The specs of the console's new Nvidia chip, however, remain mysterious.
Nintendo has dished the deets on its hot new Switch 2 handheld gaming console, which goes ion sale June 5. Well, most of them. Highlights include a new larger 7.9-inch screen, 256 GB storage and pop-off controllers with ‘mouse’ functionality. But there’s very little insight into the new Nvidia (we assume) chip powering it all.
But let’s start with that screen. It grows from 6.2 inches in the original Switch to 7.9 inches. With that increased size comes an upgrade from 720p to 1080p resolution.
What’s more, the screen now supports up to 120 Hz refresh and HDR, though Nintendo says those features are per-game as opposed to universal. Speaking of game support, not all Switch games will be compatible, just a subset.
Why that is so, isn’t clear. It could be licensing, or maybe the new chip powering the Switch 2 is sufficiently different that supporting legacy Switch titles requires a lot of work.
Speaking of resolutions, the new Switch 2 Dock supports 4K output at 60 Hz, though again only some game titles will support that output. The Dock also has a fan for keeping the Switch 2 cool. Oh, and that screen is LCD, not OLED. Pity.
Switch 2 Spec Highlights:
- Larger 7.9-inch 1080p screen
- LCD panel tech with HDR and 120 Hz refresh
- New Dock has 4K output and cooling fan
- Chassis is larger but no thicker than before
- Internal storage upgraded to 256 GB
- MicroSD Express memory card reader
- Detachable controllers now have ‘mouse’ functionality
- USB-C port supports new clip-on camera
- No official details of new CPU and GPU yet
- Launches on June 5
As for control inputs, the new Switch 2 again has a pair of clip-on controllers, this time attached via strong magnets for quick and easy attach-and-detach. But the big news with the controllers is that they both offer ‘mouse’ functionality.
The device itself is no thicker than before, which is nice, though the new ‘mouse’ functionality looks a little clunky. The ‘mouse’ is worthy a story of its own, which you can dig into here.
What else? For storage, the Switch 2 upgrades from 32 GB to 256 GB internal storage, which is a very nice boost, and also makes the, er, Switch from MicroSD to MicroSD Express memory card support, for much faster data transfer speeds. Though older MicroSD cards won’t be compatible.
There’s also a new camera for the Switch 2, which plugs into the new-for-Switch 2 USB-C port. Ergonomically, the Switch 2 also sports a new kick stand that allows for a wide range of adjustability in tabletop mode.
A few other features of note, there seems to be a fair few extra-cost items. For instance, the Switch 2 Welcome Tour ‘game’, which acts as something of a manual for the Switch 2, is a paid digital-only title. Yikes.
You’ll also have to pay for ‘Upgrade Packs’ to play enhanced versions of original Switch games, such as Super Mario Party Jamboree or Zelda Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, that have been upgrade for the new handheld. Yuck.
But what of the chip in the Switch 2? Nintendo is saying NADA. Based on a previous leak of a prototype Switch 2 motherboard, the best current info is that it’s an Nvidia chip derived from an automotive ASIC and known as the T239.
According to that analysis, it’s built on Samsung 8 nm tech and is related in GPU terms to Nvidia’s Ampere or RTX 30-series GPUs. It apparently will get 1,536 CUDA cores, which for reference is fewer than the 2,560 cores in an RTX 3050 and the 3,072 in and RTX 4060 but a huge boost over the 256 Maxwell-era cores of the original Switch.
Traditionally, Nintendo doesn’t get terribly granular about specs like that, so we may need to wait for the first teardowns of the device for some kind of confirmation. In the meantime, the Switch 2 looks like a pretty slick device with solid specs that make sense for the mass-market audience. We look forward to taking it for a spin.
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