Hardware Why do people call the switch a handheld/portable?

[Hayleia]

It isn't a home console with handheld mode for sure. It is a handheld/ tablet with a TV mode. Just look at it! It's a portable device with a small display and a moblile GPU... only because of the docking station which allows you to connect your switch to TV it's still a small device. Furthermore the docking station doesn't offer any additional hardware power, it's just for HDMI, design and additional USB ports. It is Nintendo's fault that people think it's a home console because they have named it as home console although it isn't!? It's silly to compare its hardware power with the power of ps4 and xbox one. Both consoles are stationary consoles... they aren't portable and they are much bigger devices offering more space for hardware power.

No good arguments here.

• It's a handheld, no doubt about this. It can be held in hand.
• But you say it's portable. Some say it's not. That's subjective, this is not an argument on any side.
• Then you say it has a mobile GPU so it must be mobile first and foremost... not really. It has a mobile mode so of course Nintendo didn't pack power hogs in there, but it doesn't mean it's supposed to be the main mode.
• The docking station doesn't hold any additional power. True. Except that this doesn't prove anything, it's a logical fallacy. The logical sentence is "if the dock had additional power, then the switch would be a home console", but not "if the dock doesn't have additional power, then the switch is a portable console", and you're (purposedly or not) mixing these sentences in people's mind to prove your point. Nintendo wants the same game to run in both modes, so of course there is no additional power in the dock.

The only thing you "proved" here is that the Switch isn't more of a home console than a portable... But the conclusion isn't necessarily "then it's a portable", it can also be "then it's both", which is even implied in the name of the console.

 

[Bladexdsl]

it's not a handheld it's a HYBRID

 

[spotanjo3]

It isn't a handheld or a portable. It is a CONSOLE that CAN be used as a portable. Judging by the size and the fact that the n2ds xl is coming out it should be more than clear that this is not meant to be a 3ds successor. Its like people try to justify it's lack of power by saying its a handheld.

Why do people call the switch a portable/handheld ? Easily: Because they are stupid.

 

[TehCupcakes]

But... It is portable. It has the capability to be removed from the dock and moved around without cords. It is a portable device. That fact cannot be refuted. Whether or not it is convenient for you personally to take on-the-go does not change its portable status.

It is also a home console. It can be docked and connected to a TV. This a primary function of the system and does not require extra peripherals besides what comes with the system. Just because it fits this category does not make it any less portable.

It very clearly fits the definition of both. Why do people argue over this? Probably because people expect a system to fit neatly into just one category. That is the status quo and the precedent that has been set. People have all kinds of silly criteria they cooked up on their own about what a home console is/isn't, and some people define portable consoles as only "any gaming system which is not a home console." But that ignores the true definition of the words. Just accept the fact that it does both. Some people might say that the system was "geared towards" one side or the other based on XYZ, but the fact that there is so much debate about it is proof enough that it functions as both, even if for different people.

EDIT: I know people aren't really arguing that the device "isn't portable", you're just saying that it may not fit the standard interpretation of what a portable gaming device is... But my point is that your argument is irrelevant. The Switch intentionally does both and the understanding of the term "portable gaming device" will change because of it. Especially if we see more hybrid consoles appear, the cultural definition will just become more and more aligned with the dictionary definition of "portable", which it fits.

 

[Abu_Senpai]

It's a Hybrid Period

I would rather have it be a beefed up portable but it is what it is

 

[Futurdreamz]

It's a Nintendo.

 

[Mnecraft368]

does it really matter?

 

[sarkwalvein]

matter it really does.... not.

 

[whateverg1012]

it's a portable with HDMI out.

 

[Zaldo1]

It's a portable.

 

[EpicLPer]

It isn't a handheld or a portable. It is a CONSOLE that CAN be used as a portable. Judging by the size and the fact that the n2ds xl is coming out it should be more than clear that this is not meant to be a 3ds successor. Its like people try to justify it's lack of power by saying its a handheld.

... the Switch is a handheld/portable with console functions, nothing more. End of discussion.

 

[Hayleia]

It's a portable.

@imadeanaccountjustforthis

 

[Saroku]

Anyone who thinks the switch is a handheld first just because its physically designed as one doesn't understand what the switch is about and that there are certain logical limits in our universe. Its a device that is made to fuse home console mode and handheld mode into one single device. Just think a little bit about that. You can't make a big box when you want to make a console that is portable as well as it is a tv console. Thats physically not possible. You can't magically have a bix stationary box transform into a slick handheld device, so giving the switch the handheld formfactor and portable hardware is the only way to make a console that is TV Console and Handheld Console in one, 50/50.
The definition for home console does not say that it must use stationary hardware. By that logic the PS4 and Xbox one would be notebook consoles, because the don't use desktop grade hardware. Home consoles are simply consoles created to be used at home, most of the cases on the TV. The switch is mainly a console that is decidaded to TV gaming and Handheld gaming 50/50, as opposed to pure handhelds, that are mainly created to be used as a handheld. The Switch GPU isn't really a suitable handheld hardware because it creates too much heat and needs too much energy at 100%, so in handheld mode, it only uses about 40% power. If it was a handheld mainly, they would have given it a weaker gpu that would do good portable even with 100%.

 

[whateverg1012]

Anyone who thinks the switch is a handheld first just because its physically designed as one doesn't understand what the switch is about and that there are certain logical limits in our universe. Its a device that is made to fuse home console mode and handheld mode into one single device. Just think a little bit about that. You can't make a big box when you want to make a console that is portable as well as it is a tv console. Thats physically not possible. You can't magically have a bix stationary box transform into a slick handheld device, so giving the switch the handheld formfactor and portable hardware is the only way to make a console that is TV Console and Handheld Console in one, 50/50.
The definition for home console does not say that it must use stationary hardware. By that logic the PS4 and Xbox one would be notebook consoles, because the don't use desktop grade hardware. Home consoles are simply consoles created to be used at home, most of the cases on the TV. The switch is mainly a console that is decidaded to TV gaming and Handheld gaming 50/50, as opposed to pure handhelds, that are mainly created to be used as a handheld.

@imadeanaccountjustforthis

 

[Saroku]

Anyone who thinks the switch is a handheld first just because its physically designed as one doesn't understand what the switch is about and that there are certain logical limits in our universe. Its a device that is made to fuse home console mode and handheld mode into one single device. Just think a little bit about that. You can't make a big box when you want to make a console that is portable as well as it is a tv console. Thats physically not possible. You can't magically have a bix stationary box transform into a slick handheld device, so giving the switch the handheld formfactor and portable hardware is the only way to make a console that is TV Console and Handheld Console in one, 50/50.
The definition for home console does not say that it must use stationary hardware. By that logic the PS4 and Xbox one would be notebook consoles, because the don't use desktop grade hardware. Home consoles are simply consoles created to be used at home, most of the cases on the TV. The switch is mainly a console that is decidaded to TV gaming and Handheld gaming 50/50, as opposed to pure handhelds, that are mainly created to be used as a handheld. The Switch GPU isn't really a suitable handheld hardware because it creates too much heat and needs too much energy at 100%, so in handheld mode, it only uses about 40% power. If it was a handheld mainly, they would have given the switch a more weaker and less power consuming chip that is dedicaded for handheld use only with 100%.

 

[FAST6191]

Strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force, gravity, electromagnetism and the delineation of handheld and home console?