According to a reputable source for Nintendo Switch leaks, the new console will have 4GB of RAM, which is half the amount of both the PS4 and Xbox One.
The news comes courtesy of Emily Rogers (known on Twitter as ArcadeGirl64) who in the past successfully predicted most of what was revealed in the Switch’s first announcement trailer.
There is cause for some celebration however, as there had previously been rumors that the final console would ship with half the amount of RAM as the developer kits, or 2GB.
Mobile first
Although the console is being positioned as a console-handheld hybrid, the specs that we’re seeing suggest that in terms of computing capability the device is closer to a handheld than a full home console.
The Tegra processor that’s powering the switch is of the same architecture as that which powered the Nvidia Shield handheld, and now it seems its RAM levels aren’t comparable to current generation consoles.
However its RAM is significantly more than currently available handhelds. The Nintendo 3DS has just 128MB, while the PlayStation Vita has 512MB.
4GB of RAM is on par with many modern smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Motorola Moto Z, and is more than both the iPhone 7 (2GB) and iPhone 7 Plus (3GB).
RAM isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to computing specs, but it’s disappointing that the Switch isn’t matching the RAM levels of three year old current generation consoles.
However, for a portable device its 4GB looks a lot more respectable, especially when you consider that it won’t need to do the amount of multitasking that’s expected from modern smartphones where 4GB of RAM is commonplace.
- Check out everything we know about the Nintendo Switch release date, news and features
