Nintendo Releases Switch Console Specs

The upcoming Nintendo Switch console's specs were finally revealed. Nintendo previously revealed precious little about the console, which was originally known by the "NX" code name, before revealing more details in January. The console will officially debut on March 3 for $300. Here's what that money will get you--assuming the Switch is more readily available than the constantly sold-out NES Classic Mini console.

Nintendo Switch Console

The console itself is a 6.2-inch tablet with a 720p display. Nintendo designed the device to work in a variety of modes: a handheld mode with one controller on each side; a TV mode used when the console is docked; and a tabletop mode that allows two people to play together wherever they are. Switch is essentially what the Wii U, with its large GamePad that could mirror games, should have been when it succeeded the original Wii in 2012.

Bundled with each Switch is an HDMI cable, AC adapter, and the requisite controllers and accessories. That might not seem like much, but given that Nintendo didn't include a power adapter with the New Nintendo 3DS, knowing that all the necessary cables will be in the box is quite a relief.

Nintendo Switch Dock

The dock is what makes the Nintendo Switch a hybrid console; otherwise it would just be a handheld device. Each Switch comes with just one, so if you want to purchase more, you'll have to spend $90. Nintendo positioned this as a good option for people who want to use their Switch on multiple TVs, but given the dock's relatively small size, taking it around the house shouldn't be any more difficult than carrying the Switch console and its controllers.

The dock also lets the Switch go from supporting 720p with its own display to outputting 1080p to a connected TV. Nintendo didn't explain in the specs how exactly the dock accomplishes this.

Joy-Con Controllers

If the dock is what allows Nintendo Switch to be a home console, the Joy-Con controllers are what let the device handle every other situation you can throw at it. Each is jam-packed with enough sensors to make the Wii Remote blush, and because they can be used whether they're attached to or detached from the console, the Joy-Con Controllers simultaneously provide a portable experience and enable multiplayer gaming on the device.

The Joy-Con controllers differ based on whether they're left- or right-handed. They also come in different colors--gray, blue, and red--and the Switch is able to automatically detect each controller's orientation and color. This should be useful for multiplayer gaming when the device is used in TV mode.

Joy-Con Strap, Joy-Con Rail, And Impressions

Nintendo also detailed the Joy-Con Strap, which is used to connect individual Joy-Con controllers to your wrist, as well as the Joy-Con Rail that combines the controllers into something resembling Sony's DualShock 4 or the Xbox One controller. (The company also made the $70 Pro Controller for people who don't want to use the Joy-Con controllers while the Switch is docked.) Both are simple accessories that are included with each Switch console.

Some questions remain unanswered. It's not clear how developers will achieve 1080p 60fps gameplay when the Switch is docked; more powerful consoles like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One compromise on resolution, frame rate, or both. The PS4 Pro can handle 1080p with a stable 60fps, usually, but each developer has to modify their games to take advantage of the mid-cycle upgrade to Sony's console. Nintendo's goal is a bit hopeful, one might say.

It's further unclear what kinds of games will achieve the advertised six hours of battery life when The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the console's flagship launch game that was originally developed for Wii U, manages just three. Hopefully we'll see how the Switch's hype compares to its reality when it debuts in March. Until then, at least we're now a few spec sheets closer to understanding what Nintendo built with this long-mysterious console.