Fans have spent most of the year speculating that Nintendo will give us a better, more robust Switch. Now, Nintendo has announced that the Switch OLED will arrive on October 8, but that’s not quite what gamers were hoping for.
In particular, most fans were hoping for 4K support and other performance improvements that would actually give us a “Super Switch”. Instead, this new model will not offer improved visuals or performance. Instead, it offers a seven-inch OLED screen, 64GB of internal storage, a wired LAN port in the dock, and enhanced audio. It will come in two color configurations: a black and white set with white dock and a red and blue neon set with black dock.
On the one hand, these updates sound good, especially for those who haven’t bought a Switch yet. On the other hand, these updates are so minimal that there seems to be little incentive for existing Switch owners to switch to this model. Especially since, at $ 350, that’s $ 50 more than the current Switch.
As a further complication, delays due to COVID-19 impacted Nintendo’s access to the semiconductors needed to produce the consoles. This is partly why it was so difficult to buy a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X | S, and it may be difficult for Nintendo super fans to track down even one of these OLED models.
Longtime Nintendo fans know that the company is no stranger to introducing updated models of existing handhelds to make money, and now the Switch is no exception. But given that these updates are so lackluster and the drifting Joy-Con’s are still a major unresolved issue, it’s unclear whether fans will rush to buy this console when it launches on October 8th.
Technical Specifications for Nintendo Switch OLED:
| To measure | 4 inches high, 9.5 inches long and 0.55 inches deep (with Joy-Con attached) * The depth from the tip of the analog sticks to the tip of the ZL / ZR buttons is 1.12 inches |
| Weight | Approximately 0.71 lbs (Approx. 0.93 lbs with Joy-Con controllers attached) |
| Screen | Multi-touch capacitive touch screen / 7.0 inch OLED screen / 1280 × 720 |
| CPU / GPU | Custom NVIDIA Tegra processor |
| storage | 64 GB Users can easily expand storage by using microSDHC or microSDXC cards up to 2TB (sold separately). |
| wireless | Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac compliant) / Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Video output | Up to 1080p via HDMI in TV mode Up to 720p via integrated screen in tabletop and handheld mode |
| Audio output | Compatible with 5.1 channel linear PCM output Output via HDMI connector in TV mode |
| Loudspeakers | Stereo |
| Buttons | Power button / volume button |
| USB connector | USB Type-C Used for charging or connecting to the Nintendo Switch dock. |
| Headphone / microphone socket | 3.5mm 4-pole stereo (CTIA standard) |
| Game card slot | Nintendo Switch playing cards |
| microSD card slot | Compatible with microSD, microSDHC and microSDXC memory cards * Once the microSDXC card is inserted, a system update will be required. An Internet connection is required to perform this system update. |
| Sensor | Accelerometer, gyroscope and light sensor |
| Operating environment | 41-95 degrees F / 20-80% humidity |
| Internal battery | Li-ion battery / 4310 mAh |
| Battery life | About 4.5 – 9 hours Battery life will depend on the games you play. For example, the battery will last around 5.5 hours for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. |
| Charging time | About 3 hours * When charging while the hardware is in sleep mode |
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