Nintendo Switch Release Date, Specs Confirmed: FCC leaks Wi-Fi, battery and details
With the Nintendo Switch release date scheduled for March 2017 and a big event set for January, we won't have to wait too much longer to get all the details surrounding the console. Until then, Nintendo Switch specs like the device's storage space, RAM and display pixel density will likely continue to leak out.
The latest leak comes via the Federal Communications Commission, which recently published documents confirming some of the biggest details we've been dying to know about the Nintendo Switch.
Any company making hardware it plans to offer in the United States needs to submit its plans for FCC approval. The good news for tech and gaming fans is that those records are eventually made public. In the case of the Switch, the FCC documents Nintendo submitted are now accessible, along with the details tucked within.
Nintendo Switch Release Date Specs: Battery details
The biggest news here may be the Nintendo Switch's battery. While we don't get an actual read-out of capacity in milliampere hours nor estimates for how many hours it may last, we do learn something else. Unlike the Japanese gaming company's current handheld device, the 3DS, the Nintendo Switch will not make use of a user-replaceable battery. This means that gamers won't be able to swap batteries when on the move.
It isn't clear if the Nintendo Switch will have any other charging options aside from the included docking station. It's possible the company will offer some sort of portable battery pack, though you may have to rely on available wall chargers if your battery life begins to run low.
Nintendo Switch Release Date Specs: Wi-Fi capabilities
Another big reveal involves the Nintendo Switch's Wi-Fi capabilities. The upcoming console will support wireless LAN connections on 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrums. Nintendo's current Wii U console only offers support for the former. Because the 2.4GHz lane is used by so many gadgets with wireless support, 5GHz is less crowded and, therefore, tends to offer faster performance.
Furthermore, the Nintendo Switch specs for Wi-Fi also include support for 802.11ac. This too will offer faster speeds for Switch owners.
Nintendo Switch Release Date Specs: Bluetooth confirmed?
The final big reveal belongs to Bluetooth. It looks like the Nintendo Switch utilizes the 2.4GHz band for Bluetooth and offers Bluetooth low energy. However, the most exciting fact is simply that the Switch offers Bluetooth at all.
The feature was markedly absent from the Nintendo 3DS. While the Wii U supports Bluetooth, it was only used for controllers and select sets of headphones and microphones. It's possible the Nintendo Switch could make even better use of the technology.
Nintendo Switch Release Date Specs: What we still don't know
The FCC filings for the Nintendo Switch tell us a great deal about the company's next-gen console, but there's still more to learn. We still don't officially know how much built-in storage space we can expect, how much RAM the device will have, how capable the battery is and whether the device will offer a cellular connection for online gaming on the go. We're also still unclear on whether Nintendo will opt for a 720p or 1080p resolution for the Switch's display. We'll have to wait for the January 2017 Nintendo Switch event before we learn more.
Check out more Nintendo Switch coverage
Check out more Nintendo Switch coverage, including Mic's reports on whether the console will be backwards compatible with games of a previous generation, what current games we want high-definition remakes of and information about the upcoming event.
