I think enough enthusiasts would buy a mini-PC form-factor SW2 that had the same chipset, but allowed the system to pull 40-60W (or even higher) for the chipset and therefore essentially allow frame-rates to nearly double or dynamic resolutions to hit their caps (essentially making most games with DLSS + DRS have 1080p DLAA) compared to current SW2 docked modes.
Something with this form-factor would probably sell a few dozen million, at least more than the Wii U, and it probably could make more of a profit per system if it sold for $550-$600 since the chipset would be mostly the same, there won't be a cost for the screen and dock, and most of the (marginal) extra cost would go into a better cooling system and maybe more storage.
I'd actually like Nintendo to go the route of supporting multiple form-factors like they mentioned when announcing the original NX concept. Dedicated handhelds and home consoles can exist in this ecosystem, all using the same chipset, because performance scales according to power consumption and cooling. The big advantage of NX/Switch/Switch 2 is that the game library is unified, and that should be Nintendo's north star. Everything else is fungible.
This of course shouldn't replace the hybrid system, but be another option in the hybrid, portable, etc. eco-system. I'd also like to see a pocketable Nintendo SW2 lite with an OLED screen. I'd trade in my hybrid SW2 and buy a SW2 OLED Lite and this.
Edit:
Thinking more of this, they could have the following form-factors: Switch 2 Super (Home Console only), Switch 2 (Original; Hybrid), Switch 2 (OLED; Hybrid), and Switch 2 OLED Lite (Portable Only.) All would play the same games, just with different settings.
I'd trade in my Switch 2 (Original) for Switch 2 Super (Home Console only) + Switch 2 OLED Lite (Portable Only.)
Edit 2: Another reason you want enthusiasts is that they have a higher attach ratio compared to less enthusiast gamers. So if the Switch 2 had a form-factor capable of achieving competitive framerates in games, then it becomes the home platform of choice for many enthusiasts, and they will buy more games than the person who might just buy Switch 2 because Animal Crossing, the only game they play, is on it. They also might buy multiple form-factors, if they want to play their games on the go, increasing hardware sales too.
Edit 3: Another thing Nintendo struggles with is game emulation. There is more incentive to emulate Nintendo platforms because people want to play Nintendo games but not at the graphics/performance settings available. Nintendo addressing that demand reduces the demand for emulators and therefore software piracy of their games on PC.
Last edited by sc94597 - 15 hours ago
