It has been three years ever since Nintendo released the Switch, which no doubt revitalized the company’s reputation after the lackluster launch of the Wii U. Since then, rumors have been swirling for quite some time now on when Nintendo plans to release an upgraded Pro version of the hybrid console. A couple of days ago, a new report claimed that sources close to the Nintendo Switch supply chain have confirmed that a new console is in development, though specific details about it are still a mystery.
At the moment, Nintendo hasn’t confirmed nor denied the existence of a new Switch console. However, assuming that the company is in the process of developing the long-rumored Switch Pro, it would be interesting to see how the upgraded version will be an improvement over the original. Now, here is a breakdown of some of the important features that the Nintendo Switch Pro should have in order for it to be a worthy upgrade from the Nintendo Switch.
Although the Nintendo Switch has been popular for its hybrid technology that allows players to seamlessly switch between a traditional console and a handheld device, the console still suffered some issues, primarily Joy-Con drift. To the uninitiated, the issue causes the Switch’s thumbstick to drift, which moves players around without even touching the Joy-Cons. This resulted in a class-action lawsuit, and although Nintendo tried to ignore it for quite some time, the company’s president issued an apology for this defect.
Of course, the Joy-Con drift issue shouldn’t have happened in the first place, given that it appears to be a factory defect. This problem also tarnished the Switch’s near-perfect reputation, which is why it is important for Nintendo to ensure that this won’t happen again should a Pro version of the console is released in the future. Of course, the only way for Nintendo to fix this problem is to introduce new designs for the Joy-Cons given that the Nintendo Switch refresh that came out last year did not fix the issue, confirming that the problem is with the Joy-Cons themselves.
Another cool feature that would be a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch Pro is to introduce more color options for the console itself. At the moment, the Nintendo Switch’s screen is only limited to black, with the exception of a few limited editions released with certain games. Of course, players can simply purchase different colors of Joy-Cones to switch up the console, but it would be better to have the option to choose a different color apart from black for the console itself. When the Nintendo Switch Lite was released last year, it came with three color options for players to choose from, prompting some Switch owners to downgrade to the Lite just because of its better design and overall look despite losing its hybrid functionality.
The Nintendo Switch launched with a 32GB internal memory, which appears to be capable of storing most games. However, more and more third-party developers are starting to make games for the Switch and, with it, are games that demand more internal memory from the console. One such example is Warframe which clocks in at 22GB, while Breath of the Wild is around 14.4 GB. Of course, players can simply purchase microSD cards to compensate, but higher-capacity cards are still expensive. Moreover, if Nintendo will really slap the Pro branding on the next Switch console, then it should be a huge upgrade from the original, which is why an internal memory of 64GB, or better yet 128GB, would be a welcome addition.
Another criticism that the Nintendo Switch faced when it launched in 2017 is the lack of any wireless Bluetooth support for audio devices. Although there are many third-party accessory makers that have since introduced ways to support wireless Bluetooth headphones on the Switch, most of them require some sort of a USB device to be permanently plugged on the console. Similar to the internal memory problem, a Pro version of the Switch wouldn’t really be considered a Pro device if it lacks this basic function, especially with the rising popularity of wireless earbuds such as Apple’s Airpods. Having a native wireless Bluetooth support on the Nintendo Switch Pro would also make playing on the go a much better experience.
It is no secret that the Switch isn’t the most powerful console around, which is not a bad thing, given that Nintendo has built an empire of games that serve a different aesthetic and type of player. Although Nintendo doesn’t see itself as a competitor to Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox, it appears that a 720p resolution screen just won’t cut it anymore for 2020, especially when next-gen consoles are on the horizon. Having said this, a Nintendo Switch Pro should at least support a resolution of 1080p undocked.
Of course, it wouldn’t hurt if the Nintendo Switch Pro would go beyond 1080p and introduce a 4K screen altogether. Although Nintendo still hasn’t confirmed a new console and its specifications, rumors are suggesting that Nintendo has been looking into introducing 4K resolution for the Switch Pro. However, players shouldn’t get their hopes up given that reports also revealed that the Switch Pro’s specifications are still being finalized, despite rumors claiming that Nintendo will start production in early 2021. In the end, the rumored Switch Pro’s screen may or may not be 4K, but it should definitely not retain the original’s 720p resolution.
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