Here is everything we know so far about the Nintendo Switch Pro – the rumours, official details and more.
Why you can trust Pocket-lint (Pocket-lint) – Nintendo has had great success since launching the Nintendo Switch and its follow-up, the Switch Lite. However, the series won’t end with those two. We fully expect Nintendo to debut a more powerful version of the console, popularly being dubbed « Switch Pro ». It could even arrive later this year. Here then is everything we know about the Nintendo Switch Pro so far… Best upcoming Nintendo Switch games Switch Pro release date Rumoured for September/October 2021 A Nintendo Switch 2 or Switch Pro has been rumoured since early 2019, when The Wall Street Journal spoke to « parts suppliers and software developers » in March of that year. They claimed that an enhanced version of the Switch, aimed at the more dedicated, hardcore gamer was in development and could come out late 2019/early 2020. But, while a tweaked version of the existing Switch ended up replacing the 1st gen model, Nintendo’s president Shuntaro Furukawa felt it necessary to deny that a replacement or upgraded Switch would be released at that time: « Please note that we have no plans to launch a new Nintendo Switch model during 2020, » he said at the time. It turned out the be case. That doesn’t apply to 2021, however, and several industry analysts predicted in January that a Switch Pro will be part of Nintendo’s plans for the year. Dr Serkan Toto of Kantan Games led the charge when speaking with Gamesindustry.biz: « I predict a beefed-up 4K device is coming during Nintendo’s next financial year, » he said. This was backed up by other analysts, including Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis: « I currently have an updated version of the Switch in my forecasts for 2021, » he added. Bloomberg has more recently cited « people familiar with the matter » as claiming the Switch Pro could arrive in time for the « year-end shopping season ». And, more recent still, sources told the site that it will start assembly in July 2021 for a September/October release. Considering the Switch Lite was announced in July 2019 for a September release the same year, that makes a lot of sense. Switch Pro specs and design Based around a new Nvidia Tegra custom chipset Storage and RAM set to get a boost 7-inch OLED display, with 4K output to TVs While the Nintendo Switch Lite has similar internal hardware to the existing Switch, the Switch Pro will get a more thorough overhaul. Even as far back as 2019, Japanese site Gamepedia claimed it will have some impressive internal specs. The RAM, it said, will be 8GB, double that in the current console, while the on-board storage will get a major hike to 128GB. The existing Switch only has 32GB of storage and nigh-on demands that you buy a microSD card if you want to store more than one game. But, while rumours previously suggested that it would use an upgraded Tegra X1+ processor, as found in the Switch Lite, it is now thought a new Nvidia chipset with DLSS technology could be utilised instead. That complies with a February 2021 data mine detailed on Reddit, which revealed the Switch Pro will be able to offer native 1440p resolution and upscale to 4K through Nvidia’s DLSS 2.0 technology. The new Switch is unlikely to have a 4K display built-in. It is expected to have a similar 720p display resoltion to the existing model, although it will be improved through the use of OLED technology. A report claimed at the beginning of March 2021 said that it will sport a 7-inch OLED panel. This was then backed up in May 2021, with an OLED display company claiming during an earnings call that the Switch Pro will definitely adopt the technology.
