Rumors, specs, price, and everything we know about Nintendo Switch Pro

It hasn't been officially confirmed yet, but here's what we know about the more powerful console.

There've been whisperings that Nintendo has been working on a more powerful version of the Switch. Nintendo hasn't confirmed the existence of such a console; however, they didn't confirm the existence of the Nintendo Switch Lite or the new Nintendo Switch model for a long time either. Fortunately, there's plenty of information out there to make us think it is indeed coming.

What is the Switch Pro?

Way back in 2018, The Wall Street Journal released an article regarding future Nintendo Switch versions. The article stated that Nintendo was working on two new Switch devices. The internet has speculated that one of these devices could be a more powerful version of the Switch and dubbed it the "Switch Pro." Since then, Nintendo has revealed the new Switch model and the Switch Lite. Given Nintendo's past practices, we still think the gaming company is planning on creating more Switch versions.

If a Switch Pro is in the making, it would likely have a more powerful screen and potentially some upgraded performance abilities from the original Switch. This would make it primarily intended for hardcore gamers who are willing to spend more for an intense gaming experience.

Nintendo Switch Pro specs

According to The Wall Street Journal, Sharp will be supplying IGZO display panels to Nintendo's "new videogame machines." The thing to note about these displays is that they will offer high resolution in a thin form without consuming a lot of energy. However, neither Nintendo nor Sharp specified which Switch models would be getting the IGZO screens. It's possible that this could be meant for the fabled Switch Pro or another Switch model altogether. If it is for the Switch Pro, it wouldn't be surprising to see vastly improved resolution abilities using Sharp's technology.

The original hybrid's display only handles 1280 x 720p when in handheld mode and up to 1080p when docked while Nintendo's competitors, both PS5 and Xbox Scarlett, will both support 8K. It wouldn't take too much to make a new Switch model more powerful than the original. Though, it would be a significant jump to make it match up with the competition. With Sharp's technology, we could see the screen being able to reach much higher resolution. But, it really all depends on what Nintendo plans on doing.

The original Nintendo Switch uses a Nvidia Tegra X1 chip that was already outdated at the hybrid console's release. It looks as though Nvidia is currently upgrading this processor, presumably for the Switch Pro or another Switch model. These upgrades could make the Switch last longer, run cooler, or even perform faster. There's also the possibility that these upgrades are mostly taking place to make it harder to hack the Switch as Nintendo has done before. We'll just have to wait and see.

That's about all we know for Switch Pro specs at the moment. Once we come upon more concrete information, we'll add it in.

Release date for the Nintendo Switch Pro

As we've said before, Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed that they even have plans for a Switch Pro model. But, if it is in the works, we'd expect it to come out in 2020 or later. We'll update this section when we learn more.

Pricing for the Nintendo Switch Pro

Given the current pricing of the various Nintendo Switch models, it's safe to assume that a Pro model would be more than $300. Our educated guess puts it somewhere between $350 and $450. To be worth it, this would need to include much higher resolution and faster loading capabilities.

What we want to see in the Switch Pro

We're huge fans of the Nintendo Switch, but even so, there are things about the console that could seriously use some improvement. Here are some of the things we're hoping to see in a Switch Pro.

Decent battery life: Considering that both the Switch Lite and the new Switch model have significantly improved battery life, we would expect the same from a Switch Pro. It would need to at least last around 5 hours or more on average for us to be happy.

Faster load times: All in all, the Switch isn't super slow with its load and download times. However, considering how fast the next generation of Xbox and Playstation consoles are going to be, avid gamers are going to want something that's somewhat comparable.

Better resolution: Considering how other gaming consoles will feature higher resolution up to 8K, you'd hope that a more intense version of the Switch would be somewhat comparable. It would be nice if it could at least support 4K resolution. Of course, the Nintendo games themselves have been formatted for lower resolution, so this might not always yield a better visual experience.

More Joy-Con colors: The bright neon colors of the current Joy-Con offerings are fun and all, but I'd really like to see more Joy-Cons of the same color. Preferably something neutral like a navy blue or deep red. If there is a Switch Pro in the works and it is intended for more serious gamers, we're assuming many of them would like the option of having a less kiddie-looking design.