Hardware Next Switch Revisions?

[Zeldalife89]

I'm curious when do you guys think we will see revisions of the switch???
My buddy thinks 2018 but i think that is way to early..
Because they cant even keep it on the shelves not even for xmas and usually revisions dont happen after little more than a year so..
What i think is the beginning of 2019 we will see revisions we might hear something end of 2018 tho but i think we still got a full year left untill we see things like that..
I hope Its not soon or ill be pretty mad lol

 

[x65943]

If the 3ds timeline is anything to go off of - then we should see a revision in the first 18 or so months after the console's launch.

 

[TangentingTangerines]

If the 3ds timeline is anything to go off of - then we should see a revision in the first 18 or so months after the console's launch.

True, but we still don't know whether Nintendo is treating this thing like a console, handheld or mixture of both. Out of Nintendo's 6 previous consoles only 3 of them even got major hardware revisions, and all of those were budget consoles released right before the next gen stuff.
Nintendo might just decide that the Switch is selling well enough that they aren't gonna bother releasing new versions. Besides it's harder to sell a new hardware revision for a 300$ "console" than a 100-200$ handheld. Best I'd expect is some changes under the hood between now and Christmas (fixes for the hardware issues, bigger internal storage, maybe even a bigger battery).
Besides what would they call a new hardware revision anyway, The New Nintendo Switch XL? All the switch really needs right now is basic tweaks, not a total rerelease.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I don't think we're going to see a Switch revision for a while, because there's not a whole lot they can change.
A Switch XL wouldn't make any sense and a Switch Mini would have even worse battery life.
We might see a cheaper TV-only version first.

 

[Duckling]

I'd guess in 3-4 years

 

[rctgamer3]

True, but we still don't know whether Nintendo is treating this thing like a console, handheld or mixture of both.

Yes, we do. Nintendo gave the Switch a model number of HAC-001 (Handheld And Console)

 

[Anfroid]

I don't think we're going to see a Switch revision for a while, because there's not a whole lot they can change.
A Switch XL wouldn't make any sense and a Switch Mini would have even worse battery life.
We might see a cheaper TV-only version first.

I'm hoping for a "New" Switch, but I wouldn't mind a tv only version.

 

[EmanueleBGN]

Maybe not TV-only but portable-only (sold without dock)

 

[TangentingTangerines]

Maybe not TV-only but portable-only (sold without dock)

I don't think that makes too much sense for Nintendo or consumers. The dock that comes with the switch is very cheap, contains no significant hardware add-ons, and only costs Nintendo around 50$ to produce meaning they could only reduce the price by 50$ without loosing money.
Yet from the consumer standpoint, why buy a piece of hardware with a major feature removed without a significant price drop? Also how many people want a switch that can only be played on the go for 3 hours?
A tv-only model makes much more sense. It would allow Nintendo to cut alot of expensive features out like the screen, battery, and maybe even the joy-cons, to easily sell the system at a budget price of 200$. There's plenty of people (such as myself) who find the portable mode a cool idea, but in practice will probably just leave it docked most of the time. It would be a great way to get into new Nintendo games on the cheap while sacrificing a feature that would go unused.

 

[Xzi]

Double post, ignore.

 

[Xzi]

If the 3ds timeline is anything to go off of - then we should see a revision in the first 18 or so months after the console's launch.

It's not. 3DS hardware was outdated when it released. Switch's form factor is maxed out. Think of it more like a WiiU successor, because Nintendo is. Remember how many WiiU revisions there were? How about Wii? The only ideas for revisions people can seem to come up with for Switch is "smaller weaker portable-only version," and "more powerful home console version," either of which completely defeats the point and appeal of Switch.

We'll see Switch 2 when Tegra X2 comes along, and not before. I'd say 2020 earliest possible launch. Any hardware revisions until then will be very minor. Biggest possible improvement I can see is less bezel and more screen space (since it's already IPS), but I wouldn't find it worth buying a new unit just for that.

 

[x65943]

It's not. 3DS hardware was outdated when it released. Switch's form factor is maxed out. Think of it more like a WiiU successor, because Nintendo is. Remember how many WiiU revisions there were? How about Wii? The only ideas for revisions people can seem to come up with for Switch is "smaller weaker portable-only version," and "more powerful home console version," either of which completely defeats the point and appeal of Switch.

We'll see Switch 2 when Tegra X2 comes along, and not before. I'd say 2020 earliest possible launch. Any hardware revisions until then will be very minor. Biggest possible improvement I can see is less bezel and more screen space (since it's already IPS), but I wouldn't find it worth buying a new unit just for that.

In a year or two they may be able to make a smaller, truly portable switch, without sacrificing any power. That's assuming the tech development and price point improve. But I think there could be a market for such a device - sort of like the gb pocket.

 

[Xzi]

In a year or two they may be able to make a smaller, truly portable switch, without sacrificing any power. That's assuming the tech development and price point improve. But I think there could be a market for such a device - sort of like the gb pocket.

Eh, the market for that device is the portable market, which Switch already covers. It's not going to get that much smaller, and you're always going to have to sacrifice something in order to make it happen. Just sacrificing console mode means sacrificing 50% of its functionality, after all. The 3DS is still within its lifetime, so that's got the smaller portables covered until probably the end of 2018. After that, who's to say they won't do another 3DS successor with how popular the line has been? If they wanted Switch to be a singular device, a portable or a console, they would've made it that way in the first place. Even though it's a hybrid, it covers Nintendo on the console side as far as they're concerned.

 

[DarthDub]

What are you talking about? We get a new revision every shipment with higher firmwares everytime. Unless I'm missing something here..

 

[x65943]

Eh, the market for that device is the portable market, which Switch already covers. It's not going to get that much smaller, and you're always going to have to sacrifice something in order to make it happen. Just sacrificing console mode means sacrificing 50% of its functionality, after all. The 3DS is still within its lifetime, so that's got the smaller portables covered until probably the end of 2018. After that, who's to say they won't do another 3DS successor with how popular the line has been? If they wanted Switch to be a singular device, a portable or a console, they would've made it that way in the first place. Even though it's a hybrid, it covers Nintendo on the console side as far as they're concerned.

I am not saying make a portable only device, but rather make a switch that does everything it does now - with a smaller form factor. And you're right that if they made a switch pocket today - you would have to sacrifice something. But, if they wait a few years, all of the components will be able to fit in a smaller form factor with the same power.

Ninty has gone crazy with the 3ds revisions, and even the Wii got a mini version - so I could see it happening.

I think it definitely would fill another niche. I would love a switch that fit in my pocket. My console has only left the home a few times since I have had it - if it fit in my pocket I would take it to class every day.

 

[Xzi]

What are you talking about? We get a new revision every shipment with higher firmwares everytime. Unless I'm missing something here..

We're definitely talking about hardware revisions.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I am not saying make a portable only device, but rather make a switch that does everything it does now - with a smaller form factor. And you're right that if they made a switch pocket today - you would have to sacrifice something. But, if they wait a few years, all of the components will be able to fit in a smaller form factor with the same power.

It would be a different chipset and a different architecture, I don't see them shifting gears that way with Switch as it would just cut into their profit margin. They probably will go smaller with the DS line follow-up if it happens, though, in order to avoid stepping on Switch's toes too much.

 

[DarkenedMatter]

I feel like once people realize how poorly games like LA Noire run or look that Nintendo might beef up the console/handheld maybe. Negative backlash from finally getting 3rd party but them looking and running like shit would be bad PR.

 

[Xzi]

I feel like once people realize how poorly games like LA Noire run or look that Nintendo might beef up the console/handheld maybe. Negative backlash from finally getting 3rd party but them looking and running like shit would be bad PR.

LA Noire was an Xbox 360 game, it'll do fine on Switch. Not to mention most games have been running at 60 FPS, nobody is really complaining about Switch's performance right now. Better than WiiU in a package about 1/10th the size, if that. Again, only way to beef it up is to make it bigger, and then it's just another boring stationary box console.

 

[DarkenedMatter]

LA Noire was an Xbox 360 game, it'll do fine on Switch. Not to mention most games have been running at 60 FPS, nobody is really complaining about Switch's performance right now. Better than WiiU in a package about 1/10th the size, if that.

I mean, I know plenty of people complaining about the switches performance. You are just around people who aren't complaining about it I guess. It's undeniable that there will never be massive games that look and run good with it's power. This is coming from someone with two Switches so I'm not just some one who is in denial. The system is good but very underwhelming power wise. Remember it's a home console and not a handheld so comparing it to mobile phones it's hardly fair (not saying you were going to but that seems to be everyone's go to nowadays) but I'm fairly certain Nvidia will make them a strong chip to use with the system. Maybe a year or two later though.

 

[Xzi]

I mean, I know plenty of people complaining about the switches performance. You are just around people who aren't complaining about it I guess. It's undeniable that there will never be massive games that look and run good with it's power. This is coming from someone with two Switches so I'm not just some one who is in denial. The system is good but very underwhelming power wise. Remember it's a home console and not a handheld so comparing it to mobile phones it's hardly fair (not saying you were going to but that seems to be everyone's go to nowadays) but I'm fairly certain Nvidia will make them a strong chip to use with the system. Maybe a year or two later though.

It's a hybrid console, it's only Nintendo I believe that classifies it in their home console line. Regardless, phones are...phones, they aren't better-than-WiiU graphics and they aren't producing console-quality games. You'll never play anything like BotW or Mario Odyssey on a fucking phone unless it's emulated 60 years from now when I'm dead.

So far there's absolutely nothing legitimate to complain about in regard to Switch's performance. It's 60 FPS in most games with no drops, 30 FPS in others. That's all the more you get out of PS4/XB1 too. You buy a console and you get console performance, only a PC will do ya any better.

Tegra X2 will be in the next Switch assuming things keep going well sales-wise. We're talking 2-3 years for it to release though, and another 1-2 years before it's cheap enough to be used in Switch2.

 

[Deleted User]

Yes, we do. Nintendo gave the Switch a model number of HAC-001 (Handheld And Console)

That's actually clever, I didn't notice nor know that!