Nintendo just fixed a major problem with its wildly popular Switch console: The battery now lasts much longer

Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch.

• Nintendo's fixing a major issue with its wildly popular Switch console: The battery is getting a massive upgrade.
• The new model looks the same as the existing model, but it contains a more powerful battery cell.
• Better yet: The new Switch model costs the same $300 that the original model costs.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Meet the new Nintendo Switch - same as the old Nintendo Switch, albeit with a much better battery.

The new Nintendo Switch, which Nintendo quietly announced this week, looks the same as the one that came out in 2017. It's got the same 6.2-inch touch screen, and the same adorably colorful Joy-Con gamepads attached to that screen. It runs the same games as before, from the excellent "Super Mario Odyssey" to the new-classic "Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild."

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

The big difference with the new model is its dramatically increased battery life.

Here's a comparison of the three models of Nintendo Switch, from the 2017 original to the recently announced Nintendo Switch Lite:

Nintendo

The original version of the Switch (model number HAC-001) only had a projected battery life of 2.5 to 6.5 hours, whereas the new model (HAC-001(-01)) is projected to last anywhere from 4.5 to 9 hours.

But let's be honest: The battery life matters most when you're deep in on a game.

To that end, Nintendo says that the new model will last "approximately 5.5 hours" when playing something particularly processor intensive like "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild."

According to IGN, the new version of the Switch will start arriving in mid-August - over a month before the portable-only Nintendo Switch Lite arrives on September 20 - and will be "easily identified by the new bright red packaging."