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Is It Incredibly Dumb to Buy a Nintendo Switch in Late 2018?

Go to solution Solved by LinusTech,

I love my Switch, but my use case is a little unique. Gaming while sitting down isn't really doable for me and something I can take with me on the go makes a ton more sense. 

Hey forum,

 

To start this off, I've always been a PC gamer. I've played all my games on PC up until this point, and I still love PC as a gaming platform. When the Nintendo Switch launched last year, its disappointing library of titles and shaky initial launch made me completely disregard buying it. Fast-forward to today, as of now, it seems like a much more full and fleshed-out experience. My half brother recently bought one, and I've played a little bit on it, and I really liked it. The 720p screen doesn't seem blurry at all at 6.2", the joy-cons feel really nice with very clicky buttons, and the roster of games has been greatly expanded to some of my all-time favorites like Rocket League, while also having awesome exclusives like Zelda and Super Mario Odyssey. It also happens to be black Friday in less than a month, so there might be some good deals. Am I clinically insane? Should I consider buying it? Will it be worth owning a PC, and a Switch? Many questions, few answers. 

 

Thanks in advance!

Main PC:

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X • Noctua NH-D15 • MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk • 2x8GB G.skill Trident Z Neo 3600MHz CL16 • MSI VENTUS 3X GeForce RTX 3070 OC • Samsung 970 Evo 1TB • Samsung 860 Evo 1TB • Cosair iCUE 465X RGB • Corsair RMx 750W (White)

 

Peripherals/Other:

ASUS VG27AQ • G PRO K/DA • G502 Hero K/DA • G733 K/DA • G840 K/DA • Oculus Quest 2 • Nintendo Switch (Rev. 2)

 

Laptop (Dell XPS 13):

Intel Core i7-1195G7 • Intel Iris Xe Graphics • 16GB LPDDR4x 4267MHz • 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD • 13.4" OLED 3.5K InfinityEdge Display (3456x2160, 400nit, touch). 

 

Got any questions about my system or peripherals? Feel free to tag me (@bellabichon) and I'll be happy to give you my two cents. 

 

PSA: Posting a PCPartPicker list with no explanation isn't helpful for first-time builders :)

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1 minute ago, Canada EH said:

If you like it then buy it.

Seriously, dude? Okay then.

Main PC:

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X • Noctua NH-D15 • MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk • 2x8GB G.skill Trident Z Neo 3600MHz CL16 • MSI VENTUS 3X GeForce RTX 3070 OC • Samsung 970 Evo 1TB • Samsung 860 Evo 1TB • Cosair iCUE 465X RGB • Corsair RMx 750W (White)

 

Peripherals/Other:

ASUS VG27AQ • G PRO K/DA • G502 Hero K/DA • G733 K/DA • G840 K/DA • Oculus Quest 2 • Nintendo Switch (Rev. 2)

 

Laptop (Dell XPS 13):

Intel Core i7-1195G7 • Intel Iris Xe Graphics • 16GB LPDDR4x 4267MHz • 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD • 13.4" OLED 3.5K InfinityEdge Display (3456x2160, 400nit, touch). 

 

Got any questions about my system or peripherals? Feel free to tag me (@bellabichon) and I'll be happy to give you my two cents. 

 

PSA: Posting a PCPartPicker list with no explanation isn't helpful for first-time builders :)

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2 minutes ago, bellabichon said:

Seriously, dude? Okay then.

Yes seriously dude!

 

If you are interested in it, and you can afford it, then buy it.

 

Always a caveat

 

Always

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Just now, Canada EH said:

Yes seriously dude!

 

If you are interested in it, and you can afford it, then buy it.

 

Always a caveat

 

Always

I don't think that's necessarily true. I have the means to buy it, I am interested in it, but I was wondering if anyone had any opinions or information that I hadn't considered yet. I think that was pretty evident in my original post. You obviously have a very strong opinion on the matter, so i'll take that into account. 

Main PC:

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X • Noctua NH-D15 • MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk • 2x8GB G.skill Trident Z Neo 3600MHz CL16 • MSI VENTUS 3X GeForce RTX 3070 OC • Samsung 970 Evo 1TB • Samsung 860 Evo 1TB • Cosair iCUE 465X RGB • Corsair RMx 750W (White)

 

Peripherals/Other:

ASUS VG27AQ • G PRO K/DA • G502 Hero K/DA • G733 K/DA • G840 K/DA • Oculus Quest 2 • Nintendo Switch (Rev. 2)

 

Laptop (Dell XPS 13):

Intel Core i7-1195G7 • Intel Iris Xe Graphics • 16GB LPDDR4x 4267MHz • 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD • 13.4" OLED 3.5K InfinityEdge Display (3456x2160, 400nit, touch). 

 

Got any questions about my system or peripherals? Feel free to tag me (@bellabichon) and I'll be happy to give you my two cents. 

 

PSA: Posting a PCPartPicker list with no explanation isn't helpful for first-time builders :)

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Not strong but it may seem that way. If the sale is good and you have the means it might just be the ticket. I have seen the unit and it is not my style. But I do buy every gaming system there is, sometimes I buy them twice, one for my place one for the ex's.

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I love my Switch, but my use case is a little unique. Gaming while sitting down isn't really doable for me and something I can take with me on the go makes a ton more sense. 

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I have a PC and a switch, and the switch is nice for when I am not at home. When i am home, I dont use it.

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I was sort of considering getting to just because of its portibaleness to it.

Would it be a good idea to get a capture card for my PC for consoles that i have? i was thinking  a PCI-e for HDMI and PCI for AV and Coaxial (for my snes) i dont have a TV in my room

 

 

I'm gonna go find my own tech support...

with BLACKJACK and HOOKERS!

(Welcome to LTT Forums)

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If it is then I'm a dumbass since I got one a couple of days ago lol. I gotta say I'm enjoying the hell out of Super Mario Odyssey on it. Switch has games I can't get on other systems so I had to have one now. Plus it has some really cool announced games in development like Shin Megami Tensei V, Fire Emblem Three Houses, Bayonetta 3, and Metroid Prime 4.

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16 hours ago, bellabichon said:

To start this off, I've always been a PC gamer. I've played all my games on PC up until this point, and I still love PC as a gaming platform. When the Nintendo Switch launched last year, its disappointing library of titles and shaky initial launch made me completely disregard buying it. Fast-forward to today, as of now, it seems like a much more full and fleshed-out experience. My half brother recently bought one, and I've played a little bit on it, and I really liked it. The 720p screen doesn't seem blurry at all at 6.2", the joy-cons feel really nice with very clicky buttons, and the roster of games has been greatly expanded to some of my all-time favorites like Rocket League, while also having awesome exclusives like Zelda and Super Mario Odyssey. It also happens to be black Friday in less than a month, so there might be some good deals. Am I clinically insane?

Not at all. The Switch is a great system. Is it perfect? No. but it is still very good, and is powered by a nice library of games as you noted. And, despite its, now, paying online service, and lack of voice chat on most online games, it has a strong line of local co-op gaming which is excellent if you get friends over, or playing with family who are into gaming.

(Overcooked 1 and 2, Snipper Clip, Mario Kart, Smash Brothers, etc.)

 

The only thing that is worrisome, is that, maybe, Nintendo might release a refresh of the console. And with Nintendo we just don't know.. it could be the same system, with some revision SoC, but nothing new in performance (if the chip is faster, then it is down clocked for similar performance, in favor of battery life gains), and maybe increase in built-in storage... so no deal breaker. To actually a faster console, with a larger screen (thinner borders). Hard to say with Nintendo, sadly. Rumors suggest the later. But you may wait next year for something, or longer. Or maybe, like its home console, you may get nothing, and the rumors were all false.

 

My advice, if it bugs you, get a screen protector (my suggestion is a thin glass screen protector for smoother finger sliding action, and 0 tint even on angles), to ensure no scratches on the unit, and if there is a new model that comes out, and if you are interested in it, you can maybe resale it, and recoup part of the cost. Mind you, if everyone does it, and no one is interested in the older model, then you are in not even getting 100$.

 

16 hours ago, bellabichon said:

Should I consider buying it? Will it be worth owning a PC, and a Switch? Many questions, few answers. 

I have both. And honestly I always had both (game console + PC). I enjoy the exclusive games on the console, in the case of the Switch, I enjoy playing games on my bed, sofa, and on the go. I have this flexibility which I don't on my PC. Especially that I sit all day, due to my job, it is real nice, not to sit on a chair and enjoy playing games. Of course, I am smart about i. I won't buy Doom on the Switch at 60$, when it is on PC, runs far superior on my system for a few dollars (if I were to buy it today).

 

Just keep in mind something: Nintendo games... does not drop in price. The only time I saw a price drop on Nintendo games, was games, on the WiiU, after the Switch was released, and even then, it is like 10$ less. yay?! Correction: 1-2-Switch dropped in price... but no one buys this game, and still overpriced with its lower price.

 

Here is an excellent video on this:

 

 

 

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14 hours ago, LinusTech said:

I love my Switch, but my use case is a little unique. Gaming while sitting down isn't really doable for me and something I can take with me on the go makes a ton more sense. 

I think that's a fairly common use-case for the switch. I'm a student with an 1 hour+ commute, so gaming on the go is a major plus. Thanks for the reply!

Main PC:

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X • Noctua NH-D15 • MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk • 2x8GB G.skill Trident Z Neo 3600MHz CL16 • MSI VENTUS 3X GeForce RTX 3070 OC • Samsung 970 Evo 1TB • Samsung 860 Evo 1TB • Cosair iCUE 465X RGB • Corsair RMx 750W (White)

 

Peripherals/Other:

ASUS VG27AQ • G PRO K/DA • G502 Hero K/DA • G733 K/DA • G840 K/DA • Oculus Quest 2 • Nintendo Switch (Rev. 2)

 

Laptop (Dell XPS 13):

Intel Core i7-1195G7 • Intel Iris Xe Graphics • 16GB LPDDR4x 4267MHz • 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD • 13.4" OLED 3.5K InfinityEdge Display (3456x2160, 400nit, touch). 

 

Got any questions about my system or peripherals? Feel free to tag me (@bellabichon) and I'll be happy to give you my two cents. 

 

PSA: Posting a PCPartPicker list with no explanation isn't helpful for first-time builders :)

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Just now, bellabichon said:

I think that's a fairly common use-case for the switch. I'm a student with an 1 hour+ commute, so gaming on the go is a major plus. Thanks for the reply!

So then, there you. The perfect system for it, with many of its games.

The system can be turned off at any time, and turned on, and resume where you left you at any time (as long as you don't switch games or microSD card)

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15 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

The only thing that is worrisome, is that, maybe, Nintendo might release a refresh of the console.

Thank you for bringing this up. This one one of the major reasons I was reluctant to go out and buy it. If Nintendo releases a Switch XL, Switch 2, etc it would suck to end up with the outdated version. 

 

14 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

My advice, if it bugs you, get a screen protector (my suggestion is a thin glass screen protector for smoother finger sliding action, and 0 tint even on angles), to ensure no scratches on the unit, and if there is a new model that comes out, and if you are interested in it, you can maybe resale it, and recoup part of the cost. Mind you, if everyone does it, and no one is interested in the older model, then you are in not even getting 100$.

Totally didn't think of that! Like you said, if I manage to keep it in pretty good condition, I might be able to get a pretty penny for it. 

 

16 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Just keep in mind something: Nintendo games... does not drop in price. The only time I saw a price drop on Nintendo games, was games, on the WiiU, after the Switch was released, and even then, it is like 10$ less. yay?! Correction: 1-2-Switch dropped in price... but no one buys this game, and still overpriced with its lower price.

That's something else that made me question whether or not to buy. I'm used to PC game prices, and I very rarely buy AAA games so it might be a bit of a shock for me. I also happen to live in Canadia, so most switch games are $80 here. Yikes.

 

Main PC:

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X • Noctua NH-D15 • MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk • 2x8GB G.skill Trident Z Neo 3600MHz CL16 • MSI VENTUS 3X GeForce RTX 3070 OC • Samsung 970 Evo 1TB • Samsung 860 Evo 1TB • Cosair iCUE 465X RGB • Corsair RMx 750W (White)

 

Peripherals/Other:

ASUS VG27AQ • G PRO K/DA • G502 Hero K/DA • G733 K/DA • G840 K/DA • Oculus Quest 2 • Nintendo Switch (Rev. 2)

 

Laptop (Dell XPS 13):

Intel Core i7-1195G7 • Intel Iris Xe Graphics • 16GB LPDDR4x 4267MHz • 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD • 13.4" OLED 3.5K InfinityEdge Display (3456x2160, 400nit, touch). 

 

Got any questions about my system or peripherals? Feel free to tag me (@bellabichon) and I'll be happy to give you my two cents. 

 

PSA: Posting a PCPartPicker list with no explanation isn't helpful for first-time builders :)

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6 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

microSD card

To piggyback on that, do you think it's worth it to upgrade my storage? 32gb isn't much. 

Main PC:

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X • Noctua NH-D15 • MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk • 2x8GB G.skill Trident Z Neo 3600MHz CL16 • MSI VENTUS 3X GeForce RTX 3070 OC • Samsung 970 Evo 1TB • Samsung 860 Evo 1TB • Cosair iCUE 465X RGB • Corsair RMx 750W (White)

 

Peripherals/Other:

ASUS VG27AQ • G PRO K/DA • G502 Hero K/DA • G733 K/DA • G840 K/DA • Oculus Quest 2 • Nintendo Switch (Rev. 2)

 

Laptop (Dell XPS 13):

Intel Core i7-1195G7 • Intel Iris Xe Graphics • 16GB LPDDR4x 4267MHz • 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD • 13.4" OLED 3.5K InfinityEdge Display (3456x2160, 400nit, touch). 

 

Got any questions about my system or peripherals? Feel free to tag me (@bellabichon) and I'll be happy to give you my two cents. 

 

PSA: Posting a PCPartPicker list with no explanation isn't helpful for first-time builders :)

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25 minutes ago, bellabichon said:

That's something else that made me question whether or not to buy. I'm used to PC game prices, and I very rarely buy AAA games so it might be a bit of a shock for me. I also happen to live in Canadia, so most switch games are $80 here. Yikes.

Ah yes, now I paid attention to your location. Yup it is 80$ in Canada... 60$ * ~1.30 (conversion rate) = 80$. Fun.... :/

 

But honestly, I always got great value and fun out of them, even the DLCs (which are, most of them, actual game expansion packs). Mind you, I only buy non-spin off games (IE: I do not buy: Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, Mario Tennis, Mario Party, etc.). That said, I still check reviews and game play before making judgement, beside on games I know I'll enjoy for sure (ex: Zelda, 3D Mario games).

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1 hour ago, bellabichon said:

To piggyback on that, do you think it's worth it to upgrade my storage? 32gb isn't much. 

Yes. But I don't think it is a requirement for you to buy day 1, especially if your early games are on cartridges.

And you don't need to buy super fast, super fancy microSD either. The system won't take advantage of it. McroSDXC UHS-I U1 Class 10 A1 is plenty fast for the Switch already.

 

This is what I got:

https://www.amazon.ca/SanDisk-Ultra-microSDXC-Adapter-SDSQUAR-128G-GN6MA/dp/B073JYC4XM/

Good price, lots of capacity.

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3 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Yes. But I don't think it is a requirement for you to buy day 1, especially if your early games are on cartridges.

And you don't need to buy super fast, super fancy microSD either. The system won't take advantage of it. McroSDXC UHS-I U1 Class 10 A1 is plenty fast for the Switch already.

 

This is what I got:

https://www.amazon.ca/SanDisk-Ultra-microSDXC-Adapter-SDSQUAR-128G-GN6MA/dp/B073JYC4XM/

Good price, lots of capacity.

Thanks for the reply. That's a really good price for that capacity. Damn, I haven't bought an SD card in a few years, but that's a hell of a lot cheaper than the last one I bought. That's definitely nice to have as an option, so thanks again. 

Main PC:

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X • Noctua NH-D15 • MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk • 2x8GB G.skill Trident Z Neo 3600MHz CL16 • MSI VENTUS 3X GeForce RTX 3070 OC • Samsung 970 Evo 1TB • Samsung 860 Evo 1TB • Cosair iCUE 465X RGB • Corsair RMx 750W (White)

 

Peripherals/Other:

ASUS VG27AQ • G PRO K/DA • G502 Hero K/DA • G733 K/DA • G840 K/DA • Oculus Quest 2 • Nintendo Switch (Rev. 2)

 

Laptop (Dell XPS 13):

Intel Core i7-1195G7 • Intel Iris Xe Graphics • 16GB LPDDR4x 4267MHz • 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD • 13.4" OLED 3.5K InfinityEdge Display (3456x2160, 400nit, touch). 

 

Got any questions about my system or peripherals? Feel free to tag me (@bellabichon) and I'll be happy to give you my two cents. 

 

PSA: Posting a PCPartPicker list with no explanation isn't helpful for first-time builders :)

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5 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Yes. But I don't think it is a requirement for you to buy day 1, especially if your early games are on cartridges.

And you don't need to buy super fast, super fancy microSD either. The system won't take advantage of it. McroSDXC UHS-I U1 Class 10 A1 is plenty fast for the Switch already.

 

This is what I got:

https://www.amazon.ca/SanDisk-Ultra-microSDXC-Adapter-SDSQUAR-128G-GN6MA/dp/B073JYC4XM/

Good price, lots of capacity.

I think I read installs were faster on U3 rated microSD but that the difference in load times is negligible. So I have no plans to buy a new expensive microSD when I have a spare U1 64GB that I can throw in mine.

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On 11/5/2018 at 5:03 AM, bellabichon said:

Should I consider buying it?

Yes, of course!
If there are Games you like and absolutely want to play, there is no reason to not buy a system.

 

On 11/5/2018 at 5:03 AM, bellabichon said:

Will it be worth owning a PC, and a Switch?

Yes, of course!
PC for PC Games that play best on Mouse and Keyboard.

And/or offer graphical advantages on PC (60fps, and/or higher details)...

Console for console Games.

 

A console is best as an addition to a PC, to extend the libary of games you want to play.

12 hours ago, bellabichon said:

To piggyback on that, do you think it's worth it to upgrade my storage? 32gb isn't much. 

Depends on your primary way of purchase.

If you use the Cartdridges, I'm not sure.

If you use the eShop, you have to.

"Hell is full of good meanings, but Heaven is full of good works"

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Honestly when it comes to software and games library you are not going to have a problem at all.  Theres quality physical and eshop titles out there for just about anyone with more coming big highlight being Smash 5 and Metroid Prime 4 among others.  Good amount of fighters and rpgs and indie titles.  Its convenient and OS is snappy and clean. 

 

Question is do you want to sink 300 dollars into it now with the Switch revision/ "New" Nintendo Switch supposedly coming out early next year?

 

 

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4 hours ago, LordOTaco said:

Question is do you want to sink 300 dollars into it now with the Switch revision/ "New" Nintendo Switch supposedly coming out early next year?

That's exactly what I was thinking. Where have you heard about the "New" Switch? I've done a small amount of research, but I haven't been able to find anything other than vague rumors. 

Main PC:

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X • Noctua NH-D15 • MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk • 2x8GB G.skill Trident Z Neo 3600MHz CL16 • MSI VENTUS 3X GeForce RTX 3070 OC • Samsung 970 Evo 1TB • Samsung 860 Evo 1TB • Cosair iCUE 465X RGB • Corsair RMx 750W (White)

 

Peripherals/Other:

ASUS VG27AQ • G PRO K/DA • G502 Hero K/DA • G733 K/DA • G840 K/DA • Oculus Quest 2 • Nintendo Switch (Rev. 2)

 

Laptop (Dell XPS 13):

Intel Core i7-1195G7 • Intel Iris Xe Graphics • 16GB LPDDR4x 4267MHz • 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD • 13.4" OLED 3.5K InfinityEdge Display (3456x2160, 400nit, touch). 

 

Got any questions about my system or peripherals? Feel free to tag me (@bellabichon) and I'll be happy to give you my two cents. 

 

PSA: Posting a PCPartPicker list with no explanation isn't helpful for first-time builders :)

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I always say if it's got stuff on it you wanna play, get it. The "I already have a PC" comment has never made sense to me. I've got a ton of consoles as well as two gaming PCs. It's always worth it to get a console/handheld that has games you want to play.

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12 minutes ago, bellabichon said:

That's exactly what I was thinking. Where have you heard about the "New" Switch? I've done a small amount of research, but I haven't been able to find anything other than vague rumors. 

Vague rumors, which also suggest late 2019 release.

What is said to be is the same Switch design, but with more storage built-in (which is perfectly possible, as storage price continues to drop), so maybe it will have 64GB (my guess) built-in, yay?!. But more interestingly, the Tegra X2 chip instead of the X1 (which can be downclocked for longer battery life and reduce heat, and have about the same performance, or just bring in more performance) and 8GB of RAM instead of 4GB.

 

Currently, the dev kits of the Switch has the same hardware, maybe (my guess) the Tegra X1 runs at full speed instead of reduced CPU speed even when docked, and has 8GB of RAM. But that is more to handle dev tools, and be able to run the game in debug mode (costs performance), to help them diagnose bugs and issue.

 

Personally, I think, if there is a Switch revision 2, I think it will be the same thing as now, but 900p games when docked can run at 1080p, games with dynamic resolution can run more often at higher resolution, the added memory bandwidth of the Tegra X2 and quantity, will allow a bit higher resolution textures to be used (but will they? As high capacity cartridges costs more, or we will see more games where the cartridge has a fraction of the game, and the rest is acquired online (so might as well get the game from the online store, anyways...), and games run a tad smoother for those who had a bit trouble keeping up 30fps or 60fps.

 

Definitely nice, but I don't expect Nintendo will make it so that it is vastly superior. Now I could be wrong.. but Nintendo has not been interested in making super powerful hardware. Technically the Switch was supposed to have 3GB of RAM (2GB for RAM), and I think they only put 4GB, because games studios, especially Capcom, pushed Nintendo to add another 1GB to it, and probably they bent down due to the WiiU lack of third party support and poor sales.

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