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[Deleted member 465307]

Sorry on mobile, but to the 3 replies above.

Why would an OS a month out from release need a day one patch to allow Micro SD card hardware functionality?

Unless there is some weird agreement or stipulation to its use, how is this not weird?

3ds never required this type of asterisk.

Other systems have had OS updates that added hardware features. Wii got an update that expanded SD card functionality. Wii U had a big Day 1 OS update. It's just a matter of when the system started being manufactured and packaged and when the OS was finished.

I suspect there will probably be a day one update to the console. As long as that's the case and I can use my SD card right away, I'll be happy.

Yeah, I really expect this kind of stuff to happen Day 1. At the very latest, it will happen by the time the mobile internet app for Switch launches in Summer/Fall 2017 (I'm considering that the day that the original vision for the OS will be complete).

 

[Twenty7KVN]

Again I am just speculating, but it is a weird thing to even note on promotional materials.

Raises more unnecessary questions than give any insight.

And yes it sort of is a big deal if it is along the scenario of I don't have an active internet connection and it won't authenticate my license to play my game. This thing does have a portable aspect and if I am on the go, turn it on and have to search for wifi to authenticate and play a game stored on expandable memory, then yes that is a bad scenario.

I can think of no other portable system (PlayStation or Nintendo) that noted somewhere that an internet connection is required before use.

Again needs clarification, all speculation, but still a possibility and I would be annoyed if so.

You're think way to much into this. IT's just a one time update to support sdxc not some form of drm.

 

[Thoraxes]

Sorry on mobile, but to the 3 replies above.

Why would an OS a month out from release need a day one patch to allow Micro SD card hardware functionality?

Unless there is some weird agreement or stipulation to its use, how is this not weird?

3ds never required this type of asterisk.

I needed a to download and authenticate to play blurays on my Xbox One. It doesn't need to do it every time, just the first time to enable playback.

It's obviously just reserved for a system update since they've probably been producing the actual consoles since like, November.

 

[LordofPwn]

Other systems have had OS updates that added hardware features. Wii got an update that expanded SD card functionality. Wii U had a big Day 1 OS update. It's just a matter of when the system started being manufactured and packaged and when the OS was finished.



Yeah, I really expect this kind of stuff to happen Day 1. At the very latest, it will happen by the time the internet app for Switch launches (I'm considering that the day that the original vision for the OS will be complete).

would be nice to be able to download the update before March 3rd like when the PS4 came out. have a feeling servers may be an issue...

 

[GankzyMcfly]

So do we still not know whats inside the switch other then the 32g internal storage? For example...can somebody tell me how much ram the switch has or something like that...

 

[blame space]

256MB

 

[Twenty7KVN]

So do we still not know whats inside the switch other then the 32g internal storage? For example...can somebody tell me how much ram the switch has or something like that...

I think the rumor is 4GBs

 

[Vena]

Again I am just speculating, but it is a weird thing to even note on promotional materials.

Raises more unnecessary questions than give any insight.

And yes it sort of is a big deal if it is along the scenario of I don't have an active internet connection and it won't authenticate my license to play my game. This thing does have a portable aspect and if I am on the go, turn it on and have to search for wifi to authenticate and play a game stored on expandable memory, then yes that is a bad scenario.

I can think of no other portable system (PlayStation or Nintendo) that noted somewhere that an internet connection is required before use.

Again needs clarification, all speculation, but still a possibility and I would be annoyed if so.

Its literally a driver update, driver updates are not DRM.

 

[frankie_baby]

SDXC utilizes a proprietary file system created by Microsoft. So that may be the reason.

It's pretty obvious it'll be so they can avoid paying unnecessary royalties to Microsoft, even if only 5% of switch owners don't connect their systems online that'll still be a non insignificant saving

 

[GankzyMcfly]

I think the rumor is 4GBs

Ah ic, so we still know nothing for sure with regards to the actual hardware powering the switch.

Still not sure how anybody could drop 299.99 usd on something they know very little about other then, it plays Nintendo games.

 

[TheGamingBox]

Ah ic, so we still know nothing for sure with regards to the actual hardware powering the switch.

Still not sure how anybody could drop 299.99 usd on something they know very little about other then, it plays Nintendo games.

nintendo never releases specific hardware specs

 

[Twenty7KVN]

Ah ic, so we still know nothing for sure with regards to the actual hardware powering the switch.

Still not sure how anybody could drop 299.99 usd on something they know very little about other then, it plays Nintendo games.

Yea this is typical Nintendo from wii days little to no spec info.

I mean we know enough about the system itself and have seen the games to make a proper judgement. I mean if you want to take a wait and see approach that's cool,but enough info is out to make a decision.

 

[LordofPwn]

Hmm seems i was pretty close to giving the dimensions of the switch back in October.

this dock is small. no more than 2 inches deep and ~16mm of that depth is taken up by the tablet. it maybe 7" wide and only ~4" tall. it's like the size of an external HDD enclosure, but with a slice taken out of it.

 

[BlastProcessing]

Ah ic, so we still know nothing for sure with regards to the actual hardware powering the switch.

Still not sure how anybody could drop 299.99 usd on something they know very little about other then, it plays Nintendo games.

People don't want a 1/4" drill; they want a 1/4" hole.

That it plays Nintendo games is the key feature, how that happens isn't particularly important.

 

[Deleted member 465307]

Ah ic, so we still know nothing for sure with regards to the actual hardware powering the switch.

Still not sure how anybody could drop 299.99 usd on something they know very little about other then, it plays Nintendo games.

I think people typically make their decision based on the experience. Do I like the games? How do I like using the system (UI/UX)? Does it have the features I want? Hardware and specs enable those aspects to happen, but ultimately how a company uses the tech is what most consumers will care about and know.

In general, pre-ordering and being a first-adopter is always a gamble. However, I think the average consumer doesn't care as much about how much RAM the system has as much as what games it gets (and among the slightly more technically minded, how they run/look). On an enthusiast board like NeoGAF, RAM and specs are likely more valued, even though that still doesn't tell us how a developer is going to use them. (For example, comparing the brief footage of Dragon Quest Heroes 1+2 and Fire Emblem Warriors on Switch would suggest drastically different specs if it were only a tech thing.)

I'm sure you already knew all that, but I just wanted to provide the perspective of why my casual gamer friends are excited about Switch. I do agree with your overall sentiment: being an early adopter is always a big risk.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

Hmm seems i was pretty close to giving the dimensions of the switch back in October.

Miyamoto would be proud.

 

[Ziocyte]

It seems like all the added tech is in the Joy-Con (R). Home button light, IR camera, NFC. Is there anything to Joy-Con (L) that I'm missing? They are retailing for the same price individually ($49.99).

 

[Jaded Alyx]

Ah ic, so we still know nothing for sure with regards to the actual hardware powering the switch.

Still not sure how anybody could drop 299.99 usd on something they know very little about other then, it plays Nintendo games.

I don't know about you, but I play games not specs.

What an absurd thing to say.

 

[Dystify]

It seems like all the added tech is in the Joy-Con (R). Home button light, IR camera, NFC. Is there anything to Joy-Con (L) that I'm missing? They are retailing for the same price individually ($49.99).

Just the capture button on Joy-Con (L).

 

[Wil348]

At the very latest, it will happen by the time the internet app for Switch launches

There's an Internet browser coming?

 

[Deleted member 465307]

There's an Internet browser coming?

That's not impossible, but I was talking about the Nintendo online mobile app that's going to have voice chat and allow you to externally due to stuff like schedule games, matchmaking, etc. The app is launching in a limited form in Summer 2017 (I'm guessing alongside Splatoon 2) and getting its full version in Fall 2017, so that's the latest I expect for the major Switch OS updates. Nintendo has not announced an internet browser.

 

[Roo]

Ah ic, so we still know nothing for sure with regards to the actual hardware powering the switch.

Still not sure how anybody could drop 299.99 usd on something they know very little about other then, it plays Nintendo games.

Not everyone cares about what runs inside a console. If games are fun/appealing to them then they're going to get it despise the specs of the machine.

 

[K.Jack]

I wish they'd reveal what "portion" of the 32GB will be reserved.

 

[ASTROID2]

It seems like all the added tech is in the Joy-Con (R). Home button light, IR camera, NFC. Is there anything to Joy-Con (L) that I'm missing? They are retailing for the same price individually ($49.99).

Think of it as only being $50. So generous.

 

[calc84maniac]

Think of it as only being $50. So generous.

The thing is, the left joy-con could easily be cheaper. And that would certainly improve the situation if, say, they released one with a d-pad.

 

[Deleted member 465307]

It seems like all the added tech is in the Joy-Con (R). Home button light, IR camera, NFC. Is there anything to Joy-Con (L) that I'm missing? They are retailing for the same price individually ($49.99).

L is definitely the one with less tech in it. They probably priced it the same to avoid confusion and to prevent people from trying to save money and buying 2 Ls. I suppose there's the possibility that the $50 price on the R Joy-Con doesn't leave room for much profit, so they're making it up with the L Joy-Con.

 

[Roo]

I wish they'd reveal what "portion" of the 32GB will be reserved.

If Wii U is anything to go by, it probably will be 3-4GB.
That's why the basic Wii U was a running joke. Half of its memory was used by the OS so you could only download small indie titles or a single mid-sized Nintendo game at a time.

 

[Oregano]

I wonder why they didn't put NFC in the Joycon L.

 

[Muffin Awesome]

Everyone has put me on ease and made me take off the tinfoil hat, but some of the decisions make me go defcon 1 on news.

 

[th3sicknness]

Ah ic, so we still know nothing for sure with regards to the actual hardware powering the switch.

Still not sure how anybody could drop 299.99 usd on something they know very little about other then, it plays Nintendo games.

Why does the amount of ram and speed of the CPU matter ? Literally every other spec is listed and you have seen what it is capable of. It runs wiiu games at higher resolution with more eye candy and better frame rate in some cases.


You know everything else about the system from the website.

 

[Deepo]

Probably been said already, but I guess it needing an update to support SDXC cards pretty much rules out it supporting the UHS-II standard. Can't imagine it has the extra pins needed when SDXC isn't supported out of the box.

Oh well, still can't wait for this thing!

 

[LegendofLex]

Ah ic, so we still know nothing for sure with regards to the actual hardware powering the switch.

Still not sure how anybody could drop 299.99 usd on something they know very little about other then, it plays Nintendo games.

The "actual hardware powering the Switch" is used for powering the games, so if you know what games it plays, you don't really need to know anything about the hardware specs... do you?

 

[Buggy Loop]

I don't really mind the no specs approach of Nintendo, i'm used to it, but i do realize that it's really the odd approach in this industry.

Who sells hardware without boasting it's specs? It goes against all product engineering mentality. Would you buy a cellphone without knowing in detail it's specs or performance capabilities "because you can make your calls and it has apps" ?

The thing will be stripped apart anyway, i personally can't wait to see the hardware analysis of this thing, even if i already know "it plays nintendo games"..

I want to see it... all of it

 

[Luigison]

The USB-C charger either plugs into the dock or directly to the console like this:

But the back of the console has a grove that I assume helps guide the system on the dock and could also be used to accommodate a USB-C charger that went back behind the system when you wanted to use it with the flip out kickstand and charge it, but I have not seen any such charger or cable? Anyone? Thoughts?

I'm thinking of something more like this, but much less bulky:

That would fit into 4 below:

 

[GankzyMcfly]

I don't really mind the no specs approach of Nintendo, i'm used to it, but i do realize that it's really the odd approach in this industry.

Who sells hardware without boasting it's specs? It goes against all product engineering mentality. Would you buy a cellphone without knowing in detail it's specs or performance capabilities "because you can make your calls and it has apps" ?

The thing will be stripped apart anyway, i personally can't wait to see the hardware analysis of this thing, even if i already know "it plays nintendo games"..

I want to see it... all of it

Great point pretty much sums up how i feel.

Additionally to those of you saying "nintendo never talks specs" why then, may i ask, was the nintendo 64 named after the 64 bit central processing unit used to power it?

This whole "Nintendo doesn't talk specs" is only something relatively new (Wii era) and should not be acceptable...in-fact in most circumstances it is considered unacceptable for other companies that arn't named Nintendo...How well would gaf had handled the ps4 pro presser if they had not talked hardware specs in the slightest? Additionally how will gaf react if MS comes out and says.... "Scorpio now available...499.99...most powerful console ever....trust us" and neglects to mention anything about hardware...I wonder if the majority of you defending Nintendo would be defending MS or Sony in these circumstances.

 

[-Mutsukki-]

Great point pretty much sums up how i feel.

Additionally to those of you saying "nintendo never talks specs" why then, may i ask, was the nintendo 64 named after the 64 bit central processing unit used to power it?

This whole "Nintendo doesn't talk specs" is only something relatively new (Wii era) and should not be acceptable...in-fact in most circumstances it is considered unacceptable for other companies that arn't named Nintendo...How well would gaf had handled the ps4 pro presser if they had not talked hardware specs in the slightest? Additionally how will gaf react if MS comes out and says.... "Scorpio now available...499.99...most powerful console ever....trust us" and neglects to mention anything about hardware...I wonder if the majority of you defending Nintendo would be defending MS or Sony in these circumstances.

...It's acceptable because they're not even competing over the same market. Putting out underpowered specs would just fall on deaf ears and would mean basically nothing. Their days of chasing Sony are over after the 64 and GC, they now sell what will be done on their product, not what could be done

Also is this narrative that people give a free pass to Nintendo and then criticise MS and Sony is even true? I don't think most people who don't care about specs would care just because it's either MS or Sony

 

[GankzyMcfly]

...It's acceptable because they're not even competing over the same market. Putting out underpowered specs would just fall on deaf ears and would mean basically nothing. Their days of chasing Sony are over after the 64 and GC, they now sell what will be done on their product, not what could be done

Also is this narrative that people give a free pass to Nintendo and then criticise MS and Sony is even true? I don't think most people who don't care about specs would care just because it's either MS or Sony

Despite what you or Nintendo says about who they are competing with, if they are marketing Switch as a home console (which they continue to stress) they are in direct competition with Sony and MS despite wanting to be or not. There is a reason Nintendo appears to be fighting for 3rd party support and its because its something the COMPETITION has...

 

[MDave]

Any bets on how fast people will start asking for folders in the OS? Every launch console I know always seemed to lack this. Probably fall is when we get the Switch OS update that includes that and the paid online service, USB 3 support and SDXC support etc.

Wow the dock is about as heavy as the Switch console itself, it probably has a steel weight inside? Approx. 327g. The cost of it is starting to make more sense now, hah.

859.4g total for everything that comes in the box except for the box, manuals and cables.

 

[-Mutsukki-]

Despite what you or Nintendo says about who they are competing with, if they are marketing Switch as a home console (which they continue to stress) they are in direct competition with Sony and MS despite wanting to be or not. There is a reason Nintendo appears to be fighting for 3rd party support and its because its something the COMPETITION has...

They are not competing by hardware power though, so it still is not relevant for them to release this data.

 

[WadeitOut]

The USB-C charger either plugs into the dock or directly to the console like this:
But the back of the console has a grove that I assume helps guide the system on the dock and could also be used to accommodate a USB-C charger that went back behind the system when you wanted to use it with the flip out kickstand and charge it, but I have not seen any such charger or cable? Anyone? Thoughts?

The groove doesn't meet up with the charge port. The charge port is flush on the bottom.

 

[KojiKnight]

Great point pretty much sums up how i feel.

Additionally to those of you saying "nintendo never talks specs" why then, may i ask, was the nintendo 64 named after the 64 bit central processing unit used to power it?

This whole "Nintendo doesn't talk specs" is only something relatively new (Wii era)

Bull. Saying "64 bit" isn't much different than what they've said on the switch (that it's tegra based). It doesn't give any real information. Nintendo never said the n64 had a 90 mhz processor for example. Or that the SNES was clocked are 3.78mhz which is the kind of tech thing people are asking for here.

 

[kaizoku]

How do we put it to sleep? I love with the DS how you can just close and open it and it's in the exact state you left it in. That kind of stuff is a luxury we never had before the DS you know, can be easily overlooked.

Tap the power button I assume? Hold to power on/off?

 

[Deleted member 465307]

Who sells hardware without boasting it's specs? It goes against all product engineering mentality. Would you buy a cellphone without knowing in detail it's specs or performance capabilities "because you can make your calls and it has apps" ?

Everyone in my immediate family buys their cellphones this way. I'm also pretty sure most of my friends do as well. But yeah, as a tech enthusiast, I certainly don't, and I agree that Nintendo's approach goes against the industry trends followed by their most commonly associated competitors.

However, this approach might not be unusual among family-focused tech companies (e.g., Nintendo has released about the same amount of tech info as LeapFrog did for their $140 Android tablet), but it's debatable whether Nintendo qualifies as that kind of company. They're certainly a high-end version of that kind of company if they are. It kind of makes sense if Nintendo wants to position themselves as a toy company and views themselves as such, but I don't think the market really sees themselves that way. Yet Switch, with its exclusive focus on games, does seem to be doubling down on that "toy" idea.

 

[Alebrije]

I don't really mind the no specs approach of Nintendo, i'm used to it, but i do realize that it's really the odd approach in this industry.

Who sells hardware without boasting it's specs? It goes against all product engineering mentality. Would you buy a cellphone without knowing in detail it's specs or performance capabilities "because you can make your calls and it has apps" ?

The thing will be stripped apart anyway, i personally can't wait to see the hardware analysis of this thing, even if i already know "it plays nintendo games"..

I want to see it... all of it

Just wait for Reggie's alternative facts.

 

[Dystify]

Jose Otero of IGN posted a pretty good overview video of the hardware. It may answer some of the questions people still have: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvCQQucF-Ak

 

[sazzy]

I'm laughing at the 525 mAh battery, 3 hour Zelda play time and the 3 hour charging time in sleep mode.

 

[Dystify]

I'm laughing at the 525 mAh battery, 3 hour Zelda play time and the 3 hour charging time in sleep mode.

It's the battery for the Joy-Con. They're pretty small, you know. 20 hours of battery life each for what they do seems fine. Also, the charging time is 3 hours if you want to reach 100%, but it's much faster if you only charge to, say, 80%.

 

[Buggy Loop]

I'm laughing at the 525 mAh battery, 3 hour Zelda play time and the 3 hour charging time in sleep mode.

20h battery on joycons (your 525mAh battery) is something to laugh at?

 

[sazzy]

It's the battery for the Joy-Con. They're pretty small, you know. 20 hours of battery life each for what they do seems fine. Also, the charging time is 3 hours if you want to reach 100%, but it's much faster if you only charge to, say, 80%.

Ah OK, I should've re-read it because 525 mAh seemed insanely small for the system.

 

[oatmeal]

Do we know if eshop money will transfer? I have $30 in my account and am holding off for the switch hopefully.