Video: Digital Foundry Considers "Nintendo Switch Pro" With NVIDIA Tegra X2 Processor

“loading more quicker“???

But yeah, there’s precedent there. You could argue the Game Boy Colour also fits the pattern, and that had considerably more exclusive titles.

As long as it doesn’t lose any functionality (like the DSi losing the GBA slot, making Guitar Hero unworkable, for example) then there’s no reason you can’t have tiers of systems.

No rush Nintendo... Power isn't king

If I didn't already own a Switch it would interest me but I have no plans to buy an upgrade unless its has massive life changing improvements

Edit: I say this as a 4K TV owner

Nintendo also have a history of revising their home consoles too (NES-101 and SNES Jr, Wii Mini) though not quite as radically as to make them more powerful.

@gaga64 and the N64 got an expansion pack.

I’d buy a switch 2, even if it just gave us Zelda at 1080p 60fps it’d be worth it, but if it also gave us HDR, oh hell yeah!

I'll never understand why they didn't base it on a newer Tegra chips in the first instance, the least Ninty could've done is used a quad-core.

Dear God no, upgrading the 3DS was one thing, but the Switch? No. I seriously can't afford that and don't wanna have to do that.

The problem isn’t “Can they build a more powerful machine?”

It’s “Can they build a more powerful machine that has decent battery life and is still small and light enough to be portable and doesn’t cost the earth to build?”

I watched this video yesterday. He highlighted how the "next step" processor wouldn't have a better GPU, but a faster pipeline to receive information. In this case, the "new" Nintendo Switch could use this X2 set with the improved capabilities mentioned in the video, plus faster information processing. The true successor isn't finished yet.

I think late 2019 or early 2020 we will see a revision.

@NoxAeturnus, you're spot on. Nintendo will have to work on the balancing act to make sure a new processor wouldn't become a power hog.

@Kit This is why: Battery life. Switch’s portability is directly tied to how long its battery lasts, and the more powerful the hardware the more power hungry it is.

Edit: I stand corrected about X2’s power draw. My original point about system power-power draw-cost of components still stands. Using the more powerful chip originally would have meant a more expensive console, and I don’t think we need to rehash the original outcry and continued complaints about Switch’s price here.

After 2 years this could happen. I welcome performance enhancements to the point that EVERYTHING is 60 FPS and 1080p on the TV - I am not interested in 4k - Create the Art style to fit the hardware. 4K may actually be detrimental to developers costs/profits and therefore affects he games that we do get. .

Tegra 2? You mean Tegra X2! Tegra 2 is as a fast as a can of tomato sauce in a race against a Tesla.

It takes 2 to 3 years to make a revision chip. And sadly, Nvidia chips are costly. They are costly to make, and the company likes money (obviously).

I am sure right now the company has already setup a team to take Nvidia latest and greatest Tegra chip, and make a non-car variation, fitting Nintendo budget, and trying to work with them. Sadly, like I said, it takes 2-3 years to start manufacturing a new chip based on current architecture (takes 5+ years for a new architecture. So yes, if you wonder, Nvidia has a team for its next GPU (Volta), and another team working on the following one (revision of Volta), and another team working on the following of the following one (new architecture - assuming 0 delays, if not it will be another revision done by another team, while this one continues its work. That how it usually works at the company based on release patterns of chips).

I could see them doing it. I wouldn't mind it.

@Fake-E-Lee Buy the new Switch, transfer your stuff, and sale your old one to recoup part of the cost

@NoxAeturnus No. For the same architecture, yes... but processors are not only faster every year they are more power efficient.

Unless my current switch kicks the bucket I'm not looking at future switch revisions.

@Kit That is easy to understand when you design a console over a couple of years..

I hope that when the revised version comes out (definitely not in 2018) it will enable the console to boost previously released games by default, unlike the n3DS

Hold your horses Digital Foundry!

The Nintendo Switch has barely been out a year, now there’s talk of upgrades? If this is going the way of the 3DS, we’d better see some backwards compatibility here for the oodles of games people all purchasing! This puts a sour taste in my mouth after having picked up two systems for the family... Give this ground breaking system a chance to grow and give it some time before we move to yet another system. This is the big N were talking here, not Xbox...

The thing has only been out a year and is doing great. I'm sure there will be an upgrade coming holiday 2019 at the absolute earliest but I'm in no rush. We have 2 switches and I would gladly buy a 3rd once they do beef up the hardware a bit but imo it's not really a pressing issue

I would be so annoyed if they brought out a more powerful Switch, particularly if it was too early in the life of the first one. The switch wasn't cheap!

@StarSurfer An upgrade is not a new system..

The next switch update will use a custom SOC. The X2 makes little sense, either in use nor to maintain production. With Nivida focusing its standard SoCs on AI (and their Jetson boards are great) as well as the switch being a proven hit they will migrate to a custom SoC. Expect better power consumption and solid 720 / 1080 resolution. Better than a base model ps4, just short of pro. But not going to happen until mid 2019

Bring on the Pro Switch please. And fix the Joy-Cons while you're at it.

@Markylad You can be sure it won't be 2018. If anything late 2019. As mentioned, making a custom chip based on an existing one takes minimum 2 years.

The price would have to be right but I upgraded from the original DS to a DSi and from 3DS to New 2DS XL. If it were to run games better and if there were some that were exclusive to a higher end version of the Switch, I'd likely look for a good trade-in deal and get the better hardware.

They're not going to move to a new chipset for a "New Switch", just maybe some speed improvements to the current architecture.

@gaga64 - Those console reiterations came out many years after the original. The top-loader version of the original NES came out like 8 years after the original console.

I don't think we'll see a hardware revision for the Switch for a couple years. And I think it will be more for aesthetics rather than a significant GPU boost (the logistics of having some games that only work on the 'new' Switch would be a nightmare).

I think we'd be looking at perhaps a revision with a bigger screen (same size unit, but much less bezel than there is now), perhaps slimmer, and possibly 1080p with the same or better battery life.

Docked quality in handheld mode? Sign me up!

@Appleflap - Exactly, I think that's one of the main things they'd go for with a revision.

Wow there are a few misconceptions on here already, first things first forget 4K, no mid gen refresh is going to get the Switch anywhere near 4K. Secondly even if one exists you wouldn't have to buy it, you can keep your standard Switch forever and there is no reason for games not to work on both versions, this is aimed at those who would want extra performance. Thirdly there is no issue for developers as the article states as most of these games are built with scalability in mind already across standard PS4 and Xbox plus PC so it's not that big a deal for them. Actually the developers likely wouldn't have to do anything, the X2 isn't a massive jump and already many of the games are built with dynamic resolutions. So as with the Xbox One X it could be left to the hardware in many cases to improve how the game looks and plays with it's in built advantages.

There is nothing negative here, just a way for Nintendo to continue with this great little console

Course it could. But it's only out literally 1 year now.
Maybe E3 2019 something will be mentioned and released before that Xmas.

In reality it's just WAY too soon from launch.

Of course Nintendo will do it, they alway do. Buying first gen Nintendo product will always suffered buyer's remorse. The New Switch will be like the New 3DS, backward compatible and only 1 or 2 games that made full use of the better processors. But then, you get better battery life and slicker hardware.

This time however they could utilised the AI processing built into the Nvidia chip to make more intelligent games.

Devs will start pushing against the upper limits of the Switch's hardware capabilities fairly quickly. Just look at Doom. It's amazing what Bethesda has with so little. At some point devs want to be able to stretch their legs on the Switch and if they feel they can no longer, then their interest in the platform will start to wain. We're not in the 90's and 2000's any more. Long console cycles are getting harder and harder to maintain. I wouldn't be surprised if a new version of the Switch would arrive somewhere in 2020 or 2021 at the latest. The only thing that Nintendo has to ensure is full backwards compatibility. No more shenanigans of having to repurchase the same games on the new platform. If they do that, than most people will accept to upgrading their Switch.

I don't understand all the negativity surrounding this. The Switch currently has a rather weak CPU in it, and this would do much to resolve that.

All for, go for it Nintendo.

@NoxAeturnus But tha'ts not necessarily true, newer generations of GFX chips are often more optimised to conserve power tho.

I don’t see why they shouldn’t make an upgraded dock that offloads extra processing power to extra chips in the dock. Since it connects with USB C it’s totally possible. That way someone with the OG system can have an upgraded home console experience without having to buy a whole new switch.

@carlos82

yep. i think it's a no brainer. the time of x console cycles are over guys. i think we're going to see iterative upgrades throughout with no defined cycles. at least that's what MS wants to try. Sony's not said much that i've seen about it. they may dump the ps4 for ps5 at some point or just iterate.

i'd be nice. like the phone model. people seem ok with that so new updated consoles every 2 ish years would be nice. i'd grab a switch 2/pro whatever day 1.

If a upgrade makes all Nintendo games 1080p 60FPS and is backward compatible I am all in. How in the world are they releasing Kirby at 30FPS in 2018? 1080P 60FPS will look nice scaled up to a 4K TV. Happy to hear that the games have been designed that if a hardware upgrade were to happen that automatically all the current software will look better as well.

@Andypandy1 From what I've heard from some tech people, that isn't possible. That, and the handheld people would be on your case 24/7 because their experience will be left out.

Besides I need more Switches for LAN parties anyways.

@Andypandy1

an upgraded dock is more complicated imo.

they need to keep the package exactly the same and just up the proc/ram/internal memory each 'cycle'. all the same peripherals/docks/etc. maybe update the screen every other or soemthing. eventually with a 1080 oled mostly for power savings.

@GoodBytes @NintendoFan4Lyf @Kit It’s not just the processor that matters. I can put a more powerful engine in my car, but if it can’t handle the torque it’s not going to be pretty. Console power balances against power consumption, that was my original point. They can absolutely build a more powerful console, but can they build it powerful, with decent battery life, and at a price point that consumers will buy it? Switch is already pushing the limits there with its price and its battery life. I think they struck a good balance to start, but I think it’s at least two years out from any major revision. It’s not like the 3DS/DS days when they were still using older tech to get moderate gains in their revised machine.

@NintendoFan4Lyf Yeah, I did read it. It has more power, which I mentioned in my post, I said there isn't much difference in the GPU between Tegra X1 and X2. It's in the video and the article.

The X2 has a faster CPU and faster memory bandwidth. Again, I said it before, it is faster, but graphically similar. Faster processing means better translation of the graphics, which is mentioned in the video.

There's always room for improvement. Nintendo will revise the Switch at some point like they do with their dedicated handhelds. Not that I have an issue with the current Switch hardware wise; it's missing cloud saves, something that can easily be implemented and tied to your account along with your current download history.

@MFD they’ve made laptops that that run better docked because the power consumption allows for use of better, more power hungry graphics cards. I’m positing that this may be true with the Switch too. I honestly don’t see any technical reason why a dock with an extra graphics card and some extra ram couldn’t satisfy those who are happy with their portable experience, but want 4K on their tv. Nintendo is pretty good at making about every iteration possible of anything they might be able to sell, ie the 2ds. I don’t see why, if it was possible, they wouldn’t make both a switch pro and a switch pro dock for those that want the switch pro experience at home only

@GoodBytes glad to hear it 🙂

@Andypandy1 Because that'd "unbalance" the system and upset the handheld people. Trust me, I've echoed your sentiment before, but the handheld people jump at my throat for it.

"Digital Foundry Consider" .... errrrr

WHO CARES ?

@sword_9mm I think this is definitely the future as hardware design has almost unified in it's largely off the shelf component structure. Where as historically consoles were forever using custom processors and even changing the medium on which they were sold, all of which made it very difficult to bring past gen games forward on a consistent basis. Microsoft performed some wizardry to get 360 games on the One but I sense that last gen is the last of those hurdles.

AI is the future of high performance graphics. I would hope Nvidea does not “strip” out that part of the system

I tried to read all of the comments, and didn't see this, so if I missed it, I apologize. But I think it would be better to add a dock that has a processor in it. That way it would work with existing switch. A game could run one way portable, and look a lot better when docked. At this point in time, I don't "Need" that though, or really even want it. I love the way Mario, Splatoon, and Rocket League look as is. I do not need best graphics to be happy.

@NoxAeturnus
>"It’s not just the processor that matters. I can put a more powerful engine in my car, but if it can’t handle the torque it’s not going to be pretty."
Yes. That is what I said. But I also said for the same architecture.
Did you know that a GeForce GTX 1080 consume less power than a GeForce GTX 480? In fact, the 1080 massacre the performance of the 480, yet consumes LESS power. Beside advancement in processing nodes (making chip smaller), it is also due to research discovering new ways to do things in a more efficient matter.

In other words, in a silly example, imagine you have a processor just know how to add and remove. Great! It does all sorts of calculations. Now on the new generation processor, you implement this new thing you discover: multiplication. And now, it can do many calculation MUCH faster and consuming less power. Why do: 5+5+5+5, when you do 5*4, and get the results in one shot?

"Console power balances against power consumption, that was my original point. They can absolutely build a more powerful console, but can they build it powerful, with decent battery life, and at a price point that consumers will buy it?"
Yea for sure. And did you know, even docked, the Tegar X1 is actually not going to its full speed?

"Switch is already pushing the limits there with its price and its battery life." I agree. Already people complain about price, and it can't have the chip in the $800+ phones/tablets (which funny enough have a worst GPU in terms of capabilities. They dont't even support full OpenGL.. only a subset called OpenGL ES)

@Mart1ndo having owned both the X in particular makes a huge difference as super sampling is available to all 1080p users increasing image quality, whilst Gears of War 4 doubled the framerate to 60fps in the campaign for example. Unpatched games have access to the full CPU power increased bandwidth and around half of the 6 tflop GPU, so anything like DOOM with dynamic resolutions will stick to the maximum all of the time and smooth at any framerate drops. 360 games play better than they ever have and ironically Bayonetta plays better on the X then on any other console with a locked 60fps.

I will say that the Pro doesn't offer anywhere near the same performance upgrades for 1080p users and I wouldn't really recommend it if you don't have a 4K set, the X though is on another level and offers great advantages regardless of your TV

give it a couple of years. than they will do it.

@SoIDecidedTo
Unless the Switch USB Type-C port has Thunderbolt capabilities, that is not possible. It doesn't look it has, sadly. USB 3.0 alone is way to slow for graphics bandwidth (not to mention that USB have a lot of overhead, not helped by the fact that it needs the system CPU to do anything. It doesn't have it's own dedicated processor in its controller chip).

Please no. Nintendo never was about the best graphical performance. It's about gameplay. I want to play as many games as possible for as long as possible on my lovely Switch 1.0.

@NoxAeturnus As a general statement, it's correct to say more processing power = more power draw, but that doesn't apply here. We're not talking about a more powerful revision of the same chip - we're talking about a brand architecture. In this case, the Tegra X2 is capable of a TDP that is half (7.5W compared to 15W) of the X1. So in this case, you could have a more powerful system, and reduced power consumption.

EDIT: Not directed at anyone in particular, but I would be fine with an eventual revision that used the X2, throttled down to 7.5W to make the performance about the same, but with lower power consumption. It could be marginally more powerful to allow certain games to run better (BotW, XC2, etc...) but not so much more powerful that Switch's user base is fragmented. Though, the tech enthusiast in me would like to see a full blown refresh of the Switch hardware.

I wouldn't mind upgrading, as long as the version is still compatible with the original dock etc. I've already bought two of those and I'd love to not having to do that again.

@cfgk24 i don't think everything would be 60 fps/1080p. Nintendo is still using an ARM (mobile) chipset and it's far from being as capable as a laptop apu (ps4/xbox one) or even a desktop cpu. if the ps4 and xbox one are already years behind pc, imagine the switch, which is also years behind the competition in term of hardware, granted that nintendo isn't competing with the other consoles right now. So you can't expect doom to run at 60fps with an hardware revision especially if it's as minor as just upgrading to tegra x2 which isn't much of an upgrade in the first place. the GPU still remains the same with the x2, which means graphics fidelity will be the same and performance too: 1080/30fps, 900/60fps/30fps, 720/30,720/60, 580/25-30

This WILL happen at some point... the screen can also get a little bigger by reducing the bezel area and the GPU will need to get more powerful in order to have any chance of 3rd party ports in the future.

Everything will be backwards compatible... very similar to New 3DS.

@GoodBytes @roadrunner343 I stand corrected about X2’s power draw.

Not gonna happen. Nintendo's made UPGRADED revisions of portables, not home consoles. So why now?

I think we can take for granted a new revised Switch down the line, but not for couple or more years. I wouldn’t expect a new Switch before 2020.

@Kit how many cores is the Switch currently using? The X1 in it has four big and four small CPU cores in it. I know it's not running full speed.

New Switch with Tegra 2? That would be silly. I have a tablet with the Tegra 2. I think it came out in 2011.

The best case made in the video for an upgraded Switch is getting production off the 20nm process to make it more economical for them, and more efficient for developers and consumers. The Tegra X2 was designed with a different purpose. It's believable for Nvidia to develop something new for Nintendo, especially since it's a success. I don't know how long SoC development requires from start to finish, but Nvidia could be two years along if they started when they agreed to work with Nintendo.

I Hope They Don't Cause I'll Have To Buy Another Switch

Good. Now Nintendo got my attention and I might get a Switch eventually. Some game even docked are still 720p in a time like this not really acceptable. With that being said

Since this is a hybrid console, I don't see why not... The Switch is already a great system, even small upgrades would be welcome.

I'd rather they saved it for a Switch 2 in 6-7 years time.

Next Switch coming 2022-2024. This year coming deep learning Tegra Xavier and itś have 1,3Tflop graphics power.Itś 2,5x more powerful than X1 and memory are 5 time fast vs X1. Switch 2 get Xavier 2 or 3 and graphical power go over 3 tflop. 4k grapfics Switch 2 get power Dock. Thatś are my guess Nintendo hybrid console future.

This will happen, just maybe not until 2019 and the new console will not be called “Switch”, it will be the “New Switch”, “Switch 1DS” or maybe even “Switch 2”.
Or maybe these names where a bit too dynamic and cool.
Nintendo will go with something as confusing as possible...

I think they shouldn't do it. Imagine if they done a switch pro and nextbox and ps5 came out the same year what would you rather buy!.

They should wait intill after ps5 and new xbox for a new switch and i mean a new one.

I'd DEFINITELY love faster loading on the Switch. As for higher performance, I don't see anything thus far that suffers as long as the software is carefully designed with the hardware limitations in mind. Even though I've long since completed BotW on Master Mode (minus all of the Korok Seeds), I keep going back to it for fun. The only disappointment is the long-ish load times. That alone would be worth an upgrade to me.

To date, most Nintendo home console have had revisions. In most cases, these revisions omitted technology, some revisions added something. Ex. Some Nes toploaders have s-video, though most use coaxial only, & if I remember right, all omit the 10 chip. SNes, & N64 omit the bottom expansion slots.

Edit: Nintendo has stated they wish to keep the console going longer, than a typical console life cycle. I seem to recall they also said they intend to do this via peripherals. Unless they consider using a detachable outside for the Switch, that can boost capabilities, or they consider internals as "peripherals" you can buy, & swap out, then they're going to probably come out with a hardware revision eventually.

As for games, if Nintendo was willing to use extra/higher capacity cards, they could get away with making 1 version of any given game. The focus of the games can, & should be to make the games to be fully playable on base Switch units, with extra code for enhanced textures, & features; exactly as some Super Gameboy/GB Color/GB Advance games were made. They had features on the more powerful hardware, but could also be played on older models.

Edit #2: Basically, make the games themselves, backwards compatible. Of course, Nintendo is probably not keen on spending more for higher capacity cards to hold extra data, so a game works on any NS, regardless of tech-newness. The offset for them would be not alienating their base; especially the NS early adopters.

Edit #3: Another offset would be all NS owners could purchase software, w/out hardware-induced limits.

@Mart1ndo I wouldn't worry even with the option I play at 30fps as the 4K mode offers so much more visually, it's the same for Rise of the Tomb Raider also. If it was a first person shooter I'd be using the 60fps option but for it's style of play I didn't feel it made as much difference. In either case its a great game when you get round to it.

N 'n' n are in a 20 year partnership. Switch is bound to evolve.

I'd like if the switch's hardware was upgraded every few years just so long as it kept backwards compatibility with existing games.

This should happen now. The Switch is fantastic but exclusive games aside its playing second fiddle with weak ports. If Nintendo want to truly reign like they say they do then the system needs to be more capable and to offer on par ports with the other systems. Give people a reason to not own multiple consoles.

Hope it does not get an iPhone "notch"...
There is a lot of room for improvement in the chipset; currently on 20nm and tegra X2 is 16nm. So you could see more performance per watt. This could mean higher framerates, higher resolution (with backscaling instead of AA) and more with the same battery life.

I definitely expect a a New Switch for second half 2019.

@WebHead That would make the switch just shy of 3 yrs, Not sure if their strategy is in modifying their hardware so soon but hey...this is Nintendo they are full of surprises.

I find it pretty sad when you have to talk about upgrading the processor of a Nintendo system. Nintendo should have built a better system to begin with. We'll see.

@Fake-E-Lee well said my man

@Cruznbaby85 This is very true and the Switch proves that fact a little more every day!

I wails buy an upgraded switch today if I could... give me one ASAP!

@RusevDay Zelda in HDR would probably give me a stroke from it’s beauty!

Maybe in a couple years, with other upgrades and improvements as well.
Perhaps more built in memory.

Maybe compatibility with 3DS/DS games? Wouldnt want the 3D part of course.

When do they put this finally to rest. The Tegra X2 is geared towards the Automotive market.

There isn't enough difference between the X1 and X2 for Nintendo to pay significantly more for the X2. It will hurt their bottomline too much, while the benefits are too minimal.

They are currently not even using 100% of the X1´s capabilities. Its barely locked at 50% in portable mode and 70% in docked mode.

The reason for this is battery life and heat generation. Running the X1 at 100% would mean the Switch needing to be thicker and heavier due to a larger heatsink and more powerful (and thus louder) fan!
Worse, the battery would last barely an hour before running out, if they clock the SoC any higher.

The Nintendo Switch is a portable console first, home console second. Hence, the trade offs.

NVidia´s own Shield TV is a home device in a larger housing and permanently connected to power outlet. That's why it can run at 100% clock speed.

I would get it provided you can transfer data to it.

I dunno. I do not think the New 3DS did remarkably well (or am I mistaken?). I am not a big fan of consoles in the same family with different specs. Better display, battery, design... fair enough. But different specs: really not a fan

As long as it just slotted into the existing peripherals and you could buy the tablet only as an upgrade and transfer everything onto the Pro. I’d be 100% in for a Pro version

I love my new 3DS that added SNES vc-titles and a few n3DS exclusive games like Xenoblade Chronicles 3D. I wouldn’t mind a beefier Switch — I would even want a thicker Switch that had a better GPU and bigger battery (for an extra hour of life?)

@CorvoRevo Digital Foundwy. Fwamewate analysis and zooming in on twees thwee hundwed percent to compare the diffewence in a deadpan boring fashion.

@BensonUii It better be announced in the next Direct and be available by E3 or no sale Nintendo!

Actually this has been a pretty decent comment section, my take is I wouldn't be surprised if even now there's R&D going on to figure out to how to improve power consumption and performance.

I would imagine Nintendo's priorities in all honesty would be geared towards battery life and a better screen first and foremost, I think they'll look at the sales of the upgrades to PS4 and Xbox and say to themselves that extra performance didn't exactly set the world alight now did it? It appeased a few nerds who sit in front of big TVs all day but that's about it.

But yeah I reckon there will be upgrades, just incremental and not heavily publicised, there is also the possibility they might bring out other Switch compatible devices as well though, what they'll be? who knows...

@AlternateButtons I think they looked good, but I had several moments in Breath of the Wild where my frame rate and game slowed down when big battles occurred. I’d want a better switch if it could look good and perform smoothly all the time.

Who cares what Digital Foundry CONSIDERS?
I CONSIDER that I want to be an astronaut.

While I already own a Nintendo Switch, I am not against upgrading in the future should a new version come out. Heck, that's what I did with the 3DS. I got the original 3DS shortly after it launched, but I upgraded to the New 3DS when it launched as well.

But I'd have to see what the price point is, first. I'm interested in upgrading to the Xbox One X, for example, but the hefty price point is a huge turnoff for me. I'd probably wait for it to come down in price before I bite the bullet. Same with a Switch Pro, unless I have a REALLY good reason to get one as soon as it launches.

Not yet. I know it's inevitable but I don't think they should release any upgrades for at least a few more years.

That said, I think it should be called the "Super Switch."

Inevitable, but not for another a couple of years - the Switch has only been out a year and Nintendo won’t rush it. Compatibility between systems is also a given - Nintendo wouldn’t alienate and segregate the original Switch owners. But when Switch Pro comes, I’ll welcome it - and please have HDR, it’s the best visual upgrade

I think I'd rather just wait for switch 2 to be honest, rather than a hardware revision I'd rather just have a direct sequel, but that should be years away yet.

I mean, as long as they implement cloud saves and such for system transfers, it'd end up okay, I'm sure.

@BARSAMAN Which is why the Super Nintendo underperformed the Sega Genesis--oh. Wait.

Or how the GameCube was weaker than the PS2--nvm it wasn't.

Don't spout that bull about Nintendo never being about graphical fidelity. That's something they started erroneously with the Wii.

@Cruznbaby85 this argument works both ways. The lack of power is also not king.

However, if Nintendo plans on stretching the lifespan of Switch beyond 5 years, as they've stated, that will not be happening solely with the current iteration of the Switch as we know it today.

@NoxAeturnus I'm guessing you didn't watch the video. Yes, they can. It's called the Tegra 2 chip and it would simply replace the Tegra 1 in the current Switch.

I love how everyone denouncing this speculation are current Switch owners. LOL buyers remorse much?

Honestly, I hope Nintendo does this literally because of you people. And I'll pre-order one the day they announce it too. A PS4 Pro caliber Switch? Yes please.

@gatorboi352

it wouldn't be ps4pro caliber. or even ps4.

there's still thermals to take into account. you just can't ramp up a system like that the same way you can with a cavernous console full o' fans.

but yeah, i'd buy one and just sell the old switch. being mobile it will have to iterate faster.

@gatorboi352 I actually didn't watch the video, but @NoxAeturnus already recanted his statement. So not much point in beating that point to death. However, it is important to note that the chip is the Tegra X1 and Tegra X2 - The Tegra/Tegra 2 were older chips. Like I said, I haven't watched the video, so perhaps they used the wrong names there as well.

As a current owner, I will see I agree with you that I hope Nintendo does release an updated console. No buyer's remorse here, but as you mentioned, if Nintendo wants support to go beyond 5 years for this system, there's just no way they'll make it on the current hardware - given it is already a bit dated.

@gatorboi352 So we're switching to 2011 tech? /s

(The Tegra 2 was a mobile processor back then, one of the first dual-core mobile processors. The Motorola Atrix being among the first crop. I know what you're talking about. I'm just poking fun at the naming. )

If they do ever produce an upgraded Switch, it would be a great idea to offer just the console unit with no dock or Joy-Con's. That'll save cost for people who already own it and have all that. It won't happen though because a few numpties would buy it despite not having the rest of the console to make use of it.

In 2020, YES ABSOLUTELY!!! Till then, it’s not needed at all, well tbf it could go longer then that but personally I’d be happy to pay for another after 3 years if I were to get a good power up.

I kind of think now that they have unified their handheld and console into one device Nintendo should treat the Switch like Apple treats the iPhone. By that I mean less as a specific piece of hardware more as the beginning of a unified Nintendo platform of which the all games belong. And then they should keep releasing new revisions that are more and more powerful but still run the same games. Maybe even on a schedule so we all are waiting breathlessly for the next big reveal.

I’m not sure they’ll actually do what I just described but I actually think it would be a nice way for us to get better hardware as time goes on while at the same time enjoying maybe up to a 10 year lifecycle for the Switch games themselves.

I do think it’s a matter of “when” not “if” that even if they do stick to a more traditional console lifecycle at some point in the next couple of years they’ll announce a lower price Switch TV or something that isn’t portable and can’t be “switched”. As anachronistic as it sounds they did come out with a 3ds without 3D.

They just have to wait for the platform to be well established enough that they don’t need to worry about it diminishing the cachet they’re enjoying due to the uniqueness of the switching idea. This will be a for the price drop segment of the market. The people who buy a system after the first big price drop.

Maybe before that, but again not if but when, there will be a mini switch for kids. All one piece, no removable joycons, smaller footprint. Lower cost, less breakable.

I dunno if this is a good idea or not. I mean, better power and stuff is good, but the Switch isn't a 3DS. I'm more comfortable upgrading a handheld than a console, even if it is a hybrid console. The only time I like upgrading consoles is if it's to a brand new one (like from Wii to Wii U [sort of]).

@gatorboi352 Well I hope you are patient, since you will be going to have to wait a hell long time. If ever.

The X2 is a very expensive SoC that is primarily targeted for the Automotive industry, not for game consoles.
The price isn't going to come down any time soon for some years to come.

Like I said in my earlier post. They aren't even utilising 100% of the X1 at the moment, its locked at 50% portable and 70% docked.

@MH4 I actually think they could have got a couple more years out of the Wii if they were more iterative with it. Maybe a new model wouldnt run the games in HD but it could have had HDMI and ups along along with an HD interface. Even Netflix in HD would have excited certain people.

Not everyone who used theirs as a Wii Sports machine would have cared but it could have created some new buzz around the brand and maybe even some momentum to carry them into the release of Wii U.

I imagine that there'll be at least some kind of revision around 2021 or something; four years after the original released. That way, early adopters won't be (completely) cheesed off (having got my Switch on launch day, I feel four years would be an ample amount of time), and Nintendo can revitalize the brand. I bet this'll go the new 3DS route, with a handful of exclusives, but all previous games being backwards compatible and having faster processing, a slightly bigger screen, the ability to transfer games and data to the new console, and maybe some extra bells and whistles to make it more enticing. If this is the case, I'll happily eventually upgrade.

Why are we talking about this, the Switch is literally only a year and 10 days old!

@Chandlero New, upgrade, if it involves me trying to sell the current Nintendo Switch for a better system, that’s not cool! Smartphones are one thing, a fun box is something else entirely for gamers with tight budgets.

@StarSurfer Nothing forces you to buy every new toy...

It cant do 2016 AAA games unless it drops down to 600p (DOOM) in 2 years the games will be a Slide Show.

But realistically - it starting to look like the Switch will just be mostly Indie games and old PS3 ports. So it will make no difference in the short term.

The entire "hybrid" nonsense will also vanish - people will see the Switch mostly as a handheld with a TV dock - raw power will be irrelevant at that point.

Switch at this point is pretty much maxed out in what it can do and the fact it isn't getting AAA ports at the same time as other consoles because of the need for massive tweaks a la Doom is a bit telling the system isn't really powerful enough. As a handheld it's great but when trying to use it at home it's basically just a Wii U all over again. Anything more ambitious than Mario Odyssey (which looks great mind you) and you see the Switch hit a wall. BOTW still doesn't have the best of framerates even now and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has the same issues and is pretty bad in handheld-only mode in terms of performance/graphics. So a revision would make sense. Maybe not this early but next year I can see it.

If I go by my own track record with Nintendo''s portables, I've always pounced on CONSIDERABLE iterations, such as: Never had a GBA until the GBA SP, or my jumps from DSPhat > DSLite > DSi and 3DSsmall > New 3DS XL. If they do any aesthetic or cosmetic changes on "Switch 2.0", then I will pass. But if there is considerable power increase on a newer iteration, then I will get it. As much as I don't want to agree with industry "experts", once the hype dies down into 2019, Nintendo will need to consider an upgrade before it's popularity completely wanes to avoid a mid-life-console crisis. Just my thoughts.

Of course the Switch will eventually get an upgraded version. I doubt it happens before 2019. My bet would be March 2020.

This year is definitely too soon. Even 2019 is pushing it.

Sony and MS got away with it because they waited 3-4 years for their hardware revisions, doing it so soon would make fans angry

That would be nice, especially if they can clean up the docked vs undocked issues.

People are hugely mistaken in one thing: the lack of current AAA games on Switch is not because of lack of power. As long as the publishers believe the game will sell, they’ll port ANY game to ANY system regardless of “perceived” power.
The main reason we’re not getting “current” AAA, and notice I emphasized current, is simply because those games weren’t being developed for Switch in the first place. Making games requires years and most (if not all) publishers thought the Switch was going to be just another Wii U, so they didn’t bother including it in their plans.
Now, they’ve seen that they were mistaken and are “now” starting to include the Switch in their publishing plans.
That’s why I’ve always said that 2018 will be a year for ports, with publishers rushing to take advantage releasing ports which are cheaper and faster to produce than completely new games.
Probably, the Switch won’t start seeing new AAA games until 2019.

@Vriess
if they feel they can no longer, then their interest in the platform will start to wain

As long as they're making money, their interest will remain as piqued as ever. Most third party games would be multiplatform releases anyways, and any game that can't run on the system wouldn't come anyways. But as long as the game can run they'll bring it.

We're not in the 90's and 2000's any more. Long console cycles are getting harder and harder to maintain

I'd say that's exactly the opposite of how it is. In the 90's and 2000's console cycles were shorter, not longer. The average console lifespan is increasing, not decreasing. As the mathematical curve of perceived improvement as a function of time levels off (diminishing returns, still increasing but at an ever-decreasing rate) it takes more time for technology to catch up enough to see the same leap as before. As a result, console generation lifespans are growing. We saw it with the 360, we saw it with PS3, we're seeing it again now with PS4 and X1 and 3DS, and even Nintendo is talking about extending the Switch lifespan.

As returns continue to diminish further, console cycles will continue to increase, to the point we're now seeing mid-gen upgrades used to help extend lifespans. And because returns have diminished so much, consumers are less anxious for the next leap because that leap isn't as big anymore. As a result they continue buying software for a longer time on current platforms. And as long as the software is selling the platform is still alive and viable.

Lastly, platform manufacturers (especially Nintendo) have to spend incredible amounts of money to launch a new platform. The research and development costs, and then the small install base and building support up over time (which means fewer royalties)... these companies want to extend the life spans as long as possible because there's simply little to gain by starting all over again from scratch.

I have expected for a while that we will eventually get a Switch Plus with improved performance, and a Switch light, smaller, more durable, and cheaper, to replace the 3DS as Nintendo's entry level machine. The only questions are when will it happen and what the actual names will be.

As long as the games scale and won't be released yet again in some "pro" form. That would be abhorrent.

Bring it on. I'm ready for it.

Though I’m not crazy about the idea, it’s hard to argue with DF’s logic under the circumstances. I guess time will tell. If it doesn’t happen for a long time though I’d be just fine with that.

I wouldn't mind having a Switch Pro or Switch SP with the Tegra 2.0 for better HD support and higher frame rates in a few years, I feel 2020 should be a good time to release the Nintendo Switch Pro.

Wanting more power on Switch goes to show ingratitude

@NoNameAtAll
I'm not saying they didn't have similar hardware in the past, I'm saying Nintendo never was about being the number one in graphical power. Once the real ratrace about the best hardware started they backed off and focused on gameplay. Like they should, it is a toy manufacturer after all..

@maruse
Sounds plausible man. Let's see if your vision becomes true and the real 3rd party AAA titles start rolling in from 2019 and beyond. Would be great if we get a couple of them.

Any chance for a "power up dock" ?

Nintendo might as well bypass all of the stupid things Microsoft and Sony do and go straight to Steam if they want to have more powerful hardware. This is beside the point that Digital Foundry is peeing in the wind.

My wallet would be wide open for a switch pro. Just update the dock. I didn't buy a 3DS until the "new" 3ds was released. Going by the upcoming software I won't be buying a switch anytime soon so if they release an upgraded version next year that works for me.

It's a year old.

Maybe have this talk when sales slow.

I bought a Switch day one. I have had zero buyer's remorse. What on Earth is some folk here wittering on about?

Hope they will update yea. Once every 3 years or something.

@GrailUK That's all he's got left.

I think if we see anything there will be a mid-cycle updgrade to bump all games to 1080 60fps HDR docked, and maybe some improvements undocked (but NOT at the cost of battery life)...

it’ll be a nice bump for those that want it and to push the system again after a few years, but shouldn’t annoy anyone already with a Switch or pose any issue for developers.

The actual form of the hardware I think will go unchanged until an actual Switch successor (which I suspect won’t be all that different either).

Like many already mentioned, I'm cool with this in 3+ years, but not yet. I literally just bought my Switch last weekend. Plus the Switch is powerful and will become more powerful as devs become used to the machine.

The lack of AAA games is not about power, is more about games weren't being developed for the system because why would you?

WiiU failure is the reason, while i reckon that i saw the Switch potential right from the reveal (they got that right) it wasn't going to be easy to tell investors and game developers to put their games onthe Switch. WiiU made everyone second thought about support a different system from Nintendo, it was down to Nintendo to show that the Switch is a capable system that can sell (I hardly believe developers actually care about power if they are selling millions) games.

Everyone was afraid of another failure by Nintendo, would you be that supportive of a systme if history told you otherwise? At least i would not have support the Switch right away consindering what happened with the WiiU, is that simple.

Now that the Switch is a super success we have started to see more and more games coming, and we should see even more in the future.

Assuming they keep the same form factor, they could sell just the tablet part of the Switch Pro on its own for like $150 and let you use your existing dock and joycons.

Power isn't everything.

I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer that they stick with the Switch as it is. I hate the upgrade every two years model with the phones and I really hope it doesn't appear with consoles.

Unless it is a minor thing like the new 3DS, but if it is a big difference simply move to the Switch 2.

I was wondering, would it be possible for Nintendo to give the switch upgrades through the cartridges like the SNES?

Nintendo has already stated that they will be supporting the current switch for 8 to 10 years. With how successful the switch has been doing i don't see Nintendo doing a hardware revision for consumers any time soon. Maybe in 2022 we will see a Nintendo switch pro.

@GoodBytes Thank you for this info. I'm not really into tech like that, and had no clue that it wouldn't be possible. I guess I can still dream of "What if". haha I just remember reading somewhere before it came out that it might have a co-processor in the dock and have kept that dream alive.

Thanks again!

New Nvidia Xavier SOC: CPU: Nvidia custom Carmel ARMv8.2-A (64-bit), 8 cores 10-wide superscalar and GPU: Volta-based, 512 CUDA cores with 1.4 TFLOPS.