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StarTopic Future Nintendo Hardware & Technology Speculation & Discussion |ST| (New Staff Post, Please read)

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I still don't think Switch 4K is a good enough name to communicate the power difference. It can be interpreted to mean "the current hardware, with 4k output enabled". We understand that there will be a new and more powerful chip to upscale games to 4K, but that isn't immediately apparent for people who don't have a 4K display or only play portable.

They can go ahead and name it that, I just think it's underselling it. Yes, they can show a trailer for the Switch 4K and clearly market all of the enhancements, hammering home the point that it's a hardware upgrade, but I'll be nitpicky and annoying here and say the name still matters and it should be more obvious that it's more powerful / a new gen. A name like Game Boy Color doesn't tell me it's a more powerful GB, just a GB in color, and that's fine since it wasn't a huge leap. But Mariko to Drake is. It'd be deserving of the Advance moniker at this point.
 
Hermii said:
Does leave some room though.

so it’s just a switch that outputs 4k?

Will this benefit me, if I only play portable?

Does leave some wiggle room for interpretation. I would go with super switch or switch 4k. Honestly Switch forward doesn’t sound to bad.
Click to expand...
Also "this won't benefit me because I don't have a 4K tv" will be a big possibility. They should find a way to communicate that this is more than just a bump in resolution.
 
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The biggest problem with Switch 4k or Switch (4k model) IMO is that people would expect the screen to be 4k resolution. Just like the Switch (OLED model) has an OLED screen. They'd think the 4k means the portable's screen is 4k.

Could lead to claims of false advertising/confusion.


I keep telling you all it's going to be new Nintendo Switch and we'll all hate it.
 
Angel Whispers said:
I don't know why this narrative exists which says "Nintendo must be cheaper/needs a "cheap" option", which doesn't exist for other platforms. Switch Lite and the OLED Model prove that most people prefer the higher performance options with the capacity to switch. If we're keeping it 100, I suspect it's rather online people projecting their own desires in that discourse - The same parents they're concerned about also shell out for PS/XBox (when the cheaper Nintendo alternatives are there) or iDevices (when cheaper Android options exist), but for a Nintendo platform, it's suddenly unreasonable? Sorry, but I'm struggling to square that one. It's surely redundant, especially as you had to pay equivalent prices to PS/XBox, anyway, or even more, to have access to the full Nintendo suite when they had separate home and portable consoles (for example, you paid a combined $399 at launch ($249 for the Wii, $150 for the DS), or combined starting price of $549 ($299 for the Basic Wii U, $250 for the 3DS)). Now, we don't have to do that, BUT as we've been used to buying home and portable, it shouldn't be unthinkable that Nintendo and their customers have considered what "access to the full suite" might look like today - $399 would still be a lower point of entry than the disc-drive PS5 and XSX, but it would also allow them more room to target higher-performing specs and other ideas. When we think about the "cheaper" options for PS/XBox, both are digital-only, and don't offer resale options on games, while digital copies may retain higher prices, and you can't borrow/temporarily exchange copies between friends. Of course, it's understandable to want the dream combination of the easiest price on our wallets AND as much performance per $ as possible, but I don't really accept that it's such a hard sell... unless the hardware design was relatively underwhelming, unambitious and beaten out by mid-range premium to flagship-specced phones upon launch (I've been of the belief that that won't happen...).
Click to expand...
I’m a fucking parent. My friends are fucking parents. I’ve talked multiple times on this site in all kinds of threads about being a parent.

This isn’t some kind of bullshit Nintendo hit job. Hell the last thread I had a major thought in was the thread about sharing digital libraries as a parent.

I’m quiet literally the person I’m talking about here. I also own a Xbox Series S which is literally the cheaper option other platforms have that you said doesn’t exist. I also have other friends who have switch lites cause they have kids and wanted (needed) and more consoles.
 
Skittzo said:
The biggest problem with Switch 4k or Switch (4k model) IMO is that people would expect the screen to be 4k resolution. Just like the Switch (OLED model) has an OLED screen. They'd think the 4k means the portable's screen is 4k.

Could lead to claims of false advertising/confusion.


I keep telling you all it's going to be new Nintendo Switch and we'll all hate it.
Click to expand...
I would be ok with New Nintendo Switch
 
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Skittzo said:
The biggest problem with Switch 4k or Switch (4k model) IMO is that people would expect the screen to be 4k resolution. Just like the Switch (OLED model) has an OLED screen. They'd think the 4k means the portable's screen is 4k.

Could lead to claims of false advertising/confusion.


I keep telling you all it's going to be new Nintendo Switch and we'll all hate it.
Click to expand...
Just like with a device named Switch Lite people would expect the switch between handled and TV mode, no? 😜
 
I feel there is 2 ways.

A 350+ Switch Drake, and all (Nintendo) games are Cross Gen until a "lite" is lauched.

or 2 new models 1 at 299 with 32/64GB Storage and the Premium 128/256 at 450+

And we have the problem of units. Nintendo will face shortages that will make Drake exclusive games rare in the first 2 years.
 
I think that Switch 4K is fine


I think the thought that the general public needs to understand what they're buying is a bit overblown.
General public is dumb and always will be

but consider these scenarios
1. Kid sees new switch 4K... kid asks parent for "switch 4K"... mom asks nerd at store... "IS THIS THE SWITCH WITH THE FOUR KAY?" kid gets Switch with 4K
2. person walks into an apple store... "I want the best phone you have" apple employee says well wait a minute you may not need that... person says "Don't care... give me the latest and greatest"... person gets latest and greatest (this happens all the time) apply this to a new switch
3. A dummy looks at 2 switch boxes... one has a 4K logo on it... "Cool I have 4K TV, I want that one"


I think as long as the name clearly denotes a difference between existing products, nothing else matters. Who cares if the person buying thinks it has a 4k screen... if they're that dumb then chances are the 720p screen looks like a 4K screen to them anyway.... they're satisfied knowing they got the latest and greatest.
4K has been around long enough and touted as "power" or at the very least optimal visual quality... 4K says something... does it really matter WHAT it says? It's a buzzword... that's all it needs to be.

But yeah it's probably New Nintendo Switch 😂

I still like Nintendo Switch Ultra
 
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Interesting nugget in the MultiVersus datamine isn't the console name. The data is from am Unreal Engine localization file, for a settings or debug tool, and labels the "Switch Forward" as an alternate shader backend.

Which again just lines up with everything else - new device, new GPU features, backwards compat likely achieved via software
 
Eclissi said:
I do not agree.
Lite It does not mean limited.
And the device don't have a limited switch function... Simply it don't have that function. But yet it is named Switch.
Click to expand...
What does "Lite" as a product mean then? If not limited in some way?
 
davec00ke said:
If it's above $350 it DOA
Click to expand...
Oh no! It’s 2017 all over again!


Eclissi said:
I do not agree.
Lite It does not mean limited.
And the device don't have a limited switch function... Simply it don't have that function. But yet it is named Switch.
Click to expand...
That’s why the name lite is attached to it:

www.merriam-webster.com

Definition of LITE

light; diminished or lacking in substance or seriousness; specifically : being an innocuous or unthreatening version —often used postpositively… See the full definition
www.merriam-webster.com www.merriam-webster.com

“diminished or lacking in substance or seriousness”
 
oldpuck said:
Interesting nugget in the MultiVersus datamine isn't the console name. The data is from am Unreal Engine localization file, for a settings or debug tool, and labels the "Switch Forward" as an alternate shader backend.

Which again just lines up with everything else - new device, new GPU features, backwards compat likely achieved via software
Click to expand...
Seems like it also could just be an alternate backend for Switch. Doesn't really seem like there's necessarily a 1:1 relationship between backbends and platforms.
 
ReddDreadtheLead said:
Oh no! It’s 2017 all over again!



That’s why the name lite is attached to it:

www.merriam-webster.com

Definition of LITE

light; diminished or lacking in substance or seriousness; specifically : being an innocuous or unthreatening version —often used postpositively… See the full definition
www.merriam-webster.com www.merriam-webster.com

“diminished or lacking in substance or seriousness”
Click to expand...
Switch lite is not able to make the switch.

You don't name "Airplane Lite" a car because it can not fly.
 
Eclissi said:
Switch lite is not able to make the switch.

You don't name "Airplane Lite" a car because it can not fly.
Click to expand...
Switch's primary function as a product is to play videogames. An airplane a primary function as a product is to fly passengers in the air. That's a poor comparison.

"X Lite" is used to denote that it's a similar product to X, it has the same primary function, but it is limited in some way compared to "X". That is exactly the case with the Switch Lite.
 
Skittzo said:
The biggest problem with Switch 4k or Switch (4k model) IMO is that people would expect the screen to be 4k resolution. Just like the Switch (OLED model) has an OLED screen. They'd think the 4k means the portable's screen is 4k.

Could lead to claims of false advertising/confusion.


I keep telling you all it's going to be new Nintendo Switch and we'll all hate it.
Click to expand...

I agree, 4K could create problems considering also that in dock mode not all games will have that resolution.

I think Nintendo needs something that indicates more power and exclusive games, almost a new generation but not quite.

  • Switch Pro
  • Switch Advance
  • New Nintendo Switch
  • edit Nintendo Switch DLSS model 🤔

something like this
 
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Pokemaniac said:
Seems like it also could just be an alternate backend for Switch. Doesn't really seem like there's necessarily a 1:1 relationship between backbends and platforms.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's a tiny piece of data to build speculation on, period. Sometimes a piece of data is labeled one thing and over the course of development means something else. But the string is "FriendlyShaderPlatformNames" (emphasis mine), and the other strings all imply different platforms. If "Switch Forward" isn't a distinct platform it represents the only time in this list that the same platform has two backends available.
 
lol at 'DOA if above $350'.

OLED is not that compelling of a purchase against the 2017 model and is selling fine at $350. If they could pull it off, it would be neat to see base Switch drop to $250, OLED drop to $300, and the new model hit at $350, but it feels both completely unnecessary and like it presents a wildly disproportionate value proposition. I'd also assume (?) it would see them lose money on each unit.

If we assume plans haven't drastically changed since early 2021, back then we were told by more than one insider (Imran, Nate) that it was aimed at frame-rates and resolution improvements, even if it's capable of more. I still expect it's primary goal is to keep the entire Switch line relevant for several more years, and the audience where interest in the hardware is waning the most would likely be the core / early adopters / enthusiasts.

So yeah, it certainly sounds like an enthusiast model right now, and makes sense to be released at above $400. What it becomes in 3-5 years is anybody's guess.

Skittzo said:
People said the same thing about the OLED model at $350, yet it's now by far the most popular model...
Click to expand...

Not that it would surprise me, but is this still the case? I kind of assumed things would level out a bit across models after launch.
 
oldpuck said:
Yeah, it's a tiny piece of data to build speculation on, period. Sometimes a piece of data is labeled one thing and over the course of development means something else. But the string is "FriendlyShaderPlatformNames" (emphasis mine), and the other strings all imply different platforms. If "Switch Forward" isn't a distinct platform it represents the only time in this list that the same platform has two backends available.
Click to expand...
"Platform" can also be a nebulous term sometimes. Sometimes an alternate flavor of what is ostensibly the same platform can be different enough to where it's easier to just treat it as entirely separate. I could see a reasonable scenario where this config is basically just using a more mobile-oriented renderer or something like that. Switch operates in sort of a weird middle ground where you might choose to stick to a more mobile-oriented renderer for extra performance depending on the project.

I definitely don't know enough about Unreal to know if that makes sense, though.
 
Angel Whispers said:
Errrm.... Nope.

One doesn't need a rumour mill to know that this is false. Looking at the spec sheet alone, Nintendo and Nvidia won't be using the A78AE processor in their next console.
Click to expand...
You don’t know that. It isn’t like the A78AE can’t be applied for the same purpose as the A78, considering that’s the core CPU.
 
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The "Switch 4k" name is sound. Yes of course the screen won't be 4K, but so the OLED doesn't magically turn your TV into a OLED screen. Not to mention the Switch model that doesn't have the capability to Switch or the joycons, which are the entirety of the Nintendo Switch brand.

pvb8zx7.gif


The Switch 4K is the Switch model capable of 4K output, it seems extremely self explanatory to me.

Also "anything abouve X price is DOA" doesn't really refect the reality of the consumer market for the past 2 years and the future 2 at least. A revision/new model at 450/500 dollars released this year or early next year would be totally sold out for years no matter what.
 
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I too hate the Nintendo Switch Lite, but you have to remember that it exists for casual fans or kids who don't want to invest fully in the system but want to play Pokémon
 
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Switch 4k isn't ideal. What if someone has a 1080p monitor or TV? They might think they cannot purchase the console as a result or there maybe some compatibility issues.
 
Switch 4K with only partial BC.

I think the latter is a lot dumber than the former, but I don’t agree with MVG at all about these things.
 
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Hermii said:
Is it a rumor that a new patent was discovered, or was a new patent discovered?
Click to expand...
The latter. I think the reason GoNintendo labelled this as a rumour is because there can be a tendency for people to think that a new patent is confirmation of new hardware, etc., when that's not always necessarily the case.
 
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