The Switch Lite arrived in 2019. What’s next?
Sarah Tew / CNET
It is almost impossible Find a Nintendo Switch for sale, three years after the console started. This is both good news for Nintendo and a sign that switch manufacturing is facing challenges in a year of corona virus shutdown. It’s a shame because there’s no better time to use one when we’re largely stuck at home.
not as Xbox Series X. and PS5We can’t say a next generation switch is coming this year. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have any Nintendo clues as to what a Switch 2 might look like.
Nintendo has already explained that No new switch hardware is in sight in 2020, but we don’t know how long the horizon is after that. Could the long rumored Switch Pro happen sometime in 2021? I could see it and see it more like Switch XL with some useful extras.
Nintendo refused to comment on this story.
Nintendo’s 3DS range has evolved, and the Switch could do the same.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Nintendo 3DS updates provide an idea of how the switch could develop
Although the original Nintendo Switch Arrived in 2017, there have been some developments since then. The cheaper, only for handhelds Switch Lite arrived last fall and was the easiest to find online. The dockable original switch has one Significant increase in battery life at that time too.
While Nintendo’s TV consoles usually didn’t get many updates after launch, Nintendo handhelds are usually evolving every few years. The Nintendo 3DS (In early 2011) the larger screen followed 3DX XL (Mid 2012) who Nintendo 2DS (2013), New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL (Late 2014 – early 2015) and New Nintendo 2DS XL (2017).
On this timeline, it would not be unusual to get another switch update later this year or early next year, even if it’s not a full version 2.0. In fact, I would expect it.
Small updates could still offer a lot of upside potential
I could dream all day how a brand new Switch 2 could break new ground into modular gaming, but the Switch is currently in a big hit mode and it seems extremely unlikely that Nintendo will mess it up. However, it seems very likely to optimize the hardware formula with some additional advantages in a shiny new model.
The switch is a system that gets a lot of wear:: Joy-Cons break, Crack your back, they take dents and are accidentally thrown around. Switching to a new version every few years is not a crazy idea for a serious player.
The Switch Lite (top) and the original switch (bottom). There is room for improvement.
Sarah Tew / CNET
My wishlist:
An XL version with a larger screen (and 1080p?)
I admit I look at the Switch screen a lot, especially the smaller Switch Lite. The 3DS got bigger and it could be an easy step to make an XL switch that shrinks the big frames and extends the screen all over the body. Maybe 7 inches or 7.5. Make the display better and brighter and maybe even let it display the better 1080p resolution you can get with the docked switch games.
An improved processor
The older Nvidia Tegra processor on the switch can handle games easily, but the ventilation fan above shows that it has to chug a little more than I like. An improved switch not only (possibly) does not require a ventilation fan, but can also increase the performance of the handheld to what the docked switch can do. It has always been a bit strange that the switch offers better graphics when docked than in handheld mode. Maybe a next generation processor could help.
Easier docking
If the integrated processor can handle graphics better, it may also mean that the strange, bulky switch dock can also be downsized. I would prefer an official Nintendo solution that is very compact and easier to pack and transport. Third-party options already exist, but I hope that the entire official inbox will be more elegant.
Bluetooth audio
I am still storing a wired 3.5mm headphone to connect to the switch somewhere near my bedside table. It is absurd. Everything else works with Bluetooth headsets, but not with the switch. Nintendo’s controllers are wireless. Come on, introduce Bluetooth to Bluetooth.
Attach the stand
The dockable switch can also be a great little arcade prop machine for two players. I love that idea. The stand on the switch doesn’t make this idea work very well. I have to balance it just right, otherwise the switch will flip (not a good idea for children). Perhaps a redesigned, smaller switch dock could serve as a support stand.
Switch Lite colors are beautiful. There should be more.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Add lots of colors (like the Switch Lite)
I’m just saying that colored switches are fun and the original switch is only available in black.
More stable Joy-Cons with D-Pads and analog triggers
Because the Joy-Con is inside Labo and Ring fit adventure I am not sure whether it makes sense to change the general form of the controls. But I would prefer a less creaky revision that doesn’t feel as worn out over time. I would like to have improved vibration and what would be really nice is a real analog set of trigger buttons for games that could use them (this is a wish list, isn’t it?). Glowing even in the dark.
And: D-Pads. The Switch Lite has changed the buttons on the left to introduce a real, classic Nintendo-style D-Pad that makes games like NES Classics or Tetris 99 feel more natural. Joy-Con controllers on the original switch don’t have D-pads, but it would be nice if you did.
Don’t expect anything soon
Nintendo’s recent plans are likely to differ significantly from the original plans for 2020. It’s hard to guess what the games will look like for the rest of the year. Reports from years ago indicated a pro version of the Switch that arrived alongside the Lite. Maybe this Pro (or XL) version is coming, or maybe it’s a little further away. However, an improved Switch XL would be welcome.
For the true expert opinion, however, I turned to my 7-year-old. He says, “Take two small controllers, pull them apart, and pull up a tiny screen. It’s a switch that you can put in your pocket.” I don’t know if a switch micro will happen soon, but he wants that and it’s not a terrible idea.