There have been rumors of an upgraded version of the Nintendo Switch floating around for a while now, commonly referred to as the Nintendo Switch Pro by fans. While Nintendo has yet to confirm its existence, there’s been a few recent leaks from dataminers, implying that the Nintendo Switch Pro exists in some capacity.
However, these leaks don’t offer definitive proof that an upgraded console is being released, and there seems to just as much evidence that points to the contrary. Nintendo’s history shows that it has never released an upgraded console and given the success of the Nintendo Switch, it doesn’t seem like a necessary move. Despite the datamined information, fans will have to wait for confirmation from Nintendo to know for sure, but it’s worth a look at everything out there.
As early as 2019, there have been dataminers who have discovered that firmware updates to the Nintendo Switch have contained references to an upgraded console. Over the past year, more evidence has come to light regarding the existence of the Nintendo Switch Pro. A number of new rumored features include 4K resolution, an OLED screen, higher processor clocks, longer battery, SSDs, and more. While a lot of these leaks should be taken with a grain of salt, there’s a few rumored features that stand out compared to the rest.
The most compelling rumor so far comes from dataminers who discovered details about a new retail model for the Nintendo Switch codenamed “Aula.” This new model will feature an upgraded display of some sort and is tied to a new manufacturer. Although the new model utilizes the same chip as the Nintendo Switch Lite, there seems to be rumors of improved clock speeds as well as support for upscaling to 4K resolution. It’s unclear where the output signal will be generated, but it’s likely that the 4K resolution will be available as a docked option only.
Another big feature found by dataminers was the addition of an OLED screen as opposed to the current LCD screen. OLED is able to provide better contrast and image quality while using less battery power at the same time. While it’s more expensive to produce, OLED screens would naturally improve battery life, and there have been rumors floating around that Nintendo has been visiting panel manufacturers.
Nintendo has also mentioned that it plans to extend the Switch’s lifecycle. The success of the Nintendo Switch far eclipses its previous consoles, and fans should expect the Switch’s lifetime to be extended as a result. At this point in time, the Nintendo Switch is around 4 years old, and Nintendo has stated that it’s only at the midpoint of its lifecycle. While Nintendo has never released an upgraded console before, it does have a long history of upgrading its handhelds over the years, and given the hybrid nature here, it’s not impossible that a mid-life upgrade is being considered heavily, at the very least.
Given the massive success of the Nintendo Switch and the release of the Nintendo Switch Lite, it seems that an upgraded console would be beneficial to the Nintendo Switch’s lifecycle. Furthermore, it’s much easier to market a new console as the Nintendo Switch Pro. Current owners of the original Nintendo Switch will be more inclined to order an upgraded console like the Nintendo Switch Pro, as well as newcomers or those who need a new one.
Before fans get hyped for the Nintendo Switch Pro, however, it’s important to note that while the datamined information exists, this information doesn’t necessarily translate to any material. While the new changes are exciting, they don’t necessarily constitute an upgraded console, and it’s more likely for these changes to appear as a quiet revision to the original Nintendo Switch, if at all.
One of the big reasons why the Nintendo Switch Pro might be unlikely is the simple fact that Nintendo has no reason to release an upgraded console. At this point in time, the Nintendo Switch remains wildly popular, and its sales during the start of the pandemic prove that. The Nintendo Switch even outsold the PS5 during the latter’s launch month, despite how in-demand these new consoles were and still are. Nintendo thrives on its comparatively low price points to other consoles, and its target demographic is different from that of Xbox or PlayStation. For those reasons, there’s little reason to believe that the new model of the Nintendo Switch will include a number of features that could drive the price up.
Importantly, much of the datamined features seem to be minor upgrades rather than large changes. For example, the 4K resolution support appears to be upscaled rather than a native feature. If this is the case, then the performance upgrade will be minor. In fact, the original Nintendo Switch has the capability to output in 4K, but Nintendo didn’t use HDMI 2.0 and opted to limit the display to 1080p. A better display with faster clock speeds and longer battery are great features but they are also more minor upgrades that many may pass up for a better price point. Players can think of this hardware refresh similar to that of the original PS4 to the PS4 Slim, rather than a big upgrade to something like the PS4 Pro.
Furthermore, Nintendo has repeatedly stated its focus on developing the Nintendo Switch. Due to the massive success of the original Nintendo Switch, the company seems perfectly content with where the console is at now. Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo America, has mentioned in interviews that Nintendo’s focus is on existing form factors and that the company is always looking to enhance the gameplay experience. While these vague statements don’t necessarily rule out plans for an upgraded console, it’s implied that Nintendo is more likely to enhance the original Nintendo Switch.
For now, while the existence of a new model for the Nintendo Switch is extremely likely, it’s difficult to tell if it’s the upgraded Nintendo Switch Pro, more of a basic update, or whether it exists at all. While the latest datamine is an exciting prospect for fans, many of the upgrades are minor and can be easily added as a revision instead of a bigger, better, beefier, and notably costlier console.
In the end, Nintendo has kept a tight lid on any potential information regarding the Nintendo Switch Pro. Until there is an official announcement of some kind, fans should sit tight and enjoy what they have. While there are reasons both for and against Nintendo releasing an upgraded console, it’s impossible to know for sure at this point in time. Either way, given that the Nintendo Switch is at the midpoint of its lifecycle, it’s likely that an announcement of some kind will be coming soon if it is legit. Fans will have to patiently wait until then to see if the Nintendo Switch Pro is real or not.
A new model of the Nintendo Switch is rumored to be in development.
![\"IT電腦補習](\"http://itteacheritfreelance.hk/test/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logo2-2.png\"){kind=logo}
www.itsec.hk
www.itsec.vip
www.itseceu.uk
Leave a Reply