Claims that the coming Nintendo Switch "Pro" console will be “like a PS4 with DLSS and a more capable CPU”.
The Nintendo Switch has been at the back of the game console race since the Xbox Series X|S and the Playstation 5 launched. Both of these competitor consoles have the promise of higher frame rate per second, instantaneous load times, and the highest quality graphics gaming has ever seen. Nintendo hasn’t released a new hardware basis since its Nintendo Switch Lite launch in 2019, and even then, it was an improvement on portability, not necessarily function. So, what does Nintendo have up its proverbial sleeve to compete against Xbox and Playstation?
The Nintendo Switch has remained mostly unchanged in its original and Lite form for almost four years, but a new leak has confirmed suspicions that a ‘Switch Pro’ console could be coming to gamers soon. The leaks detail an updated Nintendo console that will show marked improvements in the Switches’ current hardware and software. The leaker makes the point up front that, despite rumours, this new tech isn’t slated to be called the ‘Switch Pro’ as many people previously believed.
The new Nintendo console will apparently feature the support for a stunning 4K resolution, which instantly puts Nintendo back in the running alongside its fellow consoles. It is said to offer the Nvidia DLSS technology, which should increase image quality with those pesky frame rate drops.
These details come from the well-regarded and previously reliable Nintendo leaker, ‘Nate Drake’, were spotted by Wccftech posting about the new updates on the ResetEra forum. Nate claims that the coming Nintendo Switch “Pro” console will be “like a PS4 with DLSS and a more capable CPU”. A Switch with the power of a PS4 and the benefit of DLSS sounds like a major development. It’s almost hard to imagine the compact Switch console being able to handle the same graphics and frame rates as a comparatively chunky Playstation 4 (hello, slimline PS5).
While the Nintendo Switch does support 1080P output, it’s only when docked. While in handheld mode, it’s stuck at 720P, which, when comparing to the calibre of consoles and games in current circulation, doesn’t stack up. Most of the world’s media works at a minimum of 1080p. 4K is becoming more accessible in 2021, meaning this Nintendo Switch update might be coming just in time—perhaps even a little late to the party.
That’s not to say we aren’t excited to see some of Nintendo’s own releases in jaw-dropping 4K crispness. The likes of Breath of the Wild’s world of Hyrule and mythical beasts would be more immersive than ever experienced. The leaker describes this new model of console as a “meaningful upgrade”, and the best news is that Drake mentions that the new device might be coming sometime in 2021.
The question at the top of everyone’s minds, though, is what might the new Nintendo Switch console possibly be called or even look like?
Drake dashed the rumours that it would be called the Nintendo Switch Pro (though we kinda liked that name). The belief is that the new console will be given the memorable name of Super Nintendo Switch. This, of course, is an inside nod to the 1990’s Super Nintendo Entertainment System and perhaps also Nintendo’s beloved Super Mario Bro’s games.
Drake sadly had no news on the design or physical features that will be included in the new device, but that hasn’t stopped fans from creating incredible concept designs that include edge to edge screens and a more streamlined joy-con styling.
The Super Nintendo Switch can’t come soon enough. The prospect of a next-gen Nintendo console is, well, super!
