Nintendo announced a new model for its mobile console, the Nintendo Switch this morning. Titled the Switch OLED, the console will release on October 8 for $350.
Revealed in an announcement trailer this morning , the Switch OLED’s biggest difference from the original Switch model is in its name. The original Switch sported a 6.2 inch LCD screen capable of hitting a max resolution of 720p. The Switch OLED won’t be improving on that handheld resolution, but will instead sport a 7-inch OLED screen.
Contrary to rumors, the Switch OLED will not be capable of displaying extremely high-resolution video while docked, retaining the same 1080p resolution found on the base Switch.
In fact, the Switch OLED doesn’t seem like a huge departure performance-wise from the base model Switch. The main difference is that the console features a redesigned wide kickstand that’s fully adjustable and a wired LAN port for more stable online play. It also comes with a new dock that has rounded edges, presumably to avoid scratching the screen.
Nintendo’s own FAQ page about the console lists one difference between the two models: The screen. For what it’s worth, OLED screens are significantly better than LCD screens. The former doesn’t use a backlight and instead displays images using light from each pixel. The result is deeper colors and sharper contrast and in some cases higher battery life.
However, the Switch OLED’s specs page doesn’t say that users can expect a longer battery life or better performance for that matter. While the new model will have twice the memory, totaling up to 64GB of internal storage, it seemingly sports the same Nvidia custom Tegra processor CPU/GPU combo. The Switch OLED will have the same battery life and charging time as the original Switch. In almost every metric, the Switch OLED is the same as the base Switch, save for its screen and internal storage space.
