There is a good chance that we might actually see the Nintendo Switch Pro arrive as early as this fall.
According to Bloomberg, Nintendo will reportedly begin production of the upgraded console this July, with a release planned for September or October this year. So we could soon see a Switch with boosted performance and some form of 4K output.
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But that power could come at a price. The upcoming console's potential price is expected to be higher than that of the existing Switch base model ($299), though it's unclear whether the difference will be significant.
Nintendo may officially announce the long-awaited console prior to the E3 2021 conference in order to "allow publishers to showcase their full range of Switch games at the global event," Bloomberg reported.
The increased cost of the upcoming console is expected to be down to "the pricier components and rising labor costs in China." Potential suppliers also predict an increase in their "per-unit revenue from business with Nintendo."
Whether it's called the Switch Pro or even the Nintendo Switch 2, the Japanese game company's next console is expected to eventually replace the existing Nintendo Switch entirely. The new console will reportedly retail alongside the Nintendo Switch Lite, the current budget version of the standard console that recently got a new vibrant color option.
What you need to know about the Nintendo Switch Pro
According to the latest leaks and rumors, the Nintendo Switch Pro will likely feature a 7-inch OLED display that will allegedly be manufactured by Samsung Display. We're also expecting to see 4K gaming capabilities in docked mode, thanks to a potentially faster Nvidia graphics.
Speaking of chips, suppliers are not expecting the next Nintendo Switch console to be affected by the global chip shortage that is currently sabotaging the restock of next-gen consoles such as the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. However this is not guaranteed, as last month, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa warned about potential stock shortages due to increasingly high demand and the lack of parts used in gaming hardware.
Despite the fact that we don't have official confirmation regarding the release just yet, Nintendo did recently tease the "next platform" after the Switch, which all but confirmed that the company is working on a new console.
However, it's unclear whether the console in question is an upgraded version of the existing Nintendo Switch console or if the company is planning an entirely new device. And not so long ago, a new Nintendo patent surfaced on the web, indicating that the new Switch Pro could feature improved Joy-Con controllers.
