Video game giant Nintendo has had a busy couple of weeks. It had a full-length Nintendo Direct showcasing what's coming down the pipeline this holiday season, announced the cast of Illumination's Super Mario movie, and released the first 2D Metroid game in nearly twenty years. Perhaps biggest of all was the release of the Nintendo Switch OLED model coinciding with Metroid Dread. The Nintendo Switch OLED features a handful of improvements from the original and Lite models, but the biggest of all is its new seven-inch OLED screen, which promises better visuals in handheld mode.
The Switch OLED was announced in July 2021 when most gamers were anticipating a "Pro" model that would boast a better resolution and framerate. As a result, a lot of gamers were unhappy with the Switch OLED, but now that the product is in the hands of the public this dialogue has changed substantially. Whether a Pro version of Nintendo's hybrid console was ever in the works or if it was foiled by the pandemic-related chip shortages is unclear. However, the Switch OLED seems to be a respectable product for its price.
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More Than Just a New Screen
Many did not initially feel an OLED screen was a significant improvement from the standard LCD one - at least, not significant enough to warrant a $50 increase from the standard model. Furthermore, the fact that this screen is irrelevant when playing games docked on the tv also did not make it seem that appealing. Even though much of the production was sold out due to scalpers and bots, a problem Xbox and PlayStation fans can sympathize with, those who have received the new model seem to have nothing but praise for it.
Given Nintendo marketed the product as an OLED screen, it was reasonable to assume that's all people were expecting to get. However, there are also a good amount of quality-of-life changes on the Switch OLED, such as a more stable kickstand that makes utilizing it easier now. The handheld speakers have also been completely revamped, which includes a location change to the bottom of the Switch. Recently, Nintendo authorized wireless Bluetooth devices to be used on the Switch. Before this, players had to use lackluster speakers or wired headphones when playing in handheld mode. More options are always a good thing. There is also a new ethernet port and 64 GB of storage, which is twice the amount of the original.
These changes are welcome to the Switch design, but the OLED screen is still its highlight. Despite boasting a seven-inch screen, a sizeable increase from the 6.2 inches of the original, the Switch OLED is only 0.1 inches longer. This is possible because Nintendo trimmed the thick black screen frame on the original model. Not only does the Switch OLED look better, especially when playing in the dark, it also feels much bigger despite the physical difference between the two being marginal.
The Switch OLED model might be one of the biggest surprises in the gaming industry for 2021. What started out as a lukewarm reception changed into a generally positive one, with many fans being impressed by the screen and thankful for its additional quality-of-life changes. Whether Nintendo plans on making a Switch Pro anytime soon or just focus its efforts on the next console in line remains to be seen. However, it's clear many underestimated the Switch OLED.
The Nintendo Switch OLED model is available now.