• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

What is more likely: Switch XL or Switch mini?

F

FloatOn

Member
Or maybe there is a potential for 3 SKUs for Switch going forward? The standard, XL and mini form factors.

From what I have gathered most people really enjoy the Switch as a portable and with that being said I think it would make sense to iterate for people who want an upgraded experience: larger screen, larger joycons, bigger hard drive etc..

It would also make sense for Nintendo to go the other route and go smaller. Have a smaller screen with attached joycons and at a cheaper price to bring in an even larger market.

What do you suppose is the more likely scenario? Which would you prefer?

I think it's going to be very interesting to see how Nintendo iterates on Switch in a few years time.
 
Making a version of the Switch with fixed Joycons will only narrow the audience for certain types of control schemes. Things like 1-2-Switch would be impossible without additional purchases (maybe not a huge loss on that particular title, but going forward... warioware!).

I can't see a fixed-Joycon console myself.
 
Neither.
A bit-stronger switch. Less bezels, a bit more battery...etc.
NEW Nintendo Switch

Don't see them changing the form factor. Not neccesary either unless the entire market asks for a more portable version of it.
 
I see the bezels being smaller and maybe the console slightly thinner and lighter. Hopefully we get an x2 in there as well to increase performance and battery life.

Yeah a more docked version with a 4k/ps4 upgrade would be nice.
 
I think neither would happen due to a need for joy-con compatibility. I think an XL would be more likely. Some of the HUD elements in games would be too small for a mini, and I personally still don't see tabletop mode multiplayer as viable at a screen size of 6". Assuming a Tegra X2 comes out at some point, I could see a 9" screen XL running in undocked mode at all times as it'd have more space for a larger battery. The standard could get a bump up to a 7" screen with smaller bezels.
 
I don't see them adjusting the size, beyond how thin it is, since it could cause capability issues with existing controllers/accessories. I do think there will be a Switch+ with a 1080p screen and/or some kind of super dock at some point, before they move onto the Switch 2 or whatever.
 
Clearly a mini, with an optional dock that makes the mini into a standard power wise, and a standard closer to PS4 while docked.

Bigger screen would make no sense, the thing is barely pocketable as is.
 
I want to emphasise this. What do you do about the joycons? Make small versions? Seems a bit confusing for the consumer and it would make local multiplayer much harder, they're only just big enough to hold on their side as they are.

switch-angle-mob.png
 
Nintendo need a cheaper, kid friendly 2DS-style sku in time for Pokemon. So a Switch mini might be more likely. But then the JoyCons are already kinda small already so 🤔
 
You guys can't seriously be wishing for a 1080p screen over better battery life, right? A 1080p screen would just make the games running at 720p or lower look worse for no real reason, unless this insanity actually extends to expecting docked mode performance in handheld mode as well? Do you want a portable that lasts for less than an hour?
 
Switch Pro.

Switch Mini won't happen, it's already super packed and the ergonomy will suffer otherwise. Wouldn't be compatible anymore with regular docks as well.

Switch XL doesn't make sense, be it in screen size (already big for a handheld) or resolution (720p is already impressive for the hardware).

But let's be honest, there'll just be a Switch 2 and regular limited editions until then. It's not a classic handheld.
 
The switch is already huge for a handheld, so I think we'd either get an "unswitchable" switch that is smaller and cheaper, or a new Switch version that runs a faster processor, more RAM, and maybe a 1080p screen.

I could see the handheld only version launching in the next 18-24 months. I think that Nintendo will wait until around the 4 year mark to release a more powerful switch though. These days, it takes over a year to get your supply chain and software support up to speed. Switch won't even hit its stride until 2018. Save the upgrade for when sales start to taper. They can't even meet regular demand yet.
 
JosephManderley said:
Same size, 1080p screen.
Click to expand...

That's completely unnecessary, it looks plenty sharp now and it wouldn't be worth the hit to graphics and battery life.

Didn't they do a survey that said like 80% of people play on a TV? Personally I don't see Nintendo releasing a PS4 Pro/ X1X version with more powerful hardware, but a cheaper version that's just a box seems smart. Take away the screen and JoyCon and it could be the size of an Apple TV.

The Mini seems smart too, make it cheaper for kids. I know a couple people with kids who haven't bought a Switch because it's too expensive to buy one for everyone, which isn't as much of a problem with past systems (handhelds anyway).

Nintendo has managed to fuck up hardware releases so brilliantly and so consistently in the last couple years makes it hard to predict what they'll do though.
 
The joy cons put the kibosh on any real remodel. Maybe we'll see versions with more internal memory, improved graphics or better battery life, but the base model will look similar.
 
Galava said:
The survey was about home versus outside. more than 80% play at home, but not neccesarily docked.
Click to expand...
Yeah. Which, if you think about it, points more toward the question of "should we put LTE in it" than "should we focus on just making a home console that has GRAH POWER and lasts twelve minutes on battery"

Sapiens said:
The joy cons put the kibosh on any real remodel. Maybe we'll see versions with more internal memory, improved graphics or better battery life, but the base model will look similar.
Click to expand...
New Joy-Cons aren't an impossible feat.
 
How do you make a new Switch revision without making it incompatible with the joycons?
They probably wont do either of these things. If they do it will most likely be at the end of the Switches life cycle.
 
Neither, as i said in another thread, the Switch was made to be modular, and i really expect it's form factor to stay relatively the same size and they will just update the innards for high performance/lower power consumption.

I expect every joy con/ pro controller, and cart to work with the next system. By that time Carts will be cheap enough to go larger in size for a cheaper price and we don't have to worry about things like additional downloads a la NBA 2k18. What i'm really hopingg for is a system only option where you can just upgrade the switch itself for 150-200 bucks without the dock/controllers.

I do expect a variation of joy-con to be released as well, but they'll all fit into any switch system you won. I also wouldn't be surprised if they made a fan based dock if they did in fact decide to up the clock speeds significantly on future iterations.

all that said the one thing i don't see them changing is the form factor of the system itself.
 
Switch is actually perfectly sized. The only upgrade I can see them doing is a beefier version with higher resolution/better speakers down the line, and some cosmetic changes.
 
At first I thought a "mini" Switch could have made sense, but now I'm not so sure anymore. It would remove too much of the current appeal the console has.
They can't make the base unit any larger, smaller, or thinner either unless you want different joy-con models which is a really bad idea.

As time passes, they can make the current model cheaper naturally as components drop in price, and they can release different SKUs with smaller packages and no dock/grip to further drive down the costs. That can easily be the entry level for kids, the screen is already made of plastic and kids love tablets anyways.

What they can do is make a slightly more powerful version, same size but with bigger screen and smaller bezels, better battery life and other improvements like they did in the past with the DSi and new3DS.
 
I can't see it being any bigger without sacrificing comfort when holding it. Either a mini version or a "new" version will come out.
 
Considering the many control options, and past history, making a model that sort of nukes joycon-centric game compatibility out of the box isn't really that far fetched.

The large majority of games are going to support more standard control schemes by the time they are ready to release some sort of refresh/alternative model in 2019. The switch pro controller will still work. Nothing is stopping them from allowing the existing joycons to work as well. Just not as a pack-in.
 
Amneisac said:
How would that possibly work? I don't think the Switch could connect to it in a way to facilitate that.
Click to expand...
It couldn't. The Switch is not set up for this to work.

Inevitably: "But Gigabyte demo'd an external GPU connected via USB-C, like Switch!!!"

USB-C is a physical connector shape, not a bus. The external GPU was connected via Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gb/s). The Switch does not have a Thunderbolt bus. It has a USB 3.0 (5Gb/s) and DisplayPort busses, and the latter is already busy carrying the muxed video signal. There is no way on earth to make a magical eGPU work under these constraints.
 
Nintendo can't release a smaller or larger switch. That takes compatability away from joycons people have already bought. They would need new joycons or the controls would have to be fused on the system. Neither of those solutions make sense.

We'll just get limited edition consoles and a switch 2 in 4/5 years instead of the current 7 year refresh rate for consoles
 
The only way I think we'll see a mini is if it has permanently attached controls (either in a GBA or GBA SP like configuration), and it would have to be compatible with joy cons as secondary controllers for the sake of compatibility. An XL seems less likely (too unwieldy), unless you count a larger screen with less bezel as an XL system.
 
Neither will happen. I could see an N3DS style revision that improves the internals a bit, but it can't get any bigger and remain portable, nor will they abandon the core concept of the device to make a smaller device with permanently attached joycons. This isn't a system that really needs a revision tbh, except maybe a better screen or better battery life.
 
I'd personally prefer a handheld-only Switch. No detachable parts, no fan, no dock. Clamshell design.
 
As much as they like selling new controllers and things, this would create 2 or 3 standards for joy-con sizes instead of just original, I think they should save joycon redesign to an entirely new generation, until then they're fine as they are. The joycons kind of dictate the thickness too so no change there either.
A slightly bigger screen would work within the same frame so I think that's the most to expect for Switch redesigns, but I think other hardware setups like one with built in controls will be on the cards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Updated sales numbers for Switch/Switch 2 titles: Pokémon Pokopia (4M), Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (3.8M), and more
42
486
Chukhopops replied
What other third-party Switch games have likely sold over one million?
Sales-Age 
14
521
Mr Hyde replied
Nintendo Q4 results - Switch 2 tops 19.86M shippments, Switch 155.92M
2 3 4
178
1K
Baemono replied
Are there strategy games on Switch or PS5?
22
524
Deerock71 replied
Nintendo Q3 FY 2025 earnings: Switch 2 17.37M, Switch 155.37M, and more
News Sales-Age  6 7 8 9 10
472
5K
PeteBull replied
Top Bottom