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[Updated] According to the WSJ Nintendo have started production on the 2 rumoured new Switch models - New Image?

Master Disaster

Update - 21/06

A Chinese company has released a "render"* of the mini switch but are claiming that although they haven't seen the product first hand their image is based on secret information they have. Essentially it's not 100% accurate but should be very close to the final product...

 

*Usual dose of salt applies

 

nintendo-switch-mini-new-1.jpg.6136f48cac61b619b10d674af8acf850.jpg

 

Original post:

I'm not sourcing from the WSJ, I won't pay for news.

 

It seems as though Nintendo have moved Switch production away from China, probably in response to the current trade war. More exciting though is the rumour that production on the new Switch models has officially begun. One will be bigger and more powerful, the other smaller and having non detachable joycons.

Quote

According to the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo is currently moving its production sites away from China, to an undisclosed location in South East Asia. The reason behind this move is the trade war between China and the US, with tariffs now applying to all Chinese-made electronic products. The WSJ is also revealing that two new models have entered production: a new, more powerful system that will resemble the current one; and a second "lite" model that will be sold at a cheaper price and look somewhat different.

Here's a quote from the WSJ

Quote

The Wall Street Journal reported in March that Nintendo planned to update the Switch this year with two new models. One is set to look similar to the current model with beefed-up components, while the other is expected to be a less-expensive model with a new look.


People involved in the supply chain said production in Southeast Asia has started for the Switch, including the current type and the two new models, suggesting Nintendo is getting ready to introduce them soon. They didn’t give specific volume figures but said Nintendo wanted to have enough units to sell in the U.S., the largest market for videogame consoles, when the new products go on the market.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/rumor-two-switch-hardware-revisions-entering-production.541000/

 

My money is on a Holiday 19 release. If the previous rumour is correct the old Switch will get a price drop, the more powerful one will be launched at the current models price and the smaller one will be the cheapest. Apparently the ultimate aim is to have the smaller model replace the DS as Nintendos cheap handheld for kids though that probably won't happen for a while.

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But does it have RTX?

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3 hours ago, huilun02 said:

Production probably went to Vietnam

Although I would not even begin to consider a Switch unless its built like a proper mobile device instead of the plastic kid's toy

It's a $300 game console meant for everyone from 6-year-olds to 96-year-olds... I'm not sure what you were expecting, a glass back and stainless steel Joy-Cons?

 

It feels just fine; it doesn't creak or otherwise feel cheap.  And I'd rather, y'know, have fun playing games on the Switch than fuss over material choices.  Radical concept, I know!

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If it's indeed more powerful I'd really like to know what's inside it. There isn't any obvious upgrade path.

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11 minutes ago, Trixanity said:

If it's indeed more powerful I'd really like to know what's inside it. There isn't any obvious upgrade path.

Tegra X2?

The ability to google properly is a skill of its own. 

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1 hour ago, huilun02 said:

Glass with larger screen coverage, higher brightness IPS screen for outdoor use, aluminium body, 4g modem.

Couldn't care less about the detachable stuff.

Y'know, stuff easily found on a ~$200 budget 2016 Chinese smartphone?

For what it is, it's fine. However, the price on the Switch (currently) is far too high for me to ever consider. Needs to be at $150 or lower, brand new.

My eyes see the past…

My camera lens sees the present…

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1 hour ago, huilun02 said:

Glass with larger screen coverage, higher brightness IPS screen for outdoor use, aluminium body, 4g modem.

Couldn't care less about the detachable stuff.

Y'know, stuff easily found on a ~$200 budget 2016 Chinese smartphone?

The detachable controllers are the whole point of the console.  Nintendo didn't call it the Switch just for kicks, and they genuinely make it more flexible and accommodating of different play styles.

 

Also, you do know that the controller tech, docking and other things cost money, right?  That the Switch you want would probably cost $400 or more and wouldn't get nearly as many buyers?  For that matter, try telling parents that they're going to have to pay a monthly bill to keep Junior's Switch connected to LTE and see how that goes down.

 

What fascinates me is that you just can't... enjoy something for what it is.  That's a pretty sad way to live your life.

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1 hour ago, huilun02 said:

Couldn't care less about the detachable stuff.

Meaning it's a portable only device that can't be used unless you have a separate controller, which breaks the whole purpose, as well as using it on the go to play some simple games with mates on 1 controller.

The ability to google properly is a skill of its own. 

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Damn, i really love the switch, might even shill out for the "pro" version.

 

Who gives a shit whats its made of? It could literally be made of shit and sticks and would still provide arguably the most fun games there are.

 

 

edit: blaze it

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1 hour ago, huilun02 said:

 

I meant that the detachable controllers are fine as they are currently.

The Switch was a success and I have no problem with that.

Its just that I don't see it being any more than a toy with the build quality and how locked down it is with regards to functionality.

 

I could imagine a Moto Z3 Play with upgraded SoC and relocated mod connectors being a far superior product where quality is concerned.

Having a 4G modem doesn't force the user to have a postpaid mobile subscription... its just so we don't have to resort to stupid ways to give it internet access while outdoors.

 

Maybe if Nintendo was actually aware of the demographics of the people most attracted to the more noteworthy games for this console...

Like, already working adults who are willing to pay lots for decades old IP that they grew up with during childhood...?

 

And before you jump to conclusions, might want to have a look a the Z3 Play's price and features...

It's a video game console aimed at a wide audience.  It's not supposed to be a general-purpose tablet; parents may actually prefer that limitation.

 

And yes, you're not required to have cellular connection, but you know what including an LTE modem does?  It hikes the price significantly, both through the actual chip costs and the patents.  Also, there's this not-so-small matter of battery life.  The Switch only lasts a few hours at best on WiFi... do you really think it's going to be viable on LTE?

 

I'd also say that Nintendo is very much aware of the demographics of the Switch.  Hence why the system continues to sell well and why the company hasn't given up on designing kid-friendly games even as it expands its audience.  It's funny, actually, you think you know more about a console's demographics than the company making it... the company that has the sales data, market research and other info that can tell it just who's buying.

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Seems to make sense and the current model being the middle ground base model.  

 

Not sure how much they will strip it down for the lower end model smaller screen maybe and smaller overall

 

 

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Do I sell my switch now? 

 

Last Time I sold something before it was officially announced was when I sold my OG Shield Portable when the rumors of a Portable 2 started coming out. It ended up being some crappy tablet... Wish I never had sold that portable. Nvidia has yet to come out with something that wowed me like the portable did.

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4 hours ago, Bouzoo said:

Tegra X2?

Not sure how much of an upgrade it is. It depends on whether it can avoid throttling like the current X1 does (allegedly). If it behaves the same it could end up almost being a sidegrade.

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5 hours ago, huilun02 said:

Glass with larger screen coverage, higher brightness IPS screen for outdoor use, aluminium body, 4g modem.

Couldn't care less about the detachable stuff.

Y'know, stuff easily found on a ~$200 budget 2016 Chinese smartphone?

Remember those Sony Xperia Plays? Those were really cool.

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53 minutes ago, Trixanity said:

Not sure how much of an upgrade it is. It depends on whether it can avoid throttling like the current X1 does (allegedly). If it behaves the same it could end up almost being a sidegrade.

Hard to say how much the GPU is throttling, but the X2 can still clock almost 500MHz higher and has double the memory bandwidth that the X1 has at the same TDP. It also has the additional high performance Denver cores that Nintendo could use for software features, and leave the A57 cluster for games.

 

I don't think we'd see a performance bump like that of the Xbox One to the Xbox One X at all, it'd be a lot more modest and promote efficiency, features, and maybe more demanding games (like DOOM) could scale resolutions up a bit more than previously.

if you have to insist you think for yourself, i'm not going to believe you.

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13 hours ago, Master Disaster said:

One will be bigger and more powerful, the other smaller and having non detachable joycons.

Looks like the end for the 3DS. This may have been obvious given it's lack of new game announcements at E3, but a smaller Switch will likely be its replacement. Damn.

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7 hours ago, Commodus said:

And yes, you're not required to have cellular connection, but you know what including an LTE modem does?  It hikes the price significantly, both through the actual chip costs and the patents.  Also, there's this not-so-small matter of battery life.  The Switch only lasts a few hours at best on WiFi... do you really think it's going to be viable on LTE?

I think a good example here of how cellular networking can drain battery life on a mobile gaming device along with hike its price up, would be comparing the WiFi-only Vita 1000 against the 3G+WiFi Vita 1000, using reviews from back in the day if possible.

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6 hours ago, BigDamn said:

Looks like the end for the 3DS. This may have been obvious given it's lack of new game announcements at E3, but a smaller Switch will likely be its replacement. Damn.

According to the rumours from February that's the long term plan yes.

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18 hours ago, huilun02 said:

Glass with larger screen coverage, higher brightness IPS screen for outdoor use, aluminium body, 4g modem.

Couldn't care less about the detachable stuff.

Y'know, stuff easily found on a ~$200 budget 2016 Chinese smartphone?

It doesn't feel cheap at all.. it's made of plastic... like the other game consoles (cause yes, the Switch is still a console).

As for your $200 chinese budget smartphone (especially from 2016).  It has nowhere near the power of the Switch.

 

15 hours ago, huilun02 said:

 

I meant that the detachable controllers are fine as they are currently.

The Switch was a success and I have no problem with that.

Its just that I don't see it being any more than a toy with the build quality and how locked down it is with regards to functionality.

 

I could imagine a Moto Z3 Play with upgraded SoC and relocated mod connectors being a far superior product where quality is concerned.

Having a 4G modem doesn't force the user to have a postpaid mobile subscription... its just so we don't have to resort to stupid ways to give it internet access while outdoors.

 

Maybe if Nintendo was actually aware of the demographics of the people most attracted to the more noteworthy games for this console...

Like, already working adults who are willing to pay lots for decades old IP that they grew up with during childhood...?

 

And before you jump to conclusions, might want to have a look a the Z3 Play's price and features...

The build quality isn't a major issue.. certain design aspects were, such as the dock.  Sure.

 

Also, your argument doesn't hold up with Nintendo not knowing the demographics for the Switch.  34.47 million units have been sold since it's release in 2017.  In two years it's sold faster than the PS4 and Xbox One did in the same amount of time (at their respective release dates).

You can't honestly think that kids are the only ones buying these.  Look anywhere online, adults are buying the crap out of the Switch also, and it's not just parents buying it for little Jimmy.

 

Also you keep comparing it to tablets and smartphones.  People have to remember this isn't a tablet killer.  The only things the Switch has in common is it's Tegra X1, a touchscreen (which even the Wii U had a touchscreen, so eh) and that it's portable.  

But by that argument we should compare the 3DS to a smartphone, cause it had a touchscreen, mobile SoC, and was portable.

Can the Switch do with a few more multimedia apps? Yes.  Netflix for example would be an amazing edition. (and should be there)

But it doesn't need all the functions of a tablet or phone.  It's not competing with tablets or phones.  It's not trying to be either.  The Switch is very much competing with the Xbox One and PS4.  

36 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

And how much does the phone I mentioned costs? Yes having a mobile internet connection will also drain battery life. You know whats worse than that? Having your phone tethered to a console and both device battery gets drained. If you don't put in a SIM card, there is no impact on battery life...

 

I'm not making any demands here. If I don't like the product then I just don't buy it, end of story. But making suggestions to people who vehemently defend Nintendo's lackluster design choices is like arguing with blind Apple fanboys...

 

The mobile industry has proven that they can make an elegant, quality built product and still make a profit. I'm not bashing on the original Switch or whats already been done. Thats just a waste of time. But whats not a waste of time is looking forward to a better device we know they can make.

Sony tried a mobile plan with the Vita.  Remember how that turned out?

 

As for not liking the Switch, fine.  That's fine, you don't have to.  But it's not really Nintendo fanboys arguing here as much as it seems you're wanting to dislike the Switch.

Currently focusing on my video game collection.

It doesn't matter what you play games on, just play good games you enjoy.

 

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54 minutes ago, comander said:

Don't forget the extensive and expensive approval processes for various regulatory agencies like the FCC. 

 

Adding in a modem is the difference between a $200 iPod touch and a $600 iPhone. 

Yeah that's not how it works. I can personally guarantee you that it does not add $400 to the pricetag. Likewise I can guarantee you that a Switch won't cost an extra $400 with an LTE modem.

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13 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

1. Swap out SoC of said $200 phone with something that costs $100 more.. the Tegra. Now its good on the inside AND outside.

 

2. I'm not asking for it to be a tablet or phone killer. I'm asking for it to be built with quality like a comparable $300 device. It didn't sell like hotcakes specifically because it was built like a plastic toy. It would have sold even more if it WASNT.

 

3. The Vita didn't have a comparable SoC or a blockbuster title to carry it to success...

 

Whats up with everyone thinking that the Switch would be a flop if it was upgraded to hardware representative of a $300 device? smh

No, you're comparing an apple to an orange.

 

The Switch is a competitor to the PS4 & XBOX 1, not a tablet or phone and last time I looked it's cheaper than they both were 2 years into their respective lives while performing the same function and being portable.

 

It's the fastest selling console of this generation and it somehow didn't sell like hotcakes? OK.

 

I'm interested to hear how it's not built like a $300 console. What exactly is wrong with it?

 

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18 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

1. Swap out SoC of said $200 phone with something that costs $100 more.. the Tegra. Now its good on the inside AND outside.

 

2. I'm not asking for it to be a tablet or phone killer. I'm asking for it to be built with quality like a comparable $300 device. It didn't sell like hotcakes specifically because it was built like a plastic toy. It would have sold even more if it WASNT.

 

3. The Vita didn't have a comparable SoC or a blockbuster title to carry it to success...

 

Whats up with everyone thinking that the Switch would be a flop if it was upgraded to hardware representative of a $300 device? smh

We already have the switch (plus I don't know what $200 budget phone from 2016 was made out of aluminum and not plastic).

 

It's not really built like a plastic toy... you're grossly over exaggerating the plastic build of the Switch.  It's comparable to the PS4 and Xbox One in terms of plastic quality, and it feels much better than that of the 3DS.

I never said the Switch sold like hotcakes cause of it's plastic build quality.  You stated that Nintendo didn't know the demographic they're trying to hit, which is clearly a false statement.  I pointed that out by pointing out how fast it has been selling.

 

The Vita is older, but it's also the last console to have a mobile plan, which is why I brought it up.  The Vita also had Uncharted, Resistance, and Killzone on it.  

 

As for everyone thinking the Switch would be a flop if it had hardware representative of a $300 console?  Well it already has that, and it's selling amazingly well.  

The most I could say you're right about is a plastic screen over a glass screen.

But the plastic ain't an issue.  The lack of a wireless plan ain't an issue.  In fact, both of those would start raising the price, and adding an LTE modem would increase it quite a bit.  
 

You're not comparing the Switch with comparable devices (game consoles), you're comparing it to smartphones and tablets.  

Currently focusing on my video game collection.

It doesn't matter what you play games on, just play good games you enjoy.

 

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Could also be using the jetson SOC

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5 hours ago, huilun02 said:

And how much does the phone I mentioned costs? Yes having a mobile internet connection will also drain battery life. You know whats worse than that? Having your phone tethered to a console and both device battery gets drained. If you don't put in a SIM card, there is no impact on battery life...

 

I'm not making any demands here. If I don't like the product then I just don't buy it, end of story. But making suggestions to people who vehemently defend Nintendo's lackluster design choices is like arguing with blind Apple fanboys...

 

The mobile industry has proven that they can make an elegant, quality built product and still make a profit. I'm not bashing on the original Switch or whats already been done. Thats just a waste of time. But whats not a waste of time is looking forward to a better device we know they can make.

The phone in question is also going to be slower in games, doesn't come with detachable motion-aware controllers and doesn't include a dock.  And on tethering... I'm sorry, but a Switch that would last for maybe an hour on built-in LTE is not an acceptable experience, no matter how much you might dislike tethering with your phone.  Maybe if you were willing to double the Switch's battery capacity and didn't mind sacrificing portability in the process.

 

I and others here aren't trying to defend lackluster decisions, we're defending practical reality.  You've argued that a device designed with kids in mind should be made fragile; you've pretended that the Switch doesn't have unique components that affect its cost; you've insisted that horrible battery life and unrealistically high costs would be acceptable so long as you could get online with LTE; you've maintained that you know more about Switch sales demographics than Nintendo itself.

 

You see the running theme here?  You think you know a lot more about design and business than you actually do.  I'm not saying that every decision Nintendo has made is wise, but the evidence suggests they're better at figuring out what works than you are.

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8 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

Nevermind... I had only wished for the betterment of consumers by stating a desire for the new Switch models to be of better build quality. But you guys are just pushing my suggestions to extremities to portray it as being unviable. And giving Nintendo the benefit of the doubt by a huge margin and insinuating that they could not have produced a better quality product without an exorbitant increase in price.

 

Just keep taking it from Nintendo I guess. There are things you simply won't get if you don't ask for it. If I deem the new console(s) to be quality worth the asking price, I'll buy it. Else I'll leave it to you guys to happily suck up whatever $300 plastic toy they decide to put up for sale. 

Everything I brought up was something you directly stated.  You did not just say you wanted "better build quality;" you made explicit claims about technical feasibility, and even suggested that you knew more about who was buying the Switch than Nintendo.

 

Also, please don't deal in hyperbole.  Just because we've shot down your claims doesn't mean we're "taking it."  Many of us have ideas for improving the Switch; we just think they should be grounded in a degree of realism.  And that means designing a device that's both kid-friendly and affordable, which we wouldn't get if Nintendo listened to you.

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