Introduction
Earlier today, Nintendo announced a new addition to the Switch lineup that currently comprises of the regular Switch and the Switch Lite. I've written about the rumors of a potential "Super" Switch or Switch "Pro" back in March. From what the rumors indicated, it sounded like this enhanced version of the Switch would pack a serious punch. A larger OLED 1080p screen with smaller bezels, an enhanced Tegra chip, and Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) to boost framerates without sacrificing image quality were among the rumored features and upgrades.
When I randomly stumbled upon gaming articles mentioning a new Switch, I eagerly checked out the announcement and well... at least some of the rumors came true? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The Nice Stuff
The OLED screen part of the rumors came true. Not only is the screen technology different, but it sports a 7-inch screen which is larger than the normal Switch's 6.2-inch screen. As I predicted back in March, the bezels are shrunken down so that the overall tablet is the same size and compatible with the dock. Something to note is that the resolution is still 720p, so the pixel density on the OLED model will be worse. However, OLED screens do provide actual blacks, better blacks, and less ghosting than LCD screens, so there's that.
Other positive things I took away from the announcement was the kickstand and the inclusion of the ethernet port on the dock. Unlike the thin and flimsy stand from the original Switch, the one on the OLED model is actually almost as wide as the tablet which will provide substantially more stability. On top of that, you can configure the stand to orient the Switch at different angles. It was also nice to see the new dock including the ethernet port when before you had to get a separate dongle for that. That said, you will get one less USB port which may be a downside.
The new stand looks so much better and more stable than the original Switch's.
Nintendo also advertised better speakers from the OLED model, though I usually use my headphones when playing on handheld mode.
The Bad Stuff
The OLED model looks nice. I like the looks of it with the white Joy Cons. However, the $350 pricetag is too high, in my opinion. The Xbox Series S, for instance, is actually less expensive at $299 and packs more hardware power. While the OLED model does contain multiple upgrades over the regular model, I don't find those upgrades to cumulatively equal to $50 in value.
While the OLED screen is nice, the LCD screen of the regular Switch is no slouch either, especially if you got one after Nintendo silently revised some of the internal components a few years ago. Long story short, the new LCD screen saps less power, is brighter, and more color accurate than the old LCD screen. Unless the OLED screen is miles different, then at that point, you're just getting it for the bigger 7-inch panel.
Another downside is how the OLED model's battery life is identical to regular Switch's. For a model that is sporting better screen technology and QOL enhancements like the adjustable stand for a better portable experience, I expected Nintendo to also make the battery life longer. I was hoping Nintendo would perhaps fit a bigger battery into the OLED model for an extra few hours of game time. Alas, that was never meant to be.
The OLED model's battery life is in the left column with the regular Switch's in the middle. (Source)
Closing Thoughts
Overall, the OLED model is a hard sell for me. While I appreciate the bigger screen with better technology along with the QOL enhancements, I don't find the whole package to be worth $350. It would've been a different story had Nintendo cut the price of the regular Switch for the OLED model to take its original MSRP. A $200 Switch Lite, $250 Switch, and $300 OLED Switch would look very nice and reasonable.
I'm also pretty disappointed that there are no enhancements to the actual hardware à la the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X from the previous console generation. It would've been really cool to see games like Breath of the Wild or Monster Hunter Rise at 1080p and 60 fps with DLSS. Were those rumors fake all along? I hope not, but it looks like Nintendo may be saving that for an actual new generation instead of a mid-generation upgrade.
