Nintendo plans to release new Switch with beefier specs, 4k graphics support, claims analyst

With only a few months left before the next-generation gaming platforms from Microsoft and Sony launch, the gaming industry's eyes are on Nintendo. Unlike its two rivals, the Japanese gaming group announced earlier this year that it had no plans to develop a machine to match up against the PS5 and Xbox Series X. However, despite the surging sales and strong demand for the Switch, it appears to lose out on some exclusives. That might soon change as insiders claim a premium model is now in development.

Even though tech industry analysts also agree that the current Switch models do not directly compete against Sony and Microsoft, its gamers are limited to first-party exclusives only. As cutting-edge hardware and technology have now unlocked better visuals and more immersive gameplay experiences, Nintendo might be ready to take the next step.

So far, it has only offered improvements in battery life with the Switch V2 and a portable-only version with the Lite. Since last year, it was already rumoured that a "Pro" version of the Switch has been discussed internally at Nintendo. On the other hand, it might have originally intended to hold off its production until the PS5 and Xbox Series X has launched.

According to sources, as speculated, the upcoming system will likely support 4K graphics and ship with upgraded components. The information appears to have been shared by Bloomberg analyst Takashi Mochizuki. Given its partnership with NVIDIA, the best option as indicated by pundits is the Tegra Xavier.

This SoC packs eight custom "Carmel ARM cores alongside a 512 CUDA core Volta GPU that can manage 1.4 teraflops of computing performance." While many are convinced that 4K visuals would be supported, it might be unlikely in handheld mode considering the display and battery configurations.

Unless Nintendo plans to make the hybrid console bigger and heavier, it might be possible to achieve this in docked mode. The engineers are most likely keeping all existing gimmicks such as motion controls and HD Rumble, but integrating new immersive experiences.

Although the Xbox Series X is more powerful than the PS5, Sony is banking on the unique gameplay interaction players will be getting from the DualSense controller. Therefore, Nintendo will be likely introducing something new before releasing the new Switch later on.