If you’re waiting for a Nintendo Switch 2, don’t wait any longer. It’s quite unlikely that Nintendo would release a sequel to its innovative hybrid gaming system anytime soon, especially since the Switch OLED was released less than a year ago.
While a Switch capable of displaying native 4K content would be ideal, considering the low cost of some of the finest 4K TVs, the current Switch is arguably at its pinnacle, with plenty of titles to come. So Nintendo is unlikely to replace it for several years.
New Nintendo Switch 2 Price
The Nintendo Switch OLED costs $349. This is consistent with the earlier speculation.
Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Matthew Kanterman(opens in new tab) predicted that the Switch Pro would be at least $100 more expensive than the current model. “While $349.99 raises the device’s value proposition, I believe Nintendo can drive solid demand even at $399.99.”
Kanterman isn’t the only one. In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz(opens in new tab), Japan-based games consultant Serkan Toto predicted that the Switch Pro would cost around $399, implying that it could be the same console as the Switch 2, and thus the same price, or a different higher-spec version, in which case the Switch 2 will likely cost less.
New Nintendo Switch 2 Specs
The OLED Nintendo Switch revelation fits some but not all of the prior rumours, providing more of a supercharged ‘Pro’ version of the present Switch rather than a whole new Switch.
One prior rumour, for example, mentioned a new Switch console with a bespoke Nvidia Tegra Xavier processor, a 64GB SSD, 4K video capabilities, and two USB-C ports. However, it also suggests that such a console would be a TV-only computer, which seems implausible. We don’t know what processor is in the next model yet, but Nintendo announced a storage bump from 32GB to 64GB. Read also; How to Install and Play Epic Games on Steam Deck
There have also been some recent mobile GPU improvements that speak to a bright future for next portable consoles like the Switch 2. Samsung and AMD are reported to be working on a new Exynos 1000 chip with AMD graphics packed in, which might provide the Switch 2 a big power boost if Nintendo chooses that CPU over the current Switch’s old Tegra X1.
New Nintendo Switch 2 Display
The screen is one of the Switch’s most important components, so it’s no surprise that Nintendo is improving it with OLED. However, it is still a 720p display that only outputs 1080p (at best) when docked. That is consistent with our own reporting, which has revealed that an upcoming Nintendo Switch generation will employ Samsung OLED panels.
According to an interview with Tom’s Guide Ross Young, co-founder of Display Supply Chain Consultants, explored the possibility of an OLED display on the Switch Pro or Switch 2, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of such a screen.
“Whether the image is white or black, LCDs employ the maximum brightness.” And OLEDs don’t,” Young clarified. “Their power usage varies depending on the content.” So it will depend on the type of stuff you’re playing. When it comes to video, OLEDs offer a significant advantage. However, if the video game is bright and contains a lot of white, OLEDs may consume more power.”
A recent statement of a new Switch console by the chairman of Universal Display Corporation bolstered the OLED notion. The company’s president and CEO, Steven V. Abramson, stated that Nintendo was considering switching to OLED because of the advantages it offered over LCD in terms of contrast and response times. It’s a good hint that, despite Nintendo’s silence, a new Switch is on the way.
Regardless of the type of display chosen by Nintendo, a resolution increase is possible. According to Bloomberg, a new Switch will attain 4K resolution by employing an innovative upscaling process. Nvidia Deep Learning Super Sampling, or DLSS, employs AI technology to successfully upmix visuals into high-resolution images without the performance demands of rendering at, say, 4K. Bloomberg was told that a new Switch will use new chips as well as the necessary hardware to support DLSS.
New Nintendo Switch 2 features
The OLED Switch, like the original Switch, may be used in docked-TV, tabletop, and portable modes. The dock now has an Ethernet port and a redesigned kickstand for enhanced tabletop gaming.
Having said that, Nintendo recently patented a novel health-tracking device that can track your sleep, monitor your mood, and even change the odour of a space. Surprisingly, the patented device features a dock (similar to the Switch) and appears to be designed to work with health-related games like Ring Fit Adventure.
That technology does not appear to be present in the Nintendo Switch. It’s too soon to say if such a device will ever hit the market, but it’ll be interesting to watch if Nintendo improves its fitness-tracking game in time for the next Switch system.
What about the Nintendo Switch Pro?
For a time, the so-called Nintendo Switch Pro was rumoured to be a successor to the original Switch. But then came the Nintendo Switch OLED, which improved several aspects of the original Switch but not its performance. This meant that there were still whispers that a ‘pro’ version was in the works.
However, Nintendo has stated that this would not be the case, implying that the speculations and claimed leaks we’ve heard thus far are for a second-generation Switch rather than a mid-generation upgrade. There’s no easy way to receive confirmation here, so we’ll have to rely on our instincts. We believe an enhanced Switch console is in the works, albeit whether it’s dubbed the Switch Pro or Switch 2 is debatable.
What we want from the Nintendo Switch 2
If the Nintendo Switch 2 is released, there are a few features we’d want to see that would make it an appealing high-end alternative for Nintendo enthusiasts.
1080p handheld gameplay: The Switch’s 6.2-inch screen is limited to 720p in handheld mode, so you won’t be able to fully enjoy titles like Super Mario Odyssey and Pokémon Sword and Shield. The ability to game in 1080p on the go would be a compelling reason to upgrade to a new Switch — and if the console can manage 60fps in 1080p, then better.
TV mode supports 4K or 1440p resolution. Given that 4K consoles are available and that the PS5 and Xbox Series X will play 8K content, it’d be wonderful to see the Switch 2 get a resolution upgrade, something we recently advocated for. The new console would require a hefty new dock to enable 4K or even 2560 x 1440 resolutions, but picture playing Breath of the Wild in 4K.
Improved ergonomics. We recently received Alienware’s Concept UFO, a Switch-like portable gaming PC with normal controller-sized buttons, triggers, and grips. If Nintendo can design new Joy-Cons that are larger and more ergonomic while remaining compact, the Switch 2 could be the most comfortable way to play on the go.
Why we want a Nintendo Switch 2
We’re still hoping that Nintendo improves the performance and adds 4K support at some time. The Nintendo Switch is a delight to use system supported by some of the best titles Nintendo has ever released. However, more than three years after its release, its hardware is beginning to show its limitations, particularly in ports of popular third-party games.
Ethan Gach of Kotaku(opens in new tab) got his hands on the latest Switch port of The Outer Worlds, which he claims “looks so horrible on Switch that I’m tempted to urge even people who have no other way of playing it to stay away.” According to Gach’s screenshots, the port is extremely grainy and suffers from framerate drops. Similar problems have been reported by gamers with ports such as Pillars of Eternity and Wasteland 2. Read more; Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2: Everything You Need
While Nintendo titles like Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing: New Horizons are optimised for the Switch, the device appears to be having a AAA games problem. And this could be especially difficult for Nintendo, given a new generation of third-party titles designed for the PS5 and Xbox Series X that may be more graphically demanding than ever.
Nintendo doesn’t need a system as powerful as the best gaming PCs or Sony’s and Microsoft’s latest consoles (and the Switch performed admirably against the PS4 and Xbox One), but the OLED panel could improve the look of Nintendo’s games and make the company’s hybrid console more appealing to fans of big third-party franchises.
