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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - When will an improved switch-hardware be released ?

 

When will an improved switch-hardware be released?

End of 2019, I think so too. 16 25.40%
 
2020! 22 34.92%
 
2021. 11 17.46%
 
Maybe.. (other year or theory) 7 11.11%
 
nintendo will only develo... 4 6.35%
 
see results 3 4.76%
 
Total:63

I wouldn't be surprised if we see Switch's first, major hardware revision before March 2019. Pretty much every previous Nintendo handheld received its first revision before year 2. 

Original  JP rel date Revision JP rel date Weeks
GB pocket 1996-07-21 GB lite 1998-04-14 91
GBA 2001-03-21 GBA SP 2003-02-14 100
DS 2004-12-02 DS lite 2006-03-02 65
3DS 2011-02-26 3DS XL 2012-07-28 74
    Average   83
Last edited by Kristof81 - on 03 October 2018

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Kristof81 said:

I wouldn't be surprised if we see Switch's first, major hardware revision before March 2019. Pretty much every previous Nintendo handheld received its first revision before year 2. 

Original  JP rel date Revision JP rel date Weeks
GB pocket 21/07/1996 GB lite 14/04/1998 91
GBA 21/03/2001 GBA SP 14/02/2003 100
DS 02/12/2004 DS lite 02/03/2006 65
3DS 26/02/2011 3DS XL 28/07/2012 74
    Average   83

You do realize GB Pocket was not the original model? But overall I agree, since GBA all handhelds had a revision within 2 years.



When the herd loses its way, the shepard must kill the bull that leads them astray.

Whenever a revision comes out, I'll jump on board. I used to buy Nintendo hardware at launch, sometimes even import from Japan before European release date. But Wii U burnt me, and Switch is still largely a Wii U machine given the currently available software lineup. I've said to myself I'll jump on board whenever a revision comes out, or Metroid Prime 4 - whichever comes first.

I hope 2019 is the magic year.



Pemalite said:

If you want cheap... You don't want extra mechanical components to drive up price.
Integrating the controllers into the device would eliminate that entirely... Plus all the duplicated components like the acceleraometers, gyroscopes, haptic feedback, bluetooth, batteries and so on.
Heck, throw out the dock as well.

Makes absolutely zero difference. Gimmick or not.

And there is a ton of potential cost cutting that can be done to the switch as well.

But why does Nintendo want to go so cheap though?

Removing a desired feature may reduce price but it also reduces value, while removing an undesirable feature lowers cost without decreasing value much if at all, that's the difference. Course the 2DS made the mistake of also getting rid of the clamshell design, so despite being the cheapest model it sold worse than the regular, atleast iirc. Really don't see Nintendo repeating this mistake.

I didn't say they couldn't cut cost, only that they don't need to.

 

Miyamotoo said:

Well if your point is to have much cheaper offer of your platform, than probably you will not have Joy Cons and dock functionality for playing, offcourse you will still have regular Switch, and later probably Switch Pro/XL or even Switch TV. 3DS is dying and they will need low price offer on market when 3DS dies, and this would be basicly Switch Mini/Pocket just for handheld play that would effectively replace 3DS price point on market. Dont forget, Switch is $300 while 3DS covers price point from $80 to $200, we can realistically say that Switch will be at around $250 at end of next year, so they well need $150-200 offer on market also, Switch Mini/Pocket would perfectly fit there and would effectively start replacing 3DS price point on market.

Any reasoning behind the bolded? Why do they need to have a sub $200 system on the market at all times? What makes you so sure that no detachable controllers and no dock means $100 cheaper? Do you believe a smaller form factor Switch would not cost more compared to regular Switch?



zorg1000 said:
Kristof81 said:

I wouldn't be surprised if we see Switch's first, major hardware revision before March 2019. Pretty much every previous Nintendo handheld received its first revision before year 2. 

Original  JP rel date Revision JP rel date Weeks
GB pocket 21/07/1996 GB lite 14/04/1998 91
GBA 21/03/2001 GBA SP 14/02/2003 100
DS 02/12/2004 DS lite 02/03/2006 65
3DS 26/02/2011 3DS XL 28/07/2012 74
    Average   83

You do realize GB Pocket was not the original model? But overall I agree, since GBA all handhelds had a revision within 2 years.

I know. I just thought that'd be a good start as GB pocket was the very first major revision of any Nintendo system and the beginning of revision craze. Before that, there was just a massive 7 year gap. There were also GB models with colored cases, released one year before the pocket, but I wouldn't classify them as "major".

Anyways, if we plug in Switch release date to those numbers, we get 2018-11-30 (GB lite), 2019-02-01 (GBA SP), 2018-06-01 (DS lite) and 2018-08-03 (3DS XL). So we already passed two of those dates and November release is highly unlikely. Unless Nintendo doesn't care about the revisions anymore (could just treat it as regular home console), Switch revision is very close. 



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Kristof81 said:
zorg1000 said:

You do realize GB Pocket was not the original model? But overall I agree, since GBA all handhelds had a revision within 2 years.

I know. I just thought that'd be a good start as GB pocket was the very first major revision of any Nintendo system and the beginning of revision craze. Before that, there was just a massive 7 year gap. There were also GB models with colored cases, released one year before the pocket, but I wouldn't classify them as "major".

Anyways, if we plug in Switch release date to those numbers, we get 2018-11-30 (GB lite), 2019-02-01 (GBA SP), 2018-06-01 (DS lite) and 2018-08-03 (3DS XL). So we already passed two of those dates and November release is highly unlikely. Unless Nintendo doesn't care about the revisions anymore (could just treat it as regular home console), Switch revision is very close. 

But did any of those systems have their revision before getting a price cut? I think that's due first next year, with the revision coming 2020. Also, this shows Nintendo doesn't have a history of making revisions that are inferior to the base model, at least not midcycle. Gameboy Advance Micro And Wii Mini came at the end of their lifespans, so 2DS is an exception.



2020 seems like a sweet spot, I think we will see something akin to the Pro for PS4. A 1080p screen handheld with solid 1080p gaming across the board docked instead of 900p. They are selling well and they don't want to turn the huge installed base they have now off. Pricing would be interesting, and a sligutly larger screen as there is some unused space on the device. Bluetooth functionally for headphones, would be nice. Maybe some cameras and the introfuction of social media apps. Though the social media apps could be implemented into their OS right now.



Lonely_Dolphin said:
Pemalite said: 
Miyamotoo said:

Well if your point is to have much cheaper offer of your platform, than probably you will not have Joy Cons and dock functionality for playing, offcourse you will still have regular Switch, and later probably Switch Pro/XL or even Switch TV. 3DS is dying and they will need low price offer on market when 3DS dies, and this would be basicly Switch Mini/Pocket just for handheld play that would effectively replace 3DS price point on market. Dont forget, Switch is $300 while 3DS covers price point from $80 to $200, we can realistically say that Switch will be at around $250 at end of next year, so they well need $150-200 offer on market also, Switch Mini/Pocket would perfectly fit there and would effectively start replacing 3DS price point on market.

Any reasoning behind the bolded? Why do they need to have a sub $200 system on the market at all times?

What makes you so sure that no detachable controllers and no dock means $100 cheaper? Do you believe a smaller form factor Switch would not cost more compared to regular Switch?

Because Nintendo always had low price and high price point offer on market, Switch with its price point of $300 is high price offer, 3DS with $200-80 is currently low price offer, Nintendo handhelds always had low price point and thats why they were selling like device per person (for instance family with more kids will much more likly buy several Nintendo handhelds for each kid if price point is low enugh), and when 3DS dies Switch will still have price point that will be above $200 (probably around $250), they will need $150-200 Switch offer when 3DS dies. 

Less parts, less tech, smaller form factor, package...means less costs. Of Course that smaller Switch, smaller factor size, smaller screen, without dock, built in controls instead of detachable Joy Cons and whithout some features from Joy Cons, whithout parts need for playing in docked mode, HDMI cable,  smaller package...all means much less cost. So yeah, I think that all that could cut down cost for around $100 compared to regular Switch. 

Switch Mini/Pocket just for handheld play like real replacement for 3DS price point just make too much sense,  and I think we will see something like maybe even next year.



Lonely_Dolphin said:
Pemalite said:

If you want cheap... You don't want extra mechanical components to drive up price.
Integrating the controllers into the device would eliminate that entirely... Plus all the duplicated components like the acceleraometers, gyroscopes, haptic feedback, bluetooth, batteries and so on.
Heck, throw out the dock as well.

Makes absolutely zero difference. Gimmick or not.

And there is a ton of potential cost cutting that can be done to the switch as well.

But why does Nintendo want to go so cheap though?

Removing a desired feature may reduce price but it also reduces value, while removing an undesirable feature lowers cost without decreasing value much if at all, that's the difference. Course the 2DS made the mistake of also getting rid of the clamshell design, so despite being the cheapest model it sold worse than the regular, atleast iirc. Really don't see Nintendo repeating this mistake.

I didn't say they couldn't cut cost, only that they don't need to.

 

Miyamotoo said:

Well if your point is to have much cheaper offer of your platform, than probably you will not have Joy Cons and dock functionality for playing, offcourse you will still have regular Switch, and later probably Switch Pro/XL or even Switch TV. 3DS is dying and they will need low price offer on market when 3DS dies, and this would be basicly Switch Mini/Pocket just for handheld play that would effectively replace 3DS price point on market. Dont forget, Switch is $300 while 3DS covers price point from $80 to $200, we can realistically say that Switch will be at around $250 at end of next year, so they well need $150-200 offer on market also, Switch Mini/Pocket would perfectly fit there and would effectively start replacing 3DS price point on market.

Any reasoning behind the bolded? Why do they need to have a sub $200 system on the market at all times? What makes you so sure that no detachable controllers and no dock means $100 cheaper? Do you believe a smaller form factor Switch would not cost more compared to regular Switch?

Because Nintendo eventually wants Switch to become a one per person system along with attracting more kids, families & budget conscience consumers.



When the herd loses its way, the shepard must kill the bull that leads them astray.

Amnesia said:

Never. You should wait for the new Nintendo System in 2022.
The Nintendo Switch is already the hardware evolution of the WiiU , the Switch is the WiiU Pro.

EDIT : let's see how long it takes before I get insults of "troll" and finaly be banished for defending my point of view.

You are aware that the Switch is a completely different platform?



I describe myself as a little dose of toxic masculinity.