Gaming [Opinion] The Switch isn’t powerful enough for a web browser

[aykay55]

TL;DR: The Switch can’t handle the eShop while suspended, how would a browser work out?

The Nintendo Switch is an amazing piece of tech, no doubt about it. It is incredible the kind of graphics it can display on the go. My friends were amazed at the quality when I had brought my Switch once and was playing Rocket League. A big complaint of many users is the absence of a real Switch Internet browser. Some people say Nintendo wanted to avoid any possibility of hacking, some say the Switch doesn’t need a browser, and some were sying Nintendo was just being Nintendo. However, there is one more possibility, which I think is most likely: The Switch isn’t powerful enough to handle one. Let me be clear here, I am making this conclusion because of how the Switch handles the eShop. When nothing is happening (no software is suspended, no game is downloading) it is fine. However, if you want to go to the eShop while playing a game, then you’re hit by extremely slow loading times, you have to wait 10-20 seconds for a page to load at all. Now some might say this is only while using online features, but it’s not. While playing a local graphically intense game, the eShop definitely takes a hit. While playing an online game, the eShop takes an even greater hit. When playing an online graphically intense game, well I wish you the best for your plastic Switch shell. And if it is doing this for a “website” for use with nothing other than the Switch, well imagine it being used on a website which isn’t made specifically for Switch. The real reason Nintendo didn’t put a browser on the Switch, was because they couldn’t.

 

[Song of storms]

I never had any problem with the eShop you described.

As for the internet browser, I'd say you're right if it weren't for the fact that the Switch does have an integrated internet browser but they went the extra mile to block it. Before they did that, you could browse the web decently. Enough to find walkthroughs or watch videos.

 

[leon315]

THE REASON Ninty didn't put a web browser on Switch because they fear too much that hackers could find an exploit in it then Wiiu web hack on Switch all over again.

 

[Mythical]

No reason they couldn't make the browser close games before opening

 

[WonderBoom]

99.99% sure the Switch is more than powerful enough to run a internet browser bud... Nintendo's decisions on how the eShop runs is nothing to do with bottlenecks due to the system... Simply code decisions made by N...

 

[ShadowOne333]

Bitch are yo fo realz?!

Nah but in all honesty, of course it is powerful enough for a web browser.
If that wasn't the case, old laptops from the 2000s and such wouldn't be able to run web browsers at all.

The only and SOLE reason Nintendo hasn't released a browser for the Switch is simple:
Nintendo's nothing but pussies that are afraid of the web browser being exploited for homebrew.

That's it, that's the same reason why they have been delaying apps like YouTube and such as well on the Switch, due to fear to exploits.

 

[guitarheroknight]

So the Switch can play AAA titles like BOTW and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 but cant run a simple browser.
Sound logic. 10/10

 

[[^Blark^]]

I think it's possible the switch can handle it. The eshop is just probably poorly optimized or servers suck. I had my eshop crash just for scrolling thru games so fast and it seemed choppy and laggy while browsing it too. I wouldn't say just because the eshop doesnt work properly means a web browser wont.

(Was on a 4glte hotspot so I had good speeds too)

 

[Bedel]

It already has one. Well, sorta. It's a ver simple version of an internet browser, but it's still more than capable to handle it.
Indeed there are some things that are opened with this browser, like the social media photo post option in the album.

 

[ghjfdtg]

lol you must be kidding. It is totally powerful enough. You will not be able to keep 200 tabs open with 4 GB but it's enough. fail0verflow even showed running Chromium working smoothly in Linux.

 

[aykay55]

Many of you misinterpreted what I was trying to say. The Switch can definitely handle running a browser, but not while running games too. And why would Ninty add a browser which you can only use when you're not doing anything else (flashback to DSi days)

 

[kuwanger]

No system is powerful enough to web browser a sufficiently complex web page because computers are LBAs but a web site can provide a functionally infinite tape. That has nothing to do with why the Switch fails to include a web browser.

why would Ninty add a browser which you can only use when you're not doing anything else (flashback to DSi days)

Because a web browser would be useful even outside of playing a game. By that logic, Ninty shouldn't support playing games because why would Ninty support playing games when you can't multitask other games? (flashback to DSi days)

 

[ghjfdtg]

The builtin browser applet has very little memory available to it while games are running. It is not a problem of power. The game is not even truely running while suspended. It makes sense that the game is getting almost all of the RAM because that's what the Switch is made for.

 

[8BitWonder]

Many of you misinterpreted what I was trying to say. The Switch can definitely handle running a browser, but not while running games too. And why would Ninty add a browser which you can only use when you're not doing anything else (flashback to DSi days)

The 3DS was capable of running the browser while a game is suspended, I'm sure with some Nintendo magic (or just some good design) they could do the same on the much more powerful Switch.

 

[JaapDaniels]

my 486 dx pc was capable of running a web browser on windows98se even a raspberry pi zero can run a web browser... really any console/handheld with connection (either wifi or utp) can run a browser.

 

[aykay55]

The 3DS was capable of running the browser while a game is suspended, I'm sure with some Nintendo magic (or just some good design) it could do the same on the much more powerful Switch.

The 3DS could not with all games, but yes most games. The 3DS wasn't competing with any other consoles and didn't struggle to run its games, which is why they were able to keep a section of memory/power for the browser and other mini apps. The Switch is directly competing with Xbox One and PS4, and its power is just enough to run its games, which means that they can't set aside a sufficient amount of memory to run an internet browser that well. And in that sense, why include one at all.

 

[Dominator211]

it sounds like your issue is an isolated one. perhaps your internet connection is to blame? I have never had any problems like the one you are describing

 

[8BitWonder]

The 3DS could not with all games, but yes most games. The 3DS wasn't competing with any other consoles and didn't struggle to run its games, which is why they were able to keep a section of memory/power for the browser and other mini apps. The Switch is directly competing with Xbox One and PS4, and its power is just enough to run its games, which means that they can't set aside a sufficient amount of memory to run an internet browser that well. And in that sense, why include one at all.

I wasn't aware it couldn't with some games, the extended memory/new3ds exclusives I assume?

I still feel like they could pull off a browser on most suspended games on the switch, but if not it'd still be nice to have one.
The switch could make a nice little tablet for videos and browsing if it had those options.

 

[Vieela]

Even the DS had a web browser, the Switch is going to have one too. (i know this isn't a good comparision, but still, the DS had one. The Switch can pull off one, it is good enough for it)
So much that there is (or was) exploits to access something that worked liked a browser. Nintendo's just scared of the exploits people might find if they do put a browser on the Switch. It is absolutely capable of it.

 

[aykay55]

it sounds like your issue is an isolated one. perhaps your internet connection is to blame? I have never had any problems like the one you are describing

Many others have experienced this issue including someone above. My WiFi speeds are ~50 mbps download and upload. There are a wide range of possibilites of course, that my and other Switches come with a weaker WiFi adapter which was proven recently.

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Update: I just increased my MTU value to 1500 and opened the eShop while playing MyCAREER in 2K18 and it seemed to make a massive difference in loading times.