Many fans, myself included, looked forward to the day Nintendo announced the Nintendo Switch Pro would be hitting store shelves. Nintendo announced a new Switch is coming, just not the pro version we hoped for.
Nintendo revealed the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) earlier today. The new version will release on October 8. As for changes, the latest release sports a 7-inch OLED screen, a wider adjustable stand, 64gb of internal storage, and enhanced on board audio. The new dock that comes with the console will include a wired LAN port. It releases with two color variations, white and the classic neon red/blue. Aside from the changes with the console, it also comes with an increase in price. The new Switch retails for $349.99, $50 more than the original LCD screen version.
The announcement appears to be well received by the masses, just using YouTube’s like-to-dislike ratio as an example. However, not all are thrilled given the reports and leaks leading up to the reveal. The new console does not offer the reported 4K docked resolution as well as rumored improved performance. The new OLED screen improves picture contrast for handheld play, but its still a 720p resolution. As reported by The Verge, the new model uses the same CPU and RAM of the previous version. We also won’t see an improvement in battery life either, as it continues the previous improved Switch estimates of 4.5 to 9 hours on a single charge. One improvement comes in internal storage, doubling the previous storage with 64gb, but still well behind most smartphone options. This argument is minimal though as you can expand up to 2tb of storage with a microSD card unlike some smartphones, I’m looking at you Apple and Samsung.
The Nintendo Switch is in Another Castle
All hope is not lost for the Nintendo Switch Pro! The company deciding to release an updated model stays in line with past moves by Nintendo. For example, Nintendo released six different versions of the 3DS over its lifespan including a New Nintendo 3DS as well as a Nintendo 2DS XL. The latter released nearly four months after the launch of the Switch.
GamesBeat Jeff Grubb indicated his intel always said the Switch Pro would release in 2022. He quickly iterated it doesn’t confirm it will release next year. Whether the Switch Pro is real or not, it doesn’t take away the grey cloud hanging over the announcement. Setting the supremely odd name aside, many gamers wanted the rumored improvements to justify buying a Switch for the first time or upgrading. It’s the case of enthusiasts letting rumors and leaks raise expectations too high more so than Nintendo letting them down. It just feels the let down hurt a little more than gamers expected.
I was hoping for more features, but we will see…