Nintendo could announce its OLED Switch console in the next couple of weeks. Sources have told Bloomberg that the portable games console could be unveiled ahead of the E3 gaming conference which kicks off on 12th June.
Assembly is planned to start in July, with the console going on sale in September or October, they added.
An announcement ahead of E3 would let publishers showcase their full range of Switch games at the conference.
The new machine is likely to be more expensive than the current model, which it will eventually replace, leaving the OLED model and Switch Lite as the two models in Nintendo's line.
The new console is thought to be called the Nintendo Switch Pro, though its official name is only known to a handful of people within Nintendo.
Its main selling point is the screen. According to leaks, it will be bigger than the current model's (7in vs 6.2in) and use OLED technology to offer better contrast and colour (the current model has an LCD display). OLED is also more energy-efficient, which could mean better battery life – crucial for a console you can play on your travels.
It's also thought to boast a new Nvidia chip with 4K upscaling, which would make game graphics look far better on a big-screen TV without the need for huge file sizes.
Next-gen games consoles are in the midst of a chip shortage caused by the pandemic, meaning the PS5 and Xbox Series X have been in short supply since launching in November 2020. Hopefully, the situation will be a distant memory by September, or will the Nintendo Switch Pro be another console that struggles to meet demand?
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