It’s not unusual for console makers to launch refreshed {hardware} late right into a gaming machine’s life cycle: the numerous iterations of the Nintendo GBA, DS, and 3DS are all proof of that. So with the Nintendo Switch effectively into its fifth yr, and rumors of an upgraded professional model nonetheless simply rumors, Nintendo is clearly aiming to rekindle {hardware} gross sales for the vacation season with the Switch OLED. It’s not an entire overhaul, however in the event you’re principally a handheld Switch gamer that upgraded display is a real deal with for the eyes that’s going to be onerous to withstand.

Those who’ve been having fun with Nintendo’s moveable consoles for many years are keenly conscious the corporate shouldn’t be one to embrace the newest and best display applied sciences. The unique Game Boy’s show was an eyesore, and the twin screens on the Nintendo DS appeared three generations older than what Sony used on the flashy PSP. So whereas it was disappointing that the unique Switch, and even the Switch Lite, caught with LCD panels, it’s good to lastly see Nintendo embrace OLEDs. Whatever the following era Switch finally ends up being, it’s secure to imagine Nintendo goes to make use of an OLED—now that players have seen the distinction, there’s no going again.

That Beautiful Screen

There are a number of causes to justify dropping an additional $50 on the brand new $350 Nintendo Switch OLED over the unique mannequin (technically the second-generation mannequin) which continues to be in the stores, however none are as compelling or convincing as that new OLED display.

At 7 inches, the OLED display is bigger than the unique Switch’s 6.2-inch LCD show and dramatically shrinks the black bezel across the display. The OG Switch and the brand new Switch OLED are practically equivalent in measurement, so the lowered bezels make the display improve really feel much more spectacular in scale.

It doesn’t take lengthy in your mind to regulate to the bigger display measurement and cease noticing it, however even after per week of enjoying a library of video games that I’ve been having fun with for years, my eyes nonetheless marvel at that OLED display each time I flip the Switch on. By now everyone knows the advantages of OLED shows—elevated shade saturation, brighter whites with none odd shade tints, and excellent distinction—however seeing it used on a Nintendo moveable is simply magical. I think my eyes and mind have simply been educated to not anticipate a lot when it comes to display high quality from a Nintendo handheld, and now they’re reveling within the improve. The bar has been considerably raised.

Fans of moodier video games the place baddies are hiding within the shadows will instantly see the advantages of the OLED as darker areas of the display utterly disappear and mix into the black bezel. But it’s the deeper shade saturations that make my eyes really feel prefer it’s Christmas morning each time I activate the console. Even the shortcut icons on the house display look richer and extra inviting, however colourful video games like Super Mario Odyssey seem to be a completely new expertise on the Switch OLED. The pink of Mario’s jumpsuit feels prefer it’s burning into my retinas as I play. I not solely welcome it, but in addition really feel pity for what my eyes needed to endure with the unique Switch. (OK, OK, the unique Switch wasn’t that unhealthy, however the distinction between the outdated and new is stark.)

What hasn’t modified is that in handheld mode the Nintendo Switch OLED nonetheless solely presents 720p decision, which is lower than what you’ll get from even smartphone video games. Nintendo seemingly didn’t wish to tweak the console’s processing energy to deliver 1080p gameplay to its built-in display (that’s nonetheless solely obtainable in docked mode), which might presumably even be successful on battery life. For that we’ll nonetheless have to hold our fingers crossed that the long-rumored next-gen Switch delivers these graphical enhancements.

A Kickstand That’s No Longer an Unusable Afterthought

I typically examine the kickstand included on the unique Nintendo Switch to each essay I wrote in school: It looks as if it was thrown collectively on the final minute in an absolute panic to meet some forgotten obligation. But whereas I might normally pull off a strong C with my work, the outdated kickstand barely mustered a passing grade.

It was flimsy, supplied just one angle of assist, and, to be completely trustworthy, unfit of a point out as an official characteristic. I attempted it as soon as after unboxing the unique Switch 4 years in the past, determined it wasn’t price risking my $300 console on a skinny plastic leg, inserted a microSD card, and haven’t touched it since.

The kickstand on the Switch OLED has been utterly redesigned and it’s… sort of implausible? It runs all the width of the again of the console and makes use of the identical type of extremely sturdy hinges that you just’ll discover on units just like the Microsoft Surface.

As a end result, the kickstand will be securely positioned at virtually any angle, and presents round 150 levels of motion. It now usually delivers on the Switch’s unique promise of being a console you may take and play wherever with buddies with the Joy-Cons indifferent.

The redesigned hinge has additionally seen the Switch’s microSD card slot turned 90 levels to the facet. Functionally it’s no completely different, however it does scale back the danger of by chance getting a finger beneath the cardboard when making an attempt to drag out the kickstand, so it’s bought that going for it… which is good.

A New Dock Has Appeared

Although the brand new Switch OLED can also be obtainable in a model with neon blue and pink Joy-Con controllers and a grey dock, the brand new white possibility feels higher matched to its brighter OLED show, and it comes with an identical white dock.

Functionally, the dock is identical, you simply plop your Switch OLED in it (it’s appropriate with the unique Switch as effectively) and your gameplay shall be re-routed to no matter show you may have linked by way of HDMI. Aesthetically, it’s bought some extra rounded corners, however the larger upgrades are discovered ‘spherical again.

Instead of a hinged door that was often onerous to open relying on the place your dock was sitting, the brand new dock incorporates a snap-in panel that comes proper off giving barely simpler entry to ports for USB-C energy, HDMI, and a newly added spot for an ethernet cable. If you’ve all the time had points together with your Switch and your wifi community, this could possibly be a welcome improve, though it’s in all probability not the pace of your wi-fi community that makes downloading Switch video games from the web retailer such a protracted, grueling course of.

With the again panel re-attached, the brand new Switch dock additionally has a bigger cutout to make routing a number of cables via it a lot simpler. Long in the past I forcefully eliminated the hinged cowl on my Switch dock to make issues simpler, and it appears I wasn’t the one one with comparable complaints given this improved redesign.

Other Tweaks, Improvements, and Upgrades

There are some much less apparent enhancements on the Switch OLED, and whereas they don’t essentially justify the improve, they’re nonetheless very a lot welcome.

The energy and quantity buttons on high of the console have been elongated in order that they’re ever-so-slightly simpler to distinguish and function, whereas the Switch OLED sees a bump in built-in storage from 32GB to 64GB, which helps take a nibble out of the $50 worth hike. The battery can also be the identical upgraded providing that was launched with the 2019 refresh of the Switch, which guarantees wherever from 4 to 9 hours of playtime relying on the sport and display brightness. But that can probably be on the longer finish of the dimensions on the brand new Switch since OLED screens are way more vitality environment friendly than LCDs.

As for Joy-Con drift: There’s no indication that Nintendo has addressed this frequent problem in any respect within the Joy-Cons that ship with the brand new Switch OLED, which is a giant disappointment. Selling a brand new console that can in all chance develop the identical unsolvable points because the earlier era {hardware} is a troublesome promote.

Is it Worth the Upgrade?

If you’re already a content material person of the older era Switch or the Switch Lite and don’t have $350 to drop on a brand new console, then no, you don’t want the Switch OLED. The identical goes for players, like myself, whose Switches have spent the overwhelming majority of their lives sitting within the dock. You will see no gameplay, frame charge, or graphical enhancements on a bigger display with the brand new Switch OLED.

If, nevertheless, the Switch has turn into the last word moveable gaming system for you, and also you play principally in handheld mode, that new display makes the Switch OLED really feel like a completely new system, even when it’s actually not. Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom instantly really feel like completely new locations you’ll wish to discover once more, like going for an IRL stroll within the solar after a number of days of rain. If you’re itching for brand new {hardware} (and might’t watch for the Analogue Pocket any longer), it’s onerous to think about that any Switch fan could be disenchanted had been they to change to this new model.