For the past 40 years, Nintendo has been actively experimenting in the field of mobile gaming, trying different concepts and creating new trends that other game console manufacturers have picked up after it. During this time, the company has created a lot of portable gaming systems, among which there were practically no frankly unsuccessful ones. The Nintendo Switch was supposed to be the quintessence of years of research by Nintendo, but something went wrong: the one-of-a-kind hybrid game console turned out to be surprisingly crude and frankly underdeveloped in many aspects.
40 Years of Mobile Gaming: A Retrospective of Nintendo Handheld Consoles
If the Nintendo Switch were the first portable console created by a Japanese company, many problems could be overlooked. In the end, everyone has the right to make mistakes, especially invading previously unexplored areas. But the catch is that Nintendo has been developing successful and quite high-quality portable gaming systems for the past 40 years, and in this light, walking the same rake looks at least strange. However, let's not get ahead of ourselves. To begin with, let's take a look at how the Japanese company started its journey into the mobile gaming field and what Nintendo has been able to achieve over the years.
Game & Watch, 1980
The first Nintendo handheld console was released in 1980. The device that Gunpei Yokoi came up with was called Game & Watch and in a sense was a pocket version of the Color TV-Game home system. The principle is the same: one device - one game, and no replacement cartridges. In total, 60 models were released with various games, among which were "Donkey Kong" and "Zelda".
Although the Game & Watch consoles were not officially supplied in the USSR, these devices are well known to the inhabitants of the post-Soviet space thanks to the clones called "Electronics". So, the Nintendo EG-26 Egg turned into "Just you wait!", the Nintendo OC-22 Octopus turned into "Secrets of the Ocean", and the Nintendo FP-24 Chef turned into the "Cheerful Chef".
The same "wolf with eggs" from our childhood
Game Boy, 1989
A logical development of the Game & Watch ideas was the Game Boy portable console, which was created by the same Gunpei Yokoi. Replaceable cartridges became the main feature of the new device, and among the best-selling games on the platform, in addition to the expected Mario and Pokemon, was the popularly beloved Tetris.
The Game Boy received a monochrome display with a resolution of 160 × 144 pixels, boasted a 4-channel audio system and supported the GameLink function, allowing you to connect two devices using a cable and play local multiplayer with a friend.
In subsequent years, Nintendo released two more versions of the handheld console. The first of these, the Game Boy Pocket, was released in 1996. The updated version of the set-top box turned out to be 30% smaller than its predecessor, and besides, it was also lighter due to the fact that now the device was powered by 2 AAA batteries, while the original used 4 AA cells (however, because of this, the battery life console was reduced from 30 to 10 hours). In addition, the Game Boy Pocket has got a larger display, although its resolution has remained the same. Otherwise, the updated console was completely identical to the original.
Comparison of Game Boy and Game Boy Pocket
Later, in 1998, the Game Boy Light, which received a built-in screen backlight, expanded the range of Nintendo portable consoles. The hardware platform remained unchanged again, but the corporation's engineers were able to achieve a significant reduction in power consumption: to power the pocket console, 2 AA batteries were used, the charge of which was enough for almost a day of continuous play with the backlight turned off or for 12 hours with it turned on. Unfortunately, the Game Boy Light remained exclusive to the Japanese market. This was largely due to the imminent release of the Game Boy Color: Nintendo simply did not want to spend money on promoting the previous generation console in other countries, because it could no longer compete with the new product.
Game Boy Light with backlight on
Game Boy Color, 1998
The Game Boy Color was destined for success, becoming the first handheld console to feature a color LCD screen capable of displaying up to 32 colors. The filling of the device has also undergone significant changes: the Z80 processor with a frequency of 8 MHz has become the heart of the GBC, the amount of RAM has grown 4 times (32 KB versus 8 KB), and video memory has grown 2 times (16 KB versus 8 KB). At the same time, the screen resolution and the form factor of the device itself remained the same.
The Game Boy Color was also available in 8 colors
During the existence of the system, 700 different games in various genres have been released for it, and among the “guest stars” even a special version of “Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare” has been wormed its way. Alas, one of the most beautiful games released for the first PlayStation looked just disgusting on the Game Boy Color and was generally “unplayable”.
"Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare" for Game Boy Color is the pixel art we don't deserve
Interestingly, the Game Boy Color was backward compatible with the previous generation of handheld consoles, allowing you to run any game for the original Game Boy.
Game Boy Advance, 2001
Released 3 years later, the Game Boy Advance was already much more like a modern Switch: the screen was now in the middle, and the controls were spaced along the sides of the case. Given the miniature size of the console, this design turned out to be more ergonomic than the original.
The basis of the updated platform was a 32-bit ARM7 TDMI processor with a clock speed of 16,78 MHz (although there was also a version running on the old Z80), the amount of built-in RAM remained the same (32 KB), but there was support for external RAM up to 256 KB, while VRAM grew to an honest 96 KB, which made it possible not only to increase the screen resolution to 240 × 160 pixels, but also to flirt with anything but 3D.
As before, not without special modifications. In 2003, Nintendo released the Game Boy Advance SP in a clamshell form factor with a built-in lithium-ion battery (the original was powered by two AA batteries in the old fashioned way). And in 2005, an even smaller version of the handheld console, called the Game Boy Micro, was introduced as part of the annual E3.
Game Boy Advance SP and Game Boy Micro
It was this baby that marked the end of the Game Boy era, becoming a complete commercial failure, which is no wonder: the Game Boy Micro was literally squeezed in ticks between the Advance SP and the truly breakthrough at the time the Nintendo DS appeared. In addition, the Game Boy Micro was an order of magnitude worse than the Advance SP in terms of functionality: the console lost support for games from the previous generation Game Boy and the ability to play multiplayer using a Link cable - there was simply no place for a connector on a miniature case. However, this does not mean that the console was bad: just when it was created, Nintendo relied on a rather narrow target audience, ready to make any sacrifices in order to be able to play their favorite games anywhere and anytime.
Nintendo DS, 2004
The Nintendo DS became a real hit: if the Game Boy family of consoles sold a total circulation of 118 million copies, then the total sales of various modifications of the DS exceeded 154 million units. The reasons for such a resounding success lie on the surface.
Original Nintendo DS
Firstly, the Nintendo DS was really powerful at the time: a 946 MHz ARM67E-S processor and a 7 MHz ARM33TDMI coprocessor, combined with 4 MB of RAM and 656 KB of video memory with an additional 512 KB buffer for textures, helped to achieve an excellent picture and provided full support for 3D graphics. Secondly, the console received 2 screens, one of which was touch and was used as an additional control element, which helped to implement many unique gameplay features. Finally, thirdly, the console supported local multiplayer over WiFi, which made it possible to play with friends without lags and delays. Well, as a bonus, there was the ability to run games with the Game Boy Advance, for which a separate cartridge slot was provided. In a word, not a console, but a real dream.
After 2 years, the Nintendo DS Lite saw the light. Despite the name, it was by no means a stripped-down, but an improved version of the portable console. The battery capacity in the new revision has increased to 1000 mAh (against 850 mAh before), and microchips made using a thinner process technology have become much more economical, which made it possible to achieve an impressive 19 hours of battery life at a minimum screen brightness level. Other changes include better LCD displays for better color reproduction, a 21% reduction in weight (down to 218g), a smaller footprint, and more functionality for the secondary port, which now supports a variety of accessories, such as a custom controller for playing Guitar Hero.
Nintendo DS Lite
In 2008, the Nintendo DSi was released. This console turned out to be about 12% thinner than its predecessor, received 256 MB of internal memory and an SDHC card slot, and also acquired a pair of VGA cameras (0,3 megapixels) that could be used to create funny avatars in a proprietary photo editor, as well as in some games. At the same time, the device lost its GBA connector, and with it, support for running games from the Game Boy Advance.
The latest in this generation of portable consoles was the 2010 Nintendo DSi XL. Unlike its predecessor, it received only an inch larger screens and an elongated stylus.
Nintendo DS Lite and Nintendo DSi XL
Nintendo 3DS, 2011
The 3DS was largely an experiment: this console added support for autostereoscopy, a 3D imaging technology that does not require additional accessories like anaglyph glasses. To do this, the device was equipped with an LCD screen with a resolution of 800 × 240 pixels with a parallax barrier to create a three-dimensional image, a sufficiently powerful dual-core ARM11 processor with a frequency of 268 MHz, 128 MB of RAM and a DMP PICA200 graphics accelerator with a performance of 4,8 GFLOPS.
Original Nintendo 3DS
By tradition, this portable console has also received several revisions:
- Nintendo 3DS XL, 2012
Received updated screens: the diagonal of the top has increased to 4,88 inches, while the bottom has increased to 4,18 inches.
- Nintendo 2DS, 2013
The hardware is completely identical to the original, with the only difference being that instead of stereoscopic displays, the Nintendo 2DS uses conventional two-dimensional displays. The very same console was made in the monoblock form factor.
Nintendo 2DS
- New Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL, 2015
Both consoles were announced and released to the market at the same time. The devices received a more powerful main processor (ARM11 MPCore 4x) and coprocessor (VFPv2 Co-Processor x4), as well as twice the amount of RAM. The front camera now tracked the position of the player's head for improved 3D rendering. Improvements have also affected the controls: a miniature C-Stick analog stick appeared on the right, and ZL / ZR triggers on the ends. The XL version featured a larger screen.
- New Nintendo 2DS XL, 2017
The new revision of the console returned to the original clamshell form factor and, like the 3DS XL, got larger displays.
Nintendo Switch: What Went Wrong?
In 2017, the Nintendo Switch hybrid console appeared on the shelves of electronics stores, combining the advantages of stationary and mobile gaming systems. And the first feeling that arises after a close acquaintance with this device is an extreme degree of bewilderment.
Do you know what the portable consoles listed above have in common? All of them were quite high-quality, solid products. Of course, there are no ideal devices: the same 3DS was remembered by many thanks to the “black screen of death”, which was caused by a software error in the first version of the firmware. And the very appearance of several editions of the same console with numerous improvements eloquently reminds us that it is impossible to foresee everything, especially being a pioneer in the market.
At the same time, some Nintendo decisions were very controversial (take the same cameras from the DSi, which were used only in a limited range of projects), and some console modifications were frankly unsuccessful. Here we can cite as an example the Game Boy Micro, which was distinguished by its compact size, but in all other respects was inferior to its older brothers. But in the case of the Game Boy, you had a choice of three models, and in general, each of the devices was made at a fairly high quality level. In other words, in the old days, Nintendo either made a great device out of a good one, or conducted experiments that did not affect the end user. With the Nintendo Switch, the situation is somewhat different.
Even if the first revision of the console does not have any fatal flaws, but ... it is bad in general. Many flaws of varying degrees of significance give its owners a lot of inconvenience, and the problems are so obvious that one can only wonder why the engineers of one of the most successful corporations in the field of digital entertainment allowed them to appear at all, especially given Nintendo's long experience in the development of gaming platforms in general and mobile devices in particular? It is no coincidence that in 2019, the magazine "60 Millions de Consommateurs", published by the National Institute of Consumption of France, awarded Nintendo "Cactus" (analogous to "Golden Raspberry" from the world of consumer electronics), as the creator .
Honorary Cactus in the Nintendo Garden
And there is no doubt about the objectivity of this award. Suffice it to recall at least the story of the left joystick, which often lost contact with the console. The source of trouble turned out to be an overly small antenna, which physically could not receive a signal when the player moved too far from the console. Moreover, there were no objective reasons for such miniaturization at all. There is enough space inside the controller case, which is what the most handy gamers took advantage of: copper wire and a soldering iron made it possible to achieve stable synchronization in a couple of minutes. And in the photo below you can see, so to speak, a proprietary solution to the problem from the official Nintendo service center: a gasket made of conductive material was simply glued to the antenna. Why something like this could not be done right away remains a mystery.
Another problem was the backlash in the place where the controllers were attached to the case, and over time, the joycons became loose to such an extent that they spontaneously flew out of the grooves. Again, it was solved very simply: it was enough just to bend the metal guides. However, this will not help when (not if, but when) the plastic latches on the manipulators themselves still break. Here we can recall the backlash of the 3DS screen, but, firstly, such a problem occurs in many clamshell devices in principle, and secondly, its scale is somewhat different: if in the case of the 3DS this practically does not affect the user experience, then when it comes to comes to the Nintendo Switch, you have every chance of crashing the console when it suddenly undocks from the joycons.
Many players also complain about too slippery and uncomfortable “fungi”, which makes it very problematic to play in a stuffy room or transport. This is where AliExpress comes to the rescue, ready to offer rubber or silicone pads for every taste. But the very need for an independent “upgrade” of the console looks depressing.
The situation with the drift of analog sticks is difficult to characterize otherwise than outrageous. Switch owners have noticed that after some time after the start of operation, the controller begins to record the deviation of the sticks from the vertical axis at rest. For someone, the problem manifested itself after a couple of tens of hours of play, for someone - only after a few hundred, but the fact remains: there is a drawback. However, its cause is not careless handling of the device. Due to the design features of the joycons, dirt constantly gets inside the modules (that is, controllers for a portable console, which, in principle, get dirty more often, are much worse protected than gamepads for home use), and it is the contamination of the contacts that leads to their “sticking”. The solution is elementary: disassembling and cleaning the module.
In some cases, you can get by with pouring liquid to clean the contacts under the stick
And everything would be fine if Nintendo immediately admitted its own oversight, agreeing to free repair or replacement of defective manipulators under warranty. However, the company has long denied the existence of a drift problem, suggesting that users recalibrate their joycons or demanding $45 for repairs. Only after , filed by US law firm Chimicles, Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith on behalf of affected customers, Nintendo began replacing drifting joysticks under warranty, and Shuntaro Furukawa, the corporation's president, apologized to everyone who encountered the issue.
Shuntaro Furukawa, President of Nintendo
It's just that it had little effect. First, a new Joycon replacement policy has gone into effect in a limited number of countries. Secondly, you can use this right only once, and if the drift appears again, you will have to repair (or change) the device at your own expense. Finally, thirdly, no work on the bugs has been done: the Nintendo Switch Lite released in 2019, as well as the new revision of the main console, has exactly the same problems with analog sticks. The only difference is that in the case of the portable version, the controllers are built directly into the case and there is no question of replacing them, and for cleaning you will have to disassemble the entire console.
But that's not all. While “spaceships roam the Bolshoi Theater” and noname smartphones flaunt Gorilla Glass, the Nintendo Switch model gets a plastic screen that collects scratches not only on the road, but even when docked. The latter, by the way, is devoid of silicone guides that could protect the display from damage, so you can’t do without buying a protective film.
Budget dock tuning will protect the Nintendo Switch screen from scratches
Another problem concerns the connection of wireless headphones to the Nintendo Switch. It's simply impossible. The console is equipped with a 3,5 mm mini-jack, for which the Japanese should be thanked, but the device does not support Bluetooth headsets. The reasons are again unclear: the set-top box itself has a transceiver, and it could be used at least in portable mode, when the joycons “communicate” with the set-top box via wires, which would be logical and very convenient. In the meantime, you have to use third-party USB adapters, since the set-top box is equipped with USB Type-C with USB Audio support.
By the way, if you are used to communicating with friends on the other side of the screen by voice without any additional devices, as is implemented on the PlayStation 4, then we are in a hurry to disappoint. Formally, this function is present, but in order to use it, you will have to download the proprietary Nintendo application on your smartphone. Yes, that's right: the portable gaming platform offers you to voice chat from a third-party device instead of talking to teammates through a headset connected to the console.
Also, many players complain about problems online, blaming the low-quality WiFi module. Here, of course, one can speculate about the technical literacy of the average user and routers for 500 rubles, if only Masahiro Sakurai himself, responsible for the development of Super Smash Bros., did not players would have to purchase an external Ethernet adapter to play over the network (the console does not have a built-in LAN port), which seems to hint at Nintendo's awareness of the problem.
Masahiro Sakurai will not advise bad
If we take into account ergonomics, then there are minor flaws. Take the same back leg: it is too thin and shifted to the side relative to the center of gravity of the console, which makes the device unstable even on a flat surface. Try playing on a train with your Nintendo Switch on a table and you'll appreciate all the disadvantages of such a solution. Although, it would seem that it could be simpler: just expand the support a little, move it to the middle of the body - and the problem will be solved.
Although the leg does an excellent job as a cover for the memory card compartment
But what about the “stuffing” of the Nintendo Switch? Alas, everything is also not quite smooth here. Anyway, it wasn't until last year that the big N released an updated revision of the console. Let's quickly compare the original and updated versions and see what has changed.
Nintendo Switch 2019: what's new?
Let's not beat around the bush: here is a table that clearly demonstrates the difference between the 2017 Nintendo Switch and the new 2019 version.
Audit
Nintendo Switch 2017
Nintendo Switch 2019
SoC
NVIDIA Tegra X1, 20 nm, 256 GPU cores, NVIDIA Maxwell
NVIDIA Tegra X1, 16 nm, 256 GPU cores, NVIDIA Maxwell
RAM
4GB Samsung LPDDR4 3200Mbps 1,12V
4 GB Samsung LPDDR4X, 4266 Mbps, 0,65 V
Built-in Memory
32 GB
Display
IPS, 6,2", 1280×720
IPS IGZO, 6,2", 1280×720
Battery
4310 mAh
There are not so many innovations, but if the first revision of the Nintendo Switch felt like a beta version, then, picking up an updated console, we can say that we have finally waited for the release. What has changed for the better?
Objectively, if we are dealing with a hybrid console, compromises are inevitable and one should not expect any impressive results from such a device. But the catch is that at the start of sales, even the main feature of the Nintendo Switch, mobility, practically did not work. The console's battery life was around 2,5 hours if it was a big project like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, or just over 3 hours if you were playing a 2D indie game, which is quite not serious. How frivolous it is to carry a PowerBank with you, especially if you have a long trip ahead of you and you are already loaded with things.
In the updated version of the Nintendo Switch in 2019, this problem was solved, and in a rather original way: by replacing the 20nm NVIDIA Tegra X1 SoC with a 16nm one, as well as by switching to improved memory chips from Samsung. Since the second version of the system on a chip consumes noticeably less energy, and the new Samsung RAM turned out to be 40% more energy efficient, the battery life of the console has increased by almost 2 times. At the same time, it was possible to avoid both an increase in the cost of the device and an increase in its dimensions and weight, which would be inevitable when installing a more capacious battery.
Console
Nintendo Switch 2017
Nintendo Switch 2019
Battery life, 50% display brightness
3 hours 5 minutes
5 hours 2 minutes
Battery life, 100% display brightness
2 hours 25 minutes
4 hours 18,5 minutes
Maximum back cover temperature
46 ° C
46 ° C
Maximum temperature on the radiator
48 ° C
46 ° C
Maximum temperature on the radiator in the dock
54 ° C
50 ° C
The improved display from Sharp, made using IGZO technology, also makes its contribution, albeit not so significant. This abbreviation stands for Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide - "Oxide of indium, gallium and zinc". Pixels in such matrices do not require constant updating when displaying stationary objects (for example, a HUD or an eShop interface) and are less susceptible to interference from screen electronics, which further reduces power consumption. In addition, the IGZO-matrix transmits light better, which helped to increase the brightness of the backlight, although in the case of the Nintendo Switch, only a little bit: 318 cd/m2 versus 291 cd/m2. Also, thanks to the improved matrix, playing in bright daylight has become much more comfortable (the original even had problems with this).
In terms of performance, there are also changes for the better. First of all, this is noticeable in open-world games: in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, FPS drops in difficult scenes are no longer as monstrous as before - an increase in RAM bandwidth makes itself felt.
Interestingly, the difference in temperatures between the old and new versions is minimal, but at the same time, the 2019 console has become noticeably quieter: apparently, the fan speed has been deliberately reduced in favor of less noise and, again, energy savings. Given the temperature of 50 °C on the heatsink under load, this decision is quite justified.
If we talk about controllers, then the joycons received updated cases made of higher quality plastic: of course, not a soft touch, but it has become much more pleasant to hold them in your hands. The problem with the antenna of the left controller, as well as with the backlash of the mounts to the body, was solved (although the latches remained plastic), but with the sticks everything is the same: the same design, the same risks of contamination and the appearance of drift over time. So for playing at home, it’s better to buy a Pro-controller, especially since it is much more convenient in terms of ergonomics.
In the light of the above, we strongly recommend to anyone who is just going to join the wonderful world of Nintendo (and this is by no means sarcasm, because today the Japanese corporation is actually the last major platform holder that relies on gameplay and releases GAMES, and not pretentious dummies , interactive cinema or attractions for a couple of evenings), purchase exactly the latest Switch revision of the 2019 model. To distinguish the new version of the console from the previous one is extremely simple:
- The Nintendo Switch 2019 box has gone completely red.
- The serial number listed on the bottom of the package must begin with the letters XK (original Switch serial numbers begin with XA).
- The modification and year of manufacture of the device are also indicated on the console case: on the device of the latest revision it should be written “MOD. HAC-001(01), MADE IN CHINA 2019, HAD-XXXXXX", while the consoles of the first revision - "MOD. HAC-001, MADE IN CHINA 2016, HAC-XXXXXX».
Something happened to my memory, I don't remember Mario or Link...
There is another problem that Nintendo fans have not been able to solve: the extremely small amount of internal memory. Switch system storage capacity is only 32 GB, of which only 25,4 gigabytes are available to the user (the rest is occupied by the console OS), while there are no “Premium” or “Pro Edition” that would carry at least 64 GB of memory on board, the Japanese giant does not offer. But how much do the games themselves weigh? Let's get a look.
Game
Volume, GB
Super Mario Odyssey
5,7
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
7
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
2,5
Paper mario: the origami king
6,6
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
14
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
7
Super Smash Bros.
16,4
DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition
14,3
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
6
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
14,8
Bayonetta
8,5
Bayonetta 2
12,5
ASTRAL CHAIN
10
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
28,7
Doom
22,5
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
22,5
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
14,9
LA Noire
28,1
Assassin's Creed: Rebels. Collection (Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag + Assassin's Creed Rogue)
12,2
What do we have? Multi-platform projects naturally fit in the memory of the Nintendo Switch with a gnash, and some of them, like The Witcher and Noir, do not fit there at all. But even when it comes to exclusives, the picture is grim: you can download The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe” and… that’s it. If you play mainly at home, such restrictions will cause a minimum of inconvenience, although there is no talk of preloading: before downloading each new release, you will have to delete one or more already installed games, and then languish waiting for the distribution kit to be downloaded from eShop. By the way, you won’t be able to save the memorable moments of your passages either, since there simply won’t be any space for the video.
If you are going on vacation or a business trip, and even to places where you have already heard something about WiFi, but have never used it, then ... it is better to immediately install 2-3 games in which you are guaranteed to play more than a dozen (or even and several hundred) hours, like Legend of Zelda or Animal Crossing. Of course, there is another option to stock up on cartridges for future use, but, firstly, it is inconvenient, and secondly, it does not always help. In order to reduce the cost, the size of the cartridges is limited to 16 gigabytes, so, for example, you won’t be able to play LA Noire without reloading assets at all, in the case of DOOM you will only get a single-player campaign, and by purchasing Bayonetta 1 + 2 Nintendo Switch Collection", you will only be able to play the sequel: instead of the cartridge with the first part, inside the box you will find only a sticker with a code for eShop.
Special offer: one Bayonetta for the price of two
However, there is an alternative solution: buying a SanDisk for Nintendo Switch flash card will help you forget about problems with a lack of memory. The memory cards in this line are licensed by Nintendo to ensure that they are compatible with the handheld console and meet the Japanese corporation's optimal gaming storage requirements.
The SanDisk for Nintendo Switch series includes three models of microSD cards: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. Each of them corresponds to the speed characteristics of the SDXC standard: the card performance reaches 100 MB / s in sequential read operations and 90 MB / s (for 128 and 256 GB models) in sequential write operations, which ensures high speed of downloading and installing games, as well as Eliminates framerate drops in open world games when streaming textures.
In addition to high performance, SanDisk for Nintendo Switch memory cards boast excellent environmental and man-made resistance. SanDisk memory cards:
- remain functional even after 72 hours in fresh or salt water at a depth of up to 1 meter;
- withstand drops from a height of up to 5 meters onto a concrete floor;
- able to function at extremely low (up to -25 ºC) and extremely high (up to +85 ºC) temperatures for 28 hours;
- protected from exposure to X-rays and static magnetic fields with an induction force of up to 5000 gauss.
So when you purchase SanDisk for Nintendo Switch memory cards, you can be 100% sure that your collection of video games will be completely safe.
Finally, we would like to give you some tips on choosing the size of the flash card for Nintendo Switch. The thing is that even with memory cards, the console interacts, to put it mildly, in a very specific way. Here's what you need to know:
- Any data (games, DLC, screenshots, videos) can be written to the memory card, except for saves. The latter always remain in the device's memory.
- It is not possible to transfer a game from the Switch system storage to a microSD card. To free up the internal memory of the console, you will have to re-download the distribution from the eShop. Screenshots and videos can be exported and imported without restrictions.
- Nintendo recommends using only one memory card, as changing them frequently may cause the device to malfunction.
- If you still use 2 (or more) cards at the same time, then in the future you will not be able to transfer games from them to one card. All distributions in this case will have to be downloaded and reinstalled.
Taking into account the above features, we recommend purchasing a memory card immediately with the console, so as not to suffer later with data transfer. In addition, we advise you to carefully consider how you are going to use the console. Buying a Switch purely for Nintendo exclusives and the ability to play indie games on the go? In this case, you can get by with 64 gigabytes. Do you plan to use the console as the main gaming platform and take the device with you on long trips? It is better to immediately get a 256 GB card.
Source: habr.com