Nintendo Switch @ PAX South
First and foremost, the Nintendo Switch is small.
Size, of course, is relative to whoever is holding the device. But besides how big or small your hands may be, the Nintendo Switch, in comparison to its predecessor, is dimensionally smaller in every way. About 102mm x 239mm x 13.9mm (and that’s with Joy-Con attached).
When first approaching the Nintendo area over at PAX South I spotted big, rectangular glass case that protectively held the Switch inside. I was surprised at the size of it when my gaze finally landed at the much-anticipated device. How can such a tiny thing hold so much power?
The consoles were scattered all over the room in different glass cages demonstrating The Switch’s transformative powers and the multiple ways you can use it. Booths around the displays were set up in unique ways to give the illusion that the Switch can be played just about anywhere you can imagine. From the “inside an airplane” set up to the more typical "eating with friends at a diner” scenario. Hundreds of people lined up to experience the new device and a lot of people, myself included, came back for seconds.
The switch, in handheld mode, was also unexpectedly heavy.
Okay, it wasn’t that heavy. It’s about the weight of your average tablet or iPad. Personally it felt great to have some weight on my hands, about 398g (or 0.87 pounds) with the JoyCon attached.
Playing for about 10 minutes in total, I definitely started sensing some cramping but I felt the same way about the 3DS XL when I first bought it. I suppose it’s something I’ll have to get used to.
The resolution wasn’t that bad at all and blew my expectations. I had hoped Nintendo wouldn’t stick to the GamePad’s lesser resolution and they didn’t disappoint. According to Nintendo, the Switch outputs 1280x720 in handheld mode and you can clearly see it. At about 6.2 inches, the screen feels and looks just right. Of course it’s gonna look even better if you hook it up to an HDTV where the Switch's maximum output is 1920x1080 at 60 fps, but portability is definitely a huge part of its selling point and I’m glad they delivered.
I can’t wait to play with it again tomorrow, although hopefully then I will be spending some time playing Breath of the Wild since today it was completely packed to the point where they had to close the line for the day.
Overall, I think I made the right choice pre-ordering The Switch and cannot wait for the new Nintendo generation to begin on March 3rd.
Specs credit: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-Switch/Specifications/Specifications-1176277.html#1
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