After months of speculation and a sea of rumors, Nintendo has officially announced the next iteration of its popular gaming console: the Nintendo Switch OLED model. The upcoming device serves more as a mid-life update than anything else, a refinement of the 2019 model as opposed to the rumored (and still releaseable) more powerful “Switch Pro”.
Available October 8 for $350, the Nintendo Switch OLED model is the next iteration of what has become one of the best-selling consoles over the past two years. It’s equipped with a 7-inch 720p OLED display, a new dock with a wired Ethernet port, and an improved kickstand that looks like it took a cue directly from Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablets. Plus, 64GB of internal storage offers up to nine hours of battery life, the same as the current Switch, and offers “enhanced sound” for handheld or desktop gaming. Unfortunately, despite the constant rumors of 4K support, the OLED model only supports 1080p resolution when docked. It looks like Bluetooth support and an improved CPU will also have to wait.
Still, the OLED model has a lot to get people excited about, including our very own Alex Cranz. It plays the same games, supports the original Joy-Cons, and comes with a sleek black and white finish reminiscent of next-gen consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S. Joy-Cons, if you prefer the original model.
Where to buy Nintendo Switch OLED model?
The Nintendo Switch OLED model was initially available for pre-order on Thursday, and we’ve since seen several retailers allow additional pre-orders. That said, if you still want to have the OLED-equipped Switch at launch and get ahead of what already seems like another console annoyance, you’re in luck. Right now, you can pre-order the red and blue iteration of the upcoming console for $350. Game Pause.
The white model is not currently available for pre-order, but neither configuration is expected to ship until the console officially goes on sale on October 8.
