It looks like Nintendo Switch OLED may have some aces up its sleeve, at least now that we’ve had a look at the insides of the new TV dock – which seems to include support for 4K.
The Twitter user @KawlunDram recently posted a post with information about the specific chip that sits in the Switch OLED dock. It should be a Realtek processor that goes under the description «4K UHD multimedia SOC». Given the above, and the fact that you get an HDMI 2.0 cable with the new Switch OLED console, it is clear that the dock should be able to push 4K at 60 Hz to a compatible TV, even if the Switch hardware itself can not do it.
So what does that mean? Well, this is like pouring gasoline on the Nintendo Switch Pro reputation fire, according to VGC, and in addition, Bloomberg believes to know that up to 11 developers already have 4K test variants in hand, which they use to develop Switch-spill and UHD.
It is also worth noting that the Tegra X1 chip used in Switch OLED – by the way the same as in both Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite – technically also supports 4K. The 2015 and 2017 editions of Nvidia Shield (the power box) both use the Tegra X1, and have no problems displaying 4K, either HDR, for that matter.
Playing in 4K is more demanding than just being able to display the 4K image, however, and it takes a lot if the current Switch processor suddenly magically becomes fast enough to handle the fires. Nevertheless, it seems that Nintendo is now laying the foundation for 4K – the question is which building is planned above.
Conspiracy theories
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The HDMI 2.0 cable clearly states that the Switch OLED dock is at some point planned to be used for higher resolutions, at some point. It can be a planned backwards compatibility for anyone who chooses to buy a Switch with 4K support if and when such a device is launched – which will give gamers the opportunity to buy only the console, without a dock, or at least have more 4K- capable docks, so that you can use more TVs, for example.
It is also possible that a firmware update is on the way, which may open up some kind of hidden functionality, a bit in the same style as Nintendo did when they launched support for Bluetooth headphones – a full four years after the console was first launched.
While @SciresM notes, the Realtek chip can be there just to enhance the audio aspects of the console, or to support the introduction of an Ethernet connector – otherwise new in Switch OLED – rather than being used for something 4K-related.
It is, as mentioned above, also possible that Nintendo simply uses 4K-ready hardware in the console in case a 4K model is made at some point in the future. It’s probably cheaper to buy 4K-ready processors (since this is almost the standard in 2021), and Nintendo may have chosen to invest in specific chips and cables to be safe, although in practice they should not be used immediately. .
When, or if, there comes a 4K-Switch it can be along with the same (or a very similar) dock, which will lead to fewer changes in production.
Update update: No, I’m not suggesting the dock can upscale to 4K.No, I don’t think this means we’ll see games running natively at 4K.This is about the possibility of a 4K resolution output which would just be a nice QOL improvement.October 12, 2021
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In other words, there’s no reason to believe that your Nintendo Switch console will start producing 4K content overnight. It would of course have been fantastic if the Switch OLED dock could eventually help with the 4K upscaling, and thus remove some of the pressure on cheaper 4K TVs, which often struggle with such processing; possibly if the company introduces support for HDR – but after all the fuss about “Switch Pro” we are actually a little tired of being disappointed time and time again.
We’ve sent a request to Nintendo, mostly out of custom, but we do not expect much in return, since the company largely keeps a close eye on speculation, or simply choose to dismiss – even if the rumors turn out to be true. Nintendo probably wants to keep the focus on the Switch OLED model, which was just launched. It is reasonable to assume that a possible 4K variant will not come with the first.
Since the launches of the Switch consoles have so far had intervals of about two years, it is likely that a possible 4K-Switch, or perhaps a more pure sequel to Switch OLED, will not arrive until 2023 at the earliest.
In the meantime, we hope that 4K upscaling on Your UHD TV works as it should.
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