With what we know know about it being a hybrid, but apparently cheaper than most expect, what's a realistic application for this patent that wouldn't break the bank?
More RAM for higher resolution textures, and a small cheap processor to help with upressing to 1080p maybe? Or would simply supplying more power from the mains still count?
Probably nothing at launch. But maybe put out an SCD 2-3 years down the road to provide a boost. It could be their way of doing iterative upgrades vs. Sony/MS requiring replacing whole consoles.
Nintendo could do something like:
Put out NX with dock.
2-3 years later put out SCD to boost performance for those who want it.
2-3 years put out NX successor (new tablet piece)--works alone at a bit above first gen with SCD, good bit above if paired with that old SCD
2-3 years latter put out new SCD to boost further.
Then just repeat that pattern of alternating SCD and tablet/core upgrades every few years.
Who knows what will happen, but that make as more sense to me that the unwieldy solution of people having multiple SCDs hooked up at once. The patent may just be showing that tech is possible.