The inevitable has finally happened. Nintendo has announced the long-rumored “Switch Pro” today (though not quite with the specs people expected), revealing a new model of the popular gaming system that features a larger OLED screen, upgraded sound, and a few new tricks here and there. The Nintendo Switch (OLED Model), as it’s calling it at the moment, is set to release on Oct. 8, 2021 and will retail for $350.
The Nintendo Switch OLED Model will feature a larger 7-inch 720p OLED, versus the original Switch’s non-OLED 6.2-inch screen. That should deliver a far superior visual image than either of the current Switch models, but it is still not quite the 1080p that most folks were hoping for following rumors of a new Nvidia chip in the upgraded model. Nintendo also said that the system will operate in 1080p when docked, which is less than the hoped-for 4K.
The screen isn’t the only upgrade, however. The flimsy kickstand on the original Switch is gone as well, replaced by an adjustable one on the Nintendo Switch OLED Model that stretches across the entire back of the system and actually allows you to change the angle of the screen when playing on a tabletop. That alone might get more people excited than anything else considering how crummy the previous kickstand was, but the Switch OLED will also feature 64 GB of storage — versus the previous 32 GB. You’ll probably still need an SD card if you’re a downloader of games, but that extra space doesn’t hurt. Finally, the new system has upgraded sound, probably because the extra size leaves more room for bigger speakers, but we’ll have to wait for more details on that.
If you play online with friends or random strangers, you’ll also be happy to hear that the Switch OLED’s dock now has a built-in wired LAN port, another feature that many have been clamoring for. Otherwise, the internal specs of the new hardware seem largely the same. At the moment it appears the console will only sell in a white colored Joy-Con, (Update: The traditional “Neon” color scheme is available as well.) but you can still pair it up with your other Joy-Con. Due to its different dimensions, the Switch OLED will not fit well with some Nintendo Labo products though.
This new model will release alongside Metroid Dread.
