The Nintendo Switch OLED will be my next big purchase. It's the console I've been waiting for and the perfect successor to the Nintendo Switch Lite.

Perhaps for existing Nintendo Switch owners, the specs of the new model aren't impressive enough to justify a replacement; the 7-inch OLED screen and double the onboard storage seem great, but outputting content in 4K when docked Without the option, this refreshed Switch falls short of power users' expectations.

This is one of the reasons my colleague Tom Pritchard has no intention of upgrading. Unless his current Nintendo Switch "mysteriously fails" between now and October 8 (the expected release date of the Switch OLED), Pritchard will skip this console.

But not me. No, I will be pursuing where to buy the Nintendo Switch OLED until it is available for pre-order; I did not brave the PS5 restocking or the Xbox Series X restocking battle, but I will order the Nintendo Switch OLED as soon as possible. Here's why I'm excited to buy the new console.

The Nintendo Switch Lite was once my all-time favorite gaming console, but I've been on the fence about buying a full-fledged Switch, a Switch that lives up to the device's name. A few months ago, I moved into a new apartment and decided I needed a party-oriented gaming console for my living room entertainment setup.

My Switch Lite doesn't even have multiplayer capabilities, so my dreams of beating my friends at Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the best games on the Nintendo Switch were crushed. Patience is not my strong suit, so I debated whether or not I should wait for a new Nintendo Switch, with advice from the gaming experts at Tom's Guide.

At the time, pandemic regulations were still in place. These days, however, I have less space for a Switch Lite in my life because it is safe to see my friends. More importantly, I now go away for more than a few hours or more than the battery life of the Switch Lite. Like the current flagship Switch, the OLED one can last up to 9 hours on a charge.

While I initially purchased the Nintendo Switch Lite for its fun colors and compact design, I now find the new Switch's larger body and simple black and white palette more in line with my aesthetic sensibilities. It's bold, yet doesn't make my apartment's entertainment center look childish.

And have you seen the upgraded stands? The large, adjustable, built-in stand is one of the most attractive upgrades of the new Switch. The original Switch's stand felt rather flimsy, but Nintendo promises a sturdier option for supporting the console when not docked.

In addition to these welcome design updates, I am encouraged by other exclusive features of the Nintendo Switch OLED. The enhanced audio should make the Switch's portable mode sound even better. When docked, however, the new Ethernet port will be appreciated when Wi-Fi is unreliable, i.e., when Wi-Fi has been frustratingly infrequent since I moved in.

If I had owned the original Switch, I might have been less eager to get an OLED Switch. However, nearly two years after purchasing the Switch Lite, I am ready to invest in a more powerful device with more playing options and a design I truly love. I already know I love the game catalog and can't wait to play my collection on a larger screen.

So I'm going to rush my reservations. I'm not saying you need to do the same, but if you're in my shoes, I'm sure the Switch OLED is the gaming console you want to get your hands on.