Nintendo Details More Switch Specifications And What's This, Branded SD Cards?
Details surrounding Nintendo's forthcoming Switch console have come out in spurts, some of it by way of leaked info and rumors, and some of it confirmed through various press events. As we get closer to the console's launch, Nintendo finally got around to posting an extensive spec sheet that is nearly complete. It reveals some details that were not previously known, though one big question still remains—what are the specs of the custom Tegra processor used in the Switch?
We're still waiting for the answer to that one. In the meantime, Nintendo revealed that its upcoming console measures 102mm x 239mm x 13.9mm the with Joy-Cons attached, and weighs 297 grams (or 398 grams with the Joy-Cons attached). As a point of reference, Nintendo's 3DS XL weights 336 grams, so the Switch will be a little heavier with the Joy-Cons hugging it.
Nintendo also confirmed that the Switch's 6.2-inch touchscreen will feature a maximum resolution of 1280x720 while the video output when docked supports up to 1920x1080 at 60 frames per second. This is not new information, but in case Nintendo was not crystal clear about this before, the spec sheet clears up any lingering confusion.
Also confirmed is that the internal 4,310 mAh cannot be removed. That is a major buzz kill for a hybrid game console that is just as much about portable gameplay as it is about playing games in the living on a big screen TV. Battery life can last for more than 6 hours, Nintendo claims, but what happens when it no longer holds a charge? Nintendo says it will offer a paid replacement program though there is no mention of how much that will cost.
One interesting development is the emergence of branded SD cards. The Switch only comes with 32GB of built-in memory, part of which is reserved for the OS and other bits. That is not much and if a user finds that more storage space is needed, the Switch has a microSD card slot.
Apparently Nintendo has teamed with Hori to offer official Nintendo Switch microSD cards. Amazon in Japan is already selling them in two capacities, 16GB and 32GB. Prices right now are a little higher than what they appear on Hori's website,which is 2,138 Japanese Yen (around $19) for the 16GB model and 3,480 Japanese Yen (around $30) for the 32GB card. A SanDisk or other name brand 32GB microSD card can be had for less than half of what Hori has it listed at.
It is not clear if the Switch will require an official Nintendo brand card or not. Our guess is that it won't, as the spec sheet lists compatibility with microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC memory cards without any mention of brand.
We're still waiting for the answer to that one. In the meantime, Nintendo revealed that its upcoming console measures 102mm x 239mm x 13.9mm the with Joy-Cons attached, and weighs 297 grams (or 398 grams with the Joy-Cons attached). As a point of reference, Nintendo's 3DS XL weights 336 grams, so the Switch will be a little heavier with the Joy-Cons hugging it.
Nintendo also confirmed that the Switch's 6.2-inch touchscreen will feature a maximum resolution of 1280x720 while the video output when docked supports up to 1920x1080 at 60 frames per second. This is not new information, but in case Nintendo was not crystal clear about this before, the spec sheet clears up any lingering confusion.
Also confirmed is that the internal 4,310 mAh cannot be removed. That is a major buzz kill for a hybrid game console that is just as much about portable gameplay as it is about playing games in the living on a big screen TV. Battery life can last for more than 6 hours, Nintendo claims, but what happens when it no longer holds a charge? Nintendo says it will offer a paid replacement program though there is no mention of how much that will cost.
One interesting development is the emergence of branded SD cards. The Switch only comes with 32GB of built-in memory, part of which is reserved for the OS and other bits. That is not much and if a user finds that more storage space is needed, the Switch has a microSD card slot.
Apparently Nintendo has teamed with Hori to offer official Nintendo Switch microSD cards. Amazon in Japan is already selling them in two capacities, 16GB and 32GB. Prices right now are a little higher than what they appear on Hori's website,which is 2,138 Japanese Yen (around $19) for the 16GB model and 3,480 Japanese Yen (around $30) for the 32GB card. A SanDisk or other name brand 32GB microSD card can be had for less than half of what Hori has it listed at.
It is not clear if the Switch will require an official Nintendo brand card or not. Our guess is that it won't, as the spec sheet lists compatibility with microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC memory cards without any mention of brand.
