Switch 2 Wishlist
The Nintendo Switch came out in 2017, and it's been selling like hotcakes ever since. With over 129 million units sold, it's one of the most popular consoles ever. But it's also over five years old, and it's starting to show its age. That's why gamers everywhere are pumped for the Nintendo Switch 2.
The Nintendo Switch 2, known as the NX2, is rumored to be released in late 2024 or early 2025. It's said to have more powerful hardware, new features, and the ability to play all your Switch games. It's also rumored to have a new controller with better haptic feedback and motion controls.
Features We All Want
Better Wireless Communications
A gaming console's wireless connection is vital, and the Switch 2 should have the latest and greatest tech, like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3.
Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 7 is the next generation, a massive upgrade for gamers. It's faster, has lower latency, and is more interference-resistant than Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. This means you can enjoy faster downloads and uploads, smoother streaming, and lag-free online gaming.
Here's a breakdown of what Wi-Fi 7 means for gamers:
Faster speeds: Wi-Fi 7 can provide up to 5.8 Gbps of peak throughput, more than twice as fast as Wi-Fi 6. You can download games and updates in seconds and stream high-resolution video without buffering.
Lower latency: Wi-Fi 7 also has lower latency than Wi-Fi 6, meaning there's less lag between your actions and the response on the screen. This is especially important for competitive online gaming, where even a millisecond delay can make the difference between winning and losing.
Better interference immunity: Wi-Fi 7 is more resistant to interference from other devices, so you can enjoy a more reliable connection even in crowded environments, such as gaming tournaments or LAN parties.
Bluetooth 5.3
Bluetooth 5.3 is the latest version, a significant upgrade for gamers. It has lower latency, more extended range, and stability than Bluetooth 5.2. This means you can enjoy lag-free gaming with your wireless controllers and other accessories, even if you're moving around a lot.
Here's a breakdown of what Bluetooth 5.3 means for gamers:
Lower latency: Bluetooth 5.3 has lower latency than Bluetooth 5.2, which means there's less lag between your actions and the response on the screen. This is especially important for competitive online gaming, where even a millisecond delay can make the difference between winning and losing.
More extended range: Bluetooth 5.3 also has a longer range than Bluetooth 5.2, which means that you can move around more freely while still maintaining a connection to your console. This is great for gamers who like to play their games in different positions, such as lying down in bed or sitting on the couch.
More stability: Bluetooth 5.3 is more stable than Bluetooth 5.2, which means you're less likely to experience connection drops or other problems. This is important for all gamers, but it's crucial for those who play competitive online games.
NFC in the Display
Putting the NFC chip on the Nintendo Switch 2 screen would let gamers scan amiibos directly without needing the right Joy-Con.
More Storage and Faster RAM
The non-OLED Switch has 32GB, while the OLED has 64GB of storage, which is not enough for many modern games.
The Switch 2 should also have more RAM. The current Switch has 4GB of RAM, which is enough for most games, but some demanding games like Tears of The Kingdom have performance issues. The Switch 2 should have at least 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM, but 8GB or 16GB would be even better. This would let gamers play even the most demanding games with ease.
Here are some benefits of having more storage and faster RAM:
You could download and install more games without worrying about running out of space.
Games would load faster, and you could get into the action more quickly.
Games would run smoother, with fewer frame drops and other performance issues.
You could play more demanding games that wouldn't run on the current Switch.
Faster eSop
The Nintendo Switch eShop is notoriously slow, and it's been a problem for years. It can take ages for games to load, and browsing the store can be a frustrating experience, especially for games that are on sale or have been recently released. The eShop has many features, such as wishlists, reviews, and videos, which can add to the load time. The slow eShop is a problem for gamers and Nintendo, and the company needs to fix it by removing unnecessary features and improving the server infrastructure.
Upgraded screen and graphics
The Nintendo Switch's screen and graphics are starting to show their age. The Switch 2 should significantly upgrade in this area, with a higher resolution screen, more powerful graphics hardware, and support for new technologies such as ray tracing.
It should have Qualcomm's Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 Gaming Platform, a perfect choice for the Switch 2. It offers many benefits over the current Nvidia Tegra X1 processor, including:
More powerful CPU and GPU: The Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 has a more powerful CPU and GPU than the Tegra X1, which would result in improved performance and graphics quality in games.
Support for ray tracing: The Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 supports ray tracing, which is a new graphics technology that can produce more realistic lighting and reflections.
Support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3: As stated above, the Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3, the latest and greatest wireless technologies. This would provide gamers with faster and more reliable wireless connections.
Power Dock
The Switch 2 dock should also have a 4K AI upscaler using Qualcomm's Game Super Resolution technology. This would allow gamers to play Switch games on their 4K TVs at a higher resolution, even if the games are not rendered in native 4K.
As for the Switch 2's handheld display, it should have a resolution of at least a "Retina" level display with a minimum of 314.70 pixels per inch. This would be a significant improvement over the 720p display of the current Switch.
Dynamic Power
The Switch 2 should have multiple power levels to accommodate different user preferences.
Performance: This option would prioritize performance over battery life, resulting in the best possible gaming experience.
Balanced: This option would balance performance and battery life, providing a good gaming experience without sacrificing too much battery life.
Battery: This option would prioritize battery life over performance, resulting in the most extended possible battery life. Gamers could choose the power option that best suits their needs, depending on whether they are playing at home or on the go.
More software customization
One of the biggest complaints about the Nintendo Switch is that you can't change the wallpaper or have themes. This is a bummer because it makes the Switch feel a bit boring.
The Switch 2 should have a theme store to download themes for your console. These themes could be simple, like changing the accent color of the menu, or more complex, like themes based on games and characters. You should also be able to create your own themes and share them with others.
Here are some ideas for themes that could be available in a Switch 2 theme store:
Simple themes: Change the color of the menu, background image, and icons.
User-generated themes: Create your own themes and share them with others.
Game-related themes: Show off your love for your favorite games with themes based on characters and worlds.
No-brainer upgrades for the Switch 2
The Switch 2 is rumored to have several upgrades, and some of them are just plain common sense.
Built-in Mic and Switch: The Switch 2 should have a built-in microphone that can be disabled with a hardware switch. This would significantly improve over the current Switch, which lacks a microphone.
Better speakers: The Switch 2 should have better speakers than the current Switch, so gamers can enjoy games without headphones or external speakers.
Backward compatibility: The Switch 2 should be able to play Switch games. This would let you keep playing your existing library on the new console.
Faster memory card slot: The current Switch uses microSD memory cards, but the Switch 2 should use UH-2 or UH-3 memory cards, which are faster. This would mean faster loading times and better performance for games installed on the memory card.
More durable Joystick and Triggers: The Switch's joystick and triggers wear out quickly. The Switch 2 should use a hall effect joystick and triggers, which are more durable.
StreetPass: The Switch 2 should bring back StreetPass. It was fun!
System-based parties: The Switch uses the Nintendo app for voice chat and parties. However, the Switch 2 should have a system-based party system so you can voice chat and party with friends without using the app.