Nintendo Unveils OLED Version of Switch

The new Nintendo Switch (OLED model) will ship in October at a price of $350, $50 more than the standard switch model.

“The new system features a vibrant 7-inch OLED screen, a wide adjustable stand, a dock with a wired LAN port, 64 GB of internal storage, and enhanced audio,” the Nintendo website notes of the differences that justify the $50 price hike. By comparison, the normal Switch has a 6.2-inch LCD display and 32 GB of storage.

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Resolution is unchanged at up to 1080p over HDMI in TV mode and up to 720p via the built-in display. Nintendo also notes that the dock’s new LAN port can be used when playing the Switch in TV mode. Battery life appears to be the same as before, 4.5 to 9 hours, and the OLED system is fully compatible with the full library of Nintendo Switch games. As before, storage can be expanded with microSDHC or microSDXC cards up to 2 TB.

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Conversation 11 comments

  • cworeo

    06 July, 2021 - 9:58 am

    <p>Oof…I just bought a new Switch over the weekend.</p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      06 July, 2021 - 11:40 am

      <p>Return policy? Make an exchange for the new model.</p>

    • bleeman

      Premium Member
      06 July, 2021 - 2:29 pm

      <p>Thanks! There’s always someone who has to do that so that new hardware comes out. Far too often over the years that someone was me, so I appreciate you taking the "hit" this time ;-)</p>

  • anthonye1778

    06 July, 2021 - 10:50 am

    <p>This is…fascinating. Does not even remotely seem like a worthy upgrade over the original Switch. But for those who were on the fence about a Switch in the first place, a shiny new OLED might be just the ticket. I wonder how they are going to combat burn-in…</p>

    • j5

      Premium Member
      06 July, 2021 - 11:38 am

      <p>This reminds me of how Nintendo would do hardware upgrades to their GameBoy back in the day. It would be things just like this, a bigger brighter screen, color screen, colored hardware, same internals but smaller size, add buttons, etc. Nintendo already has millions of users. I’m sure many of them will purchase this. But for those that have been on the fence in buying one this could be enough to get them to purchase it. </p><p><br></p><p>I wonder if it’s also a cost issue. If they revamp it or change too much internally it probably would increase the price enough to negatively affect it’s sales? I think a $400 or $500 base priced Switch, right now, would not do well. </p>

    • qaelith2112

      06 July, 2021 - 2:59 pm

      <p>Agreed. If we were just now buying a new one I’d spend the extra $50 but I won’t replace my son’s working one with this. I think we’ll wait for the next actual major model version before an outright upgrade.</p>

  • will

    Premium Member
    06 July, 2021 - 12:05 pm

    <p>So… just in time for the holidays when I would guess it will be sold out everywhere and a hot ticket item. </p>

  • Daekar

    06 July, 2021 - 12:10 pm

    <p>Huh… I was hoping for more. As much as I would love some high contrast OLED goodness, I can’t see upgrading my existing Switch. I might’ve jumped for a 1080p OLED, but this is a bit too incremental for my next $350 spend… </p>

  • scottcc

    06 July, 2021 - 1:29 pm

    <p>LOl what a joke. Nintendo hasn’t given a crap about interesting hardware since the Gamecube in 2001. And before anyone says "Wii!" the Wii was nothing more than a Gamecube with a motion controller. It was literally the same under the hood, which is why it could never output anything beyond 480p, when PS3/XB360 could go to 1080p.</p>

    • thretosix

      07 July, 2021 - 12:33 pm

      <p>The Gamecube was my last Nintendo console. I know they have a deep base of Nintendo fans. Just imagine what it would be like if they actually made a decent console again.</p>

  • thretosix

    07 July, 2021 - 12:31 pm

    <p>720p display to save battery but nothing to upscale beyond 1080p when outputting to a TV, it does now have whopping 64GB of storage at least /s . I want a newer Nintendo to play a few of their newer games but just can’t see dropping $300-$350 on 4 year old technology, you can get a Series X for $300 and a digital Playstation 5 for $400. Their gaming library really isn’t that big, mostly depending on 1st party titles that still don’t play well on the system. I guess if their hardcore fans keep throwing money at Nintendo they will just stay in the year 2017 where 4K was actually a thing back then to. I guess if you don’t upgrade you can continue to make games at a lower cost with potato graphics.</p>

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