NINTENDO’S first-ever 4K games console is expected to launch later this year.
The long-rumoured Nintendo Switch 2 is tipped to support Ultra HD gaming – putting it in direct competition with the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Currently the Nintendo Switch is only capable of running Full HD 1080p games while docked – or HD 720p in handheld mode.
That’s despite rivals offering 4K gaming, and 4K TVs now being cheaper and more common.
Now Bloomberg reports that the Nintendo Switch 2 will use a new Nvidia graphics chip to offer 4K gaming.
That means you’ll get four times the number of pixels versus a 1080p game.
The original Nintendo Switch launched back in 2017, to phenomenal success.
Gamers were enamoured with the two-in-one console that worked as a handheld device – and plugged into the telly too.
The console is regularly sold out around Christmas, and is now one of the most recognisable gaming machines in the world.
So it’s no surprise that rumours of a Nintendo Switch 2 have been swirling for years.
A recent report by Bloomberg says that Nintendo is planning for the introduction of a new Switch model.
This will take place in the financial year ending in March 2022, according to the report.
That means the console could launch at any time from now until March.
It follows an earlier Bloomberg report saying that Nintendo was targeting a pre-Christmas release.
That would indicate a launch at some point between September and December.
It’s not too farfetched, given that Nintendo will want to better compete with the PS5 and Xbox this Christmas.
The console is expected to feature a larger OLED panel built by Samsung.
Unlike traditional LED-backlit LCD screens, an OLED display has pixels that illuminate themselves.
That means individual pixels can be turned on or off, allowing for deeper blacks, improved contrast and a wider range of colours.
And the lack of a large backlight creates energy savings too.
The screen is expected to come in at 7 inches from corner to corner, up from the current 6.2 inches.
Samsung is reportedly starting mass-production of the panels as early as June.
It’s reported that the new screen will offer a 720p HD resolution.
But the console will supposedly support 4K graphics when plugged into an Ultra HD TV.
“The OLED panel will consume less battery, offer higher contrast and possibly faster response time when compared to the Switch’s current liquid-crystal display,” said display expert Yoshio Tamura, speaking to Bloomberg.
It’s unclear if the new model will be branded as the Nintendo Switch 2, or land as more of a “quiet” upgrade.
Nintendo previously improved battery life on the Switch without introducing it as a separate model.
However, Nintendo did recently launch Switch Lite, which is a cheaper handheld-only version of the console.
We don’t have any pricing info for a Nintendo Switch 2.
But it’ll certainly be in high demand, if the recent PS5 and Xbox launches are anything to go by.
What’s more, the Nintendo Switch usually sells out each year during the holidays, partly due to Black Friday but primarily because of Christmas.
So it’s very possible that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be very difficult to get.
In other news, HOAR’s favourite alternative to a games console is the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.
Check out the wildly impressive Panasonic 65HZ1000 TV, which makes most tellies look rubbish.
And Dell’s Alienware R10 Ryzen Edition is a gaming PC powerhouse that crushes both the new consoles.
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