Yet another piece of crucial information that points towards Nintendo creating an updated Switch console (or Switch Pro, if you prefer) has been revealed.
According to Bloomberg, the Japanese colossus will be utilizing the power of the chips designed by Nvidia to create an even better version of their semi-portable console. This way, the new and improved Nintendo Switch should be capable of displaying games at a 4K resolution, at least when docked.
Nintendo plans to make the most of Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super-Sampling (DLSS) technology that “…uses advanced AI rendering to produce image quality that’s comparable to native resolution – and sometimes even better – while only conventionally rendering a fraction of the pixels,” in order to provide greater visual experiences for their players.
The Tegra X1 System-On-A-Chip which was used in the original Nintendo Switch
Another piece of crucial information that further indicates the existence of this new console is the fact that Nvidia has discontinued the production of their X1+ chips. This was a slightly upgraded version of Nvidia’s Tegra X1 System-On-a-Chip, which was utilized in the original Nintendo Switch. PC Mag suggests that the follow-up to the X1 to be used in the upgraded Switch model could either be the Xavier chip, which would provide a significant boost in performance, or the Jetson TX2, which may not be quite as powerful but is more cost-efficient.
In any case, Nvidia’s DLSS tech, which supports 4K resolutions, could help Nintendo bridge the gap that’s been created with their other competitors in the market (Sony, Microsoft) in quality of graphics, although it is worth mentioning that even with this kind of power, the upgraded Switch will still be nowhere near the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S. The report goes on to indicate that this upgraded Nintendo Switch model will feature a bigger, 7-inch screen, which could begin going into production by designer company Samsung by June 2021.
As for the price? Both Nintendo themselves and the report from Bloomberg are clear indicators that the Japanese company wants to offer players a cheaper and more reliable solution than the admittedly heavy-on-the-wallet PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The difference between the original and the upgraded Nintendo Switch models could be somewhere between $50-$100, making the final price of the console reach as high as $400.
