Goodbye NX, hello Switch

[HOOfan 1]

Ars has a couple interesting articles on the Switch today...

The first is a potential identification for what's wrong with the left Joycon controller, and unfortunately, it's a hardware problem. The Joycon literally doesn't have a wire for its antenna, so it's relying on an on-board antenna. The other Joycon does have a wire.

The second is how Nintendo has removed the Switch Dock from their online store. There hasn't been an official announcement, but the rumor is that it's due to the scratching. Although, strangely enough, while I read the article (and it's awkward photo of someone "fixing" the problem with pantyhose), I can't seem to find it on their site anymore.

This just strengthens my resolve to wait awhile and see if they come out we a revised console.

 

[poofyhairguy]

So I found a second console in a store. I bought it intending to take back my launch day one with the dock scratches.

The issue is the build on the two Switches are crazy different. The newer one has much tighter Joycon rails when the Joycons are attached, but also has a warmer screen. Normally I like warm screens but that also means dimmer which means in Zelda I have to crank the brightness in dungeons.

Today I will pick which one to keep but it isn't an easy decision. Then I will start Zelda over yet again because no cloud saving.

 

[sswingle]

So I found a second console in a store. I bought it intending to take back my launch day one with the dock scratches.

The issue is the build on the two Switches are crazy different. The newer one has much tighter Joycon rails when the Joycons are attached, but also has a warmer screen. Normally I like warm screens but that also means dimmer which means in Zelda I have to crank the brightness in dungeons.

Today I will pick which one to keep but it isn't an easy decision. Then I will start Zelda over yet again because no cloud saving.

Any other differences besides those 2 things?
Can't put save games on the SD card?

 

[KentState]

Ars has a couple interesting articles on the Switch today...

The first is a potential identification for what's wrong with the left Joycon controller, and unfortunately, it's a hardware problem. The Joycon literally doesn't have a wire for its antenna, so it's relying on an on-board antenna. The other Joycon does have a wire.

The second is how Nintendo has removed the Switch Dock from their online store. There hasn't been an official announcement, but the rumor is that it's due to the scratching. Although, strangely enough, while I read the article (and it's awkward photo of someone "fixing" the problem with pantyhose), I can't seem to find it on their site anymore.

Wonder why it had to have a closed face dock to begin with. The PS Vita and Wii U tablet dock type could provide the USB C adapter and then all of the ports on the back. Does the design help with cooling?

 

[Chiropteran]

I think the design helps with "looking like a console", I don't think it really does much else.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Any other differences besides those 2 things?
Can't put save games on the SD card?

Actually the biggest difference is the rails. On my launch day Switch the rails are loose and the Joycons aren't tight in portable mode. On the warmer screen one the rails are very tight and in portable mode it feels like it's one device (aka like a 3DS) than a tablet with controllers bolted on.

I am an evil guy so I might just take the rails off the warmer one and put it on the launch day one and return the warm one. Hell after seeing the crazy variation in build quality between these two some scratches on the bezel mean nothing to me now. I have never seen a major consumer product with this much variation.

 

[Chiropteran]

I've heard the 3ds xl has a lot of variation. Some have one ips screen, some even have both screens ips, and some have 2 va panels.

Maybe nintendo likes to use multiple sources. It's a bit annoying, but not unheard of in the industry. There was an iphone with even more severe issues, the CPU made in one plant was noticeably better than the CPU made from another source, and there was no way to tell what you were going to get until you started using the device.

 

[zerocool84]

Actually the biggest difference is the rails. On my launch day Switch the rails are loose and the Joycons aren't tight in portable mode. On the warmer screen one the rails are very tight and in portable mode it feels like it's one device (aka like a 3DS) than a tablet with controllers bolted on.

I am an evil guy so I might just take the rails off the warmer one and put it on the launch day one and return the warm one. Hell after seeing the crazy variation in build quality between these two some scratches on the bezel mean nothing to me now. I have never seen a major consumer product with this much variation.

I have two Switches, one from Amazon that I pre-ordered and didn't get until Monday and one I got from Target on Saturday. Both felt exactly the same to me, rails, controllers, etc but I didn't turn it on since I'm returning the one to Target.

 

[Nashemon]

Actually the biggest difference is the rails. On my launch day Switch the rails are loose and the Joycons aren't tight in portable mode. On the warmer screen one the rails are very tight and in portable mode it feels like it's one device (aka like a 3DS) than a tablet with controllers bolted on.

I am an evil guy so I might just take the rails off the warmer one and put it on the launch day one and return the warm one. Hell after seeing the crazy variation in build quality between these two some scratches on the bezel mean nothing to me now. I have never seen a major consumer product with this much variation.

Can you take a picture of a comparison of the screens?

 

[desura]

I might actually get this one on a 2nd gen refresh of course. Launch lineup is stupidly bad and the hardware is again stupidly bad.

It looks like it is selling, at least the media reports.

If I were Nintendo, I'd take the old 8 bit source code and hack internet play into it. Then you get authenticity and it feels cool.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I have two Switches, one from Amazon that I pre-ordered and didn't get until Monday and one I got from Target on Saturday. Both felt exactly the same to me, rails, controllers, etc but I didn't turn it on since I'm returning the one to Target.

Turns out it's not the rails it's the Joycons. The right Joycon of the second set of grey fits better in both Switches on the right rail. It also fits better than my Neon blue set right one does (by a lot).

Annnnnnnd I would turn it on and look if I was you before you return it:

 

[zerocool84]

Turns out it's not the rails it's the Joycons. The right Joycon of the second set of grey fits better in both Switches on the right rail. It also fits better than my Neon blue set right one does (by a lot).

Annnnnnnd I would turn it on and look if I was you before you return it:

Wow that's a huge difference in display

 

[desura]

Think they'll come out with an OLED version someday? This definitely seems like a 0.8 release. THey should have kept it in development a few months longer to get it right.

At least is the chip fabbed on 0.14? I really think the dock should have come with a coprocessor to really speed things up.

 

[Aikouka]

Wow that's a huge difference in display

The one at the top looks almost like it's in iOS's night mode, which is far less bright and has the blues a bit muted.

 

[zerocool84]

The one at the top looks almost like it's in iOS's night mode, which is far less bright and has the blues a bit muted.

Yea you're right it does.

 

[poofyhairguy]

The one at the top looks almost like it's in iOS's night mode, which is far less bright and has the blues a bit muted.

Which excited me at first as I love night mode, but frankly it isn't bright enough in Zelda dungeons.

 

[Skel]

Am I reading this thread correctly that outside of getting to play Zelda this 'console' is pretty worthless? There seems to be a lot more issues with the thing vs the people saying the positive, and that's not getting into lack of content.

 

[zerocool84]

Am I reading this thread correctly that outside of getting to play Zelda this 'console' is pretty worthless? There seems to be a lot more issues with the thing vs the people saying the positive, and that's not getting into lack of content.

I love the new Zelda but basically yes wait if you don't care about playing Zelda right now.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Wonder why it had to have a closed face dock to begin with. The PS Vita and Wii U tablet dock type could provide the USB C adapter and then all of the ports on the back. Does the design help with cooling?

They could have just had a type of hub with a short wire you plug the Switch into as well. No need for a dock although with certain demographics a dock is looked upon as cooler than a wire.

 

[desura]

Even more useful, they could have had the Switch screen itself be used as a tablet controller like the Wii U gamepad. No need to dock either, as the dock itself seriously sucks. If the dock had a cooling system or extra chip power that makes sense, but it is just a plastic stand and some cable management.

this is basically the same thing as the Vita Tv here...with far fewer games.

 

[Face2Face]

I finally broke down and bought a Pro Controller. I found a Walmart that had three in-stock. It feels better vs. the joycons, but I don't think it's worth $70. The main reason I bought it was I was still having issues with my left joycon. Admittedly, I do have my dock located behind my TV and sit about 10-12ft away, so that's what causing the issue. It's sitting right on top of my unused Alienware Alpha... poor guy.

 

[Sonikku]

Man all these people with TWO Switches and here Sonikku sits utterly Switchless.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Man all these people with TWO Switches and here Sonikku sits utterly Switchless.

Honestly at this point I would say wait. The first batch/revision just has so many issues. You end up with a dim screen Switch, or one with crappy Joycons, and its a whole different experience. My launch day Switch with the tighter right Joycon feels like a different device in hand its so solid. Thank you Best Buy (I kept reward points from that second Switch too because I cashed them in before I returned it for an eShop card).

With that said, there is opportunity. I made enough money to cover the purchase of my Pro Controller thanks to the Switch LAN adaptor. It is sold out on Amazon for $30, but my local Wal-Marts have piles of them for $29 with tax. I am selling them for $40+ a pop on Amazon after fees/shipping and I don't feel bad about it because anyone with a brain could Google for two seconds and find out the Wii or Wii U adaptor works fine.

 

[Nashemon]

With that said, there is opportunity. I made enough money to cover the purchase of my Pro Controller thanks to the Switch LAN adaptor. It is sold out on Amazon for $30, but my local Wal-Marts have piles of them for $29 with tax. I am selling them for $40+ a pop on Amazon after fees/shipping and I don't feel bad about it because anyone with a brain could Google for two seconds and find out the Wii or Wii U adaptor works fine.

I figured that was the case when I saw them in the store. Looks like any USB to Ethernet works with it.

 

[poofyhairguy]

So crazy thing- games can chose to not support the pro controller. That is the case for Snipperclips or Blaster Master. You can't even use it to get back the home menu on these games. Blaster Master gets a patch in a week though.