In early July, Nintendo shocked the gaming community when they announced the newest addition to the Nintendo Switch family — a new console dubbed the Nintendo Switch OLED. The announcement came fresh off the heels of E3 2021, where the company announced a slew of new titles heading into the holiday season. Despite rumors of a Nintendo Switch “Pro” that had circulated the internet for months — a 4K Nintendo Switch that would be the company’s powerhouse console – hype around the non-”pro” OLED console grew quickly, and it’s anticipated to fly off the shelves when it’s released on October 8, 2021.
Whether you’re a newcomer to the Switch family or looking to upgrade your older Switch model, the Nintendo Switch OLED could be a great choice for you. Here’s everything you need to know about the Nintendo Switch OLED.
The Nintendo Switch OLED Specs
Like the name suggests, the new Switch OLED features a bright and vibrant 7-inch OLED screen, perfect for both media consumption and gaming. OLED, which stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode, provides faster response times for gamers, while enhancing image quality with high contrasts and deeper blacks.
Compared to the original Switch’s 6.2-inch LCD touchscreen, the OLED edition offers a visual improvement with a bigger screen and less bezels.
Nintendo Switch (OLED) Neon Red/Neon Blue
The Switch OLED features an improved kickstand that can adjust to virtually any viewing angle. New onboarded speakers provide a better audio experience, and a built-in LAN port means gamers can connect online through a wired connection, which typically enhances online play and connectivity. Under the hood, the Nintendo Switch OLED features 64GB of internal storage, twice of the original model. Like the original Switch, the Nintendo Switch OLED can be enjoyed as a handheld device or docked and connected to a TV.
How Much Will The Nintendo Switch OLED Model Cost?
These new additions mean the Nintendo Switch OLED will be slightly more expensive than the original Switch, retailing at $350. That’s $50 higher than the original Nintendo Switch, and $150 higher than the Switch Lite.
While we know what the retail price of the OLED will be, we do not yet know what it will resell for on StockX. The answer to this question, like the answer to all resale pricing questions, depends on the balance of supply and demand. If supply is limited, like it was for last year’s PlayStation 5 and Xbox releases, the OLED will likely trade above retail. Currently, the PS5 is going for around $700, and during the holiday season, when demand was highest and supply was most constrained, it was going for over $1000.
However, it is also possible that supply will be greater, and resale prices will be lower. Right now, you can get a Nintendo Switch Lite on StockX for less than retail – and in some cases, significantly less. In that case, OLED shoppers looking for a bargain might find the secondary market preferable to retail.
Is The Switch OLED The Switch Pro?
In short, no. The Nintendo Switch OLED is not the console many were anticipating dubbed “The Switch Pro.” That console was rumored to support 4K, which would have been possible with Nvidia’s DLSS rendering technology. However, this technology is only supported on Nvidia graphics cards, and amid a global semiconductor chip shortage that has affected industries from gaming to the automotive industry, it’s no surprise the Switch Pro didn’t become a reality this year.
Under the hood, the Nintendo Switch OLED features the same RAM and Nvidia Tegra X1 chipset as the original Switch, which means that, unfortunately, it has the same power as a console that was released nearly half a decade ago.
Should I Get The Nintendo Switch OLED?
It’s far from the Switch Pro we expected, but the OLED screen is probably worth the upgrade, especially if you’re new to the Switch family or are upgrading from your original model. In addition to the bigger OLED screen, the other improvements – more internal storage, a better audio experience, and a LAN port – are especially advantageous, particularly for competitive gamers.
For an additional $50, you’re getting a console with some quality of life improvements and a slew of new titles on release and heading into the holiday season. Nintendo’s E3 2021 Direct (the yearly event catered for gaming publishers and developers to show off new products in the industry) was pretty fulfilling for fans of the company. For starters, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be getting a sequel, and that game will look stunning on the new OLED screen. The vibrant colors and deep contrasting hues will make the new open-world Legend of Zelda title that much more immersive.
Nintendo Metroid Dread Samus/ E.M.M.I amiibo
While Metroid 4 is still in production (after a grueling four year wait), Nintendo is blessing us Metroid Dread, the first new story in the series in 19 years. Metroid Dread will launch on the same day as the Nintendo Switch OLED. New games like Shin Megami Tensei V, Mario Party Superstars, and a new Warioware is enough to build hype around the new Switch OLED.
The Takeaway
The specs on the new Nintendo Switch OLED may be disappointing to some, especially with strong rumors around a 4k model. In hindsight, Nintendo isn’t exactly known for industry-leading specs in the company’s arsenal. Historically, Nintendo consoles have been weaker than their Sony and Microsoft counterparts, but Nintendo’s true success lies in the consistent titles released throughout the years.
A 4k Switch would have been a dream come true, but maybe that’s just the reality we live in — just a dream. It isn’t all doom and gloom with the Nintendo Switch OLED — far from it.
If you’re looking to join the Switch family for the first time, spending the extra $50 will be beneficial. That large OLED screen will mesmerize you at home or on the go, and with new titles around the corner, the gaming and entertainment options will be limitless.
The Nintendo Switch OLED is expected to sell out at launch as demand for Switch consoles has stayed rather consistent throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. If you don’t happen to secure yours on launch, StockX will have the Nintendo Switch OLED ready for your enjoyment.
