Nintendo has released details of the new Switch console, which will be released in early March (the 3rd) for $300 / €300 and will be ‘region-free’. The console will ship first in Japan followed by Hong Kong, then the US and Europe.
The console is a hybrid console that can be used as a portable device to play games independently, but it can also be docked and connected to a TV. The controllers can be fitted to the sides of the system unit when its used away from the dock. They can be removed to be used as regular controllers when the system is in the dock. There will also be an accessory remote. Features of the controllers include NFC and an infrared camera in the right hand one.
Battery life in remote mode is from 2.5 to 6.5 hours and the connection from the dock to the TV is via HDMI. The console display is a 6.2″ 1280 x 720 unit with touch based on capacitive technology. The main unit will run the game below, Zelda, in 900P resolution through the HDMI. Storage is 32GB, upgradable via microSDHC and microSXDC. Audio is up to 5.1 over HDMI. Although there is a USB 3.0 port on the back, it is apparently not fully supported, yet, but Nintendo said that it plans to enable it later. The console is reported to be based on an Nvidia Tegra X1 chip.
As well as selling the console, Nintendo is setting up an online service, like those of the XBox Live and the PlayStation Network. Check the video below for a demo of launch game ‘Zelda:Breath of the Wild’ and there will be, of course, a new Super Mario game.
