Nintendo Switch (Nintendo's next console)

That_Guy wrote: »

Zelda has dispatched.... meaning I'll likely get it by tomorrow night.

MilesMorales1 wrote: »

Where are the reviews for the premiere launch game, 1-2 Switch?

AirspeedPrime wrote: »

Argos have a new videogame leaflet/catalogue out today. The Switch price listed is 349.99, though on the computer the Grey version is listed at 339.99. Neon is 349.99 as the new leaflet says. The front of it says "From A to Zelda Gaming at Argos" which I thought was pretty cool, they seem to be hyping up the switch a bit now. The booklet also has a lot of accessories in it and the games they have listed are Zelda, 1-2 Switch, Bomberman, Just Dance, Splatoon 2, Arms and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_OjR09FBUI

Battery life is a more pressing issue. For perspective, while docked the Switch demands 7.5 watts on the main menu, and 16 watts at peak during games. But even with its reduced GPU clocks in portable mode, keeping a lid on power consumption poses a challenge, and a built-in 4310mAh battery has to service it for at least 2.5 hours to meet Nintendo's claims. We used a watt meter to find an area of Switch gameplay that pushes docked power consumption to the limit, then decoupled the unit to run in mobile mode to judge consumption.

The result? Expect just over three hours of use with while playing intensive titles, on either low or 50 per cent brightness, with volume set halfway, and WiFi enabled. Incidentally, this is the same time it takes for the console to perform a full recharge. It's not an impressive number, and at maximum brightness it gets worse still, at two hours and 37 minutes. In fairness, this is one of the most demanding Switch games available. Nintendo claims battery life can stretch to six hours given less taxing software, but it sets the bar for what to expect in major 3D games.

To solve this, we have the option of plugging external powerbanks into the Switch's USB-C port, giving it extra juice on the go. These are the same as you'd use for a regular mobile phone, so we bought a GMYLE-branded battery from Amazon for just £15. It's rated at 10,000mAh, so even factoring in inefficiency in power transfer, we should get around six to seven hours of battery life. The reality fell far short.

On the positive side, plugging a powerbank into the Switch causes the console to recharge faster than it depletes its own battery even in a stress test scenario with brightness and volume maxed. It's a good start, and means the console power gauge holds at 100 per cent for as long as the powerbank lasts. However, it takes only four hours and 13 minutes to wear through the external battery, before Switch defers to its own solution. In total that combines to six hours and 50 minutes, a decent overall time, but for the extra weight and wiring involved we'd hoped for much more. Of course, results may vary based on brand and quality, and so the search is now on to find a power bank that will indeed deliver battery life from the Switch in line with the rated capacity.

The Joy Con issue

We tested each Joy-Con at varying distances, using the console's calibration menu to spin each stick around to catch any signal hiccups. There were no issues at all in a smaller room, or playing nearby in portable mode. And in fact, both Joy-Cons work from well from over eight metres away in a larger room. It's fine, even with people walking past in front - as long as the controllers are pointed towards the screen.
However, there is an issue if either controller is too heavily obstructed, and the left-side controller definitely appears to have a weaker connection than its sibling. Each Joy-Con loses signal once covered completely with your hands, or put behind your back. Even at two metres, the left Joy-Con's connection starts to break up when held obstructed, leaving a choppier circular movement on the calibration screen. Keeping it in that position, that progresses to a more erratic signal at three metres, and practically no connection at six metres. But pointing the control forward again, it works again immediately.

By comparison, the right Joy-Con doesn't show these symptoms to the same extent, but they are there. The break-up in signal kicks in only slightly at five metres in that case, and again, only with the control held behind your back. Even swapping hands to account for a difference in angle, it's fair to say the left Joy-Con has bigger issues when obstructed.


So both have signal cuts when pushed, and the left one's more prone to it - but is it really an issue? Well for the majority of gameplay, you should be absolutely fine. The signal strength is generally resilient, but not as strong as a regular gamepad. Being held in small, enclosed spaces, or pressed against something obstructing its path does it no favours. The fact there is a difference at all between the two Joy-Cons here is curious though. After all, the right Joy-Con has only two spec differences, in its extra infra-red pointer and NFC chip. Besides this, the two are really identical, and it's not enough to pinpoint exactly where the difference comes from.

There's no denying this is still a compelling piece of technology. Putting aside the controller sync issues and an unconvincing stand, there's a lot to celebrate. The Joy-Cons adapt brilliantly to any situation, and the tablet is ruggedly built in most other regards, with a smart finish, delivering games at a quality beyond anything we've seen on a handheld. It's a cliché, but the value of any hardware rests on great software, and it's Nintendo that will be the one to watch going forward. As the years roll on, we can fully expect the Switch's potential will be better tapped into, and fine-tuned to impressive results

However, as a launch product, the £280/$300 price-point is a big ask compared to the competition, especially bearing in mind a launch title line-up based primarily on Wii U ports. There are also many extra costs too - a larger SD card is essential, the Pro controller is recommended for home use, and an external powerbank is worthwhile on the go. For now, what we have is a strong foundation to build on; it's pricy and not without fault, but we can't wait to see where Nintendo take the concept.

Banjo wrote: »

All that battery stuff is all well and good but how the hell do you get a battery at a decent price over here? Amazon won't ship them, Anker won't ship them, and technically the An Post parcel forwarding are not supposed to accept them.

Fieldog wrote: »

Even with Parcel Motel do Amazon not ship them?

magnumbud wrote: »

an post virtual box works with amazon

Banjo wrote: »

MemoryC are about 15 mins walk from my house. I pass them every day on the way home. 10 mins after they close. It's an eternal source of irritation. Anyhoo it's my cross to bear Thanks for the suggestions.

Digital Foundry article has me hyped up to 90 again...