Hardware Possible 4K Switch dock addon. Your thoughts about this?

[Kioku]

No it don't, most people I have ask agree that it doesn't look any better than normal HD. And I have seen it on my HD TV, not one different. And like I said, who pay that much for just a little bit different?

I've been hearing the opposite. People have noticed consistent performance some better quality in some of their games.

 

[Shadd]

Your forgetting USB type 3 can also be 3.0 (My laptop has 3.0 though I wish it had 3.1)

Either way, it can still support things such as this. All the work can be done in the external GPU. That reminds me...

 

[KingVamp]

The title said "4K Dock Addon" Addon implies it works with the currently existing stuff.

If that's the case, just no, but I'm pretty sure he meant a new dock.

 

[Shadd]

If that's the case, just no, but I'm pretty sure he meant a new dock.

Nope, currently am talking about the existing dock. It makes a lot of sense at this point. I just got reminded of something so I'm going to update the post.

 

[dude22072]

Thing is, if they make a 4K console, why make it a dock? Just make it the home only edition. They made the 2ds. They could make a Switch Home.

I feel as if this would go down the same route and suffer the same problems as the PlayStation Vita TV (PlayStation TV in some regions). No touch screen = no support for touchscreen games unless devs go back and add in a non touch-screen mode. Not being able to play the full library = not worth it in some peoples eyes. There DO exist games that can only be played in tablet mode.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Nope, currently am talking about the existing dock. It makes a lot of sense at this point. I just got reminded of something so I'm going to update the post.

USB 3.0 doesn't have enough bandwidth for that, and I'm pretty sure that HDMI doesn't communicate back and forth in a way that allows an external GPU to pass information

The only way it would work is if the "AC in" port is actually a full-blown USB-C pass-through to the console, but I don't know if it is or not

 

[Shadd]

USB 3.0 doesn't have enough bandwidth for that, and I'm pretty sure that HDMI doesn't communicate back and forth in a way that allows an external GPU to pass information

The only way it would work is if the "AC in" port is actually a full-blown USB-C pass-through to the console, but I don't know if it is or not

Seeing that the dock transfers data from the USB C port to the HDMI shows that it passes through it in some sort of way. This probably hints it can be done in some way but is still unknown how the dock works at all.

 

[duffmmann]

Maybe in a few years if there is a real demand for 4K from Nintendo, sales have slowed, and costs of manufacturing such an add on have declined, I could see it maybe happening. But not anytime soon.

 

[Shadd]

USB 3.0 doesn't have enough bandwidth for that, and I'm pretty sure that HDMI doesn't communicate back and forth in a way that allows an external GPU to pass information

The only way it would work is if the "AC in" port is actually a full-blown USB-C pass-through to the console, but I don't know if it is or not

Another hint is that you can send data to the Switch and back with the USB ports because of being able to use an ethernet adapter with it.

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Maybe in a few years if there is a real demand for 4K from Nintendo, sales have slowed, and costs of manufacturing such an add on have declined, I could see it maybe happening. But not anytime soon.

This is unconfirmed, but it may arrive sooner than we think (or not at all). This might even arrive next year! Also the demands for 4K only seems to get higher as our standards get higher as well.

 

[Futurdreamz]

Either a Switch TV or a Switch Power Dock is possible. A Switch TV literally only requires them to rip out the screen and battery (maybe keep a little one so it goes into sleep mode or hibernates safely) and ship it with the more simpler Pro controller. They could possibly sell it for half the price of the original Switch, and Nintendo is more than capable of making it while having game incompatibilities kept to a minor concern. Literally I see this as inevitable as Nintendo can throw this together super quickly and launch it as soon as sales flag. I wouldn't be surprised if they have the design already prepared in case of a poor launch.

And as for the Power Dock... The Switch uses Type-C which allows eGPU support as part of it's specification, and the chips were designed by Nvidia which ahs experience with eGPU systems. It would be a serous lack of foresight if they never designed the Switch with this in mind. I imagine the dock would be a bit bigger to make room for cooling (and to keep the difference prominent) and I'd expect it to cost at LEAST $200 US (1060 is ~$200, any cost cutting measures may be eaten by the custom dock case). Even in a bundle I'd expect the Switch + Power dock to cost about the same as a PS4 Pro best case scenario, and it costing more is quite likely). It does give the benefit of allowing you to buy the Switch first then save up some more later to get 4K - and prevents early adopters from having to sell at a loss then rebuy - unlike those that got the original Xbox one and PS4. For this it does require Nintendo to have been planning for this all along, and questions such as how existing games can be upgraded to 4K (Maybe the Dock will have storage to keep the 4K assets on?)

 

[duffmmann]

A Switch without the portability? Makes sense actually. Mine is docked 90% of the time... Only because my social life is nonexistent with such a shoddy work schedule.

Likewise they could make a portable only version as well that's smaller and the controllers are a part of the single unit like a GBA for better portability for the consumer that wants that. They have a lot of options for how else they could create alternative models of the Switch hardware to better appeal to every kind of gamer.

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This is unconfirmed, but it may arrive sooner than we think (or not at all). This might even arrive next year! Also the demands for 4K only seems to get higher as our standards get higher as well.

My point is i don't see it happening nearly that soon if it does happen. these are all just rumors and i’m giving nt opinion on how likely it is and if it even were to happen when more realistically we might actually see such a device.

 

[Shadd]

Either a Switch TV or a Switch Power Dock is possible. A Switch TV literally only requires them to rip out the screen and battery (maybe keep a little one so it goes into sleep mode or hibernates safely) and ship it with the more simpler Pro controller. They could possibly sell it for half the price of the original Switch, and Nintendo is more than capable of making it while having game incompatibilities kept to a minor concern. Literally I see this as inevitable as Nintendo can throw this together super quickly and launch it as soon as sales flag. I wouldn't be surprised if they have the design already prepared in case of a poor launch.

And as for the Power Dock... The Switch uses Type-C which allows eGPU support as part of it's specification, and the chips were designed by Nvidia which ahs experience with eGPU systems. It would be a serous lack of foresight if they never designed the Switch with this in mind. I imagine the dock would be a bit bigger to make room for cooling (and to keep the difference prominent) and I'd expect it to cost at LEAST $200 US (1060 is ~$200, any cost cutting measures may be eaten by the custom dock case). Even in a bundle I'd expect the Switch + Power dock to cost about the same as a PS4 Pro best case scenario, and it costing more is quite likely). It does give the benefit of allowing you to buy the Switch first then save up some more later to get 4K - and prevents early adopters from having to sell at a loss then rebuy - unlike those that got the original Xbox one and PS4. For this it does require Nintendo to have been planning for this all along, and questions such as how existing games can be upgraded to 4K (Maybe the Dock will have storage to keep the 4K assets on?)

Likewise they could make a portable only version as well that's smaller and the controllers are a part of the single unit like a GBA for better portability for the consumer that wants that. They have a lot of options for how else they could create alternative models of the Switch hardware to better appeal to every kind of gamer.

Replacing these things are pretty inconvenient for both Nintendo and the end user. People would be less likely to get the upgrade if they have to ship it out and wait for a long time or to have to buy another console or not buying the new or old one at all. This addon is as simple as sliding it into the dock and having 4K already.

 

[KingVamp]

Nope, currently am talking about the existing dock. It makes a lot of sense at this point. I just got reminded of something so I'm going to update the post.

I rather buy a whole new dock or console than have it clutter around the dock. I think they would go with a new dock or console before doing an add-on.

I feel as if this would go down the same route and suffer the same problems as the PlayStation Vita TV (PlayStation TV in some regions). No touch screen = no support for touchscreen games unless devs go back and add in a non touch-screen mode. Not being able to play the full library = not worth it in some peoples eyes. There DO exist games that can only be played in tablet mode.

Then the console version, just like dock mode, couldn't play touchscreen only games. Some people keep on their dock anyway. I don't think there's enough touchscreen only games, let alone big ones, to worry about it.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Another hint is that you can send data to the Switch and back with the USB ports because of being able to use an ethernet adapter with it.

Ok but

You need a LOT more of it to communicate with a GPU than you do for a controller, Ethernet adapter, or display output. USB-C is the ONLY connector that the Switch carries that can even hope to pass all that information back and forth, and I don't know if the USB-C connector on the dock can handle data, or if it's power only

 

[Futurdreamz]

Replacing these things are pretty inconvenient for both Nintendo and the end user. People would be less likely to get the upgrade if they have to ship it out and wait for a long time or to have to buy another console or not buying the new or old one at all. This addon is as simple as sliding it into the dock and having 4K already.

...I'm not sure what do you mean by "Replacing these things" as I don't see a reason why you would need to ship something to Nintendo. Every upgrade (Xbox One S/X, Ps4 Pro, New 3DS XL) just requires you to buy the new system, do a system transfer, then sell the old one (sometimes you can sell your old system first, but keeping your stuff depended on having cartridges or Live Gold)

 

[Shadd]

...I'm not sure what do you mean by "Replacing these things" as I don't see a reason why you would need to ship something to Nintendo. Every upgrade (Xbox One S/X, Ps4 Pro, New 3DS XL) just requires you to buy the new system, do a system transfer, then sell the old one (sometimes you can sell your old system first, but keeping your stuff depended on having cartridges or Live Gold)

I don't think many people would buy the old console that much. It would be as easy as sliding the upgrade in. That's all it takes.

Ok but

You need a LOT more of it to communicate with a GPU than you do for a controller, Ethernet adapter, or display output. USB-C is the ONLY connector that the Switch carries that can even hope to pass all that information back and forth, and I don't know if the USB-C connector on the dock can handle data, or if it's power only

This is the Switch we are talking about. Nintendo would probably have something created for it (a custom GPU). The bandwidth is getting out of the topic of this. I just really need your thoughts if this would benefit the Switch or not (basically the community behind it). Let's get back into the topic rather than speculating it.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

I don't think many people would buy the old console that much. It would be as easy as sliding the upgrade in. That's all it takes.

This is the Switch we are talking about. Nintendo would probably have something created for it (a custom GPU). The bandwidth is getting out of the topic of this. I just really need your thoughts if this would benefit the Switch or not (basically the community behind it). Let's get back into the topic rather than speculating it.

... That's what I'm saying. You can't "create something custom" for it if you don't have a connector for it. THE most effective way to go about doing an external GPU for the Switch would be to just produce an entirely new dock with the GPU built in

 

[Bladexdsl]

nintendo doesn't give a shit about 4k and neither should you right now it's pointless the power needed to fully support it DOES NOT exist on ANY console. it does ONLY ON THE PC

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

If that's the case, just no, but I'm pretty sure he meant a new dock.

Well because of this confusion, i suppose is safe to say is just misunderstanding?

New dock would be nice, with a cooling system and better charge times during use and no potential scratching, a addon I wouldn't mind for 3DS games. Maybe have the dock work without the switch, you can put in the Game card or maybe the SD card with the 3DS games on, and use the switch as the touch screen or include second screen in package.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Well because of this confusion, i suppose is safe to say is just misunderstanding?

New dock would be nice, with a cooling system and better charge times during use and no potential scratching, a addon I wouldn't mind for 3DS games. Maybe have the dock work without the switch, you can put in the Game card or maybe the SD card with the 3DS games on, and use the switch as the touch screen or include second screen in package.

Mm, yes, gotta love me that $300