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Speculating about a Nintendo Switch mini

Spoit

Member
It wouldn't need it if in the revision Nvidia made the Tegra XI on an 16nm node. Nintendo would be free to reduce the battery size by a third and still have at minimum 20% more battery life than the current Switch.

As for the mockup the screen will never be that big. It costs money to go bezelless. You can save money by making the screen smaller. They will definitely shrink the screen and potentially even have more bezel. At that point I hope it's 540p if possible. Otherwise they will still make it 720p in order to maintain the aspect ratio.





Your confusion stems from the assumption Nintendo would agree with you that there wouldn't be confusion over making an integrated controller device.

I assure you that when Nintendo conceived of the 2DS they definitely of the same mindset that they have to make a distinct brand name for such a revision and would never call it a Switch mini. Any Switch at all times needs to be able to have a portable and TV out mode.
20% more battery life with 2/3 the battery? Those seem like awfully optimistic numbers, do you have the calcs?
 
I have almost no doubt that we'll see a Switch revision if it sells well. I seriously doubt that we'll get a new Nintendo device that's either strictly a home console or a portable that falls under the "Switch" branding.

I'll clarify to say that I don't think the idea of a dedicated portable and/or home console is impossible. I just don't think Nintendo would name it "Switch-something". I think a dedicated home console would work best, but I don't really see the value in a portable with a smaller screen.

As for a dedicated portable "Switch", I guess I don't really see the value in it. Battery life would surely be worse due to the smaller form factor, and I really like the screen size we have with Switch now.
 

wildfire

Banned
20% more battery life with 2/3 the battery? Those seem like awfully optimistic numbers, do you have the calcs?

With idealistic outcomes shrinking the die will improve the energy efficiency of going from 28 to 16nm will improve energy efficiency by 60% but that is hard to achieve. At worse the process will improve efficiency by 40%.

Switch a less demanding chip Nintendo can reduce the battery size. As for whether or not they would get 20% more battery life I'm simply making a guess their but I feel confident this will be the minimum improvement.
 

TAS

Member
I appreciate the work you put into it OP, but i disagree with the notion. The Switch combines Nintendo's portable/console market perfectly into one small, sleek device. This is the way forward for Nintendo and I only wish they could have done it sooner. Just because something doesn't fit into a pocket, doesn't mean it's not portable. In terms of hardware upgrades, I believe Nintendo will follow a 2.5 year interval between a Pro Dock and new Switch device. So 2.5 years from now, we would get a Pro Dock followed 2.5 years later by Switch 2. This allows them to stay relevant in the tech race while giving the consumer the choice for incremental upgrades without having to buy a new system every time.
 

Spoit

Member
With idealistic outcomes shrinking the die will improve the energy efficiency of going from 28 to 16nm will improve energy efficiency by 60% but that is hard to achieve. At worse the process will improve efficiency by 40%.

Switch a less demanding chip Nintendo can reduce the battery size. As for whether or not they would get 20% more battery life I'm simply making a guess their but I feel confident this will be the minimum improvement.
I thought it was 20 nm, not 28?
 

emag

Member
In terms of hardware upgrades, I believe Nintendo will follow a 2.5 year interval between a Pro Dock and new Switch device. So 2.5 years from now, we would get a Pro Dock followed 2.5 years later by Switch 2. This allows them to stay relevant in the tech race while giving the consumer the choice for incremental upgrades without having to buy a new system every time.

The "Pro" dock seems far-fetched. There's no evidence of a reasonable way to increase Switch performance by tacking on an additional device -- the dock would have to have so much hardware as to effectively treat the Switch itself as a dongle (plus storage/Bluetooth), at which point it might as well be standalone.
 
Malakai said:
I'm confused about a possible Switch Mini or Switch Go supporting a dock and Table Top mode. I though a hypothetical Switch Mini or Switch Go would solely support handheld mode only. By supporting handheld mode only would lead to games that require motion controls via the Joy-Con exclusively useless, I don't see this as a big deal because a handheld gamer most likely will be using the handheld only Switch in places where Table Top mode would be very inconvenient anyway. Also, by only supporting handheld mode only, a Tegra X1 with a die shrinkage, from my limited understanding, should be able to passively cooled along with removing the Dock, HDMI cable, Joy Cons, Joy Con Grip, manufacturing wise Nintendo should be able to remove fans and the other parts use in actively cooling the Switch.
Losing the option for a docked option altogether seems like a big loss for a small gain, since the only difference is using the same hardware slightly faster and hotter. I suppose it's possible, but it would be a bigger cut than the rest. Really it would just come down to saving on the cost/size of the fan.
butman said:
Without having joy-cons there's no need to have the d-pad below the left analog. Switch them!
It's the rule rather than the exception.
section_screen.jpg

I appreciate the work you put into it OP, but i disagree with the notion. The Switch combines Nintendo's portable/console market perfectly into one small, sleek device. This is the way forward for Nintendo and I only wish they could have done it sooner. Just because something doesn't fit into a pocket, doesn't mean it's not portable.
The hybrid being a good move doesn't negate having a pocket-friendlier option also being a good move.
 
You're right about one thing, I already spent too much effort replying to you. Your low effort post above won't change the facts though.
Did you vote Trump?

So, no actual response? And why spoilertag the thing you clearly intended to be a personal insult? No, it's none of your business, but I didn't vote for Trump. Unlike you, I don't like "alternative" facts and people who twist others words and take things out of context just to try to appear right on a thin technicality.
 
The only way I can see them making a screenless home version is if they call it something else and it wouldn't be out until like 2022. It would still include the Joycons plus grip as the controller, for full compatibility sake.

But really it wouldn't make any sense. The Switch would be $200 or dollars less by then, and I'm not sure if it would be worth it to design and manufacture a screenless version. I don't think the market would be there for that product. If you aren't willing to buy a system when it is sub $200 you probably aren't going to get it.

If you want to play games on the Switch only on your TV and are willing to wait for this screenless version. Then start putting away $5 away every month starting right now. In 3.5 years you will have over $200. The Switch will almost certainly drop in price by then and you will be able to afford it.
 

cireza

Banned
Is it possible to make the main unit (that includes hardware, battery and screen) smaller ?

This thing already looks pretty compact.
 
Is it possible to make the main unit (that includes hardware, battery and screen) smaller ?

This thing already looks pretty compact.
Node shrink would reducing cooling needs and battery requirements a bit. Maybe enough to fit in a Switch mini with 5.5 inch screen? I don't know though... It'd have to be well engineered.
 
With idealistic outcomes shrinking the die will improve the energy efficiency of going from 28 to 16nm will improve energy efficiency by 60% but that is hard to achieve. At worse the process will improve efficiency by 40%.

Switch a less demanding chip Nintendo can reduce the battery size. As for whether or not they would get 20% more battery life I'm simply making a guess their but I feel confident this will be the minimum improvement.

If you have a power efficient die but lower the battery size, isn't that a lateral move since you would be achieving similar performance targets to the original Switch? If your numbers are correct, improving by 40% with a 3.7v/4410mAh/16.0Wh battery is not something you want to give up just for a smaller battery.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
Is it possible to make the main unit (that includes hardware, battery and screen) smaller ?

This thing already looks pretty compact.

If you shrink to 14/16nm, you save battery for the same performance and run cooler. If you made the decision to not upclock for TV out (either you make it portable only, or have a TV out cable that ran at 720p), then you might be able to ditch the fan and/or significantly shrink the size of cooling equipment too.
 

wildfire

Banned
If you have a power efficient die but lower the battery size, isn't that a lateral move since you would be achieving similar performance targets to the original Switch? If your numbers are correct, improving by 40% with a 3.7v/4410mAh/16.0Wh battery is not something you want to give up just for a smaller battery.

The Tegra chip improves by 40% but you have to keep in mind the other components that will also help to drain the battery. That's why I guessed at the minimum I chose.

As for your main point never discount Nintendo cutting corners on the cheaper model.

The Compact version of the Switch trimmed a lot of fat and added more plastic. The 2DS was downgraded with the removal of support for 3D. It wouldn't surprise me if Nintendo went for a smaller battery size t further help drive that price down.
 
If you shrink to 14/16nm, you save battery for the same performance and run cooler. If you made the decision to not upclock for TV out (either you make it portable only, or have a TV out cable that ran at 720p), then you might be able to ditch the fan and/or significantly shrink the size of cooling equipment too.

Devs are allowed to use the upclock in handheld mode as well if memory serves.
 

Spoit

Member
If you shrink to 14/16nm, you save battery for the same performance and run cooler. If you made the decision to not upclock for TV out (either you make it portable only, or have a TV out cable that ran at 720p), then you might be able to ditch the fan and/or significantly shrink the size of cooling equipment too.

The fan kicks in on handheld mode for me all the time
 

Farmboy

Member
but we're talking about a mini who controls are fixed to the console. You're going to get a game that you need controllers from another system to play.

I meant: giving 1-2 Switch away with the regular Switch to further improve its value proposition as well as slightly differentiate it from the Mini, when the Mini comes out.
 

Arturo

Member
I don't know what will they do, but I know I'd sell my soul for one if they released something like this…

switch-mini-v2.png


* I hope OP doesn't mind me blatantly stealing some of his assets… :p
 

jts

...hate me...
^nah, the assets are open source, carry on :D

Looks good.

Actually even if it doesn't get mini-Joycons, that kind of design with a more distinctive framing for the display is aesthetically more pleasing.

Mine is more plasticy, cheaper looking. Although to be fair, if the 2DS and the Wii mini are any indication, Nintendo will pull out all the stops to make a cheaper version look... cheap.
 

B-Dubs

No Scrubs
As for a dedicated portable "Switch", I guess I don't really see the value in it. Battery life would surely be worse due to the smaller form factor, and I really like the screen size we have with Switch now.

This is what I keep getting stuck on. If you open up the Switch it's like almost all battery in there. Besides, the Switch is really small as is. A smaller version made sense to me until I actually held it in my hands, now it makes none.

If you have a power efficient die but lower the battery size, isn't that a lateral move since you would be achieving similar performance targets to the original Switch? If your numbers are correct, improving by 40% with a 3.7v/4410mAh/16.0Wh battery is not something you want to give up just for a smaller battery.

Exactly, why would you not just cram more battery in there? People complain about the battery life, so put more in and get it up to like 5 hours or so.
 

Arturo

Member
^nah, the assets are open source, carry on :D

Looks good.

Actually even if it doesn't get mini-Joycons, that kind of design with a more distinctive framing for the display is aesthetically more pleasing.

Mine is more plasticy, cheaper looking. Although to be fair, if the 2DS and the Wii mini are any indication, Nintendo will pull out all the stops to make a cheaper version look... cheap.

Thanks! ;)

I'm pretty sure if they ever release a Switch mini it will definitely look more like your versions. Just as you said, the Wii mini and 2DS are pretty clear indicators… I guess we'll find out in time.

What's still hard to believe for me is that they're going to get rid of the whole DS family… :'(
 
Exactly, why would you not just cram more battery in there? People complain about the battery life, so put more in and get it up to like 5 hours or so.
While I think a Switch mini will happen, I don't think the low end is the only direction they'll go--we just have to look at 3DS to see extremes. Eventual versions with longer battery life and/or higher res "docked" play on the go? Sure, why not.
 

jts

...hate me...
Alright, this thread aged well.

I guess what I got wrong the most was the "compatible with dock" part, in hindsight I guess it was more wishful thinking. But it's still a bummer.

Now hire me Nintendo. Me and Koizumi, name a more iconic duo.
 
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