Technology
Nintendo Switch OLED has hidden THIRD mode that isn’t TV or handheld
THE LATEST version of the Nintendo Switch has a little-known feature that will make playing while on the move a piece of cake.
The $350/£309 Switch OLED, out later this year, has a stand at the back that players can use to prop their console up when they’re out and about.
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NintendoNintendo’s Switch OLED console has a stand at the back that players can use to prop their console up when playing on the move[/caption]
It’s a useful design quirk that first appeared on the original 2017 Switch and has now made it to the upgraded followup unveiled yesterday.
Like its predecessor, the Switch OLED can be plugged into a television at home or played in handheld mode when you’re out and about.
According to Nintendo, a third “tabletop mode” is activated by extending the thin stand from the back of the console.
It allows you to play without a TV by placing the console on a table or other flat surface.
NintendoThe console can be played in three modes. When docked and plugged into your telly it’s in TV mode, while when undocked with the Joy-Con controllers attached it’s in handheld mode. A third, tabletop mode involves flipping a stand and detaching the controllers[/caption]
You can even play with a friend by detaching the console’s two Joy-Con controllers and using one of them each.
“Flip the stand to share the screen, then share the fun with a multiplayer game,” Nintendo wrote on its website.
Nintendo revealed the OLED in a blog post, and it’s largely the same as the original two-in-one Switch console released in 2017.
As the name suggests, the new machine boasts a 7-inch OLED screen with up to 720p resolution.
Nintendo SwitchThe Nintendo Switch OLED hits shelves worldwide in October[/caption]
OLED is a new type of screen technology that most TVs haven’t even got yet – but is increasingly common on high-end tellies and smartphones.
When docked to a TV, you’ll get a higher resolution of up to 1080p resolution with 60 frames-per-second, Nintendo said.
While plenty of fans welcomed the news, others have called into question whether the console is much of an upgrade at all.
Some are unhappy that the Switch OLED console won’t offer 4K resolution when it hits shelves around the globe in October.
Instead, the Switch OLED will max out at a lower 1080p resolution when plugged into a TV set.
It means top games will look blurrier and more pixelated on Nintendo’s machine than when played on rival consoles.
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 5 – both released last year – offer 4K gaming and cost just $50/£50 more than the new Switch.
Fans also took aim at the upcoming console’s lofty price tag, meagre storage capacity and the relatively low frame rate of its display.
Nintendo SwitchFans have taken issue with the lack of 4K gaming offered by the $350 machine[/caption]
While it offers some major improvements on the original Switch, fans were quick to point out that the console’s specs are modest compared to rivals.
One Twitter user fumed: “The Nintendo Switch OLED is overpriced.
“Imagine paying $50 less than a PS5 for a console with: No 4K support for HDTV, 720p screen, No DLSS, Only 64GB of storage.”
Another said: “I’m pretty bummed with the Nintendo switch news. I’ve been holding out for a Pro and updated system but really? A screen change is it? No Bluetooth audio support, no 4k docked mode?!”
There’s a brand new dock design
Others highlighted that for just $50 more, you could bag yourself a PS5 or Xbox Series X with a higher resolution and frame rate.
“I can’t believe that on this day in the year of our Lord 2021, Nintendo thought it was ok to announce a 720p OLED display Switch,” one person tweeted. “This is the epitome of not reading the room. 50 dollars more you can have yourself a PS5/Xbox”.
However, it wasn’t all negative. Some Twitter fans jumped to the Switch’s defence, pointing out that it still holds it own on account of its ability to switch between being a handheld and a traditional console.
“Until you can hold your XBox or PS5 system in your hands and play it, I don’t want to hear any lip about how the #NintendoSwitch OLED doesn’t do 4K,” one person posted.
NintendoNintendo games will look gorgeous on the new model’s OLED screen[/caption]
The Switch OLED – the third iteration of the Switch – is set for release on October 8.
If you already have a Switch, you’ll be able to transfer your games and save data to the new console, Nintendo said.
The gadget costs $349.99 in the US, while in the UK it will go for £309.
It’s more expensive than the $299/£279 Switch, and far pricier than last year’s £199 Switch Lite, which only has a handheld mode.
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