The Nintendo Switch has had a mid-generation refresh
Nintendo have recently announced a new version of their hugely popular Switch console, which will be called the Nintendo Switch OLED. With a larger screen and a host of other upgrades, this is a welcome move for many fans. However, some players, who were expecting a 4K Switch Pro, have been underwhelmed with the upgrade.
A new screen
As the name suggests, the key change is the new OLED screen, which is larger and sharper than the old LCD switch. OLED technology uses pixels which emit their own light, rather than using a backlight. This creates sharper contrasts, darker blacks and better colours, for a superior quality picture. Nonetheless, it is not the 4K some were hoping for and will still operate at 720p in your hand and 1080p in your dock.
The new screen is larger, coming in at 7inches compared to the previous LCD screen which measured just 6.2inches. However, smart design means you don’t pay for this with a bulkier device. The new Switch OLED is just a few millimetres larger and imperceptibly heavier than the old model. Thankfully, the larger screen does not eat up more of your battery, although there is no increase in battery life on the new model either.
Other improvements
Other tweaks to the new model include increased storage, doubling from 32GB to 64GB, improved sound and a wider stand to make it more stable when playing in tabletop mode. It also features a new LAN port, so players no longer have to rely on WiFi to connect to other players.
This will also help with a little-known feature of the Switch. Few people know that you can access web browsers using the Switch by tinkering with your system settings. That way, if you want to check your emails, buy a new game on Amazon or check the latest betting odds on the big game, you don’t have to put your little game down to do it. The new LAN port will be a huge boost for this hidden feature.
Polishing a popular console
As the old adage says, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ and that appears to be the thinking behind this tweaking of the Switch. The Switch has been hugely popular, outselling the Nintendo 3DS’s 9½ year sales total in just over three years and shifting an impressive 79.87million units in the process, including 24.1 million in the last three quarters of 2020 alone.
The good news is that all current games and accessories will still work with the new Switch OLED. The bad news is that there are still no plans to release Ghost Recon Breakpoint on the new console, leaving may Ghost Recon fans disappointed.
Release details
The new Nintendo Switch OLED is slated for release on 8th October and will cost $50 more than the current Switch, setting you back $349.99. Whether the tweaks will be enough to tempt existing Switch users to upgrade seems unlikely, but they certainly make it a much more attractive proposition for entry-level players.
