Following years of anticipation, Nintendo today announced its much-anticipated update to its Nintendo Switch hardware platform, which includes the original model, its low-key update, and the Nintendo Switch Lite. In the classically obtuse naming scheme we remember from devices like the “New” Nintendo 3DS, the company is calling this unit “Nintendo Switch (OLED model).”
Specs —
The new $350 model features:
- 7-inch, 720p OLED display
- Display output up to 1080p
- A wired Ethernet LAN port
- Improved audio speakers
- Expanded internal SSD storage from 32GB to 64GB
- An upgraded, adjustable tabletop stand
- Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compliant) and Bluetooth 4.1
- 4.5 to 9 hours of battery life with a 3 hour charging time
- Slightly larger body at 4 inches tall, 9.5 inches wide, and 0.55 inches deep with Joy-Cons attached
- Slightly increased weight to 0.93 pounds (also with Joy-Cons attached)
Oh, and it comes in both an understated black-and-white scheme as well as the platform’s original red-and-blue layout.
Level up? —
After years of rumors, today’s announcement was notably lacking support for Bluetooth audio or 4K video output — with Nintendo only claiming “HD gaming.” It therefore remains unclear if Nintendo is using an upgraded NVIDIA processor. While pushing some extra pixels would be nice, this, however, might be for the best. Because of these lacking features, we’re not entirely sure if this new “OLED Model” is the same premium offering as the rumored “Nintendo Switch Pro” or if this is just a luxury upgrade to the standard hardware, meant to one day take its place entirely, while still leaving room for a 4K “Pro” model.
Mushroom —
This is the newest Switch model since 2019's Nintendo Switch Lite, which launched with much fanfare at $199. The hybrid console platform has absolutely dominated the handheld and console gaming spaces, with reported lifetime sales of 84.59 million units — a number we expect to steadily increase when the OLED model no doubt flies off of retail shelves on October 8.
