The Nintendo Switch we have now could have been more powerful then what we got, instead it’s no where near as powerful as the PS4 or the XB1. Some of the ports that make it to the switch have to make so many compromises in terms of graphics, resolution, and frame rates. A lot also speculated that the dock had additional computing power based on a [patient](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/04/nintendos_supplemental_computing_device_patent_is_cleared_for_completion) that got leaked for a supplemental computing device. Instead everything is confined in the tablet and the dock only serves several basic functions.
1. Out to TV
2. Send commands to tablet to boost clock speeds
3. Charges the tablet for handheld play
4. Wired Controllers and Wired Internet
All this is done though a single USB-C connection in the center of the dock. They might have realized that adding additional computing power to the dock would make the system more expensive “$399 to $499 range” instead we got a $299 system at launch. Now the ASUS ROG Ally gaming tablet allows for the use of external GPUS, what happened in the trial of Microsoft VS the FTC revealed that Nintendo could release its successor to the Switch in 2024 but Microsoft promised that Call of Duty would come to the Switch and they all say it’s going to run natively on the tablet. Yeah in single player campaign while I guess that multiplayer will all be cloud based. Now Fortnite runs natively on Switch we know if you ever noticed how massive the updates can be when transitioning to another season. Now this is what I’m speculating.
Nintendo is going to want it’s next home console to be on the same level as PS5 and Series X but they can’t do that with just a tablet. Even the most powerful gaming tablets on the market can’t reach those levels even with ARM based architecture so Nintendo could sell two versions of the Switch 2. Each with the same tablet but the only difference being the dock.
One could be a basic Switch 2 dock that is similar to what we got now but can output games at 4K/120fps with the same level as Series S and the other PC gaming tablets at a $299 to $349 price range, it would still downclock in tablet mode to conserve battery life.
The second would be a what I’m calling a “Power Dock” that would take add additional computing power and better graphics, resolution and frame rates to each game potentially reaching 8K/120fps in later titles. At a price range of $499 to $549.
Now I’m saying this because whatever development kits are out there could have these SCDs either unplugged or disabled so developers will know how their games preform in handheld and docked mode using a standard dock. This is only speculation but if Nintendo is paying attention to Series S and X sales, they would know it’s possible to do all this as most Series S games are using the same textures in geometry as their Series S counterparts and even though some developers are saying Series S is a bottleneck, it might serve to aid in development for Switch 2 if this is the case or not.