Nintendo Switch is the most powerful dedicated gaming handheld ever made, but the challenges facing it are considerable. It's a hybrid device battling on three fronts: firstly, as a successor to the ill-fated Wii U. Secondly, as a pricier, high-tech sibling to the portable 3DS. And finally, as Nintendo's first, perhaps understated attempt at a stand-alone tablet. It's an ambitious concept, but can it hit the mark in all three area?
The Switch's main party trick is its ability to transform from a home console to a fully portable handheld. At the heart of this is a smart and adaptable tablet - in every way a leap in quality over its immediate predecessor, the Wii U and its satellite GamePad. The fundamental change is that all graphics processing is handled natively on this unit, whether docked under your TV, or out in the wild. The fact that Switch is a self-contained handheld makes it feel more like a successor to the 3DS in this respect. And despite all the technology packed into it, it still feels comfortable in the hand, weighing just 297g in tablet mode - 40g less than a 3DS XL. That rises to 400g with controllers attached, but still, it never feels fatiguing for long play sessions.
Physically, every part of the Switch tablet is a step up from the Wii U spec. The screen size stays at 6.2 inches, but moves from the GamePad's 480p TN panel to a higher quality 720p IPS panel - now with a 10-point capacitive touch-screen. Crucially, the bezel is much narrower, barely a centimeter in all directions, and the device is just over centimeter in depth. It's sleeker all round, and simply more effective as a portable device than the Wii U's cumbersome tablet. Nintendo's move from a scratch-prone glossy material to a silky matte plastic on Switch is also a very welcome touch.
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