Switch Deluxe Travel Case review – Pokéball Edition

The Deluxe Travel Case is an incremental upgrade from standard travel cases, holding 14 games and a removable tray for Switch Lite consoles.

The Ghetto Gamer is intimately familiar with PDP’s Switch accessories, especially their Switch travel cases. They sent this one to me shortly after Pokemon Sword and Shield were released, in keeping with the hype. It has taken me a while to review it simply because the site has been so busy. But I’m glad I finally got around to it.

Let’s dive right in.

Is the Switch Deluxe Travel Case worth it?

Yes. The Deluxe case is a pretty standard case with a pretty standard price. The sheer variety of styles makes it worth a good look. And the Pokeball edition looks great.

This Switch Case is “Deluxe!”

I’ve seen all sorts of Switch cases from PDP, so what makes this one different? What makes this one “Deluxe?”

The Deluxe Travel Case is a relatively minor upgrade from PDP’s “Slim Case” or “System Case,” both of which have the same profile and offer the same storage. Compared to the slim case, the Deluxe more than doubles the number of game cards that can be stored, and expands the size of the mesh storage pocket.

There are a few other differences between the Deluxe and the Slim, but the main change is in the overall size of the case. The Slim is slimmer, of course. The Deluxe sports a beefier profile. Not a whole lot beefier, but the size difference allows for more breathing room inside, so your earbuds aren’t smooshed up against your joy con straps.

Pokeball Edition design

This edition of the Deluxe Travel Case features a very subtle Pokeball design embossed on the matte black cover. The design is black on black with the Pokeball being a raised, matte design. It’s so subtle it’s almost indistinguishable in low light.

Personally, I prefer a design like that. Not too flashy and not too kiddish. I bring my Switch to work with me (I have an office job) and I like my gaming accessories to be subtly branded so that if I open my bag, most eyes would interpret the case as a tablet case or something else. Only the other gamers can recognise that I’m a full-on nerd that catches Pokemon on my lunch break.

The entire front of the case is tough plastic, where the pokeball design lives. The back of the case is tough fabric. Something like canvas. But not.

The zipper features two lines of white stitching on each side for another coolly subtle highlight, and the zipper tab is white string with a black, plastic tip.

The Deluxe case also has a white loop handle made from soft plastic. That way you can carry it with a finger, rather than having to clutch it like the slim case. The handle snaps in place, too. That way you can hang it from your belt loop or something else. Not sure that would ever come in handy, but you can also put a keychain or something else decorative around it.

Storage

Opening the Switch Deluxe travel case reveals plenty of room for your Nintendo Switch or Switch Lite console, joy con straps, earbuds, a few random items for the mesh pocket, and 14 game cards.

Again, this is an upgrade from the Slim case which only stores 6 game cards and has a much smaller mesh pocket. The Deluxe has an elastic loop to keep your joy con straps in place with the game cards, rather than letting them float around in the mesh pocket.

The game cards are stored on the front of a padded partition. The partition is a flap that covers and protects the front of your Switch. The underside of it is super soft and cushioned microfiber that keeps anything else in your Deluxe travel case from rubbing and scratching it.

Works for Nintendo Switch or Switch Lite

To accommodate the Switch Lite safely, PDP included a removable tray that lays in the bottom of the main storage compartment. It’s made of a firm, molded foam and has a recessed area for the Switch Lite to lay in. The surface of the tray that contacts the console is covered with a fuzzy, felt-like membrane. It feels really cool.

The case features a “console lift strap” that lays under the Switch and folds to stick out like a tab. You pull the tab to raise your switch up out of its tray. Basically, you lift the Switch so you aren’t forced to turn the case upside down or stick your fingers in there to pry out your console.

It’s a small thing, but it’s something I appreciate about these cases.

If you’re using the Switch Lite tray, the lift strap feeds through a slot and is perfectly usable with either console size.

To sum it all up…

The Switch Deluxe Travel Case is a simple case that does exactly what it says. I like the quality of PDP’s products, and this one doesn’t disappoint. The stitching all feels very sturdy, the mesh pocket can velcro completely shut, so nothing will come out while you’re carrying. I’ve been using PDP stuff for years and have never had a zipper jam on me.

Overall, yes. This is a basic case and should be the bare minimum for anyone who plans to take their Switch anywhere. There are bigger carriers that can accommodate the dock, pro controllers, cords, and everything else, but for a simple, every day Switch case, the Deluxe is great.

I still kind of prefer the Slim, just because of its narrower profile. If you have the Switch Elite Backpack, the Slim cases fit perfectly snug in the Switch pocket. But otherwise, this is an excellent option. If you found this review helpful and decide to purchase, please consider ordering from eBay using my affiliate link.

Or…

You might consider some other Switch travel cases

If you are looking for a bigger, better way to carry your Switch or Switch Lite, I’ve got a few other suggestions.

The Pull-N-Go Switch Case

I reviewed this one a while back, and it’s still one of the more interesting cases out there. It works like a high-end camera case, with an interior that’s fully modular via hook-and-loop fastener, with a slim-style travel case that attaches to the top.

The Pull-N-Go case fits your whole Switch setup, from the console itself to the dock, a pro controller, joy con grips, cables, and more. Here’s my Pull-N-Go Switch Case review.

The Switch Elite Backpack

This thing is my absolute favorite. It’s a backpack that’s custom-made to fit your Switch, dock, pro controllers and whatever else you want to carry. Better yet, it works just fine as a regular backpack. It even has a laptop sleeve.

I love this thing and I’ve been carrying it every day for months. Check out the full Nintendo Switch Elite Backpack review.