Nintendo Switch

Switch and Play

The Nintendo Switch is an eighth-generation video game console developed by Nintendo, and the company's seventh major home console. Originally known in development as the NX, it was officially unveiled in October 2016 and was released worldwide on 3 March 2017. See its official website here.

The Switch is a "hybrid" console, allowing different modes of play. Its main unit is shaped like a tablet computer which can be used portably as-is, or connected to a television display through a detachable docking station. In addition it can also be used in a tabletop form with its kickstand. Despite these characteristics, Nintendo markets the Switch primarily as a home console rather than as a portable; a handheld-only variant called the Switch Lite was released in late 2019 as a successor to the Nintendo 3DS line.

Its most distinguishable feature are the "Joy-Con" controllers. These are two detachable controllers that can be either attached to a "Grip" to provide a traditional home console gamepad form, attached on either side of the main unit for handheld play, or can be used individually in the hand like Nintendo's Wii Remote. The Joy-Cons are similarly motion-sensitive, and feature NFC for reading Amiibo data. The Switch uses flash ROM cartridges for media (similar to those for the Nintendo DS and 3DS), rather than optical discs, making it the first Nintendo home console to use cartridge media since the Nintendo 64.

Unlike most of Nintendo's previous hardware, the Switch uses off-the-shelf ARM-based technology that isn't far off from those used on tablets and other smart devices. Inside the Switch is a Tegra X1 System-on-a-chip supplied by Nvidia.^[1] Nvidia also has their own gaming console, the Nvidia Shield TV, which runs Google's Android TV. A revision of the X1 codenamed "Mariko" (named after Wolverine's love interest Mariko Yashida) and marketed as the X1+ was used in later Switch SKUs as well as on the Switch Lite which is a portable-only variant of the Switch.

Prior to launch, Nintendo had announced that over 100 titles were in development by 70 developers, a contrast to the Wii U's weak software library.

The console shipped over 2.74 million units in the first month of its launch, exceeding Nintendo's initial projection of 2 million units, and making it the fastest-selling home console in its history. Switch sales were highly tied to critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, released alongside the console's launch worldwide.

System Specifications

Operating system:
- Nintendo Switch system software (Based on the 3DS system software; uses networking code derived from BSD and libraries from Android such as Stagefright, NFC library and cURL downloader library but is NOT a Unix-like OS)
- Earlier models can unofficially run Android through ports of LineageOS due to the Switch's shared lineage with the Nvidia Shield. Android functionality is somewhat limited however due to the Switch's lack of camera and microphone.
System-on-chip used: Nvidia Tegra X1 (Later SKUs come with a revised X1+ SoC codenamed "Mariko")
CPU: Octa-core (4×ARM Cortex-A57 & 4×ARM Cortex-A53) @ 1.020 GHz
Memory: 4 GB LPDDR4
Storage: Internal flash memory: 32 GB
Removable storage: microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC up to 2 TB
Display: 6.2-inch, 1280 × 720 LCD @ 237 ppi, up to 1080p via HDMI while docked
Graphics: Nvidia GM20B Maxwell-based GPU @ 307.2 - 384 MHz while undocked, 307.2 - 768 MHz while docked
Sound: Linear PCM 5.1ch (via HDMI), Stereo speakers, Headphone jack
Controller input: Joy-Con, Pro Controller
Touchpad: Capacitive
Connectivity: 2.4/5 GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, 1 × USB 3.0 (on dock), 2 × USB 2.0 (on dock), 1 × USB Type-C (on unit)
Power: 4310 mAh, 3.7 V lithium-ion battery

Games include:

↑ NVidia Blog, "NVIDIA Technology Powers New Home Gaming System, Nintendo Switch"

[1] NVidia Blog, "NVIDIA Technology Powers New Home Gaming System, Nintendo Switch"

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