Nintendo Switch OLED Unveiled! Coming on October 8 for $349 with a Larger Display

Before you get super excited about this, it's important to note that this is not Nintendo Switch 2 or Nintendo Switch Pro we were all looking forward to. I am not sure this is considered a revamp, more like the polish of the original Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch OLED is primarily a display upgrade with better colors and contrast to the original Nintendo Switch that featured an LCD.

Nintendo Switch OLED will bring a larger and higher-quality OLED display along with a few other upgrades. The new Nintendo console will be available from October 8, and it will cost $349.

The rest of the upgrades include 64GB of internal storage (double the size of Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite), a wider, adjustable stand, and wired connection support. The last feature is an excellent addition to a portable console that offers online gaming.

There is no indication of any performance upgrades coming with Nintendo Switch OLED, so most improvements fall into the QoL category. The resolution will probably remain at 720p when using the device in handheld mode, but maybe we can hope for Full HD resolution when the Switch OLED is docked. I doubt it will happen as it would apply extra pressure to the current chip and potentially cause significant framerate drops.

After all, the original Switch is already four years old.

A secondary read on all this indicates that Nintendo Switch isn't probably coming any time soon. Meanwhile, keeping the original 720p resolution on a larger display may suggest that just like Samsung, Nintendo believes that going higher than Full HD is unnecessary on portable devices.

I am only speculating here, but if Nintendo Switch 2 doesn't offer 4K resolution on handheld mode, it is a better marketing move to save Full HD support for its release or at least a Nintendo Switch Pro variant with an upgraded chip.

Nintendo also mentions improved audio quality in the upcoming device.

I don't believe the introduction of the new device warrants an upgrade for original Switch owners unless display quality and network stability are a priority. Fans expecting a Nintendo Switch 2 or a Nintendo Switch Pro announcement must be somewhat disappointed when its new stand and increased storage are among the most significant upgrades.

However, this definitely seems to be the Nintendo Switch variant to get if you plan to buy one in 2021.