Nintendo Switch: Type-C quick charge, no LTE, 5GHz Wi-Fi

Nintendo's new Switch handheld-console hybrid has been certified by the FCC, showing some interesting new features such as a non-removable 3.7V Lithium Ion battery, 5GHz Wi-Fi, the apparent requirement of an Ethernet to USB adapter for wired internet connections, USB Type-C fast-charging while docked, and more.

6

Check below for a breakdown of all the info including in the Switch's FCC filing, as well as source documentation, but also remember that the FCC filing was based on a Nintendo Switch devkit. The filings ascertain that the HAC-001, aka the Nintendo Switch's model number, matches the final hardware that will ship in March 2017.

• Nintendo Switch handheld tablet uses non-removable, rechargable 3.7V Li-Ion battery
• Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11ac MIMO Wi-Fi supported
• No LTE/cellular internet support
• USB Type-C confirmed
• No Ethernet port in the Switch cradle/dock, requires USB-to-ethernet adapter, compatible with Wii's LAN adapter
• Switch handheld supports MicroSD for expanded memory
• Laptops can be hooked directly to the cradle
• Detachable JoyPad controllers are connected via Bluetooth
• Low-power Bluetooth, likely Bluetooth 4.0 +
• AC Adapter output (from dock to handheld) DC 5 V - DC 15 V, 2.6 A - Switch has max power draw of 39W while charging on cradle, supports Type-C quick-charge*
• AC Adapter input (from wall to dock) AC 100 - 240 V, 50 / 60 Hz, 1 A - standardized power, hinting the Switch may be region-free (the Wii U's adapter, however, is similarly rated and isn't region-free)

*Basic formula to convert volts to watts is Watts = Volts x Amps, so we plug in the Switch's 15V times the 2.6A to get 39W, meaning the Switch will draw a max of 39W while docked.

6

6

6

6

Our Take

We've known for a while that the Nintendo Switch would likely use USB Type-C in its dock to future-proof the system, unify data, video and power, and support quick-charging to recharge the handheld's battery. Since the handheld may only rock 3 hours of battery life per charge, the ability to quick-charge the device is a great feature, but I'm wondering if the device will only support quick-charging while it's docked and not on-the-go via a portable Type-C power bank.

Including 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi is a must considering the Switch apparently doesn't have a gigabit Ethernet port in its dock. There's absolutely no mention of LTE support in the FCC filing, so don't expect to be able to get dedicated cellular internet on your Switch, but I do expect you'll be able to piggyback off of your phone if it supports Wi-Fi tethering.

This tells us a lot about how the Switch games will be; don't expect many dedicated online games, and expect every game to be fully functional while playing offline on-the-go. So the games themselves will need to be self-contained for portability, but that isn't saying that titles like Splatoon won't have online functionality.

Read Also: Nintendo Switch portable GPU speeds halved to 302MHz

I also expect to see a focus on LAN play, too, as shown in the Switch's teaser during the eSports segment.

We've learned a whole lot about the Nintendo Switch in the past couple of months, so be sure to check out our huge Switch news catalog for more info, or check below for a huge list of all our content.

Read Also: Nintendo Switch may use Display Port over USB Type-C

6

Expected Nintendo Switch specs and performance

(Note: most of this information has not been officially confirmed)

Console Mode

• Chip type: highly-customized, revamped Tegra, possbily 20nm Maxwell or 16nm Pascal
• Power: USB Type-C, charged docked
• Video out: HDMI
• GPU clock: 768MHz (max, could be variable based on game/app/program, won't always hit max perf)
• CPU clock: 1020MHz (consistent perf)
• System RAM: 4GB unified memory (unified VRAM and DRAM)
• Resolution output: native 1080p switched over from handheld's 720p resolution
• Unreal Engine 4 GFX display settings: High

Handheld Mode

• Chip type: highly-customized, revamped Tegra, possbily 20nm Maxwell or 16nm Pascal
• Power: USB Type-C, external charger
• Video out: N/A
• GPU clock: downclocked to 302MHz (maximum based on game/app/program, won't always hit max perf)
• CPU clock: 1020MHz (consistent perf)
• System RAM: 4GB unified memory (unified VRAM and DRAM)
• Battery Life: ~3 Hours?
• Resolution output: 720p resolution in 6.2-inch tablet handheld
• Unreal Engine 4 GFX display settings: Medium

Read Also: Nintendo Switch certified for Vulkan and OpenGL 4.5

We expect Nintendo not to reveal full Switch info at a special event in January; these are in-depth technical specifications, and I think Nintendo will only reveal tech specs like the exact NVIDIA processor in the Switch, but not this kind of info.

The Nintendo Switch will release on March 2017, likely for a price point of $249 for a regular bundle, and $299 for a deluxe edition.

Check below for everything we know about the Nintendo Switch so far, including rumors, specs, reports, analyses and confirmed details.

Everything we know about Nintendo Switch so far:

• Nintendo Switch hits High 1080p Unreal Engine 4 preset
• Nintendo Switch to use Display Port Alternate Mode over USB Type-C for a host of additional benefits
• How Nintendo Switch hits console quality on the go
• Nintendo Switch certified for Vulkan and OpenGL 4.5
• Nintendo Switch portable GPU speeds halved to 302MHz, docked GPU speeds only hit 768MHz max
• Nintendo Switch has higher GPU, CPU perf while docked?
• Nintendo Switch may support head-tracking mobile VR
• Nintendo Switch switches to full 1080p while docked
• Nintendo Switch to have Gamecube Virtual Console games
• Nintendo Switch listed at $245, to release March 17?
• Porting games over to Nintendo Switch might be easy
• Nintendo Switch to get full HD Pokemon Sun and Moon port
• Nintendo Switch price to start at $249, deluxe at $299
• Nintendo Switch launch games teased, 2017 will be huge
• Nintendo Switch to let you play modded Skyrim on-the-go
• Zelda Breath of the Wild may not be a Switch launch game
• Nintendo Switch may have 4GB unified memory pool
• Nintendo Switch handheld delivers console-quality gaming
• 3DS won't be cannibalized by new Switch console, Nintendo President confirms
• Nintendo Switch to have wide array of hardware add-ons
• Nintendo Switch may use USB Type-C for power
• Nintendo Switch has 6-inch 720p display with 10-point capacitive multi-touch
• Nintendo investors hate the Switch hybrid
• Everything you need to know about the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo's new transforming handheld console hybrid
• Nintendo to reveal Switch pricing, specs, launch games and more on January 12, 2017
• 3DS won't be cannibalized by Switch, says Nintendo
• Nintendo Switch gameplay graphics and features are subject to change
• Nintendo Switch is single-screen only, says Nintendo
• Nintendo Switch to launch only as complete bundle
• Nintendo expect 2 million Switch console sales at launch
• Nintendo Switch may have extra power while docked
• Nintendo Switch isn't backward compatible with Wii U games
• Nintendo Switch's battery may only last 3 hours?
• Nintendo won't reveal full Switch console specs until 2017
• Nintendo Switch gets a much-needed splash of color
• Nintendo's new Switch console powered by NVIDIA Tegra
• Nintendo Switch may sport dedicated game video recording
• Skyrim hasn't yet been confirmed for the Nintendo Switch