Nintendo just can’t stop announcing new Nintendo Switch models and, a few days after the reveal of the Lite version of its hybrid console, here we go with a not so stealth replacement for the original platform. It had been rumored and now it’s official, although it won’t bring changes in terms of design.
Nintendo can’t stop announcing new Nintendo Switch models, and now they shared a stealth replacement for the original platform. It remained a rumor until now, although it won’t bring changes in terms of design.
The model HAC-001(-01), product serial number starting with XKW, enters production soon. It’s scheduled to launch at the end of Aug. It comes in a full red packaging to differentiate from the original and comes complete with improved battery life lasting 4.5 – 9 hours. According to Nintendo, the model allows you to continue playing for 5.5 hours of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on a single charge.
The current model gives you approximately 2.5 to 6.5 hours and on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ‘only’ achieves around 3 hours of gameplay with a single charge. The new model goes almost for double the playtime.
For comparison, Nintendo Switch Lite promises 3-7 hours of gameplay, granting 4 hours on Breath of the Wild on a single charge. It’s worth noting that model is only portable, by the way, while both the original Switch versions are dockable and ready to be used on a larger TV screen. Also, they have a slightly bigger display.
The announcement quietly came out on the official website of Nintendo where you can compare the other models to it. The Nintendo Switch slide shows a difference between two models, one being the HAC-001(-01) with longer battery life.
The Japanese platform owner is rumored to have had a Pro model in the making for a while. There’s a chance the plan had been scrapped in favor of this model with longer battery life and a next-gen machine to be released way later. A few hours ago we reported about a new patent that looked like it was possibly hinting to something different, though.
