Though we aren’t getting a Switch Pro (or Super Switch) this year, we are getting a boosted version of the original console, to keep its relevance up alongside the next-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles. A few weeks ago we learned that one update would be to the size of the screen, and now Bloomberg reports that Nintendo is kitting its consoles out with improved Nvidia cards too.
Switching things up a notch
These new Nvidia cards will upgrade both GPU and CPU performance, and will apparently support Deep Learning Super Sampling, or DLSS for short, which reproduces images on the fly in better quality. This is perfectly suited to the Switch which, brilliant console as it is, struggles with its resolution sometimes, particularly in its docked mode. This chip upgrade will let the Switch potentially reconstruct images at 4K quality, if your screen supports it, says Bloomberg.
DLSS support demands that new code be added to games, suggesting that the graphical enhancements achieved with the feature may only be seen in new titles.
The Verge says it’s in Nvidia’s best interests to offer a custom-designed chip for the handheld considering its massive commercial success.
The enhanced Switch model will reportedly land conveniently in time for the end-of-year holiday season, so it has the potential to rank high on a lot of Christmas lists, though at a steeper price than an original version of the console. Whether or not the new version will arrive with updates other than those already mentioned remains to be seen.