Apart from the odd leak, we still don't know a lot about Nintendo's next game console. We know it has NVIDIA graphics. We know it can convert from a traditional TV set-up to a more portable one. Unfortunately, that's about where our verifiable knowledge ends -- or at least it did. A new filing at the FCC has added on more piece to the Switch puzzle: we now know that the device will probably ship with a non-removable battery.

This may sound like an insignificant detail, but it could make a difference for folks concerned about the console's battery life. When the Wii U gamepad was panned for dying too soon, Nintendo was able to release an easy to install high-capacity battery pack that boosted the runtime to 8 hours. That won't be possible with the Switch. Consumers will be stuck with however much battery life Nintendo's next game console has at launch.

Well, probably. Technically, the FCC reviewed a production prototype designed to be equivalent to a mass-produced model, but it's possible that Nintendo could tweak the final product to include a removable battery. We wouldn't count on it though: the Switch's tablet-like design doesn't leave a lot of room for user serviceability -- and it probably doesn't have the extra room to accommodate a larger battery than it ships with. Either way, this news isn't much of a surprise, but it is nice to learn something new about the Switch ahead of Nintendo's upcoming preview tour.

Posted: Dec 27, 2016 9:33 pm
Related Forum: Gaming Discussion

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/27/you-wont-be-able-to-upgrade-the-nintendo-switchs-battery/