Hardware Nintendo Switch "PRO" Thoughts

[Clydefrosch]

i dont get why people hope for a 'more sturdy' switch with glass, metal casing and stuff lke that.

the three flimsy parts of the switch (screen, stand and joycon rails) are made specifically flimsy to protect the system from fatal damage in portable mode.

no glass screen = no shattered screen. while I agree they should consider delivering a screen protector with the system, i get why they chose plastic.
the stand flips off easily to prevent permanent damage to the backside of the switch that would definitely occur if it was a more rigid mechanism.
the joycons are pretty much cushioning. the rails are made from plastic as a wanted breaking point, so the main body is less likely to take damage from a fall and you only need to replace one joycon in most dangerous fall damage cases.

any new version (and i honestly dont expect one right now) will likely keep these as they are.


to be honest, if there is a new version, i hope it's overall the same size, just with slightly changed specs inside. that'd be the cheapest option for both previous buyers and nintendo, as they wouldn't need to change joycon and dock manufacturing at all, while we get the option to buy just the better tablet.
only true improvement from the outside i can see is extending the screen into the bezel area.

 

[gogaming]

sounds great.........

 

[gameboy]

Why not think about the games you are experiencing as demos and buy those games you liked?

i generally do that but, i really havent played a great mini game in awhile. Golf Story is incredible, dead cells is great apart from story, shaqfu is fantastic and so is the first nba playgrounds. Its tough to buy a lot of these games because some of the scores are sponsored scores or free review scores and it really smudges true value for the buyer.

 

[smf]

not because of the hardware itself but because most software does not support it at this point so it's basically a gimmick. It's still a powerhouse of a GPU.

In a years time it will be cheaper and you'll have a chance at a better GPU and software will take advantage of them both. There are two types of people who early adopt, one has a load of disposable income and the other keeps their hardware going for ten years when they repeat the exercise.

I've just upgraded to a 1060 laptop, I'll start looking at an RTX based one after the next cpu from intel and ddr 5.

 

[gameboy]

i dont get why people hope for a 'more sturdy' switch with glass, metal casing and stuff lke that.

the three flimsy parts of the switch (screen, stand and joycon rails) are made specifically flimsy to protect the system from fatal damage in portable mode.

no glass screen = no shattered screen. while I agree they should consider delivering a screen protector with the system, i get why they chose plastic.
the stand flips off easily to prevent permanent damage to the backside of the switch that would definitely occur if it was a more rigid mechanism.
the joycons are pretty much cushioning. the rails are made from plastic as a wanted breaking point, so the main body is less likely to take damage from a fall and you only need to replace one joycon in most dangerous fall damage cases.

any new version (and i honestly dont expect one right now) will likely keep these as they are.


to be honest, if there is a new version, i hope it's overall the same size, just with slightly changed specs inside. that'd be the cheapest option for both previous buyers and nintendo, as they wouldn't need to change joycon and dock manufacturing at all, while we get the option to buy just the better tablet.
only true improvement from the outside i can see is extending the screen into the bezel area.

In a years time it will be cheaper and you'll have a chance at a better GPU and software will take advantage of them both. There are two types of people who early adopt, one has a load of disposable income and the other keeps their hardware going for ten years when they repeat the exercise.

I've just upgraded to a 1060 laptop, I'll start looking at an RTX based one after the next cpu from intel and ddr 5.

the joy sticks are the only thing flimsy, i started getting some drift and its not fun. i have to get a new stick or joycon now.

the 4k pc gaming era is quickly starting to become standard and i dont want to be late to the party anymore. I bought a ps4 for the promise of power and that was a lie. im done with sony. i need ultra settings 60fps+ from now on when it comes to box gaming or pc.

 

[wiewiec]

I am not interested if this upgrade is real because it is to early for upgrades...

 

[gameboy]

I am not interested if this upgrade is real because it is to early for upgrades...

how and why?

 

[Clydefrosch]

the joy sticks are the only thing flimsy, i started getting some drift and its not fun. i have to get a new stick or joycon now.

the 4k pc gaming era is quickly starting to become standard and i dont want to be late to the party anymore. I bought a ps4 for the promise of power and that was a lie. im done with sony. i need ultra settings 60fps+ from now on when it comes to box gaming or pc.

that's an issue for most current joysticks though and i think one part of it is the r3/l3 clicky mechanic. i've had drift on 360, nunchucks, ps3 and on switch pro controller.
and older joypads had their own issues too, not necessarily drift like this, but mechanical issues where the sticks get lose, wobbly and dont react in every direction, this happened to 4 ps1 and ps2 controllers i owned over the years.

circle pads seem to be overall resistant to such issues unless you really torture them, but i don't see them coming back

 

[Teletron1]

I am not interested if this upgrade is real because it is to early for upgrades...

I don't think so, the Switch was a gamble by Nintendo they put an old chip that they got for pennies because of its flaws and roll the dice. I would think they made some sort of deal with Nvidia made a good profit and are now putting out a proper handheld system that can cater to outside developers and be relevant for at least a few years

but the system is underpowered and struggles for resources and outside developers need to strip everything out of their games to get it to run properly

There was an article last year that talked about Nintendo wanting to create some sort of trade in program kind of the way Xbox did with the X

 

[smf]

i need ultra settings 60fps+ from now on when it comes to box gaming or pc.

I'd go either 2060 or 2080. From the bench marks I've seen you don't get enough extra in the 2070 to justify the price.

 

[Rahkeesh]

Spawnwave isn't the absolute most credible rumormonger but he just put out a video with a claim that makes too much sense:

X1 was supposedly chosen because Nvidia had a surplus with their Shield basically failing, so Nintendo could get a good deal to use them up on their experimental hybrid system.

Now that Switch has taken off, that surplus has been consumed and its getting difficult for TMSC to manufacture new X1s with those gigantic 20 nm chips when every other chip has gone smaller. So the real incentive behind this revision now is that 20 nm is getting more expensive to produce so they need to move to a smaller die.

This would mean that the "pro" model is actually supposed to replace the standard Switch, whose production would be discontinued. If that's true, I would argue that several things follow:

- $350 seems like the absolute maximum, they can't push this to $400 if the old Switch isn't an option. Although just plain going to $300 and dropping old Switches to $250 is very possible.
- Although die reduction should deliver some more power and/or battery life, I can't see them going crazy doubling the power or something due to the price limits. Maybe someone who knows more about the X2s or Xaviers can say something about GPU vs CPU upgrades, I thought they focused more on compute power than 3D rendering with those models.
- I'd expect 100% compatibility with the old dock and joycons, and therefore basically identical form factor. It would be far too confusing to try and introduce a new ecosystem of interconnections versus an old one that is being phased out completely. Owners of old systems will still want to buy new joycons from time to time and it would be a nightmare having seperate SKUs with one of them being for a discontinued unit. This also means charger compatability so any raised power draw on the newer Switch can't be anything too insane.

Basically this amounts do: don't expect a crazy upgrade from the "pro", since its meant as a full replacement of the old model rather than a luxury upgrade like an XboneX.

 

[foob]

i dont get why people hope for a 'more sturdy' switch with glass, metal casing and stuff lke that.

Who mentioned metal cases?

Glass devices: kids (and adults) are using them daily. As long as they are designed properly there will be no problem. But seeing this is Nintendo (kings of saving yen), it probably won't happen. But I still see a chance for this in any overpriced 'premium' model they want to sell if they decide to position it that way. Can you imagine a premium flagship phone using a plastic screen? It all depends on how they market things.

I think there's no chance of Nintendo including a screen protector: they know retailers want accessory margins and so do Nintendo themselves. Nintendo need retailers to sell the thing.

Extending the screen out to the edges of the bezel is even more unlikely, because it makes it harder to design a durable device this way, even if plastic. Maybe like the 2DS XL. Nintendo will have to include (or license) software to prevent accidental presses too, probably...if they go hard-core here like some silly phones do. They won't.

As for the kickstand: it only supports a limited angle range and doesn't support the console well. It's not really practical to use the console from a certain height when looking down at it, for example. They can definitely improve balance and stability and probably even eliminate the kickstand entirely in the more portable model. Of course it should continue to detach instead of break in case of accidents. Nobody is asking for military strength.

 

[Doran754]

I was going to jump into the switch this month, the rumours have put me off and I'm going to wait. It's already a foregone conclusion they'll definitely release atleast one reiteration of the switch. If it is a pro, I doubt it'll be oled. Better battery better LCD form factor etc. One thing I'm certain on that op isn't is that it will be portable. It's the selling point of the whole console. Maybe a "mini" version will be console only no dock but I can't see how it won't be portable. Can someone give me a quick rundown on SX-OS if I don't bother waiting and grab a switch now. I have a 3ds with custom firmware and online etc. Is it the same as that or do I risk being banned. Thanks.

 

[smf]

Basically this amounts do: don't expect a crazy upgrade from the "pro", since its meant as a full replacement of the old model rather than a luxury upgrade like an XboneX.

How time flies.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/some-new-information-that-hints-about-mariko.499203/

 

[iKing_PR]

I think their main reason for doing this "upgrade" or an Switch "pro" is because that they can remove or change everything that makes the switch hack-able friendly

 

[Rahkeesh]

Do the earlier mariko rumors tell us anything about die size? Can an X1 "fork" still shrink the die?

 

[Deleted User]

People saying a Switch mini would be pointless because of no HD rumble or joycons are forgetting 4 things:

1. Joycons sold separately
2. HDMI out port wouldn't be too difficult to implement.
3. Pokemon Sword
4. Pokemon Shield

Though, I'd be pissed cos my Switch is only a year old and I would've preferred to buy a mini one with an HDMI port over this worst of both worlds garbage that can't fit in my purse like a handheld and is severely underpowered for a 2017 home console.

 

[XDel]

Sure, I'll take one! And those are my thoughts, or thought rather. If you don't like them, I have others.

 

[Rahkeesh]

Eh the more I think about it, I bet Nintendo doesn't allow the mini to dock or even have bluetooth, just to differentiate it, push people to the expensive model if they want that. They will somehow market it as a "personal" or "solo" device, which should automatically shoo people away from the joycon-required titles that are all local multiplayer-focused games. If they really are going with a vita form factor you are going to need that tiny screen practically in your face anyway.

With a smaller die they can get the existing Switch handheld performance, same lifetime on a smaller battery, and remove the fans and vents entirely. Something they probably couldn't do if it has to manage docked profile as well while being so small.

 

[gameboy]

I was going to jump into the switch this month, the rumours have put me off and I'm going to wait. It's already a foregone conclusion they'll definitely release atleast one reiteration of the switch. If it is a pro, I doubt it'll be oled. Better battery better LCD form factor etc. One thing I'm certain on that op isn't is that it will be portable. It's the selling point of the whole console. Maybe a "mini" version will be console only no dock but I can't see how it won't be portable. Can someone give me a quick rundown on SX-OS if I don't bother waiting and grab a switch now. I have a 3ds with custom firmware and online etc. Is it the same as that or do I risk being banned. Thanks.

only old switches can enter RCM and get hacked, so getting a new switch really isn't an option unless you go with ebay or something and pay $500