand, it would seem they're all sold out again. It's still worth trying your luck though as random stock drops are certainly a thing.
Amazon
Of all the UK retailers, Amazon has probably had the most regular Switch stock even at the dryest of times over the last few years, so it looks like it has a strong relationship with Nintendo which will certainly bode well for shoppers keen to grab the new super Switch OLED version. Sold out right now, but one to watch for sure.
Game
While we're constantly surprised that Game is still with us, it's been able to stay in contention as far as getting stock of new consoles goes in 2021. Be warned though, Game will always try and sell you a massive bundle rather than the solus console and we expect the Switch OLED pre-orders to be the same. After going live on the very day the new Switch was announced, Game is currently sold out, but we expect it to get more before October 8.
John Lewis
Despite seemingly not being as enthusiastic about selling game consoles lately, John Lewis is always worth a look with any electrical purchase as they include a free two-year warranty at no extra charge. We'd be surprised if it actually gets Nintendo Switch OLED pre-orders though as it only stocked the PS5 and Series X post-launch. There is currently no listing page at all for the Switch OLED there.
Currys
Currys often try and get around the issue of scalper bots beating everyone to the punch by deploying online queue systems. It also runs ballots providing winners an exclusive window to buy a console. We'll update if Currys confirms this as an option again for Switch OLED pre-orders. As things stand, it does at least have listing pages online for the Switch OLED pre-orders -currently sold out of course- which is a good sign it's expecting stock again soon as it often removes these pages when stock has been gone for a while (as we've seen it do with other consoles).
Nintendo Switch OLED - why should you pre-order it?
The Nintendo Switch OLED is an upgraded version of the mega-popular console that now includes an OLED display for when playing in handheld mode. The screen is larger too at seven inches (up from 6.2 inches on the original model). If your home Wi-Fi is a little weak or you want to cut down on lag for online gaming when playing on the TV, then the new ethernet port on the improved dock will be another upgrade you'll like.
Thankfully, Nintendo is not making any Switch games exclusive to the upgraded console, so we won't have a repeat of the situation that happened a few years back with the New 3DS release. Your old Joy-Cons will attach to the new Switch OLED as well, so there's no need to re-buy any of them when the new console launches.
If you're looking for a few extras to go with your new Nintendo Switch OLED, be sure to take a look at our Nintendo Switch headsets guide and also the best Nintendo Switch memory cards. Our Nintendo Switch Pro Controller review might help you decide to pick up the excellent traditional controller for those longer gaming sessions too.
And picking up a new console is always a good excuse to upgrade your TV, right? Head on over to our best gaming TV or best OLED TV guides for some of our favorite TVs along with today's lowest prices.
Looking much further ahead, there is of course a chance of even sweeter bundles on the consoles or accessories in the upcoming Nintendo Switch Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in November. Keep an eye out.