7/17/19 5:45a PST
***UPDATE***
Well it looks like we've discovered what all these changes were for. The original Nintendo Switch is getting a boost, specifically, in the area of battery life.
According to the Nintendo of Japan website:
This updated Nintendo Switch revision will last between 4.5-9 hours per charge. Nintendo estimates about 5.5 hours of playtime with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the updated model.
On the original Switch, Nintendo estimated 2.5-6.5 hours of playtime, depending on the game, with about 3 hours of playtime in Breath of the Wild.
Source: POLYGON
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Original SmashJT.com Article:
A Nintendo Switch Pro Edition is not coming. Well, not anytime soon at least.
With the news of the incoming Nintendo Switch Lite this 2019 holiday season, starting in September, many have speculated that the long rumored Nintendo Switch Pro, Switch XL, Switch Max, or whatever nickname it receives, will be announced shortly after.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Dataminer/Hacker Mike Heskin has gone to Twitter, disussing his findings regarding the recently announced Nintendo Switch Lite model, and in addition, the supposed ‘completely new’ Nintendo Switch console rumored to be on the way.
This information has been discovered from a recent firmware update On the Nintendo Switch.
Full summary, courtesy of the ResetEra user Atheerios:
Since firmware 5.0 there has been support for three hardware lines, one with the original Tegra 210 and two for the new Tegra 214 (Mariko)
Those two hardware lines are Switch Lite and Switch "New".
The original Switch has 4GB of RAM and 6GB for the devkit. The new models have support for both 4GB and 8GB of RAM.
Both Switch Lite and "New" use LPDDR4X DRAM which grants a small battery boost due to lower voltages.
Switch Lite has a smaller screen and non-detachable controllers while "New" Switch should have the exact same form factor.
The GPU in the "New" Switch is clocked at higher values than Switch Lite, potentially giving a modest performance boost.
Larger than 32GB memory is possible in the "New" units. Two models have been found in the firmware (codenames "Iowa" and "Calcio") and is speculated that one will have more internal storage.
There's absolutely no evidence of an actual "Pro" version. At least not in the sense that it would be based off of the Tegra X2 or have massive performance and/or memory improvements.
Shortly after the Nintendo Switch Lite reveal, Nintendo’s Doug Bowser explained in an interview with CNET that it would be the only new Switch hardware coming this holiday, and that the original model would not be receiving an upgrade right now.
While that interview was being published, avid fans had already discovered Nintendo filed a "Class II Permission Change" to the FCC. This led to conflicting reports of what was actually happening with the Nintendo Switch, and future revisions of the console, including the heavily rumored Nintendo Switch Pro. Beginning with Wall Street Journal reports and speculation that the Nintendo Switch Pro was not only coming soon, but actually in production right now. It looks like that was a bit misleading, as the only thing happening officially is the original Nintendo Switch hardware is receiving a makeover of sorts, updating the SOC, and improving basic functionality of the system.
If you really think about it, the idea of a Nintendo Switch ‘Pro’ or ‘Max’ Edition, while an enticing option, makes little to no sense at the current time. Nintendo is selling a fantastic amount of original Nintendo Switch consoles already, and with the introduction of the Nintendo Switch Lite line of consoles, there will be plenty of fuel to burn in the tank.
It makes far more sense, unfortunately, for Nintendo to hold off on production of a superior console for the time being, and instead focus on making great games for the available consoles right now.
That heavily rumored and wished for Nintendo Switch ‘Pro’ may actually just end up being the gamers’ own codename for the NEXT generation Nintendo console years down the road.
What do you think?
If you go by Nintendo's handheld track record, they're much more likely to release ten different versions of the Switch "Lite" than they are the original Switch. Their "main" consoles only see upgrades when the next generation system is announced. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a repeat of that here.