That point is moot. Nintendo won't sell a "controller-free" console.

But you are free to sell the Joy-Con-2 controllers if you buy the Switch 2 and only want to use it docked with your Switch-1-Pro controller to get some money back.

And people who ONLY want to play their Switch 2 undocked: sell the dock... there will probably be enough people who want a second dock for a second TV (f.e. one dock in the living room, one dock in the child's room).

I don't think it's moot.

If they can sell a Switch Lite at 2/3s of an OG Switch then I don't see why they can't sell a Home at around 1/2 the price, even with a controller.

After all a Switch Lite still contains basically all of the components of a controller.

Extra components in Switch Lite vs Home - main battery, screen, charger.

Extra components in Home vs Switch Lite - small battery in the controller

Because you don't need to worry as much about thermals/power efficiency in the Home version I'd also imagine you could opt for some some cheaper 'non-mobile' components - RAM maybe?

EDIT - the people who would sell the dock due to only wanting to play undocked is obvs a completely different demo to a Switch Home.

Easiest thing they could do to offer Switch 2 "Home" is making a case the size of the Switch 2 that slots into existing Switch 2 dock - that way they are both offering home version, while not redesigning too much (can be sold separately or bundled with dock/dock and controller).

This would however limit how high clocks could go, since dock has fairly limited power supply - my guesstimate is ~1300MHz for GPU, but that's 30% higher clock, so quite a bit of extra performance.

I dunno, that seems a bit inefficient to me... Why would that be better than just a Switch Home that just plugs directly into a TV & doesn't need a dock? The PSU in the dock is a super simple piece of tech no?

I don't think a Switch Home would be Nintendo's next offering. I think their next SKU is a Switch2 with the dock sold separately for $349. Not talking about a Switch2 Lite (that could come later), but literally Switch2 packaged without the dock. I would expect it within 24 months after Switch2 launch, to give a little boost of sales after the initial rush died down.

It's an easy offering without dev work, just new packaging. It would entice people that already have a Switch2, want a second one in their household but do not need a second dock. It would also split the initial purchase cost for people who would get the dock separately afterwards. And also with the bigger screen and mouse support, the Switch2 is now also kinda a competitor for a gaming Laptop.

Oh, it would certainly be better if it was stand alone unit - that way it could have beefier power supply and go to much higher clocks.

But, this way Nintendo can sell it as "Home" bundle and as a standalone "upgrade", while limiting R&D and production costs to minimum.

Just a thought experiment, of course.

Even though enticing for many people I cannot see Nintendo pricing a Home version at 1/2. Pricing is also about messaging. Saying you can get 2 Home versions for the price of the Hybrid one, makes the Hybrid look overly expensive and therefore loose much of its appeal, even to those wanting the hybrid option. I could see a smaller price, but I think Nintendo would opt for a bigger profit margin in this case to protect the Hybrid form factor's Image.

A small FunFact.

The Switch2 direct was the first Nintendo Direct that was streamed at 4K on their YouTube channels. I noticed the option right away when the show started.

I agree, I don't think they'll do the Switch Home either.

I reckon the dock will cost them about $5 to $10 so can't see them knocking off $100...

I just don't see it as being that complicated. The offering is quite different.

Look at the Mac mini - does that diminish the Apple brand because it's less than half the price of an equivalent MacBook Pro?

In fact that's the perfect comparison.

Macbook Pro = Switch

Macbook Air = Switch Lite

Mac Mini - Switch Home

The MacBook Pro starts at $1500, the MacBook Air is $1100 (at same-ish spec) & the Mac mini is $699 (at the same-ish spec)

MacBook Air is 73% of MBP, MM is 47%

Name me a brand that is more obsessed with optics and value propositions than Apple?

Yet they're happy to offer a non-mobile version of their flagship product at less than half the price.

How does this not map 1:1 with Switch?