Nintendo Switch release date, specs news: Console less powerful than PS4, could have VR headset; preview tour starts January 2017

With the arrival of the Nintendo Switch only a couple of months away, more information about the upcoming hybrid console has been released. The latest reports have provided more details about the Switch's specs and features. Furthermore, next year, prospective customers will be able to sample Nintendo's new gaming system before its launch in March 2017.

According to VentureBeat, sources have confirmed that the Nintendo Switch's NVIDIA Tegra graphics processing unit (GPU) will be based on the chip maker's last-generation Maxwell architecture. This is said to be because NVIDIA's new Pascal architecture is not yet ready for the graphics chip that is going to be put into the Switch. While the Switch will still be powerful and will deliver impressive graphics, unfortunately, it will not be able to match the abilities of the PlayStation 4.

This may be disappointing to a lot of gaming enthusiasts as the Switch was expected to finally go up against the likes of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. On the other hand, the upcoming hybrid game console could still impress a lot of gamers with rumors that it could have compatibility with a virtual reality (VR) headset. First spotted by a NeoGAF member, a patent filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office back in June reveals that the Switch tablet will be able to slide into a wraparound headband.

Nintendo fans also have a lot to look forward to at the start of the new year as after initially being very secretive about the Switch, the Japanese gaming giant is finally ready to lift the embargo. More details will be revealed during the Nintendo Switch Presentation in Tokyo on Jan. 12, 2017. Soon after, there will be a multi-city tour where fans will be able to try the new console.

The preview tour starts in New York on Jan. 13–15, 2017. It will also visit five other cities: Toronto, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The interactive tour will stay at each city for three days. The first two days is invite-only while the third day will be free for fans on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Nintendo Switch and its launch titles will also be attending PAX South in San Antonio on Jan. 27–29, 2017, PAX East in Boston on March 10–12, 2017, and SXSW in Austin, Texas on March 16–18, 2017.