Nintendo Switch OLED Review: A Must-Have for Gamers on the Go – Futurism

No matter how great a new Nintendo console is, the first iteration can almost always be considered a beta. Upon its first release, the Game Boy Advance still ran on batteries and didnt even have a backlight. The bulky original Nintendo DS looks practically primitive when compared to the far sleeker Nintendo DS Lite. Early adopters help Nintendo in working out the kinks before a shinier option makes this years model obsolete. This brings us to the Nintendo Switch OLED model.

The third iteration of Nintendos immensely popular home console is the latest upgrade offered after the basic models release in 2017, followed by the Nintendo Switch Mini in 2019. There are a few technical enhancements but the obvious one is its big, bright OLED screen. Is this new display worth shelling out the extra gold coins for, or should gamers hold out until the next revamp? It depends on how you get your game on, of course.

Specifications: Released: October 8, 2021 Dimensions: 4 inches H x 9.5 inches L x 0.55 inches D, with Joy-Cons attached Weight: 14.88 ounces, with Joy-Cons attached Screen: 7-inch Multi-touch capacitive OLED GPU: Nvidia Custom Tegra processor Storage: 6GB, upgradeable up to 2TB with microSD cards, sold separately Wireless: WiFi (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compliant)/Bluetooth 4.1 Video Output: Up to 1080p via HDMI in TV mode, Up to 720p via the built-in screen in tabletop and handheld modes Audio Output: Compatible with 5.1ch Linear PCM output, Output via HDMI connector in TV mode. Stereo speakers, 3.5mm 4-pole stereo headphone jack Sensor: Accelerometer, gyroscope, and brightness sensors Battery: Lithium-ion battery / 4310mAh Inputs: 2 USB 2.0, Wired LAN Battery Life: Runs from 4.5-9 hours, depending on settings and game Charging Time: 3 hours

The original Nintendo Switch was released in March of 2017, and since then, rumors swirled of a Nintendo Switch Pro. In July of 2021, Nintendo unveiled the third version of its hybrid portable/home console with Nintendo Switch OLED. It wasnt the technical powerhouse fans expected, but it did sport a handful of upgrades. The obvious one is the big and very bright 7-inch OLED screen. Comparably, the original Nintendo Switch screen is a simpler 6.2-inch IPS (a simpler, less-bright LED style) display.

Nintendo Switch OLEDs new stand spans the length of the back of the console and is a little sturdier when playing in tabletop mode. Its also adjustable, so you can view the console from a handful of different angles. Nintendo Switch OLEDs dock comes with a built-in Ethernet port for more secure wired connections, but it did so at the cost of one of the USB 2.0 ports. Strangely enough, both the original Nintendo Switch and the OLED upgrade work with this new dock.

Aside from the obvious screen which gives this new model its name, there are a few new changes to the console. For one, Nintendo Switch OLED comes with a whopping 64 GB of memory, which doubles the space available on the original Nintendo Switch. Its a welcome addition to anyone whos determined to go digital this generation. The consoles memory is upgradable up to 2TB via a microSD card, which slides into the console just under its stand.

Related: Best Nintendo Switch Controllers

Anytime a new version of a console is released, a dedicated user must ask themselves a question: Do I need to drop the cash on this new version? After all, the previous new Nintendo Switch offering was rather easy to pass on. Nintendo Switch Lite is built strictly for portability, is a good bit smaller, and doesnt even come with a dock to connect it to a television. But is it worth upgrading to the OLED model? Heres a peek at my first four months with the Nintendo Switch OLED.

Nintendo Switch OLED was released on October 8, 2021, alongside the celebrated and long-awaited Metroid: Dread. Samus latest romp was a perfect pairing with this new console. The game includes some spooky stealth areas where blood-thirsty AI robots chase you down narrow passages. If they get their metal mitts on you, they run a spike through your neck causing an instant Game Over that fills the player with visceral dread, hence the name. To amplify this heart-pumping action, I played Dread with all the lights off in the house, save for the light coming from the screen, which admittedly was abundant. After about an hour of play, it was clear that there was no going back to playing in handheld mode on a lesser Switch console.

For a console that doubles as a portable, giving the device an OLED screen was an easy way to bolster the visual output of the Switch OLED, which lags behind the Xbox Series X and the PS5. Both the Microsoft and Sony consoles output in 4-8K, and even have processing powers that can go toe to toe with modern gaming PCs. OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode, and these screens are put in everything from smartphones to cameras. The technology provides brighter screens, better contrast, wider color ranges, and even faster refresh rates, which makes them perfect for gaming applications. Its no surprise that my experience with Metroid: Dread felt all the more terrifying considering that everything including the wall-crawling death robots looked crisper than ever before. Releasing Metroid: Dread along with the new console was a seriously smart way to show off the Nintendo Switch OLEDs capabilities.

A new screen gives gamers a good excuse to dip back into games that were released ages ago, including visual masterpieces like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey. While big-screen experiences are engrossing, unless your television is also an OLED TV, playing in handheld mode is almost always preferable. Light is such a game-changer when it comes to portable gaming. Even playing legacy titles via Nintendo Switch Online feels new and more immersive than before. Even in 16-bit titles, colors come in more vibrant than before. Kirby pinks, Pikachu yellows, and of course, Mario reds practically pop off the screen.

While the screen is the Nintendo Switch OLEDs main improvement, there are a few more QoL upgrades. The new Nintendo Switch OLED stand spans the length of the back of the screen and offers far more angles than the original ever did. I can say with confidence that Ive never played in tabletop mode. However, a handful of multiplayer titles could take advantage of this, including Nintendo Switch versions of popular board games like Monopoly Madness and Catan.

The Nintendo Switch OLED dock also comes with a wired LAN port. I wish I could report that this vastly improves the lackluster Nintendo Switch Online multiplayer experience. Sadly, it does not. While the dock traded one of its USB 2.0 ports for it, this sacrifice isnt one that stung too much. The inside of the dock is a little crowded, so most USB accessories had a hard time maneuvering back there anyway. And thats all she wrote, upgrades-wise. Nintendo touts better speakers in tabletop and handheld modes, but the difference between the Nintendo Switch OLED and the original model is negligible. The battery life, video output, and GPU remain unchanged. That fabled Nintendo Switch Pro with all the technical upgrades is nothing but a dreamfor now.

Q: Where can I buy Nintendo Switch OLED?You can buy the Nintendo Switch OLED in most stores where video games are sold.

Q: When will Nintendo Switch OLED be back in stock?When will the Nintendo Switch OLED be back in stock? Nintendo Switch OLED stock always moves fast, but its available on Walmart.com.

Q: Does the Nintendo Switch have an OLED screen?The newest Nintendo Switch OLED contains an OLED screen. The original Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite contain LCD screens.

For gamers looking for a console powerhouse with 4K output and faster processing speeds, the Nintendo Switch OLED feels like a smack in the face. Granted, lagging behind the competition is what Nintendo does best, and its a gamble that often pays off, especially in the current console generation. The Switch OLED packs a beautiful screen that makes experiences in new games more memorable and immersive than ever before when playing in handheld and tabletop mode. If your Switch never hardly ever leaves your dock, theres no sense in upgrading just yet. However, if youre the kind who games on the couch, in bed, in the car, and yes, even in the bathroom, the Nintendo Switch OLED may be a worthy investment for your gaming habit. This goes double for the few who have yet to dive into the Nintendo Switch craze. Theres no better place to start than with the Nintendo Switch OLED.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurisms owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.

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Nintendo Switch OLED Review: A Must-Have for Gamers on the Go - Futurism