Key Takeaways
- Switch store is slow due to limited resources.
- It’s easier to find deals using browser tabs.
- Smartphones provide easy access for eShop purchases.
My Nintendo Switch is probably my most played console, and likely my second favorite of all time, just behind the original PlayStation, but actually buying digital games using the console’s built-in storefront is a total pain, which is why I almost always use my PC and a web browser to buy games.
The Switch Store Is Too Slow
I don’t just want to throw the Switch under the bus for having a plodding, crawling online store experience. This has been a problem for big home consoles too. I hated using the built-in store on my PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 both, although at last my PlayStation 5 finally has a snappy built-in store.
Still, trying to browse games that are on sale, for example, is a nightmare on the Switch itself. Before someone chimes in to say that my internet must be slow, I have symmetrical Gigabit fiber thanks very much, and that same Nintendo eShop absolutely blazes on any device besides the Switch.
The fact of the matter is that the Switch only has a small pool of resources dedicated to the operating system and the eShop store, and even when the device launched its CPU and memory specs weren’t exactly cutting edge. I can’t say that it’s become any worse over the three Switches I’ve had (I have the latest OLED model now), but it also hasn’t gotten any better.
It’s Easier to Find Deals
The eShop frequently runs massive sales with big discounts, which is how I’ve bought the vast majority of my digital games. We are talking hundreds of games on sale at any given moment. Trying to find the deals I’m interested in, even with the various filters that are available, is an exercise in futility on the Switch itself. Scrolling through pages and pages of discounted games feels like pulling teeth, and the Switch’s screen doesn’t have room for that many entries per page to boot.
Conversely, on any of my devices with a browser, it’s a doddle to quickly browse through the game on offer. Likewise, opening each games page only takes a second, so I can read its blurb, maybe check out a few screenshots, and then get back to the list. I could shrivel up to dust and blow away in the wind trying to do the same thing on the Switch itself.
Tabbed Browsing Is a Huge Bonus
Using a modern browser that supports tabs is a major reason to never touch the built-in eShop on your Switch. I can browse through the list of games and open each game’s entry in its own tab, then when I’ve opened all the games that seemed interesting, I can go through each tab in turn, adding games to the cart if they seem worth it.
This prevents that horrible back-and-forth process you need when using the eShop on the Switch itself. It really seems that, unless you already know exactly what you wanted to buy in the first place, there’s little point in using the built-in eShop.
Your Phone Is Right There Too
Even if you’re out and about, and you have Wi-Fi for your Switch, it still makes more sense to use the browser on your smartphone rather than the Switch. In my case, credit card purchases need two-factor authentication on my phone anyway, so this even helps me avoid switching devices.
Do you use the built-in eShop on your Switch? Are there any good reasons to use it if you have other options? I really hope that the Switch 2 (or whatever it will be called) gets a better app store experience. Just, please don’t add achievements.
