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[Aurongel]

Uhm..

What?

Do you have anything to back that up? Just kind of sounds like you're needlessly hating based on everyone elses reaction.

What? How is it inefficient? The actual battery specs line up with it's size. You play a 3D game on an iPad pro and see how long it lasts.

Whoa, settle down folks.

The thing that jumps out most immediately to me at an architectural level is the fact that the battery is a single discrete component rather than a conglomerate of smaller modules that are more evenly dispersed for heat and balance reasons. Tablets today have followed that design paradigm for the better part of a decade and I'm confused why that isn't the case here for something that has that form factor. I'd like to see more of it before I say any more but that's my take from a distance. I can't really speak to the hardware specs themselves until more is known about them.

 

[Jonneh3003]

The people who said that had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.

From the reveal it was fairly obvious that this is the most advanced, most powefull mobile device (tablet size one anyway) available to the general public.

* not counting something like the Surface pro 4 and even then, I believe the GPU in the switch to be far beyond whatever the IGPU on the i7 can do

Even then devices like the Surface Pro won't offer optimised game performance like the Switch does, this is a milestone in portable gaming.

 

[QuantumSquid]

it's so weird that nvidia is behind this technology. feels like it's been AMD only for ages now.

 

[random25]

Which is still extremely inefficient and poor compared to its' mobile peers.

In terms of hardware engineering, this thing has more in common with mobile devices of 2008 than it does with say an iPad Pro.

Very odd engineering decisions. I'm surprised this is getting so much praise but I suspect most people here don't look at many other hardware teardowns or architecture diagrams. The WiiU was a damn mess internally but this is a pretty substantial leap for them.

Lol wat? Ever see a hardware teardown of similar products?

 

[Captain_Wreckus]

Which is still extremely inefficient and poor compared to its' mobile peers.

In terms of hardware engineering, this thing has more in common with mobile devices of 2008 than it does with say an iPad Pro.

Very odd engineering decisions. I'm surprised this is getting so much praise but I suspect most people here don't look at many other hardware teardowns or architecture diagrams. The WiiU was a damn mess internally but this is a pretty substantial leap for them.

Consider the size constraints, I think Nintendo did a fantastic job considering they are a gaming company and not a company like Apple.

Edit: got rid of Samsung in the last sentence.

 

[newbong95]

2 ram config possiblities
2 chips of 2 GB 32bit (more possible)
Or
2 chips of 2GB 64bit like the tegra pascal

 

[NeOak]

I didn't know that, sorry!

No worries man. It's easy to get confused since that is an advanced manufacturing process done by necessity and quite expensive.

 

[Gotdatmoney]

Thanks. And Switch is using Pascal or still to be confirmed? Where's Digital Foundry? They're normally fast with this. dark10x??

All we know is it's custom and the dev kits were using standard X1s. As far as what the fabrication process is (which would be the major difference between Pascal and Maxwell), we don't know at this point.

 

[LordRaptor]

The thing that jumps out most immediately to me at an architectural level is the fact that the battery is a single discrete component rather than a conglomerate of smaller modules that are more evenly dispersed for heat and balance reasons. Tablets today have followed that design paradigm for the better part of a decade and I'm confused why that isn't the case here for something that has that form factor.

...what?

 

[NeOak]

Whoa, settle down folks.

The thing that jumps out most immediately to me at an architectural level is the fact that the battery is a single discrete component rather than a conglomerate of smaller modules that are more evenly dispersed for heat and balance reasons. Tablets today have followed that design paradigm for the better part of a decade and I'm confused why that isn't the case here for something that has that form factor. I'd like to see more of it before I say any more but that's my take from a distance. I can't really speak to the hardware specs themselves until more is known about them.

Again, you have no fucking idea what you're talking about.

There. Is. No. Space.

Battery packaging eats a lot of space. One big battery wastes less space than two smaller ones.

 

[Draper]

Whoa, settle down folks.

The thing that jumps out most immediately to me at an architectural level is the fact that the battery is a single discrete component rather than a conglomerate of smaller modules that are more evenly dispersed for heat and balance reasons. Tablets today have followed that design paradigm for the better part of a decade and I'm confused why that isn't the case here for something that has that form factor. I'd like to see more of it before I say any more but that's my take from a distance. I can't really speak to the hardware specs themselves until more is known about them.

'I am speaking out my ass'

 

[Astral Dog]

Here is a Wii U for comparison

 

[Rodin]

Which is still extremely inefficient and poor compared to its' mobile peers.

In terms of hardware engineering, this thing has more in common with mobile devices of 2008 than it does with say an iPad Pro.

Very odd engineering decisions. I'm surprised this is getting so much praise but I suspect most people here don't look at many other hardware teardowns or architecture diagrams. The WiiU was a damn mess internally but this is a pretty substantial leap for them.

Whoa, settle down folks.

The thing that jumps out most immediately to me at an architectural level is the fact that the battery is a single discrete component rather than a conglomerate of smaller modules that are more evenly dispersed for heat and balance reasons. Tablets today have followed that design paradigm for the better part of a decade and I'm confused why that isn't the case here for something that has that form factor. I'd like to see more of it before I say any more but that's my take from a distance. I can't really speak to the hardware specs themselves until more is known about them.

 

[gogogow]

Consider the size constraints, I think Nintendo did a fantastic job considering they are a gaming company and not a company like Apple or Samsung.

Lets not mention Samsung. They have one of their important smartphone production line shutdown because of exploding batteries, which was down to bad design choices.

 

[Eolz]

Nice, looking forward to when the chip will be analyzed like the WiiU last time, that was a super interesting thread.
No space wasted here, and some really cool tech, Nintendo didn't go with something cheap for an handheld!

edit: wth is Aurongel talking about?

 

[Karanlos]

Lets not mention Samsung. They have one of their important smartphone production line shutdown because of exploding batteries, which was down to bad design choices.

And apple.. "you're holding it wrong"

 

[Solid Raiden]

I just came for the witch hunt. Leaving disappointed.

 

[Jonneh3003]

Here is a Wii U for comparison

They doubled down on the gamepad being the focus of the Wii U, that being said they achieved amazing things with pretty simple hardware:

 

[SpiceMelange]

I wonder if the right side of the switch will be heavier because of that huge battery block

 

[……forgetit]

Whoa, settle down folks.

The thing that jumps out most immediately to me at an architectural level is the fact that the battery is a single discrete component rather than a conglomerate of smaller modules that are more evenly dispersed for heat and balance reasons. Tablets today have followed that design paradigm for the better part of a decade and I'm confused why that isn't the case here for something that has that form factor. I'd like to see more of it before I say any more but that's my take from a distance. I can't really speak to the hardware specs themselves until more is known about them.

You mean like this?

My guess is because the switch is much smaller and thicker than an iPad Pro. It doesn't have as much surface area to work with so the multiple battery design probably wouldn't have been as useful considering how much smaller the individual batteries would be.

Just look at Apple's own iPhone 7

Still uses a single battery design. Multiple batteries wouldn't work well for the switch.

 

[NeOak]

Consider the size constraints, I think Nintendo did a fantastic job considering they are a gaming company and not a company like Apple or Samsung.

Foxconn is the one that manufactures the iPhones and iPads, so I have no idea why you say "Apple".

 

[lastrealgameralive]

This is like an ugly version of unboxing.

 

[KAL2006]

Which is still extremely inefficient and poor compared to its' mobile peers.

In terms of hardware engineering, this thing has more in common with mobile devices of 2008 than it does with say an iPad Pro.

Very odd engineering decisions. I'm surprised this is getting so much praise but I suspect most people here don't look at many other hardware teardowns or architecture diagrams. The WiiU was a damn mess internally but this is a pretty substantial leap for them.

I don't look at hardware teardowns. Do you have other examples of a tablet as powerful as Switch with active cooling?

 

[gogogow]

edit: wth is Aurongel talking about?

No one knows, but he sounds like an expert.

Maybe we are the ones not knowing shit!!!!!

 

[Hoo-doo]

So when are you guys pitching in money to get Chipworks to take a look? Then we can finally end this whole saga.

 

[jokkir]

Lets not mention Samsung. They have one of their important smartphone production line shutdown because of exploding batteries, which was down to bad design choices.

Uhhhhhh, it was because of faulty batteries. Both the initial units and the replacement unites had bad batteries (assuming because of the production ramp up to remedy the situation quickly). Samsung got unlucky twice.

Read up on the investigation report.

 

[KAL2006]

Whoa, settle down folks.

The thing that jumps out most immediately to me at an architectural level is the fact that the battery is a single discrete component rather than a conglomerate of smaller modules that are more evenly dispersed for heat and balance reasons. Tablets today have followed that design paradigm for the better part of a decade and I'm confused why that isn't the case here for something that has that form factor. I'd like to see more of it before I say any more but that's my take from a distance. I can't really speak to the hardware specs themselves until more is known about them.

Do those other examples have active cooling and how much do those systems cost?

 

[mario_O]

Lets not mention Samsung. They have one of their important smartphone production line shutdown because of exploding batteries, which was down to bad design choices.

lol,
they also have a million other products that work just fine. jeez.

 

[random25]

You mean like this?



My guess is because the switch is much smaller and thicker than an iPad Pro. It doesn't have as much surface area to work with so the multiple battery design probably wouldn't have been as useful considering how much smaller the individual batteries would be.

Battery of tablets like iPad pro is split like that because its combined capacity is huge. That's literally more than double the capacity of single battery of the Switch, or any small tablets and phones for that matter.

 

[AmyS]

From the Famicom CPU and PPU (Picture Processing Unit) - 1983:

To Nintendo Switch, custom Tegra - the present day:

 

[NeOak]

Uhhhhhh, it was because of faulty batteries. Both the initial units and the replacement unites had bad batteries (assuming because of the production ramp up to remedy the situation quickly). Samsung got unlucky twice.

Read up on the investigation report.

That's an oversimplification of what happened.

They made the batteries for one size as requested, then the space for the battery was changed without making the battery smaller for safety.

Battery of tablets like iPad pro is split like that because its combined capacity is huge. That's literally more than double the capacity of single battery of the Switch.

My Alienware with a 99Whr Single battery says hi though.

They do it because of weight distribution really.

 

[EloquentM]

oh god.. by the end of the day we should know most of the specs(hopefully). Hopefully we'll know if its foxconn clockspeeds by end of the first week of release

this is how i'm feelilng

SpawnWave and SuperMetalDave64 is gonna be all over this shit.

No we won't. We still don't know clocks. We still can't see inside the damn chip

 

[Captain_Wreckus]

Lets not mention Samsung. They have one of their important smartphone production line shutdown because of exploding batteries, which was down to bad design choices.

Good point.

 

[……forgetit]

Battery of tablets like iPad pro is split like that because its combined capacity is huge. That's literally more than double the capacity of single battery of the Switch, or any small tablets and phones for that matter.

That's what I'm saying?

 

[Jonneh3003]

From the Famicom CPU and PPU (Picture Processing Unit) - 1983:

To Nintendo Switch, custom Tegra - the present day:

We've come along way but let's compare a portable to a portable.

Game boy:

Switch:

They're both technical marvels of their time.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

That's an oversimplification of what happened.

They made the batteries for one size as requested, then the space for the battery was changed without making the battery smaller for safety.

Yup exactly. There's always a slight expansion when batteries heat up and the housing didn't account for that hence explosions

 

[Phamit]

Whoa, settle down folks.

The thing that jumps out most immediately to me at an architectural level is the fact that the battery is a single discrete component rather than a conglomerate of smaller modules that are more evenly dispersed for heat and balance reasons. Tablets today have followed that design paradigm for the better part of a decade and I'm confused why that isn't the case here for something that has that form factor. I'd like to see more of it before I say any more but that's my take from a distance. I can't really speak to the hardware specs themselves until more is known about them.

Switch is a lot smaller in Size and smaller tablets still use only one cell

 

[pulsemyne]

You mean like this?



My guess is because the switch is much smaller and thicker than an iPad Pro. It doesn't have as much surface area to work with so the multiple battery design probably wouldn't have been as useful considering how much smaller the individual batteries would be.

Also the Ipad, like many tablets has no active venting. The Switch needs active venting so it needs to be designed for that. That Tegra chip will run a lot hotter than the stuff in Ipads as it needs to maintain a constant performance and not be thermal throttled.

 

[Joqu]

Pretty impressive piece of engineering. It looks packed.

 

[BlastProcessing]

Damn... I was hoping that all that processing was being done by mini-Pikmin inside. This just makes it look like normal electronics.



Is the black thing with the Japanese text the battery?

It's pretty wild that there's nearly no air inside. It's so densely designed.

Reminds me of a story about the creation of the first iPod. Some Apple engineers were showing Jobs an iPod prototype. Jobs said is was unacceptably large. The engineers explained that it couldn't possibly get any smaller. Jobs picked up the iPod and dropped it into a fish tank that was in the meeting room with them.

He pointed at the bubbles coming out of the iPod and said "That's air. Get rid of it."

 

[random25]

That's what I'm saying?

I'm just supporting you . From a performance standpoint of course, since they are not split for design reasons but rather for capacity reasons as the one you replied to earlier implied.

 

[AmyS]

We've come along way but let's compare a portable to a portable.

Game boy:

Switch:


They're both technical marvels of their time.

Good point!

 

[Soph]

Hmm interesting, you know I only know stuff about PC hardware. So not going to comment.

 

[ToTi]

Reminds me of a story about the creation of the first iPod. Some Apple engineers were showing Jobs an iPod prototype. Jobs said is was unacceptably large. The engineers explained that it couldn't possibly get any smaller. Jobs picked up the iPod and dropped it into a fish tank that was in the meeting room with them.

He pointed at the bubbles coming out of the iPod and said "That's air. Get rid of it."

That's amazing ahah!

 

[MrBigBoy]

You mean like this?



My guess is because the switch is much smaller and thicker than an iPad Pro. It doesn't have as much surface area to work with so the multiple battery design probably wouldn't have been as useful considering how much smaller the individual batteries would be.

Just look at Apple's own iPhone 7

Still uses a single battery design. Multiple batteries wouldn't work well for the switch.

I think he means this:

This way the weight is more evenly distributed. But this is 12inch vs 6inch so I don't think it matters as much for the Switch.

 

[Caelus]

That engineering is really cool, this is such a fascinating handheld.

 

[NeOak]

I'm just supporting you . From a performance standpoint of course, since they are not split for design reasons but rather for capacity reasons as the one you replied to earlier implied.

Wrong. It's for weight distribution.

 

[KAL2006]

Switch is a lot smaller in Size and smaller tablets still use only one cell

Also the Ipad, like many tablets has no active venting. The Switch needs active venting so it needs to be designed for that. That Tegra chip will run a lot hotter than the stuff in Ipads as it needs to maintain a constant performance and not be thermal throttled.

As I thought Arongel is unable to provide an example of another tablet with active cooling and within a £280 price range.

Unless the Switch is even bigger that it is, and costs more or doesn't have active cooling which means games running at a lower clock then we could have had something as nice as iPad Pro internals.

 

[……forgetit]

I think he means this:

This way the weight is more evenly distributed. But this is 12inch vs 6inch so I don't think it matters as much for the Switch.

Well the switch is actively cooled. Nintendo seems to have also prioritized keeping the battery away from the SOC, sense it will heat up a lot when it's charging.

 

[KAL2006]

I think he means this:

This way the weight is more evenly distributed. But this is 12inch vs 6inch so I don't think it matters as much for the Switch.

None of these examples have active cooling are much bigger form factors and much pricier.

Active cooling is a big deal the internals have to be designed around that.