Nintendo officially pulled the curtains off its hybrid console, the Switch, late October, showing a number of scenarios that showcased its instant-switching gimmick. But Nintendo is still holding essential information, and apart from unsubstantiated rumors, the company has so far remained laconic about the forthcoming flagship console.
Nintendo Switch Battery
A new filing at the Federal Communications Commission may add to the growing list of rumored Switch metrics, but this holds more weight than other rumors, surely. According to the filing, the Switch may ship with a non-removable battery under-the-hood.
Sure, the tidbit sounds inconsequential, but it could make a difference with the console's battery life. For example, when the Wii U, Nintendo's previous home console, was launched, its detractors have mourned about the GamePad's battery life. But Nintendo was able to fix this by releasing a battery pack that extended the capacity to eight hours.
A non-removable battery means that consumers will be stuck with the preloaded configuration on the Switch, with no options to replace it with a beefier battery with a higher capacity. To be fair, Nintendo hasn't released information regarding the console's battery life — it's meant to discuss this, along with other undisclosed information in detail come Jan. 12, 2017 — but early speculation has pitted the Switch with close to three hours of battery life, possibly even more.
For the record, the FCC reviewed a production prototype that's meant to mirror the mass-produced version of the Switch, but Nintendo could still apply tweaks and add a removable battery. The official FCC filing can be viewed at FCC's site.
Nintendo Switch Rumors
The Nintendo Switch has enjoyed quite an influx of rumors, with different sources telling different things. The console is believed to output 720p video when docked, but a Wall Street journal reporter said it's 1080p, adding that the console is possible of outputting WQHD video.
In terms of power, EuroGamer recently published a detailed performance sheet of the Switch, which puts the console's GPU at 307.2 MHz when in portable mode, and a maximum of 768 MHz when docked.
GameCube games are also reportedly coming to the Switch's virtual console platform, with games such as Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion, and Super Smash Bros. Melee reported to have already been successfully developed to run on the Switch.
Pricing details have been slim, but Laura Kate Dale, a video game journalist, has touted the console at around £200, or less than $250.
The Nintendo Switch comes out March 2017.
What are your expectations for Nintendo's forthcoming console? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
