For months, rumors have been swirling that Nintendo was going to release a Nintendo Switch Pro console, which insiders believed would support 4K resolution while docked and generally be more powerful than its counterparts, meaning games would run better on the system. The Nintendo Switch Pro was compared to the PlayStation 4 Pro or the Xbox One X, with it supposedly serving as a mid-gen upgrade for the standard Switch.

What many believed to be the Switch Pro was recently announced when Nintendo pulled the curtain back on the Nintendo Switch OLED Model. Retailing at $350, $50 more than a standard Switch console, the Switch OLED Model comes with a 7-inch OLED screen and a new dock with an ethernet port that should allow for far superior online multiplayer play. However, the rumors about this new Switch model supporting 4K resolution and being able to run games more efficiently turned out to be false.

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As it turns out, that could be because the Switch OLED and the Switch Pro are actually different consoles. Insider Jeff Grubb recently spoke about the Nintendo Switch Pro, stating that he's only ever heard that the console would come in 2022, whereas the Switch OLED Model release date is October 8 of this year. Grubb said that he will "continue to speculate" that the Switch Pro will support 4K and will have "a significantly more efficient chip with DLSS." Grubb also pointed out that Nintendo is known for releasing numerous versions of its consoles, and so it's highly unlikely that the Switch OLED will be the last version of the console that Nintendo releases.

Next year will mark five years that the Nintendo Switch has been on the market, and some might argue that's too late for Nintendo to release a Switch Pro console. However, Nintendo has previously stated that the Switch is only halfway through its life cycle, meaning its successor may not come until 2025 or so. This could very well make a proper Nintendo Switch Pro console a worthwhile endeavor, as it will potentially convince people that already own a Switch to upgrade while they wait for the next-gen version.

Then again, with 2022 marking five years of the Nintendo Switch, it's also possible that instead of releasing a Switch Pro as a mid-gen upgrade, Nintendo will release the console as the proper next-gen Switch. The lifespan of Nintendo consoles has varied significantly over the years; the Nintendo 64 was only out for five years before it was replaced by the GameCube, whereas the Nintendo DS was out for seven years before the 3DS hit store shelves. This means that the next Nintendo console will likely release within the next few years.

Maybe Nintendo will hold off on releasing the "Switch Pro" and use 4K resolution as one of the big selling points for its next-generation Switch console. Until Nintendo itself decides to divulge more details, all fans can do is speculate.

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