The Nintendo Switch is in its fourth year by now. Launched in 2017, the little portable gaming console took the world by storm at its launch. It became all the rage for both Nintendo fans and gamers in general. It was a revolutionary gaming device, one that took modern video games out of the home and into the streets. The buzz was well placed and huge.
Sony and Microsoft launched their next generation gaming consoles earlier this year and those caused a whole buzz too. From the buzz, there was rumours about a new Nintendo Switch around the corner. The rumours were for Nintendo to launch a brand-new Switch that is supposed to be able to project up to 4K while its docked. It was also rumoured that the new Nintendo Switch was supposed to come with a slightly larger display and higher resolution. They dubbed the new Nintendo Switch replacement the Switch Pro
None of that came true of course. That does not mean that there is no new Switch this year, there is. Nintendo very recently just launched the Switch OLED Model instead.
It is no Switch Pro; we can guarantee you that. It boasts mostly the same internals as the current generation Switch. There are speculations that the big reason why Nintendo did not want to introduce a Switch replacement has something to do with the global part shortages.
While the Switch OLED Model still features the same internals as the original Switch V2 that was quietly introduced a little later, the package is entirely new though. For one, the most obvious change comes from the back of the device itself. The original console comes with a flimsy plastic piece they call a kickstand. The weak plastic piece that also covers the MicroSD expansion slot is now replaced with a proper Microsoft Surface-esque flexible kickstand that runs the entire length of the back allowing you to rest your Nintendo Switch on the table in any angles that suits your comfort.
The Switch OLED Model is supposed to be a little bigger than before, which also means that it needs a new bigger dock. The new dock is also compatible with older Switch devices, albeit with extra room. The new dock also features an ethernet port for you to connect to your router directly instead of iffy WiFi.
The most notable change to the newly announced Nintendo Switch OLED Model though is mentioned in its name itself. The new OLED display conquers the whole front of the device. It is larger too at 7-inch compared to 6.7-inch from before. Bigger display also means smaller bezels for even more immersion when you game with the OLED display. At that, OLED is also known to produce more vibrant, and more accurate colours, which is obviously a big welcome in a Nintendo Switch.
Of course, there are some improvements that are more than skin deep too. The built-in storage has increased to 64GB from 32GB. They’ve also improved added bigger speakers to the Switch OLED Model for even better audio experience.
Colours are a way to really personalise your Nintendo Switch. Nintendo have been launching special edition Nintendo Switch devices alongside new Joy-Con controller colours. The colour combination you can get for the Nintendo Switch makes it one of the most customisable gaming consoles in the market. For the OLED Model, they are introducing the White colour option.
The new Nintendo Switch OLED Model will only be available in the market 8th October 2021 onward. it will be available in two colour options – the white set (obviously), and the neon red/blue combination that is staple of the Nintendo Switch. It will retail for US$ 349.99 (MYR 1,464*) when it is available in October. There are no mentions on which markets will get the Nintendo Switch first, but we can safely assume that the North American region will definitely be in the list. For more information on the latest Nintendo Switch OLED Model, you can head down to Nintendo’s website.
*Approximately based on the exchange rate of US$ 1= MYR 4.18 on xe.com as of 08/07/2021