Switch 2 Will Boast a Custom Nvidia Chip, Report Suggests

In a recent report, Reuters revealed that the next generation of Nintendo Switch, also known as Switch 2 (unofficially dubbed), will have a customized Nvidia chip.

Nintendo’s current Switch handheld console already includes Nvidia’s Tegra X1 chip. A new version of the Switch console expected this year is likely to include a Nvidia custom design, one source said.

Nintendo declined to comment.”

Reuters

Nintendo Switch currently uses a chipset based on Nvidia’s Tegra line, which is a system-on-a-chip (SOC) that combines a CPU and a GPU. The original Switch and the OLED model use the same Tegra X1 processor and RAM, while the Switch Lite uses a slightly modified version of the same chip.

Besides this report, according to some previous rumors/reports, the Switch 2 will use a new custom Tegra processor, codenamed T239, that will support advanced features such as ray tracing and DLSS upscaling. This processor is reportedly based on Nvidia’s RTX 30-series Ampere architecture and has an octa-core ARM A78C CPU cluster. Therefore, the Reuters report is consistent with the earlier speculations that the Switch 2 will have a custom Nvidia chip.

Switch 2: What We Know So Far

Details about Switch 2 remain scarce, but recent developments, rumors, reports and speculations hint at significant changes and a potential release later this year.

One of the most concrete pieces of information comes from industry analysts who suggest that the Switch sequel will feature an 8-inch LCD screen, a notable upgrade from the current 6.2-inch display. However, some enthusiasts may lament the absence of the OLED technology seen in the Switch OLED model.

Despite the display upgrade, reports suggest that the Switch 2 will retain the hybrid functionality of its predecessor, allowing for both physical cartridges and online downloads. This continuity could also extend to backward compatibility, offering current Switch owners an incentive to upgrade.

While the use of an LCD screen may help to keep costs down, rumors indicate that the Switch 2 could come with a price tag of around $400, a $100 increase from the original Switch. This places it in a similar price range to the baseline LCD Steam Deck and above the Xbox Series S, potentially positioning it as a mid-range option in the gaming console market.

Switch 2 Reveal & Release Date

In a recent podcast episode, YouTuber Nate the Hate, a well-known Nintendo insider, said he thinks Nintendo will announce a new version of the Switch in March. He thinks Nintendo might show it off at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco that month. He talked about this with John Linneman from Digital Foundry, who was a guest on the podcast. GDC is a big gaming event with lots of people attending. 

Universo Nintendo also said they heard the same thing from their sources corroborating Nate’s claims. These sources said that many companies and Nintendo’s partners are getting ready to talk about their new projects, and some stores are preparing to sell the new Switch. A survey also showed that some game developers are already making games for the new Switch.

There might also be a Nintendo Direct this month that could reveal more about what’s coming in 2024 and we could also potentially get to know about the existence of Switch 2 (or whatever Nintendo would like to call it) officially.

Nintendo Switch Continues to Climb Sales Charts

Whenever the Switch 2 is coming out, things for Nintendo are going more than great with Nintendo Switch which was released in 2017 and is 7 years old at this point but every year its consistent and growing sales shows how much gamers still love it.

According to the latest financial report released by Nintendo, global sales of the Nintendo Switch have surpassed a staggering 139.36 million units.

In the third quarter of its current fiscal year, Nintendo managed to ship an additional 6.9 million Switch units worldwide. Among these, the Switch OLED model accounted for 3.48 million units, while the Switch Lite and the standard Switch contributed 1.27 million and 2.15 million units, respectively.

With the Switch family inching closer to the 140 million mark, industry experts anticipate that Nintendo’s platform could claim the title of the best-selling console of all time as early as next year by surpassing the current holder of that title, the PlayStation 2.

There are also some highly anticipated new games coming out for Nintendo Switch this year, like Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Princess Peach: Showtime, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. So this upward trend of sales will surely continue in 2024 as well.

That’s all the information we have about the next iteration of Nintendo Switch, also known as Switch 2, and the current situation of Nintendo Switch in the gaming consoles industry. 

We will keep you posted upon receiving any further details about Switch 2. Until then, let us know your thoughts about this news in the comments section below. Are you excited to see the next Switch console this year, and what changes do you want or expect in the next Nintendo console? Let us know in the comments below.