Nintendo detailed the hardware specifications of their upcoming Nintendo Switch console, confirming long held rumors of features like a 720p touch screen and internal storage at the company’s press conference in Tokyo.
The primary unit is set to contain a 6.2 inch, 720p capacitive touch screen with multitouch support. The Switch’s screen is a noticeable upgrade from the WiiU’s 480p display.
As has been rumored for quite some time, the unit will run at 720p while not docked, a compromise necessary to maintain power/battery requirements while still providing an optimal gameplay experience as it doesn’t affect CPU output. While docked, however, the Switch will output 1080p video with Dolby 5.1 support.
Even with that type of consideration factored into the performance, battery life will vary wildly between games depending on how each piece of software is optimized. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was confirmed to have a battery life of 3 hours, but general battery life of the switch is said to vary between 2.5 and 6 hours, depending on software optimization.
It’s worth noting that while Nintendo has detailed the battery life of the Switch itself, no information has yet been given as to the battery life of the included JoyCon controllers.
The company also confirmed the rumor that the device will have 32 GB of internal storage, that will be expandable not by SD, but by smaller MicroSDHC and MicroSDXC cards. Many speculated that despite the rumors, Nintendo wouldn’t include expandable storage like SDHC/SDXC cards due to piracy concerns, which were a rampant issue on the Nintendo DS and 3DS. The maximum capacity for expandable storage on the Switch is still unknown at time of writing.
Other hardware details emerging from the Tokyo event included the console supporting the 802.11AC wireless internet standard, a substantial upgrade over the WiiU’s 802.11g standard, allowing for much faster connectivity, which is nice, due to the company’s new focus on the game as an internet-ready and social gaming device.
The Switch base station will not only supply power to the main unit when docked, allowing for increased performance and 1080p display on a TV, but will feature at least two USB ports, which will be used to connect additional accessories, such as Ethernet adapters if wireless isn’t your bag.
The Nintendo Switch is set to launch on March 3, 2016 in all markets.
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