We’re solely a month away from Nintendo’s huge Swap 2 occasion, but players are nonetheless determined for early info. Now, by means of a compulsory FCC submitting, Nintendo has revealed the Swap 2’s mannequin quantity and confirmed among the console’s performance.
New Wi-Fi 6 Speeds
As a handheld console, the Swap 2 wants to supply quick and dependable Wi-Fi connectivity. A standard Wi-Fi 5 implementation is perhaps fantastic in the present day, however it’ll develop much less and fewer acceptable as we careen into the tip of the last decade—if the Swap 2 follows the identical seven-year lifecycle as its predecessor, it will stay the flagship Nintendo console by means of 2032.
Nintendo appears to know the necessity for high-speed wi-fi connectivity. Its FCC filing states that the Swap 2 modem will assist Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, which is clearly an improve from the normal Wi-Fi 5.
To be clear, the Wi-Fi 6 commonplace would not unlock any further spectrum, nor does it present large boosts in pace. It is primarily simply an optimized model of Wi-Fi 5. An improve to Wi-Fi 6E can be way more substantial and supply much more future-proofing.
Nonetheless, the Swap 2’s use of this protocol ought to enhance stability in on-line multiplayer video games, significantly for individuals who stay in flats or properties with a ton of internet-connected units. It could additionally enhance obtain speeds, although so far as I am conscious, Nintendo’s sluggish eShop servers are normally guilty for gradual sport downloads. If Nintendo fails to improve its servers, then the eShop will stay a bottleneck.
After all, there is a non-zero probability that Nintendo will nerf the Swap 2’s Wi-Fi 6 modem. The unique Swap docking station has a USB 3.0 port that is nonetheless restricted to USB 2.0 speeds, and Nintendo waited 4 years to allow Bluetooth audio connectivity on the previous console. I will not be stunned if the corporate pulls an identical trick with the Wi-Fi 6 functionality to mildly enhance battery life or eke out another invisible profit.
Hey, Mannequin Quantity BEE-001!
Notably, the brand new FCC submitting additionally reveals the Swap 2’s mannequin quantity: BEE-001, a transparent departure from the unique Swap’s “HAC” naming scheme. The “BEE” household title can also be mirrored within the Swap 2’s equipment, particularly the Pleasure-Cons (BEE-012, BEE-014) and the docking station (BEE-053).
Nintendo mannequin numbers normally carry some significance or which means. The Sport Boy glided by mannequin quantity DMG-01, which stands for “Dot Matrix Sport,” whereas the N64, GameCube, and Wii mannequin numbers are based mostly on pre-production codenames—”NUS” for “Nintendo Extremely Sixty-four,” “DOL” for “Dolphin,” “RVL” for “Revolution.”
Nonetheless, I’ve no guess as to what “BEE” stands for. It could haven’t any which means, or it could reference one thing that Nintendo hasn’t revealed but.
I ought to make clear that this FCC submitting is totally different from the mystery filingthat Nintendo submitted late final yr. The brand new submitting is nearly definitely the Swap 2 (it comprises diagrams for detachable controllers and console docking), whereas the previous submitting seems to be some form of USB accent, probably a digicam or a wi-fi video transmitter.
NFC and Twin Charging Ports Confirmed
Unsurprisingly, this FCC submitting confirms NFC performance for the Swap 2. The unique Swap utilized NFC to scan Amiibo and unlock in-game content material—a function that may proceed by means of the brand new technology. Nintendo additionally specifies that its RFID sensor shall be situated underneath the precise Pleasure-Con, simply because it was within the unique Swap.
The extra thrilling information is that the Swap 2’s secondary USB-C port will assist charging. Nintendo already revealed that the Swap 2 may have two USB ports, however some individuals speculated that the topmost port would solely be for headphones or different equipment.
That stated, charging pace and USB capabilities are unknown. Nintendo’s submitting does price the Swap 2 USB ports for 39 watts (15V/2.6A), however this is similar most wattage of the unique Swap (which severely throttles charging pace when undocked, thereby making the technical spec considerably arbitrary). We do not know if you happen to can cost the Swap 2 from each ports concurrently, nor do we all know the USB information switch price. And since the unique Swap was not fully compliant with USB-C charging or DP Alt Mode standards, it is onerous to attract any conclusions on this space.
Nintendo confirms that the Swap 2 will arrive earlier than the tip of the yr. A Nintendo Direct livestream, scheduled for April 2nd, will present further particulars concerning the console. Nonetheless, we do not know whether or not Nintendo will announce the pricing or launch date throughout its Direct occasion.
Supply: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by way of The Verge