Nintendo is allegedly preparing to reveal a new model of its Nintendo Switch hardware. The new Nintendo Switch will feature a larger Samsung OLED display capable of outputting 4K ultra-high definition visuals when docked.
The news comes from a new Bloomberg report which claims Nintendo is looking to reveal the new model, banking on the notion that the “larger touchscreen can prop up demand in time for the holidays.”
The report states that Samsung Display Co. will ramp up production on the device’s new 7-inch, 720p OLEDs in June. It has allegedly set an “initial monthly target of under a million units.”
The screen on the current Nintendo Switch hardware is 6.2 inches at 720p resolution. How big is the new one by comparison? Imagine the screen on your current Switch extends all the way to the edge of the black bezel that runs around the outside. That should give you a rough idea. Theoretically, the new screen’s dimensions wouldn’t change the size of the existing Switch chassis. This should kill any fears of Joy-Con incompatibility.
The report also indicates that Nintendo chose rigid OLED panels over a “cheaper and less flexible alternative to the type commonly found in high-end smartphones.” How that will affect its overall design remains to be seen. What is also unclear at this stage is whether the unit will see any other major hardware changes to boost overall performance. The current hardware often struggles to maintain a steady framerate in 1080p. One wonders how would fare when running in 4K.
The Nintendo Switch is the company’s second highest-selling console to date with over 70 million units sold since its launch in 2017. The Nintendo Switch Lite, a smaller version of the system that eschews the TV dock, launched in 2019.
SOURCE: Bloomberg
