Details about "New" Switch revision via OS datamine (LPDDR4x RAM, modest GPU performance boost, no "Pro" model in sight)

chrisypoo · Jul 11, 2019

Finale Fireworker said:
I wonder how modest "modest" really is. I feel like some games would benefit a lot from a modest boost while other games there is obviously no saving.

Yeah, I was thinking that even a relatively mediocre GPU frequency boost, along with the increased ram, could potentially yield more than 20% performance increases in some games with unlocked frame rates, which would honestly be a big experience changer, but then I'm just spitballing here really.

Sky Walker · Jul 11, 2019

Version 3.0 said:
There's no indication that's new consumer hardware, is there? Could just be for a new devkit.

Stupid question: is there any benefit of letting developers have access to extra bits of RAM that the official SKU doesn't have?

Soapbox Killer · Jul 11, 2019

TitanicFall said:
I think that's for devs.

Version 3.0 said:
There's no indication that's new consumer hardware, is there? Could just be for a new devkit.

senj said:
That's probably just an increase to the Dev Kit

Dream killers, the lot of you.

But for realsy, why increase the devkit to 8GB of RAM?

Trrzs · Jul 11, 2019

In which percentage the performance could improve if the original Switch chip go from 20 nm to a 16 NM process? I'm hoping the new models could improve a little bit some games like Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

modiz · Jul 11, 2019

Instro said:
More/better RAM plus clock speed increases was all I wanted. A true "Pro" device would be great, but a lot of games would benefit significantly from even moderate performance improvements.

Potentially, or 4GB is for the lite and 8GB is for the revision. Doesn't really make sense to increase the dev kit ran by that much, but who knows.

Soapbox Killer Returns said:
Dream killers, the lot of you.

But for realsy, why increase the devkit to 8GB of RAM?

Maybe developers asked nintendo to bump the devkit ram to add in more debug software.
Having double the ram only on one switch and not the other when the rest of their specs are almost exactly the same sounds pointless

NateDrake · Jul 11, 2019

Instro said:
More/better RAM plus clock speed increases was all I wanted. A true "Pro" device would be great, but a lot of games would benefit significantly from even moderate performance improvements.

Potentially, or 4GB is for the lite and 8GB is for the revision. Doesn't really make sense to increase the dev kit ran by that much, but who knows.

Edit

He seems to have wiped all of his tweets. I wonder if Nintendo went after him.

Twitter is down.

BrucCLea13k87 · Jul 11, 2019

This is exactly what I was expecting. Now I just need to know when the bloody thing is coming out! I lost my OG Switch!!

SweetVermouth · Jul 11, 2019

They're not doubling the RAM of the Switch. Every game made for Switch has to run on the original system too, it wouldn't be worth it to go the extra mile and make special enhancements for an 8GB RAM Switch. The only enhancement you should expect is a slight upgrade in CPU/GPU power.

dom · Jul 11, 2019

SweetVermouth said:
They're not doubling the RAM of the Switch. Every game made for Switch has to run on the original system too, it wouldn't be worth it to go the extra mile and make special enhancements for an 8GB RAM Switch. The only enhancement you should expect is a slight upgrade in CPU/GPU power.

We all know that 8GB RAM upgrade would be for the OS so they can do absolutely nothing with it.

Deleted member 8791 · Jul 11, 2019

Reinhardt Schneider said:
A modest increase in clocks and faster memory can do wonders for a device like the Switch, but I don't see Nintendo using that to launch a revision unless it brings something else to the table (Better ergonomy and screen would be nice)

I think I'll stay as I am right now

This revision comes from moving to a newer chipset. I think Switch is the only device really using Tegra X1 now.

Gurgelhals · Jul 11, 2019

The added support for 8GB RAM in combination with the removal of the support for 6GB is a bit weird though. I cannot see Nintendo doubling the RAM in the retail unit either (it's Nintendo for Christ's sake), but then again why go from 6GB to 8GB in the devkit in the first place?

dragonbane · Jul 11, 2019

Soapbox Killer Returns said:
Dream killers, the lot of you.

But for realsy, why increase the devkit to 8GB of RAM?

Devkits usually have twice the amount of RAM as consumer units, e.g. Xbox One X Devkit has 24 GB of RAM, so 6 GB was actually conservative on Nintendo's part. Really doubt this is for consumers. Don't get your hopes up

Spider-Man · Jul 11, 2019

I hope this isn't it. Because that isn't worth an upgrade.

Maximus · Jul 11, 2019

That seems fine, I don't understand why they would create a better performing model just yet. Other quality of life upgrades would be nice like better wifi, Bluetooth for headphones and better battery life. Also making the joycons and console feel more sturdy in handheld mode.

senj · Jul 11, 2019

So, why change the DevKit to 8GB from 6GB?

The current Switch uses 2x 2GB Samsung memory modules. The Dev Kits, obviously, had 3x. So Nintendo was able to just focus on buying 2GB modules and maximized their volume discount.

My bet is they've switched the Lite and the "new" revised Switch to use 1x 4GB module. With density increases etc, the prices on modules drop over time, so it's probably now cheaper than 2 smaller modules. That leaves them with either: continuing to buy a vastly reduced amount of 2GB modules for the additional DevKit RAM, but now they're paying a lot more per 2GB module because they build a lot of DevKits, OR just buy a ton of 4GB modules, maximize their volume discount, put 1 in consumer Switches & 2 in the DevKits. No dev ever complained about more RAM anyways.

Becks' · Jul 11, 2019

I hope they boost CPU clocks because that's where Switch lags when it comes to frame-pacing issues in taxing games like DOOM.

Deleted member 32018 · Jul 11, 2019

This is pretty much as expected and what we've already known about but I would take some of it with a grain of salt as it still is full of assumption and speculation over amount of memory and clock speeds for a retail version.

Also stating not to expect a pro for at least another 18 months is speculation at best too. That's trying to find a pattern out of one occasion.

Dark Cloud · Jul 11, 2019

This is the Switch Pro I feel like for me lol. I guess it's how you define "pro", which can be different for each person.

Version 3.0 · Jul 11, 2019

Sky Walker said:
Stupid question: is there any benefit of letting developers have access to extra bits of RAM that the official SKU doesn't have?

I'm no developer, but I believe it's quite normal for devkits to have significantly more RAM than the consumer models.

CNoodles · Jul 11, 2019

So I am confused. Is this the "Pro" model that was leaked or is this a completely different thing?

Onix555 · Jul 11, 2019

Spider-Man said:
I hope this isn't it. Because that isn't worth an upgrade.

Its not an upgrade, its just a refresh.

DigitalOp · Jul 11, 2019

So how does Nintendo advertise this?

They can't boost RAM, upgrade CPU, and update storage without informing customers that this Switch product differs from the OG unit

NateDrake · Jul 11, 2019

CNoodles said:
So I am confused. Is this the "Pro" model that was leaked or is this a completely different thing?

A Pro never leaked. All talk was for a Switch with enhanced performance/improvements, which this is.

AtomicShroom · Jul 11, 2019

I hope that the "New" Switch also has some other improvements that we haven't heard about or can't be found through the OS, like Joy-cons with stronger antennas that don't desync or drop inputs if you so much as just stare at them, or that don't drift.

Atheerios · Jul 11, 2019

CNoodles said:
So I am confused. Is this the "Pro" model that was leaked or is this a completely different thing?

Yes, this is the "Pro" model that was leaked. The original sources like WSJ never called it a Pro model, but an "Enhanced Switch". The Pro designation came from fans, and it turned to be an inaccurate way to describe it.

Durden · Jul 11, 2019

I always thought the pro model rumors seemed very un-Nintendo like. The only time they really pulled anything like that was the new 3DS that I recall. And that wasn't even that big of a push.

dom · Jul 11, 2019

DigitalOp said:
So how does Nintendo advertise this?

They can't boost RAM, upgrade CPU, and update storage without informing customers that this Switch product differs from the OG unit

It's a Switch +. It will replace the current Switch. Probably come with different colored Joycons to differentiate it.

Deleted member 2340 · Jul 11, 2019

I read the OP. I fully accomplished that.... yup... I don't know what's going on... so there's no Pro Switch? There is a future Pro Switch? Current Switch units being upgraded through software? What did I just read?

Sander VF · Jul 11, 2019

DigitalOp said:
So how does Nintendo advertise this?

They can't boost RAM, upgrade CPU, and update storage without informing customers that this Switch product differs from the OG unit

The same way Sony advertises PS4 Slim and Microsoft does Xbone S

Or more appropriately, how they did with XL.

Deleted member 32018 · Jul 11, 2019

This model is closer to what the new 3DS was to the 3DS and not the PS4 Pro to the PS4. It's a replacement more than an extra 'enthusiast' model.

dom · Jul 11, 2019

steviejd1 said:
This model is closer to what the new 3DS was to the 3DS and not the PS4 Pro to the PS4.

Naw, More like DS Lite to OG DS.

Dekuman · Jul 11, 2019

That is the pro we've.been discussing
Lol

See the DF video on this.

domthybomb said:
Naw, More like DS Lite to OG DS.

Incorrect
DS lite has the same performance as.OG.DS
It was a screen and design upgrade

Deleted member 7572 · Jul 11, 2019

Will be interested to see what Xenoblade 2 looks like with the boost.

Sander VF · Jul 11, 2019

steviejd1 said:
This model is closer to what the new 3DS was to the 3DS and not the PS4 Pro to the PS4. It's a replacement more than an extra 'enthusiast' model.

New 3DS CPU boost was pretty substantial, I don't know why people keep saying this.

There's a reason why Xenoblade 3D was limited to New 3DS.

Braaier · Jul 11, 2019

I will wait for details from digital foundry and other outlets to see what kind of boost we are talking about. If it's very modest I'll stick to my OG Switch. But if it's something more I may upgrade if there is a decent deal.

modiz · Jul 11, 2019

Sky Walker said:
Stupid question: is there any benefit of letting developers have access to extra bits of RAM that the official SKU doesn't have?

Being able to run debug software for the games will require more memory

Atheerios · Jul 11, 2019

Gridlock said:
I read the OP. I fully accomplished that.... yup... I don't know what's going on... so there's no Pro Switch? There is a future Pro Switch? Current Switch units being upgraded through software? What did I just read?

There is no Pro Switch.

The "Pro" Switch that was leaked is just a refresh with newer components for the original model. Same form factor, slightly better GPU/CPU/battery, but no noticeable graphical improvements.

Slayven · Jul 11, 2019

DigitalOp said:
So how does Nintendo advertise this?

They can't boost RAM, upgrade CPU, and update storage without informing customers that this Switch product differs from the OG unit

I think they advertise the storage bump to put some distance between it and the lite. Plus do a few game bundles for christmas

Gurgelhals · Jul 11, 2019

steviejd1 said:
This model is closer to what the new 3DS was to the 3DS and not the PS4 Pro to the PS4. It's a replacement more than an extra 'enthusiast' model.

New 3DS was a much more significant upgrade (3x CPU clock frequency and twice as much RAM with double the memory bandwidth). We're not getting a jump like that here. It would also be kind of pointless to be honest. I mean, how many actual titles took advantage of the higher specs of the New 3DS? A modest spec bump leading to more stable framerates and resolutions in demanding titles makes much more sense here.

Deleted member 8791 · Jul 11, 2019

I don't know what a Pro Switch would have that this isn't getting really.

PersianPrince · Jul 11, 2019

So what's the SKU number for this? How can I ensure I am getting the right version when I go to the store?

Deleted member 32018 · Jul 11, 2019

Sander VF said:
New 3DS CPU boost was pretty substantial, I don't know why people keep saying this.

There's a reason why Xenoblade 3D was limited to New 3DS.

Gurgelhals said:
New 3DS was a much more significant upgrade (3x CPU clock frequency and twice as much RAM with double the memory bandwidth). We're not getting a jump like that here. It would also be kind of pointless to be honest. I mean, how many actual titles took advantage of the higher specs of the New 3DS? A modest spec bump leading to more stable framerates and resolutions in demanding titles makes much more sense here.

I was talking in terms of it being a replacement for an OG Switch not how much more power it has.

Carassius Auratus · Jul 11, 2019

Guess I'll wait for Switch 2 then ;_;

Comic Obsessed · Jul 11, 2019

At this point I'm just hoping for bigger memory and a more durable design at this point.

Sander VF · Jul 11, 2019

PersianPrince said:
So what's the SKU number for this? How can I ensure I am getting the right version when I go to the store?

I hope there's a slight design update.

Diarrhea Day-Lewis · Jul 11, 2019

This should put to rest the Pro rumors right? The switch was never going to get a New 3DS level boost 2 years in.

This sounds much more like Xbox One to One S.

My guess is the CPU is boosted a bit and OG switch will be updated to use the boosted speed but only docked and portable performance remains the base.

Hopefully they use the added CPU power, however small, to finally bring over more classic games like n64, the Cube and wii Shield games

I am 100% interested in a "New" Switch even if it is the same. LPDDR4X alone should give it a battery life bump right?

TLDR. Buy a switch lite or switch whenever you want, a Pro with huge changes isn't coming soon. You could die tomorrow folks, might as well play these games in their prime rather than waiting imo

senj · Jul 11, 2019

DigitalOp said:
So how does Nintendo advertise this?

They can't boost RAM, upgrade CPU, and update storage without informing customers that this Switch product differs from the OG unit

I don't think they do.

Maybe it launches with increased internal storage. Maybe it's a fully stealth revision that just changes the internals; the SNES got like 6 of those in its day. Chips removed, clocks tweaked, but no change to the externals or marketing.

Inugami · Jul 11, 2019

pulsemyne said:
The 8 gigs is probably for a revised dev kit and the new switch would have 6 gigs which is a fairly common amount for mobile devices. With OS overhead we should be looking at around 5.2 gigs for games. Not bad at all.

This isn't happening. The model being released will not have additional ram. Support for 8GB is almost certainly just for dev kits. "new" switch will contain 4GB just like current switch. You'll have to wait till the next model for anything beyond the slightest boosts.

Zedelima said:
Thats what i want to know

They will release a small revision then

"New" switch is this updated base model. People are saying this is like Xbox S over OG, I'd say this is even less than that. It sounds more like a typical cost saving revision only with the security flaws mostly worked out.

Like how later PS4 slims are slightly quieter due to having more power efficient parts.

asd202 · Jul 11, 2019

So this model is exactly what I thought it would be.

ThatMeanScene · Jul 11, 2019

Even if it's a super modest update I'd still pick it up. I can give my current Switch to my little niece.

Details about "New" Switch revision via OS datamine (LPDDR4x RAM, modest GPU performance boost, no "Pro" model in sight)

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