Switch Today

Nintendo Switch Review: Technical breakdown of the new console.

08:51 03 March 2017

Now recognised as the most powerful dedicated gaming handheld ever made, Nintendo Switch is Nintendo’s first attempt at a stand-alone tablet. An ambitious concept realised, the device’s main party trick is its ability to transform from a home console to a fully portable handheld. 

 

In every way, it is a leap in quality over the Wii U, its immediate predecessor. However, the fact that Switch is a self-contained handheld, it seemed more like a successor to the 3DS. It weighs just about 297g (tablet mode) with a 6.2 inch 10-point capacitive touch-screen. It also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, a tiny slot for game cards at the far end, a USB-C port, and microSD card underneath the kickstand.

 

Switch uses an updated Maxwell-based Tegra X1 chip paired with a low-evel API. As for its display, you can expect the best quality LCD panel Nintendo has produced in a handheld so far, even for outdoor use.

 

Despite being Nintendo’s most sophisticated handheld to date, Switch looks much like any other smart device. However, the wireless, motion-controlled Joy-Cons give it that much-needed character featuring rails at either side of the table, metal rail attachment, and five screws that fix the bracket to the tablet’s edges.

 

Seeing the Switch main menu, it’s clear that the gadget is Nintendo’s most straightforward system UI to date. It offers a long row of tiles that users can swipe along with their finger. It features dedicated buttons for general settings, eshop, news, controller options, and power at the bottom.

 

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