Thats an interesting add on.

Let's just hope they're going with a Tegra X2 and not an X1. 

Probably only when it is in the dock. It will likely utilize more power then.

What's the difference? I know X2 is stronger, but by how much? Both are stronger than Wii U and weaker than XBO, so why does it matter? How close is Wii U to X1, how close is X2 to XBO, and how close are X1 and X2 to each other? How much would X2 drive up the cost? Is it worth it? The system needs to be cheap to thrive.

Yeah, it doesn't have to be old.  In fact, to get maximum power active cooling was going to be neeeded.  I anticipated as much when I saw the vent.  It's been described as being based on Nvidia tech with Geforce Pascal architecture by Nvidia.  This points to either Tegra X2 tech or a combination of X1 and X2 tech.  Clocking that up to get the absolute best would need cooling.  And as for phones, tablets, they aren't concerned with getting the best game performance possible, they are concerned with being as thin as possible for pocket convenience. 

That does, yes, mean that the dock likely has the same effect as a Laptop power supply, allowing the fan and card to run at full while on battery both will have to throttle. 

And those wondering how it can have it when tablets don't, well this is thicker than a tablet.  Just look at ASUS's new thing gaming laptops, the GL500 series, which has gotten pretty darn thin but still has their signature high quality cooling.  So it's definitely possible. 

This would be the ideal set up. Console mode when docked, handheld mode when not.

I'm not super knowledgeable on the Tegra Chips (or much hardware in general honestly lol) so i'm not really the one for you to be asking these questions, but I think a Tegra X2 would put it at least at Xbox One levels of power, if not slightly lower, unless someone correct me if i'm wrong. I just mainly want it to be an X2 because it would make me feel more confident in the Switch being able to keep getting third party ports. The Tegra X1 is a powerful chip on its own, and is still much more powerful than a Wii U at least, but I don't think it's anywhere near the PS4 or Xbox One. At least the Tegra X2 gives the Switch enough amount of power to keep getting third party ports and not be dropped like the Wii U was due to being underpowered. 

On Nvidia's website they mention in the announcement that they are providing the hardware in the Switch is that they are using the same architecture that the world's top and most powerful GPU's out right now are using, which I think probably means Pascal, so that's a good sign at least.

Yeah, it's a tough thing. Obviously I want the Switch to get as close to the XBO in power as possible, but I think that a $250 device would demolish a $300 one for them, so if they can't get the X2 in the Switch at $250, I think they hould probably stick with X1.

disagree entirely, 300$ is just not a lot for a system potentially that can be frequently used at home and on the go. People regularly paid almost 200$ for the 3DS.

This does not need to be under 300$ to sell. Hell, a lot of Wii U owners also own the 3DS.

people are being unrealistic. Nintendo has refused to lower the Wii U to much under 300$ and you all think that a much more advanced versatile system at launch will be less than the Wii U? delusional.

and, again, it doesn't need to be. 300$ is a great deal for a portable and home console hybrid assuming the system does what it advertises ( will see more info in that regard in January and beyond)