shared by Eurogamer's Tom Phillips shows how the NX's reported detachable controllers would work."/>

As we approach the planned March 2017 launch of Nintendo's still-mysterious NX, a new report adds weight to some earlier rumors that the system will be a standalone portable with the ability to plug into an HDTV.

Eurogamer cites "a number of sources" in reporting that the system will have a built-in screen that is "bookended by two controller sections on either side, which can be attached or detached as required." The brains of the portable system can then reportedly be plugged into "a base unit, or dock station" for display and play on an HDTV.

Eurogamer's sources suggest the system will be powered by Nvidia's mobile-focused Tegra line of processors. Development kits are reportedly built around the Tegra X1, which powers tablets like the Google Pixel C and Nvidia's Shield Android TV console. That kind of hardware should be capable of decent 1080p HD graphics, but it definitely won't be a match for the kind of performance found on the Xbox One or PlayStation 4 (not to mention the upcoming hardware refreshes announced for both of those platforms). On the other hand, the power-sipping Tegra chip should be effective at extending the system's battery life when it's being used as a portable and should help keep costs for the system relatively low.

Eurogamer also echoes earlier reports that the NX will eschew disc-based media in favor of some sort of solid-state "cartridge." While that term brings up nostalgic visions of bulky, plastic-encased ROM chips, it could just as easily refer to some sort of flash memory-based cards, like the DS or Vita. In any case, Nintendo is reportedly recommending 32GB as the standard physical game size, a bit smaller than the 50GB capacity of a standard Blu-ray disc. The system will also reportedly support downloaded games, presumably stored on an SD card (like the 3DS).

Because of its new design, NX reportedly won't sport native backward compatibility with any existing Nintendo systems. Eurogamer's sources suggest that the system may be formally unveiled in September, just seven months ahead of an announced March 2017 launch plan.

The new report lines up with a Wall Street Journal rumor from last year suggesting that the system contains "at least one mobile unit that could either be used in conjunction with the console or taken on the road for separate use." However, it's counter to other rumors saying that Nintendo was looking at an x86 AMD processor as the basis for its new system (though more recent rumors had pointed toward Tegra).

The reported design incorporating two detachable controllers differs quite a bit from a Nintendo patent revealed last year, which incorporated a set of physical controls on top of a rounded touchscreen.