Nintendo has announced a new model of the Switch that's touted to deliver a longer battery life.
This comes hot on the heels of the reveal of the Switch Lite, a completely handheld and cheaper version of the original console.
New Switch Model 2019
According to Nintendo, the new Switch will approximately last from 4.5 to 9 hours. In comparison, the older unit delivers a battery life between 2.5 and 6.5 hours.
These estimations, of course, depend on the game being played on the console. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild can run up to three hours on the older model and around 5.5 hours on the newer one.
For the record, the Switch Lite is rated to last from three to seven hours, and it's capable of providing up to four hours' worth of game time with Breath of the Wild.
How To Spot The Newer Model
The two are hard to tell apart, since they're both practically the same in just about every way, save for their serial product and model numbers.
The older unit has the model number HAC-001 with their serial product number starting with "XAW." Meanwhile, the newer one has the model number HAC-001(-01) with their serial numbers beginning with "XKW."
Many fans have been hoping for a Switch Pro or something along those lines with a better processor and improved screen, but that may not be happening anytime soon just yet. At the very least, a longer battery life is a welcome upgrade.
Nintendo is scheduled to release the new Switch model sometime in mid-August in the United States. Aside from the better battery under the hood, it will have the same specs and, by the same token, deliver the same performance. It will also cost the same as the previous one at $299.99.
