Official Nintendo Switch Technical Specifications Have Been Shared

The non removable battery is the biggest negative there. I presume that was due to form factor. There'll be future iterations of the Switch which I'm sure will allow for a removable battery. It'll be interesting to see how much of the 32GB is used by the OS and other functions.

And for comparisons sake in terms of weight, the Wii U gamepad weighs 500 grams.

Let the negativity begin! (I haven't read the article yet, I just know how these things go).

IT'S ABOUT TIME

I'm glad we finally know the full details.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Agreed !
This may become annoying in 10-15 years.
Let's hope I'll still be able to play my retro Switch on the toilet in 2030

Sleep Mode? O_o

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy to save power while being on

Yeah baby!

@SLIGEACH_EIRE agree with you there, Nintendo will charge a bomb (but you'll get a gaurentee). While newer models of the Switch will come with the better battery.

As for the rest, dont care, its got a Nintendo logo on it

That's kind of cool that it has a brightness sensor.

Hmm, interesting. I'm pretty sure the non-removable battery will cause some controversy, even though they're become increasingly common in other areas of technology. They're needed to allow bigger batteries & sturdier hardware.

As for the CPU... "NVIDIA customised Tegra processor" pretty much goes with what a lot of people were starting to say. While the dev kits run on a standard Tegra dev kit (X1)... the actual CPU/GPU is actually more powerful than that. Though again, not in XboxOne or PS4 levels.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy I don't understand your surprise. The 3DS also charges faster if you charge it while closed vs. while playing ? Same goes for your phone.

Bluetooth? Headphone/mic jack? Gaming headsets here we come!

Really don't like the fact there is only one USB port on the dock, basically confirms you won't be able to use external hard drives, and makes it very difficult for Nintendo to add additional peripherals like the GameCube adapter in the future.

Specs don't bother me much as long as the games look and play well! Mario and Splatoon 2 look great so....

I'm not surprised that the specs people really want to see are not shown here. After all, that info would just be used to shame Nintendo for Switch being less powerful than XB1, PS4, etc.

Yup, standard stuff here.

One thing that was nice to read was the headphone jack. That's a must for getting the full audio experience while on the go. I never play my 3DS without plugging in my Bose earbuds

So the headphone jack and Bluetooth indicates to me that voice chat will be integrated into the system and that the smartphone app will be used for other things like scheduling. I could be wrong and hope Nintendo clarifies that. Other than that the Switch seems pretty solid.

Pretty much what I expected, although the ability to use cellular service and bluetooth headphones on the go would have been nice.
My data plan would be destroyed from constant Splatoon 2 gameplay 😗

Edit: Also no 3DS BC? Kind of a letdown

@Bulbousaur theres 3 usb ports on the dock. 2 at the side and one behind the back panel where hdmi n ac adapter plug in.

@Grumblevolcano It depends if you think being less powerful than the XB1 or PS4 is necessarily shameful. I can see why they went the way they did, trying to gather up the handheld market & the rest of their flagging console following... just imagine it was still portable and as powerful as the PS4. A whopping 20 minutes battery life?

Interestingly though, we still don't know exactly what it can do, theory is it's between the Wii U and XB1. Though almost all Nintendoomers will say it's "just a Wii U, getoveritright?"

Has 3 usb's on the dock.

Pretty standard stuff, but I'm waiting to see what happens when Digital Foundry gets their hands on a unit.

@Bulbousaur Where does it say there's only one USB port on the dock? This mentions nothing regarding the dock. The USB TypeC terminal is referring to the charging port on the Switch itself that slots into the dock.

AFAIK, the dock has 1 USB 3.0 and 2 USB 2.0. From what I gather, anyway.

@dazzleshell Well I am dumb, but its still a bit stupid that the photo on the website doesn't show it off the USB ports and instead the side which has nothing to it.

"Audio jack: For connecting commercially available heaphones, microphones or headsets". So you CAN plug a microphone into it. Let's see how they handle voice chat through an app.

I'm guessing over 6 hours of battery will be for things like virtual console which would be pretty good.

32gb, huh? Oh well.

@Mush123 The specification page also lists the dock's specs, which is what I was talking about. In the photos only one USB port is shown on the back, but the text says there are two more on the side, which are not shown in the photo. I need to learn to read...

@Bulbousaur if you search nintendo switch dock on google it should come up. But i don't think it has been posted on here.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I seriously doubt they'll ever release a model with removable battery. I'd bet instead on maybe a Lite or New model or something along those lines with other features. For something this small, it'd just make it bulkier and less rigid. Removable batteries in small portable devices IMO is a thing of the past. In theory it's nice to have for when the battery dies or looses longevity, but in practice you are more likely to replace your device first.

Just so long as the battery doesn't explode, we're good 👍

@JaxonH
Your Bose ear buds 😊 You really like your tech.

The non-removable battery is a head scratcher and 32gigs thing is unfortunate. If only because those micro sd cards are expensive. Other than that, I'm looking forward to this and my Switch and Zelda are already paid in full. Body=ready

None of this, including the battery life, will really impact me negatively. I always set my screens dark in the dark, which is the only time of day I get to play anyway. Always helps save battery life on all my portable devices.

Microphone eh? I bet the voice-chat app will run in the background on the Switch during gameplay. Makes the most sense to me.

Never bought a console based on it's clock speeds. Not gonna start now.

Does anyone here or nintendo life staff know if dock n console need to be near tv. Is there a sensor bar built into top of screen or can i place the dock miles away with long enough hdmi cable? Do joycons rely on bluetooth and not being in front of console docked for joycon games?

I don't like the way they won't mention the processing power. I think it's a bit underhand. They did nothing but talk about it during the N64 launch.

Whatever suits eh.

"so it doesn't get into clock speeds of the GPU or anything along those lines."

AKA the only stuff we really wanted to know.

Three hour charge time in sleep mode. They've really gone out of their way to design the least portable device conceived since the Macintosh Portable.

Curious to see how much of a commotion that "NVIDIA customised Tegra processor" causes in here...

No replaceable battery, in other words, a console with a peremption date. Great. I wonder if the goal is that only the Game Boy line ends as a survivor.

I don't understand how people can already envisionned the time where they won't use their Switch anymore. I never bought a device I thought I would be using only 4 or 5 years because its life was already settled (except a PC, because I needed one no matter what), it's simply... not right.

"Technical specifications"
"NVIDIA customised Tegra processor"

lol

Oh well. It's a little over a month away from release, and I'm sure people will tear it apart and tell us everything about its internals after that point.

Why do people try to make a big deal about the non removable battery if you have USB C and power banks have become so cheap and widespread? I thought we were in 2017..

@gokev13
That's one of the reasons I've stopped reading comments on here. It's the same thing over and over.

@JohnGrey 3DS charge time = 3.5 hours.

@Captain_Gonru You can't be surprised about the lack of ethernet port, neither the Wii nor Wii U had one. Why would they put 1 into a tablet? I've never seen a tablet w/ an ethernet port.

If you mean why didn't they put one into the dock, well yeah I kind question that too, seems like a good place for one, but I never expected it since Wii and Wii U didn't have one. And I also wonder about how that might work if you are taking the tablet out of the dock while you are playing a game, it would have to immediately jump from wired to wireless, and that's going to cause a problem if you are playing a game online. Of course the fact that they are offering a LAN adaptor means they've figured that part out I guess. Still wasn't expecting one, but the "barely doing anything more than acting as a charging station" dock cold have used a few more bells and whistles.

But after days of discussing this w/ Thanos and Jax and NES I'm worn out, whatever Ntinedo wants to do w/ it or call it is fine by me.

@Mart1ndo
I highly recommend these Bose earbuds. The quality of Bose without the headache of carrying around earmuffs with your Switch

free image hosting

Not sure what makes nremovable batteries so notorious several years after Vita got one; maybe it's again my bad luck for living where it'll be cheaper to buy a new unit years from now than to have its battery replaced? :V At least the lack of removable parts and appropriate lids should prevent Nintendo from another entertaining exercise like "use a screw if you want to replace a memory card".

Lack of ethernet is a bit more disappointing since I learnt the speed difference between cable and WiFi connection with PS4. But as someone intending to use TV mode 5% of the time (and that's if the stars so align), I'd probably not one to complain much. XD

@DarthNocturnal Yes on the website, it is written '' 3.5 jack for headphones, microphones and headset '' Good news i guess !

Hey! Listen!

@Bulbousaur there was confirmed 3 on the dock. all 2.0 after an update they will b 3.0

@DanteSolablood what you meant was 'way more powerful than the 3DS, Vita and equivalent iPad.

Hm, what about RAM this time?
They were fine with revealing that stuff last gen, are they less confident in their machine this time?

@memoryman3 Switch has a USB-C connector, which means it ought to have QC included; 3DS also lasts me 6 - 7 hours of playtime for virtually all of its titles, not the 3hrs offered by the Switch for its target media (console-class titles).

"Please note: an update via an internet connection is required to use microSDXC memory cards."

Is this necessary to ensure maximum security or something?

@AVahne I'm pretty sure it's 4 GB, because that would be a standard for Tegra. Maybe they don't want to list it because it has no direct bearing on the user any more than the processor has? "Custom Tegra" is all we got for that too.

I'm excited that it seems to have Bluetooth support, which I hope/expect will also work for audio. It'd be nice to be able to use my wireless headphones and/or my bluetooth speaker if the audio isn't as loud as I'd like when undocked.

I also like that based on some rudimentary math, with Joycons included, it appears to only be about 20% heavier than a 3DS XL. It's also about 20% lighter than the Wii U gamepad, apparently, so right between the two. Not too shabby.

@JohnGrey 6 hours 3DS battery life? What?

Actually, these specs are pretty good for its form factor. The AC wireless LAN is to make sure that you get almost zero latency and ping when playing locally with other Nintendo Switches.

Bluetooth 4.1 will open the support of many Bluetooth headsets, though we won't find out if Nintendo will eventually support them.

I'm not quite anal retentive, umm, I mean tech savvy to need to know most of this. I preordered the switch to play games, nothing here was unexpected.

These are all pretty much common knowledge. These aren't specs for Petes sake! How much ram does it have? How fast is it in comparison to the Wii U? And before anyone says "but Nintendo don't release specs", well they should. Pretty much every other company dealing in technical hardware does, from consoles to pc, to blummin smart phones! Why the actual heck doesn't Nintendo do this. It's just pure stupidity.

Confirmation of wireless AC, Bluetooth 4.2, and a 4310mAh (that's a strange amount...) battery are definitely useful pieces of information to acknowledge. This means that 300 Mbps connections will be no problem, the JoyCons will have Bluetooth connections enabling some kind of technical parity between L and R versions, and the battery life will definitely range from 3-7 hours depending on use. I don't know about the battery definitely not being removable, though... We'll see.

If the portable screen itself is manufactured and calibrated for 1280x720 resolution, that explains why it's listed as only outputting at 720p...However, a Tegra X1 is capable of outputting 1080p on mobile devices. This has already been proven as far back as 2015 with devices like the Google Pixel C. So modders and hackers are almost certainly going to try to get this custom Tegra SoC to render internally at 1080p.

On the matter of output to a TV, the Tegra X1 official specs indicated that it can support 2160p (4K) output. So being locked at 1080p output on this custom Tegra SoC may simply be an indication of a locked processor. If it's unlocked (which modders and hackers are going to try to do, let's face it) then we may get some real tech specs.

This official report tells us absolutely nothing about the internal processing capability of the NS. Nintendo has eschewed their previous candidness from 20 years ago, when they used to elaborate on their console tech in exquisite detail. It's going to be up to modders and hackers to pry and tinker to find out any real information, it seems...

Additionally, there are some other important bits left out here. There's still no confirmation here on the position of the SD card port, and whether it can handle UHS-II cards or just UHS-I, though I expect it can handle UHS-II. No confirmation on the USB-C connector and port compatibility with various chargers, or safety features to prevent people from frying their NS core by trying to charge it with USB-A. No confirmation on the capacitative touchscreen's specs, or it's capabilities as a standalone controller for the NS core. No confirmation on what media file types are compatible for use on the built-in media apps. Just lots of data left out.

This unwillingness to release proper specs further cements my theory that the Switch is just a handheld overclocked Wii U. Just like the Wii was an overclocked Gamecube

The 5.1 pcm is disappointing. You couldn't put some real surround sound in there for the dock Nintendo? Goodness it's not like it's new tech.

Lack of a removable battery will be a pain eventually. A 3 hour battery life for Zelda is alright, but this'll get progressively smaller once the maximum capacity for the battery starts to decrease over time.

@OGGamer Yeah, it's very strange. Even the N64 had Dolby Digital Surround support on certain games, and the GCN brought increasingly frequent surround sound support. It was a pretty big deal back in 2001 for games like Star Wars: Rogue Leader to have (edit: a lossy simulation of) full 7.1 surround support. I think there's a cover up here on the data behind the audio processing capabilities. There's no way the tech itself cannot handle 7.1 surround sound.

I hate nintendo for hiding the clock speeds and ram. Why not tell us what we are buying into. Its gonna get torn down anyway. Nintendo stop treating us like kids. I've decided to wait before jumping in.

Interested in charging speed in both sleep and in use mode.

You know, for the powerbank I'll buy with it.

All I want to know is how the app and the headphones work together for voice chat.
Can I hear the game and voice chat, is the voice chat through my phone and the game sound through my TV?
Can I have bluetooth headphones?
How much power is running the app going to drain my phone?

Weighs less than a slice of bread

Now all I need is Monster Hunter Switch to keep me occupied until Armageddon.

@Marshi seriously it's embarrassing that they don't release the specs we know that it's not going to be near x box and ps4 it's a damn portable just tell us the full story. The more they hide the worse it makes them look

So is there no cell data option for remote play?

@Bulbousaur If you go to Nintendo.com and go the the Nintendo Switch Features area and scroll down, you can get a closer look at the Switch, the Dock, the Joy-con, the Grip and the Joy-con straps. You can see everything in them (minus the actual IR Motion Camera, but it's indicated, you just can't see it). So the Gamecube controller adapter will eventually be updated in threw a firmware update. They just won't patch it in until Smash get's released on the Switch.

@SPMarioSousa95 Exactly what I came here to post. You could conceivably stick one of these in your pocket and increase effective battery capacity by 466% percent: http://a.co/dqGm3WE

@marko Let's face it. At this point in our lives Nintendo could just make up some "alternative facts". At least that would be something! Yep...I went there 😀😀😀

Where is the RAM? Or how about something beyond "custom" tegra processor for the CPU/GPU.

@Navi Welcome to NLife, I hope your future contributions in the comment section carry more substance. We don't tolerate spam accounts, just letting you know.

@SPMarioSousa95 Assuming the NS will be compatible without any issues for every USB-C to USB-C charger... Which was not confirmed with this sorry excuse for a tech spec list. And what about the potential dangers of USB-C to USB-A charging? Those weren't touched upon here at all.

So is this the first time they've officially confirmed NVIDIA?

@SPMarioSousa95 I believe the concerns center around the idea that is gives your console a finite lifespan. You can only charge a lithium ion battery so many times before it holds less power than before. Once the hardware only lasts 30 mins on a full charge for example it would make it pretty useless as a portable....

As this is the latest article by Nintendo life and a good one at that, is there any news on if Europe will get additional Switch docks? I've read they are coming to America. Just wondered.

Oh and nearer the time the big N need to do a direct! please!!

@trevorade see my post above 😉

Yesssss it has Bluetooth! I mean, I figured as much since the mention of the mobile phone app, but getting it confirmed is pretty nice. Now I know my wireless headphones will work with my Switch for perfect gaming on the go. And the battery says 6+ hours? That's better than I was expecting! 8D

@SPMarioSousa95 Probably because the more we learn, the more it seems like we need a small satchel of accessories to carry with our "portable" console. Hell, The WiiU was portable. I carried it in my book bag and played it at airports and anyplace with a power plug. I could even plug it into a large (heavy) battery and game anywhere. Obviously switch is much lighter, but it gets kinda humorous the more we have to carry. - but for 2.5 hrs, we are good. And that's not horrible for the first version. When I get the "Switch-Lite" that costs the same and has games bundled a year or two later, then I'll jump on board.

@ULTRA-64 @crimsontadpoles Good point. Even the Sega Nomad in 1995 came with both an attachable NiMH rechargeable battery pack and AA battery pack shell, enabling future rechargeable AA's to be used when the NiMH battery pack finally died. Looks like Sega did what Nintendon't, yet again... 😆😂

I do wonder if people here refuse to buy music unless the band used the latest 200 piece drum kit and state of the art guitars rather than just listening to how well produced the music is and being happy.

When did everyone get so obsessed with numbers that really mean so little? Will there be wonderful games? Will it have games with fabulous art design and magical worlds? If yes, then I'm happy.

Ideally, you'd think a good paperweight would weigh more than that.

@PlywoodStick @PlywoodStick I still have my Nomad! XD

@neufel I didn't know there was a sleep mode ala the 3DS. That's all.

@BionicDodo Ever since sound producers and mixers themselves brought their obsession to a wider scale within the past decade, normalizing scrutiny. Entry level professional studio reference quality headphones cost $40 now, its easy to spot when someone did an amateurish job with their sound production/mixing. Both 5.1 and 7.1 Surround sound systems have become more common, too. So yes, numbers matter. They're not the end all-be all, but they do matter.

@Yorumi Most likely because after a single update that information becomes outdated and it'd be a pain to update everywhere the new specification.

Specs seem great, while we still don't know the actual detailed tech specs (CPU, GPU, RAM clock speeds, etc). Still glad to see it will support SDUXC through a firmware update. It's inevitable that in today's day and age that a firmware update will be required on a device at some point. This isn't like the days of old where a firmware update breaks your device, most have fail-safes now a days. And needing to connect to the internet isn't anything special either for this. There are more than enough places where you could do this update for free, but given that you can afford buying a $300 console I would assume you can likely pay for internet as well. I'm really surprised that the system without joy-cons still weighs about the same as a Vita. With Joy-cons it's still under a 1 lb. so not bad. And the temperature range seems great as well.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Didn't mean to be rude, sorry if i was !

@Bulbousaur GameCube adapter. Really? I like GameCube games but not that much

Thought most of these specs were on their page since the big reveal?

@PlywoodStick I don't understand how what you said means that numbers should matter. Surely what matters is the job done by the band and producers (or developers) not what they used to make it. Who checks what mixing desk was used to make an album and what the instruments were? Very few obsessives. A few people want to know if it is 24-bit and 192KHz, but most people would actually know if it was in a blind test. Everyone else just listens to the creative aspect of how the music sounds and decides whether they like it. I get that specs like battery life, surround sound (although 7.1 is still nowhere near to being common in homes in the UK), USB ports and hard drive side have a real world effect on the operation of the unit but recently people are desperate to know how many GHz the cpu is etc when these things don't really matter. The games matter. Just the games. Can I have fun playing it? If so, then it's money well spent. If I just cared about numbers I'd buy a PS4 Pro or even a high end PC.

Love the specs.. except I'd like a bigger screen. My phone is 5.96 in (admittedly some call it a phablet) so I hope this one feels quite larger.

@BionicDodo Amazon reviews say otherwise. As knowledge spreads, people seek more knowledge. As people have learned more about sound systems through the marketplace, people now want to know more about what "balancing highs, mids, and bass" means. Lots of people know what bass and treble means, but not the balance between the three ranges. So when they find about it, and how importantly it effects the entire experience, a whole new world opens up, and their perception is forever affected. They cannot easily go back to their previous state of blissful ignorance.

This applies to gaming, too. In fact, Nintendo is the company that once spearheaded the concept of spreading tech specs knowledge with the N64. They're the ones who turned so many people on to finding ever more knowledge, including myself. They're the ones who said, "sticking with tech meant for primarily processing 2D (like the Saturn), as great as the NES/SNES were, is not enough anymore." And now they refuse to quench that thirst. Surely, you can see where this is going...

lol my 150$ tablet has better hardware than nintendo switch.

Just a healthy reminder that if Console Tech Specs are your ultimate concern, you're in the wrong place. No console can beat a healthy PC, and those can last you a lot longer. What ultimately matters, as has always been the case, is the games.

@ruinez Which tech is that? They didn't announce processing power or anything, so what do you know makes your tablet more powerful?

@DrRandle my tablet has a more recent and modern gpu than tegra...

No wonder nintendo says they dont want to compete with ps4 or xbone. Its because nintendo is greedy as fuark and dont want to invest money to buy better hardware and be in the rang of sony/micrsoft. They would rather invest as little as possible but try to sell as massive as it gets and convince dumbos to buy their console with hardware from the year 2009... Good bye nintendo.

@DrRandle Yes, having games is what matters. And as the Wii and Wii U (especially the Wii U) have so mercilessly taught us, specs drive game development decisions. The Wii U couldn't handle Unity and other modern API's, so games like Yooka-Laylee were canceled. Not good enough specs, say bye bye to having more modern games. We won't need to worry about that with the NS, but it would be nice if Nintendo drove the point home...

All's goooooooooooood lol just want it!

Well, this isn't the full technical specs I was hoping to see. I'd love to know more about the Tegra chip in use and RAM. Not that I'd judge the console for it. I'm getting one. That's already decided. But I'd still enjoy knowing.

@ruinez And how well does it run the UE4 Elemental benchmark?

linear PCM 5.1ch!??! What a load of rubbish =0( I was hoping Ninty would give us some decent audio for once

"Of course, Nintendo gives out limited information, so it doesn't get into clock speeds of the GPU or anything along those lines."

Let it be known that this was not always the case (pre-Wii days). Back when Nintendo was still in the arms race with their competitors they would often times trumpet their hardware specs, even going so far as to tout some of the higher level specs in marketing efforts.

Of course back then, they would still make the "one step forward, two steps back" mistakes they do now, like using cartridges for the N64 and mini-DVDs for the GCN. Oh or like not having a ZL button on the GC controller, just a ZR which they, well, only called Z. Or that yellow nub of a right analog stick. Or...

@sikthvash So uh, LPCM 5.1 is actually _un_compressed audio, in its purest form. It's just that a lot of TVs do not pass this uncompressed format thru HDMI to the external sound system to be handled properly.

@sikthvash They did give us (edit: lossy and simulated when two-channel tricks are used, natively 5.1) 7.1 surround, on the GCN and Wii (edit: Wii U only had LPCM 5.1, so it actually went backwards in a way)... And even a few N64 games (edit: mostly all from Rare)! I think it's in there, somewhere. I mean, come on, there are late SNES games like Star Ocean that supported (edit: a simulation through stereo channels for) 5.1 surround...

@Bulbousaur just to let you know there is 3 USB ports on the Dock

@Navi Please stop spamming the same pointless message.

@gatorboi352 I misread and misunderstood at first ha, but yeh, I still have an issue with that as I'm then unable to get the desired sound output from my receiver, even through an audio extractor (HDMI to SPDIF)

After reading a bunch of people complain about the weight......297grams. Less than an iPad Air, lol.

@Joeynator3000 I dunno... That message is so poignant. It says so much, while saying so little. Maybe they're trying to tell us something, but our brains just can't comprehend it so easily? Maybe we just need to meditate on the phrase...

Hey... Listen...
Hey... Listen...
Hey... Listen...

...Nope, I got nothing. Just ban 'em.

@sikthvash Yep. That much does suck. They refuse to pay Dolby or DTS to license their compression technologies like Sony does, and it's maddening to the end users.

@PlywoodStick ...I would....if I HAD BANNING POWERS!!! >.<

@Joeynator3000 Oh. Well, that sucks. But then again, the NL comment sections would probably be just slightly more barren if you did...

@PlywoodStick ...No it wouldn't. >.> lol

@Joeynator3000 They should give you banning powers for a day. Just as a perfectly healthy experiment. I mean... promotion.

Lots of co.s(also smartphones) are doing the sealed/internal-battery thing. (Sigh)... Not a big fan of that, but I'm sure down the road, there will be enough tutorials about how to (safely, & securely ) crack open your NS, install a battery(, & put it all back together). I'm a tech geek, so I wanna know the real meat, & potatoes of NS's internals. I can wait, though; eventually, like a lot of people here are saying, the NS will be subjected to tear-down, & it will be known what makes it tick.

As for not releasing the specs, I think this is b/c Nintendo is concerned the competition will use them against Nintendo, &/or that the specs will scare off less-tech minded people interested in the NS.

@PlywoodStick I'd only give bans to spammers and trolls, or people who constantly ignore warnings from moderators. Other than that I'd just leave them alone or ask Dank/Lz since I talk to them quite often on Discord.

So two questions then, can we use Bluetooth headphones with it? And can you charge via USB-C without having the giant brick a/c adapter they sell for $30?

Aren't these "specs" the ones we already pretty much knew? The specs I wanna see are the GPU and CPU info. Shaders and whatnot. Why Nintendo stopped divulging these after the Gamecube is beyond me.

@Yoojimbo yeah but didn't they say they're still 2.0? Coulda swore they did.

If someone has already mentioned this, I apologize for the repeat. I imagine that the internal battery will not matter.

The technology inside the Joy-Cons seem to be a good deal ahead of the technology of the Switch itself. I think you are going to see Switch upgrades similar to what Apple does with the iPad.

The Joy-Cons will just slide into the newer more advanced Switch. I'm betting they upgrade this thing every 3 years at the most.

@Spustatu ME TOO! That's what I thought this was. I've been click baited!!!

@JudgeMethos Lol, we got played...

But yeah, it's time for Nintendo go back into their arms race mode. They cast it aside for the Wii, which was understandable, since they didn't want to emphasize their weaknesses. But now they need to assure people that the NS has at least nearly the power of a portable PS4/Xbone, and won't be left behind by third parties this time around.

@PlywoodStick Maybe the reason the they haven't been as open this time is because the truth would be... embarrassing?

Not the kind of specs people wanted to know about.

There is some good news, it says there is a combination headphone/microphone jack, so you are still going to be able to have voice chat through the game while also hearing the in game audio, even if voice chat still doesn't work without the nonsensical paid smartphone app system.

@Incarta Yeah, after rereading the article, I noticed that SDXC support needs a day one update... What??? Why??? That's supposed to be a hardware locked firmware aspect. That's not something that would normally be "inaccessible unless an update is applied." I've seen instances of certain motherboard and router functions needing a firmware update, but for a card reader? Never heard of this before... Is it some kind of DRM that acts as a sort of gate meant to prevent piracy, by hard locking that supposed 2TB expandability to a mere 32GB until implemented? That would be a rather anti-consumer decision...

@RadioHedgeFund And what you meant was "waaah, Nintendoom, waaah". We can both be crude if we want to. With first gen Switch games already being output in higher resolutions & frame rates than Wii U games, anyone still stating the Switch is just a portable Wii U really are dedicated Nintendoomers.

@Incarta @Marshi Nintendo didn't release the full Gamecube specs either, even though it was a more powerful systems that generation.. the actual important specs were leaked later on. Nintendo just don't like sharing. People want there to be a conspiracy so they're finding one.

@PlywoodStick You realise the n64, gcn and Wii only had Dolby Pro logic. No digital audio and certainly not 7.1

man, they do all these little things to piss people off. lan adapter, ugh.

That weight is really impressive, definitely lower than I expected. Good engineering , Nintendo, you crammed a lot into a small space.

@samuelvictor Ok, so it wasn't just me then?

@DanteSolablood what? Where did you get that from? Every media outlet from the Guardian to Nintendolife via Tiredoldhack has been saying the image problem with the Switch is selling it as a home console invites unfair comparisons to PS4 and Xbox One when in reality the Switch is a (bloody awesome) handheld that plugs into your TV. It's light years ahead of any other portable console, compares well to the Vita for battery life and trounces the iPad on control options.

Nintendo's portables have always outperformed their home machines. How is it wrong to want to continue that trend exclusively?

@chardir True, Nintendo's hardware didn't have any digital audio ports at the time, so they wouldn't have to pay any royalties to their competition. (Unlike the PS2 onwards, which at least had their own SPDIF and optical ports... Very ahead of the curve for 2000.)

However... based on this conversation on Reddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/xboxone/comments/3gh40q/jet_force_gemini/

"N64 uses the old Dolby Surround, which mixes four-channel surround (left/right/centre/surround) into two channels. It's almost always pre-down mixed samples: developers used a PC to mix the channels into two channels, then play those two channels on the console later.

In cases where a game plays Dolby Surround in real-time (streamed playback) it's still the old Dolby Surround:

Left/Right => simply copy to your left/right buffers Centre => add to both left/right buffers (left = left + centre, right = right + centre) Surround => add to one buffer, subtract from the other (left = left + surround, right = right - surround)"

and this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_Pro_Logic

While the N64 didn't support true surround sound, some games (like Jet Force Gemini and other Rare titles) did use that aforementioned programming trick which allowed 5.1 and 7.1 systems to simulate a surround sound experience. The programmers at Rare were really ingenious...

The GCN and Wii supported Pro Logic II, just like the PS2. They got the most use out of 5.1 surround, but it was possible to use the type of two-channel audio tricks that Rare used, to have extra channels be them + intended channel.

True LCPM 7.1 surround began with the PS3:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.1_surround_sound

Interestingly, the Wii U only supported LPCM 5.1 surround, just like these NS specs claim to do (harsh language warning):

http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/wii-u-and-surround-sound-wtf.452813004/

So the Wii U in particular apparently couldn't even properly handle Dolby Pro Logic II, or make use of that nifty trick that the Rare programmers came up with. The unused audio channels just go silent in some cases.

The tech specs of the NS are telling us that it can't even handle Pro Logic IIx support, which is what a PS3 can handle. This is worrying, since the NS is supposed to be a device that can go toe to toe with a PS4/Xbone. It gives the impression that Nintendo could possibly be skimping on audio tech by sticking with a crappy, outdated sound system standard.

I want to think that Pro Logic IIx/z support is available in the hardware, and just needs an update to unlock it... But if the capability really isn't there, then we're being ripped off.

@RadioHedgeFund My apologies, I misunderstood the meaning behind your post. When i was trying to point out that the Switch is likely considerably more powerful than the Wii U, your post came across as "no, it's more powerful than the 3DS/Vita, that's it." You can see the mistake I made there on such a doom laden comment section. My bad!

I take your point about being a very powerful handheld, but I think Nintendo is making a last stand with the Switch. They need to consolidate their user base... they don't have the size and resources to develop a decent number of HD games for two different devices at once and the 3DS is getting on. Also, they likely know that after the Wii U failure they likely couldn't garner HUGE support for a new console outside of Japan even if it was a PS4 buster... the Switch allows them to draw in the handheld crowd (me & other people I know who are mostly handheld only now) and also keep their console gamers warm until they have the finances to work on something better.

I understand this doesn't feel great for ANYONE who wanted a powerhouse home console... but then was Nintendo ever really going to follow the PC-IN-A-BOX model?

The real mistake they made with their marketing is not having more games ready... I think a lot of the just wouldn't care WHAT is was if the launch lineup was better.

Hm....Irreplaceable battery....
Guys, don't worry.
I'm sure in the future there will be some people who ever modding electronics device can find out how to replace internal battery. But, they have to learn first.
Well....maybe it sounds a little bit illegal but I wonder if there is a kind of electronics device that have irreplaceable battery inside too ?

@Capt_N
Ah... are you an expert in gadget tear down ?
Please help us to understand everything inside Nintendo Switch after you get and learn Nintendo Switch internals. Take your time to study first.

@DanteSolablood It just needs a steady drip feed of games. First party support on the GameCube and the Wii was incredible. The WiiU just never had the volume of titles.
It needs Wii-levels of VC support coupled with WiiU indie support and GameCube levels of first party quality. If its cheap for 3rd parties to port some older software that will fill some gaps. Portable Assassins Creed 2? Yes please.

@PlywoodStick I believe the DS and 3DS would argue otherwise. The PSP, a multimedia powerhouse, and the VITA, an immensely better system, both failed because of the software. The problem isn't that nobody's porting to the Switch, the problem is that nobody is taking Nintendo consoles seriously and making actually good, unique games that fit them and only them. I don't want Resident Evil 7 on Nintendo. My PC is ahead of every console, and Nintendo isn't going to launch that far forward.

I do want most of the Switch games announced, which is far and away the number of games I want for my PS4 in the coming year.

@DanteSolablood Well, this "tech spec" sheet report is starting to make me worried, too. In addition to refusing to divulge the details on the custom Tegra SoC, telling us things like "the NS can't handle SDXC without a day one update" and "the NS can only handle LCPM 5.1, just like the Wii U, even though a PS3 from 10 years ago can handle LCPM 7.1" is not doing wonders to instill the technically inclined with confidence.

@Anti-Matter: No, actually I do not tear down devices, until I need to. I do try, however, to learn as much as possible about internal hardware on technology I buy. Usually, if I can, I will "crack open" hardware to see what's inside, only if I know I can piece it back together. But, thank you for the compliment.

@RadioHedgeFund Indeed, the one thing I am truly impressed with is that Nintendo didn't rush through the games they're working on & have a steady amount throughout the year.

Completely agree with you on the porting thing, Nintendo realy pulled a blinder by making it easy to develop for. We could see some great games down the line when developers have more confidence.

@DrRandle Arguably the PS Vita failed due to the extraordinary cost of the propriety memory sticks... something Sony put in place due to the terrible game pirating that happened on the PSP through it's memory cards (SD I think).

@PlywoodStick And the original Xbox could do voice chat without a phone app with about an eighth of the RAM and much less powerful CPU/GPU. I think it's easy to read things into a spec sheet that aren't necessarily a real issue. It could be a restriction due to the USB-C handling sound, picture & data, it could be a compromise for the hybrid nature or it could just be Nintendo being d... phallouses. As you said, consoles which are DEFINITELY less powerful can handle sound 7.1.

Edit: I'm technically inclined as well & also have the benefit of being old... I've seen things like this come around before, Nintendo is always secretive with it's specs. We know them for their older hardware now mainly through teardowns & leaks.

@dazzleshell that depends on how long your HDMI is.

little under 9.5" not too bad. Probably THAT kinda weight that you'd never say is heavy, but you lower arms over time. Fairly longish charging time, considering that's when it's not doing anything.

Haven't read article slash comments yet.

But I'm already bracing myself for impact.

Sony PS4 and Bone don't have removable batteries either

@ruinez Then stop coming to this site and mucking about the comments section if we're all dumbos. God forbid a company give you a slightly underpowered console. It's not like it was a successful strategy for the Wii and virtually every one of Nintendo's handhelds.
But you're right, they should just make a PS4 Pro with the Nintendo logo on it. I'm sure that would sell just as well as a PS4 having no conceivable benefits. Especially in Japan where the home console market is a dead beast altogether.

@JaxonH Link...? Model #...?

@PlywoodStick Nintendo is a company that has always worked to use older or easily accessible tech to create new and unique experiences. This is a company that creates memories. I'm sure the people making games know the cold hard facts about the system.

@Rotgut
The ones I have are an older model (had them for years) but here's the newest model. Keep in mind they now make a few variants which cost more- a noise cancelling set for $250 and a Soundtrue variant for $150 (not sure what it does that's different) but here's the standard Soundsport earbuds. They're $85 with no mic line or volume control, or $99 for included mic line and volume control (crucial if you plan to use for in-game chat)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011IH5ZHG/ref=twister_B01CDMOUAS?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

I'd say go with the Samsung/Android version for mic/volume control rather than the Apple, although I don't really think there's a difference aside from brand marketing and color

@JudgeMethos Because after GameCube their consoles were under-powered.

@JaxonH Thanks for the link. Poop, I was hoping closer to $50, might have to pass on those...

@Bulbousaur the gamecube adapter actually only uses the black port for data, the grey one is for rumble. Just try plugging the grey one into your phone charger for proof

@Rotgut banned

@Braok why would I be banned? Look at his avatar.

@Rotgut
They're expensive, but believe me when I tell you they are worth every cent. I'll never use another set of headphones ( in fact I've been using these for the better part of seven years now and I'm on my third set- cat ate my first pair, second just wore out and Bose store gave me the third for half price by bringing in the old ones).

The sound is so incredible and I'm really particular with my headphones- I can't stand the ones that shove in your ear canal and not being comfortable- these have a design Bose engineered that rest in the bowl of your ear and simply curve and direct the sound inward. Each pair comes with three interchangeable size silicone so that you can get a perfect fit for any size ear.

Like I said definitely worth the extra money

@cfgk24
Eh ?! Really ?
So Switch, ps4 and xbox1 are same locked internal battery ?

Most of this isn't really news, since the Japanese site had most of this listed already.

Edit: The only news here is the day-one update and the battery-replacement service.

NVIDIA customised Tegra processor still not telling. I guess that will take the pros to figure out when it's released what exactly it means for us.

As a home system that's portable (or vice versa), does it really need 7.1 surround sound?
I'm sure a decent pair of headphones will give a similar effect when you're in class/on a plane/dropping deuces in your 'private office'.
Like the people from previous generations have said, Ninten-don't do specs - they make consoles for their games & as long as they play well (how many bugs have people found in true 1st party software), the system is solid without sudden unexplained disc failures & the controllers work anything else is a bonus.

Wasn't this all on the jpn site on the day of the presentation:

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/switch/specs/index.html#1

I only care how good the games are. I don't play with processors or chipsets or GHz or MHz, I play games. If the games are crap I won't buy it. I'm not going to cut my wrists over a few gigaflops. I can't remember the last time I saw someone taking a surround sound system with them on the go to be honest... what use is 7.1 Dolby on a bus? or in the back of a car or sitting in a cubicle in your office toilet?

@Riff-the-Don

"As a home system that's portable (or vice versa), does it really need 7.1 surround sound?"

heh... I was thinking the same thing. Of all the things for someone to complain about... wow. Good post.

@JaxonH Thanks for the info, bro : )

@Rotgut This crowd though...imagine being stuck in a room with some of them....

@WiltonRoots Heh. Yeah no doubt.

So I can use wireless Bluetooth headphones ... or still unknown?

@DrRandle It doesn't help that the last time a Nintendo console had concurrent multiplatform support was the Gamecube. And every Nintendo portable console has gotten good support, so hopefully that will carry over to the NS... Which I think it will.

@Riff-the-Don On the contrary, Nintendo used to be all about specs, 15-25 years ago.

Granted, I'll be using Samson SR950's, which are entry level professional studio reference headphones, not a surround sound setup. But it is disconcerting that this NS specs report is telling us that 7.1 surround systems would have certain speakers in their setups not being usable at all. (Refer to my points in comment #146.) No reason not to allow setups that the PS3 could handle, for people who are playing with the NS docked. It's supposed to be a "home console that can be taken on the go," right? Or is Nintendo's marketing wrong, and it's really primarily a mobile console?

The least they could do is allow 7.1 setups to be simulated, by combining multiple channels. Even the later Rare games on N64 and various Gamecube games like Star Wars: Rogue Leader could do it.

@Rotgut You're asking for trouble with a comment like that.

@Bulbousaur there are 3 USB ports, 2 USB 2.0 and 1 USB 3.0.

@Gen0neD you can get 128gb right now for 30$ or less. If you need more than that you can buy a couple more. Micro SD is rather cheap if you go with lower capacity. In a year they will have 256 for 30$ and 128 will be $15.

I'm really interested in knowing which tegra but I guess we'll never know

Sad there is no quick charge... 3 hours in sleep mode is quite awhile.

No one cares about the specs of Nintendo console.

For Nintendo it's the beauty on the outside that matters, who cares what's on the inside?

@Marshi the Switch is an over clocked Wii U? Man you really have no idea what you're talking about. They are nothing like each other.

@Captain_Gonru I guess we'll find out when people hook up the adapters. Probably in their best interest not to pull the tablet out of the dock during a lap in MK8D or during a match in Spla2oon. But when my kids get a Switch, whenever that is, they will be using an adapter so I'll let you know.

Edit, argh whenever not whatever, I know what a Switch is. OK nobody really knows, but I'm moving on from that.

@JaxonH

Bose! Nice!

What ones do you have?

I have the SoundTrue Ultras.

@JohnGrey

You realize that every time you pick up your Switch to play, chances are it's fully charged.

Who the hell brings their gaming tablet with them around the house everywhere they go, all settings on max, for every 3 hours every single effin day?! Not you, I'm betting.

If you somehow have too much time on your hands and do, flippin deal with it. You have other crap to accomplish in a 3 hour time span, like errands, bills, time with your children if you have any, chores, schoolwork, socializing with other human beings for 5 minutes a day, taking a dump, taking a shower, house maintenance, working on the computer, working at your job, eating something, your daily 3.4 seconds and 229 picoseconds of pure peace and tranquility, I could do this all night.

Boom.

Argument invalid.

@iGen Was obviously referring to portable play. You know, the other part of what the Switch is purported to be. The long car rides when the local co-op evangelists say are prime Mario Kart territory, or Splatoon tournaments between drooling over booth bints at conventions or other such nonsense.

In point of fact, I won't be owning the Switch. Nothing about it has a value for me, but I also am going to criticise something that is yet one more lacklustre or compromised feature. I welcome the ire of the Nintendo cultists, though, it really truly is adorable.

So, from the spec sheet it almost sounds like Bluetooth headphones will not be supported? Or are they just talking about wireless over BT? C'mon my 5 year old Vita has BT headphone support, and Apple is declaring headphone jacks obsolete (meaning all other phones will remove them in 2 years and everyone will have piles of cheap BT cans around.)

Personally I'm thrilled the headphone jack exists....I dread when my next phone probably won't have it....I often use the jack and have tons of very good cans around I'm not replacing. But I do have a pair of BTs I use with my Vita that I've dreamed of using with the Switch.

Has anyone seen anything yea or nay on BT headphone support? (If not, I'd rather have jack and no BT than BT and no jack...but I've been hoping for both.)

My other question is: Does sleep mode confirm "game suspend" mode like 3DS does when you close the lid? I know there was speculation early on if it would actually support that due to battery limitations. I'm counting on it.

I still want to know why there was an airplane mode symbol on the home screen... Is nintendo's online service a 4G type of thing where you can play online absolutely anywhere?

@JohnGrey

So you're going to take it out and about daily town life? Okay. Have fun getting it stolen. I'll be here on the sidelines LMAO saying I told you so.

In a car, you can hook it up to the car's cigarette lighter. I don't see a single person taking it out and engaging while they wait in line, but if that's your thing, I seriously doubt you're going to stand there for 3 hours. So in this case, I don't know what the problem is. The only constant portable use you're going to get is playing it around the house and in bed. And even then, who says you're going to play BoTW at all max settings?

Good. The Switch probably didn't want to own you.

Ohhh, okay. I see. So because I bring a dose of realism and what the rest of the world will actually be doing with their Switches into the argument, I'm automatically part of a Nintendo cult and because of that, I result in being adorable.

Or, maybe it's just because I'm a more practical user than you are. All you're doing here is nitpicking things Switch features that are a problem on paper, but not in everyday life and how the system molds to you and everybody else's schedule.

-Nintendoomed 2017-

Our Humble Campaign Motto:

"That ain't Falco. Happy feet! Oh, oh oh, OH, OH OH O OH OH O OH OHOH OH OH OHH OH!! OH!!! OHHHH!!! WHERE ARE YOU AT! WHERE ARE YOU AT! OHHHH!!! MAH BODEHS IZ REGGEY FOE {-{-{-JOHN CENA!!!-}-}-} DA DA DA DAA!! DA DA DA DAAA!! DA DA DA DAAAA!!! DA DA DA DAAA!!!!!!"

orchestra of air horns

Fleas undastan.

@GamePerson19

Wi-Fi only devices like the iPod touch have an Airplane Mode too. It's just a system feature that provides a quick and easy way of turning off all wireless communications when happening to be in use in an EMF signal sensitive location, such as an airplane. Or the NSA's headquarters.

Bottom line, there is a 90 in 100 chance it will be a traditional Wi-Fi only device. If they do somehow implement a data plan on top of their stupid online subscription, then in that case, all I have to say is, damn they truly do think they're Apple. What a rude awakening they're about to have. In that particular case, anyway.

Hmm, whipping out the ol' ruler, that's pretty much spot-on the thickness of my iPad mini 2 in a case (about twice as thick as caseless). I can live with that, not that it's super comparable due to how different from a tablet it'll be to hold with the joycons.

@Captain_Gonru i feel ya. But on the bright side a ethernet Lan adapter can be bought on Amazon for under 9 dollars (US). Thats for USB 2.0 but a 3.0 one can cost at least 12 dollars. I got the USB 3.0 one . The Switch will do USB 3.0 after update.

@JaxonH cool. I wonder if we can use bluetooth. that would be just perfect

@NEStalgia The good news about Bluetooth headphones is that given the technical specifications quoted, there won't be any hardware barriers to them.

Bluetooth radios aren't really modular from the hardware side beyond their specification revision, and audio streaming was a pretty well settled matter by revision 4.1 (the focus of subsequent revisions has been on very-low-energy and internet-of-things applications: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth#Bluetooth_4.1). What a Bluetooth device can or can't do is determined by the modular protocols and profiles it supports in its software stack, so headphone support is just a matter of ensuring the right code chunks are in place, and hooking it into their OS.

Audio is such a common application of Bluetooth that Nintendo would practically have to go out of their way to not support it. But if they did pull such a brain-dead stunt at launch (they are Nintendo, after all), it should be entirely possible to patch the feature in.

@Tyranexx same

@JaxonH wouldn't normally say this but lol bose

no mids overpriced uncomfortable
im sorry i just get more triggered than a buzzfeed fan when i hear people praising bose

@Galactus_33 Tell me how it's different? Zelda? It's on Wii U. Mario Kart? It's on Wii U. Splatoon? It looks EXACTLY like the Wii U game. The fact it's portable? The Wii U was portable to a degree and the Switch is just a natural evolution of that design. Tell me something that makes the Switch completely different to what the Wii U was. Please. I'll wait...

@marko Do you really hate Nintendo just because of that?

@ruinez No, it doesn't, and Nintendo is not THAT greedy. It's not a good reason for saying good bye to them either.

@feelinsupersonic How do you know that they do?

@Joeynator3000 No, he wasn't.

@Marshi
Um... can you take your Wii U gamepad so faraway ?
Switch can do that, Wii U gamepad can't do that.
Is Super Bomberman R on Wii U ? No...
It's for Switch.
Not released on Wii U.

@Anti-Matter But was the gamelad portable? Yes it was. The Switch is just an extension of that. Could superpower R run on Wii U? Of course it could. You see what I'm getting at? The Switch is to Wii U what Wii was to Gamecube. And until I see a game that couldn't possibly run on the Wii U due to the extra power of the Switch, I'm going to take my theory as a confirmed fact.

*Superbomerman R. Damn auto correct!

@Marshi
See... I told ya !
Switch is different despite have similarity with Wii U.
Btw, is Wii U Region Free ? No...
Switch is Region Free.

@Anti-Matter It's different despite being the same...ooookaaaaay. No. Look, of course there are differences to the Wii U. The Wii, by your logic, was different to the Gamecube but it's now confirmed that the Wii was overclocked Gamecube. So I will say this again. Until I see evidence that the tech inside the Switch is vastly more powerful than the Wii U, able to run CURRENT GEN games like Rise of the Tombraider, Battlefield One, Final Fantasy Xv etc, I am absolutely convinced that Nintendo are selling us a portable Wii U. Oh, sorry, a portable Wii U that's region free 😁

@Marshi
Oh... I see.
I'm sorry. I am not looking the games with those titles that you mentioned. I'm bored to the hell with ultra realistic FF XV, I hate ultra hd adult games, I don't care with those games. I only care CUTE games like Animal Crossing / MySims / Tomodachi Life with not so huge Gigabyte size, more cartoonish but still HD enough and great gameplay concept. I don't care with ultra realistic style, especially Western games. I'm sorry if we have different reason for choosing Switch. I'm different, totally opposite with common male gamers.

@Anti-Matter That's totally fine! I've pre ordered a switch myself and I'm really looking forward to it. I love Nintendo games as they have that certain Nintendo charm. But my point is that on a tech level, the Switch is just an overclocked Wii U, and anyone who thinks they will see a dramatic increase in technical presentation will be sorely disappointed. And my bugbear is that Nintendo refuse to share the tech specs with people, which is shady and misleading to say the least. People need to understand they are not getting a big upgrade over what the Wii U was capable of.

@Marshi agree. And bomperman r could easily been played on Wii u but they need switch exclusives. They need reasons for us to buy a switch. I'm just having trouble finding a reason to buy one until Christmas 2017 where there's a likely chance of a good bundle and price drop

@MetaRyan nope. that's not news either, that was also on the japanese site

but yes, all of this has already been known since the japanese website launched a couple of weeks ago.

I'm actually really impressed at the weight of this thing, I expected it to be Wii U gamepad weight, if not heavier! No matter how they pitch it, this is definitely a 3DS replacement.

I predict we'll see a cheaper handheld only option in a couple of years.

@PlywoodStick wow you're talking a lot of BS.

first of all: the wii u can handle DPLII, but only in wii mode (that was patched in later, wasn't there at launch). So all Wii games that support DPLII support it on Wii U.

Secondly, why would you even want DPLII support for Wii U other than the Wii mode?! No games made in recent years support it anymore! They all either have pure stereo like Smash Bros. U or support true 5.1. No games support DPLII anymore! Because it's not even needed since all consoles now have at least 6 discret channel output. It was only needed for Wii because it only had 2 channels. So having DPLII natively on Wii U would make absolutely no sense (and btw neither PS3, PS4 or Xbox One support it). You mention that for some games the surround channels go silent. Well yes, because the game doesn't support surround sound or DPLII. If the devs wanted it to have surround sound they could've used the 5.1 channels. So it's really the devs fault and not Wii U's fault.

Now on to the Switch: The exact same about DPLII holds true here: You have 5.1 output, so DPLII support is useless. And again, there are no games being released anymore that support it anyway lol. So I really don't understand why you would want it to be supported by Switch. DPLII is extremely old at this point and btw: newer A/V receivers don't even support it anymore lol. For example my Onkyo receiver got a firmware update some time ago that removed all Pro Logic modes in favor of Dolby Atmos and DTS X support. Nothing uses it anymore. Nothing. It's outdated. It's dead. No new games use it. We have discrete channel surround now. So you're not being ripped off at all. You mention that Nintendo includes crappy old sound tech, yet you're the one who wants a format to be supported that has been invented in 1976 LOL!
But yes, I have to agree that Switch not supporting SEVEN.1 is baffling. There really shouldn't be a reason not to.
As to why Nintendo doesn't support DTS or Dolby Surround: That's simple. It doesn't play Blu-Ray and Nintendo doesn't want to pay license fees. LPCM is the superior format anyway and my receiver supports it. Yes, there are losslessly compressed Dolby and DTS formats but they are really only useful for Blu-Ray movies where you don't have enough space to store the sound uncompressed. With games it's different because you can create an LPCM stream on-the-fly from your various sound sources. That's something that hasn't been done for movies in the past. They just now (kind of) started to do it with Dolby Atmos and DTS X. So I couldn't care less about DTS or DS. 7.1 LPCM would've been great though.

@Marshi um, Wii U and Switch have completely different architectures. So what you're saying doesn't make any sense.

@PlywoodStick btw
"The least they could do is allow 7.1 setups to be simulated, by combining multiple channels."

My receiver does that for me. It's not ideal but it's still pretty good.

@PlywoodStick Do you think is closer to X1 than the WiiU?

32GB is storage not System Memory. I doubt system memory is 32GB. I would guess it's really between 4 and 8 GB....I mean PS4 AND Xbox One have 8GB. That being said, Wii U had 2GB, and these Switch games that come on cartridges might not need to store so much in memory and might read off the card for a lot of data. Faster than Blu ray discs I would imagine.

@Marshi great argument just ignore all the other games already announce coming for the console. yep u r winning in your banter.

Do we know yet if the Joy-cons communicate via Bluetooth even in handheld mode? Wouldn't that waste battery?

@NintendoFan4Lyf Yeah, I was kind of hoping they at least supported Dolby or DTS standards this time, but alas it's the lesser used LPCM all over again.

@JudgeMethos yeah that's right but they said also they will update them to 3.0 in a future update so that's a good sign

It always seems as if nintendo is a half step behind the rest of the industry when it comes to home consoles. This console needed a top of the line processor and graphics inside of it. The last gen processor can only be good for a year but can't see it contending into 2018 and 2019. What the joy cons can do are impressive, but devs will be hard pressed to release big budget games two years from now. Plus the Xbox Scorpio is coming out later this year, and early reports are saying that it is taking nothing for granted.

From the Argos website:

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6789679

"The S-ONE Stereo Gaming Headset has been specifically designed to match the needs of the avid Switch gamer. As compact as it is powerful, the S-ONE makes gaming on the move easy without compromising on audio quality!

Inline volume control unit for simultaneous chat and game sound adjustment.
Compact folding design for easy storage.
Leatherette ear cushions and an adjustable headband to offer ultimate comfort.
3.5mm jack connection with a 1.2m cable.
(not included).
Manufacturer's 2 year guarantee.
For ages 3.
EAN: 5055269708582. "

So...???

Any recommendation for a USB adapter for LAN?

@neufel But, I can fully charge my phone in about an hour, which feels fine. Three hours, when you can only play Zelda for three hours, seems a bit long to me. It wouldn't be so bad if you could play for say 10 hours or so, like the GBA SP had for example. But, I guess this is modern gaming for you, and it's what most modern gamers seem to think is reasonable—almost like they don't know it can be any better.

@Jessica286 I'm not trying to "win" anything. I'm just stating that I think we will never see anything on Switch that technically surpasses what could be achieved on Wii U. And Nintendo not releasing specs (again) means my opinion can't be disproved. Only time will tell. Yes, I'm certain the Switch will have some amazing exclusives like Zelda (oh, actually that's on Wii U...), Mario Odyssey, xenoblade 2 and Shin Megami Tensei 5. That's why I've pre ordered mine. But that's not the point of this discussion. The point of this discussion is what the tech inside of the Switch is. And differing architecture or not, at the moment all we are seeing are things that could technically be achieved on Wii U.

I don't "win" arguments, I'm not 12. I have discussions and debates.

@Braok
I think Bose is fantastic. The only earbuds in my life that are actually comfortable like clouds resting in your ears. Love the fit, love the quality, love the sound.

So ya, Idk. I've never heard of a brand every person in the entire world loves, but like everything some people love it and some not so much. I'm one who loves it

@Marshi
Hm... I see.
I think Switch specs is stronger than Wii U but almost near as xbox1.
I guess. Just my assumption.
And does it really matter for you since you are questioning the specs so much ? And what if Switch specs is far away from your expectation ?

I'm really impressed by how light it is. Less than .5 kg with the joycons? Wow.

I made this comment on IGN but wanted to post it here too because I thought it was a pretty decent summation of how I feel about Switch right now:

"The Switch being 1080p vs 4K when played on a TV isn't a big deal at all*; only a handful of people will be playing proper 4K games in the next few years, or even own a 4K TV at all, and most of them will be playing games at 1080p 30fps-60fps for the most part anyway. It's lack of overall graphical power, however, will end up being an issue in some respects, such as getting major AAA third party games. But, when you consider it's also basically one of the most powerful dedicated handheld gaming devices ever created, it's not such a big compromise to fret over. There's other things about the Switch that have me a little more concerned right now, like the paid online, the Virtual Console, the lack of new AAA first party games and similarly a lack of big AAA third party games, how the touch screen is going to be used, the slightly higher than expected price, the slightly lower than ideal battery life, etc. There's a load of potential for this system to be something special—if only Nintendo sees fit to actually realise it properly this time around."

*This is just a point the IGN video brought up that I wanted to specifically address.

@MinecraftGreek 4-8GB of RAM is a reasonable estimate, especially since memory is pretty cheap. I would not be surprised if it was 3GB as that seems to be the standard memory spec for the few Tegra X1 devices that exist. I'm skeptical that Nintendo's "custom" Tegra has any enhancements over the stock part.

@Grumblevolcano,

Everyone can see even without the specs that the Switch is faaaaar below the graphical power of ps4 and xboxone, wich is a big shame!

@samuelvictor but they provided length width AND depth!!!!!!!!! Those specs sound pretty technical to me. Nintendo just doesn't want to overwhelm us with too much info at once, especially with trivial things like cpu speed(pay no attention to the probably-accurate reports of severe downclocking) and RAM. It comes with the left and right joycon in the box.

Did I mention the weight? We know how much it weighs. I'm gonna get three of them now.

@Jessica286 Based on the Elemental demo back in 2015 of the Tegra X1, which should serve as the baseline for the custom Tegra SoC in the NS, as well as some of the tech modernities that the NS will have which even the original PS4/XB1 won't have, it will be ahead of them in some ways and behind in others. I would certainly place it closer to the Xbone than the Wii U. Support for modern API's and Vulcan, which the Wii U could not handle (look no further than late life cancellations like Yooka-Laylee) further proves this.

However, this minimalist tech spec sheet is mostly serving to sap some of the confidence I and others had in the NS... And it seems like it will be up to individuals to find out the true specs.

@manu0 No need to be brusk.

I was aware of the Wii mode compatibility, since the Espresso CPU was meant to allow for backwards compatibility with a Wii virtual OS.

My point with making the comparison to older, outmoded technical standards is that those older standards were capable of performing tricks (like Rare's) which allowed their limitations to be overcome, even with modern setups. (You'd just have to use some analog conversion connections instead of digital ones.)

Whereas you have situations where LPCM 5.1 just flat out takes away any extra channels instead of incorporating them in some way. So the irony here is that an outmoded platform that existed 15 years ago was in at least one way superior to the one that the NS will be using.

That's it. That's the point I wanted to make, in a nutshell. I'm going to be using headphones, anyways, but it's a blow to the idea of NS being a "home console" when it can't even readily perform an aural feat that the PS3 could do 10 years ago.

@Anti-Matter Well, they wouldn't work on the bus. . . .

@Anti-Matter Think of it more in terms of whether or not it will reach developers expectations. Nintendo can't go on just releasing their games on their system all the time. I mean the Wii U has some truly fantastic games for it, but only a fool would deny that the system was a complete failure commercially. And a majority of that failure can be levied at the technical shortcomings of the system. If the Switch can still only pump out games on the same level, or realistically a little better ( higher resolution, smoother framers) then a lot of development will once again skip Nintendo's system in place of the much more commercially viable Xbox and Playstation.
Don't get me wrong, I love Nintendo and I've said several times on here that I am soon ready to eat my words and gleefully admit I was very very wrong. But something tells me I'm not and Nintendo will have another 15-20 million selling console on their hands.

Look, I really think the Switch will be a fantastic handheld/console hybrid. And for me, I'm sure it will be a worthwhile purchase. But only the most hardcore Nintendo apologist would deny that there are glaring concerns if the system is to do as well as Nintendo think the Switch will do. This is the EXACT SAME conversation people were having before the Wii U came out. Except I was the one standing up for Nintendo back then. Now I'm older and wiser and if Nintendo wish to stay relevant, and not develop games for ps5/ Xbox 5, they need to do things other companies do as standard now, like RELEASE THE ACTUAL SPECS FOR THE SYSTEM! I love Nintendo and I don't want to see them fail.

@PlywoodStick well the thing is that a standard that encodes 7.1 in a 5.1 signal simply doesn't exist. And Nintendo can't just make their own standard because with the release of Switch no receiver would support it.
As I said, my receiver supports upmixing from 5.1 to 7.1 but it separates the channels not nearly as cleanly as a true 7.1 signal or even something like DPLII.
So the real problem is that Switch doesn't support 7.1. But honestly I can see them patching it in later. It should easily be addable with a patch. Btw: Xbox One just a couple of weeks ago patched in bitstream output for blu-rays..three years after release haha! (PS4 still doesn't support it! PS3 does though lol)

@Marshi why? The specs are probably worse than Xbox One. So where's the point in releasing the specs when there's nothing to brag about?

@Marshi I would wait until we get a teardown before making that conclusion. This sorry excuse for a tech specs sheet has some details that unexpectedly served to dampen my perception of the NS. Yet, until we know what exactly is in that custom Tegra SoC, and whether it's true performance capabilities are locked or not, I would wait until March before considering the adoption of your assessment.

That said, I have a feeling we're going to see a repeat of 2011 here, with a $50 price drop incoming within a year or so. The MSRP of the NS outside of Japan has been inflated up to a higher price bracket than it's been placed into for Japan, with the US receiving the least punishment. That didn't work out well for the 3DS. With the dominant cultural paradigm seeing home consoles/PC and mobile devices/portable consoles as the currently expected options, the idea of a hybrid console has not been widely recognized as of yet.

Nintendo has an uphill battle ahead of them, by trying to create their own little paradigm shift, and I think the price inflation for gaijins is going to make the incline a little too steep.

@manu0 I hope you're right! We'll see... It's just a nice bonus to have for the home theater audience.

@PlywoodStick I hope so!
BTW: We still don't even know if Zelda supports surround sound AT ALL, do we? After all Monolith's Xenoblade X engine doesn't support surround sound on Wii U!

@manu0 Oh for goodness sake it's not about bragging rights! It's about transparency!

@Marshi that's not what i meant. what i'm saying is...what's in it for nintendo if they release the specs? the mainstream audience doesn't care either way. tech-savvy people will be disappointed. there's nothing positive in it for nintendo for releasing the specs.

@manu0 Hmm, yes I suppose. But I just feel customer trust (rather than faith) is what Nintendo should be aiming for. I actually agree with what you say to be honest, but I wish Nintendo wouldn't put themselves against the wall like this all the time. The fact they don't do things that are such common practice now by the competition really frustrates me. I want switch to do well, of course I do. And I hope initial sales are strong enough to garner third party attention. Then, frankly, it won't matter what specs the system has because third parties will find a way of getting their software running on the Switch (much like what happened with the Wii). But as it stands I can't see that happening. What I can see happening is, in five to ten years time we will see the next Mario on Playstation. Or worse, through shear pride, Nintendo will drive themselves into the ground and disappear for good. And I really don't want that.

@Marshi Do the specs make the difference between a game being good or bad? You can have all the power in the world it won't stop a game being garbage. F-Zero on the SNES ran on a borderline 8-bit machine running at 3.58MHz. Yet it was amazing and ultra addictive. One of my favourite SNES games ever was Sanrio World Smash Ball which demonstrated no graphical prowess whatsoever. It makes no difference what's under the hood. A game is either good or crap. You could have a PC with the most powerful graphics card on earth but it can't stop some games being an uncontrollable mess.

@WiltonRoots I absolutely 100% agree. Specs make little difference to the enjoyment of a game. But that's not the point here, the point is making a system powerful, and popular enough to have developers wish to make games for it. And right now Nintendo are a distant third in priorities for which machine to develop games for as far as a lot of developers are concerned. A game can't be good or bad if a developer chooses not to make a game in the first place for technical limitation reasons.

@Marshi My point is power does not equal great games. Tetris is one of the greatest games ever made, how much power does that game need to make it great? Super Mario World is also one of the greatest games ever made, how much power did that need? Ghouls n Ghosts? Street Fighter 2? Power and graphics are superficial gloss. Great gameplay supercedes everything.

@WiltonRoots Again I agree but your missing the point. No developer other than Nintendo is going to make these amazing games for an uncovered system, unless it's popular. And if you were to ask the common consumer if they would rather have a Nintendo system with only Nintendo games, or a system that has exclusives, full third party and indy support and a Blu Ray drive to watch movies. Which do you think they will go for? Sure, me and you love Nintendo games, and plenty of hardcore gamers will even buy both a switch AND another console. But not everyone will wish to do that. And releasing yet another underpowered system will negate all the above functions. THAT matters.

@JaxonH well sound is personal preference, and I was talking about their over-ear headphones (I know nothing about their in-ear models). If you like how they sound good for you, I'll be sticking with my AKG K7XX, however flawed they are.

Bose is still overpriced though...

@JayPley Remember it? I have one in the garage.

@Braok
For sure. They sound great, I've just always abhorred the big earmuffs headphones. And finding good, comfortable earbuds is not easy.

@Captain_Gonru "What stood out to you?"

Nothing specific, although I did raise an admiring eyebrow at the weight of the device. Considerably more powerful than the Wii U yet almost 40% less in weight, that's quite an achievement.

And of course, entirely in Nintendo style, no exact details on the chipset and memory are revealed. We'll leave that up to the usual suspects like Digital Foundry, Anandtech and so forth...

Or maybe Nvidia is going to spill the beans some time in the near future...

@G-Boy

You seen this guy?

He's going around YouTube parading "Nintendo sucks." just to piss people off, on an Iwata video, no less.

I must be missing a troll machine somewhere around here, because it seems like a new one is created every day... I'm serious. They're everywhere. We need internetial justice! Who's with me?!

Yay, we got another last gen console

wired LAN seems really unnecessary.. not to mention what happens if you are docked and playing a session ONLINE and decide to switch to portable mode??? it will DISCONNECT you!!!! if the download speeds are generally faster for eshop and what not ok.. but the latency of wireless does NOT slow you down from ANY online competitive game.. PERIOD! The internet latency and routing through tons of hops is WAAAY slower than a wireless connection from home before it goes to the internet anyways..

@Marshi "No developer other than Nintendo is going to make these amazing games for an uncovered system, unless it's popular."

I dunno, these guys seem pretty enthusiastic. Unless of course Japanese devs don't count?
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/01/feature_nindies_and_nintendo_switch_-_developers_reflect_on_the_new_console#comment3803716

@Captain_Gonru Nintendo is all about cutting costs on their end. Wifi these days is fine if you have a great Wifi Router. 8-12 bucks isn't much for us but even 3 bucks for Nintendo adds up. Things like this don't bother me. Its when they leave it out and charge me alot is when I am upset.

@G-Boy

Forget it.

@JibberX Is there an English version?

JibberX edit I found what I was looking for, there is an English version on the American Nintendo website under the 'Switch' tab.

I really like the 3 hour charge time. I will likely be taking this to bed just like I did with the WiiU gamepad. Super excited for March!

@Marshi the Switch is already surpassing WiiU unless better performance and more graphical fidelity means nothing to u and i am talking about Zelda.

@PlywoodStick as has been always with Nintendo. Well here is hoping is closer to X1.