Additional information about the upcoming Switch’s technical specifications has been uncovered by sleuths from Reddit community r/NintendoSwitch, including Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi frequency compatibility and more.
Following news that the Switch would not feature a removable battery, Redditors in a thread snooped around Nintendo’s filing documents with the United States Federal Communications Commission.
On page five of the PDF attachment “SAR_report01,” the Switch’s Bluetooth capabilities are described.
The system is able to use both Basic and Enhanced Data Rate as well as Low Energy Mode Bluetooth.
Whether this functionality is simply for the Switch’s controllers or if the console allows for the use of additional Bluetooth peripherals is unknown.
The same page of “SAR_report01” also lists the Switch’s compatibility with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band, which would make it the first Nintendo console able to utilize it.
Some models of wireless routers feature “dual-band” functionality, allowing users to operate on either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands.
Both the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS were only able to achieve connectivity via the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi frequency.
In contrast to the 2.4 GHz frequency, the 5 GHz band has less risk of picking up interference from other electronics and handles over 20 different “channels,” meaning there is less chance for congestion from competing Wi-Fi networks.
The 5 GHz Wi-Fi band is recommended for heavier use, such as streaming and gaming, which may point to Switch owners finding online multiplayer a more stable experience than on previous Nintendo consoles.
Page five also states the console was tested — and works — in temperatures of 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit) to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit).
Lastly, page six of “SAR_report01” suggests the Switch did not undergo testing for mobile internet connectivity, such as LTE.
What do you make of these findings? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Written by Daniel Dell-Cornejo
Daniel is an editor at Nintendo Wire. Always with his head in the clouds, he is never apart from his creative thoughts – a blessing for an aspiring fiction writer. As a journalist and lifelong gamer, he aims to provide readers with the very best in Nintendo coverage.
