Nintendo is no stranger to hardware revisions. As far back as theGame Boy Advance, the company has tended to re-release its older handhelds with modifications that can range from revolutionary to inconsequential. History looks to repeat itself once more with the impending launch of theNintendo SwitchOLED Model, the latest version of Nintendo’s successful hybrid console due out later this year.
Despite only launching about four years ago, theNintendo Switchhas already seen its fair share of revisions; a Switch boasting a better battery life and the handheld-only Switch Lite both debuted in 2019, while the upcoming OLED Model will be the fourth variant to date. The differences between the models are often subtle changes that may not update the Switch’s internals, but the systems are still marginally improved.
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The Launch Nintendo Switch
The base model of theNintendo Switch launchedin early 2017, and it was a disruptive force in the video game industry thanks to its innovative premise. For decades, Nintendo had generally divided its video game offerings into handhelds and home consoles. This new system fulfilled both purposes, allowing players to choose how they’d like to play their games, whether that be on a TV or on the go.
However, the Switch was not without its faults at launch.The battery life was poor, the storage was a miniscule 32 GB, and the system’s internal hardware paled in comparison to PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Later revisions of the console would attempt to fix some of these issues, or at the very least, slap a bandaid on them.
2019 Revision of the Nintendo Switch
The Switch’s battery could only last for a maximum of a little over six hours at launch. But in 2019,Nintendo released a new Nintendo Switch modelthat replaced the system’s existing chipset with the Tegra X1+ SoC. This version had a longer-lasting battery, allowing for up to nine hours of play, but was otherwise virtually identical to the original model.
Nintendo Switch Lite
Ironically, theSwitch Liteis a fairly heavy overhaul of the system. The ability to “switch” between handheld and docked modes isn’t present, because the Switch Lite canonlybe played in handheld mode. As such, it’s incompatible with certain Switch games like1-2 Switch,Ring Fit Adventure, andSuper Mario Party.
However, for its shortcomings, the Switch Lite does excel in two key areas: portability and price. It’s smaller than the original Switch console, has a better battery life, and for $200, it’s by far the most cost-effective way for would-be buyers to enter the Switch ecosystem.
Nintendo Switch OLED Model
The latest revision of the Switch is probably the biggest upgrade the system has seen thus far.The OLED Switchhas double the storage size of the original model, features a new-and-improved display stand, and its dock even has an ethernet port built into it. But the most prevalent change is that it boasts an OLED display that’s also a little larger than the base model’s LCD screen.
This new version looks to be especially geared towards handheld players.The OLED displaywill make games' colors more vibrant than on other versions, while the new stand should make propping up the Switch an easy task. Both are qualities that, theoretically, should further the experience of playing portably, but there’s seemingly not much for those who like to play while docked.
What’s Next for the Switch?
The reveal of the OLED Model drew the ire of fans, who, based on rumors, had expected the next hardware revision to be a “Pro” model that would give the antiquated internals of the Switch a refresh. While there’s no assurance that such a model will debut in the future, based on Nintendo’s history with handhelds, it wouldn’t be surprising if the company were to launch a few more Switches in the coming years.
Beyond upgrading the Switch itself, future models could also stand to benefit by addressing the infamousJoy-Con driftthat has plagued the Switch’s controllers since the system’s launch. There have been numerous cases of this phenomenon throughout the Switch’s short lifespan, and given that there still isn’t a long-term, convenient fix for it, a revision improving Nintendo’s iconic yet faulty controllers would certainly be a welcome sight.
