Nvidia Confirms AI and Ray Tracing Capabilities for Nintendo Switch 2 SoC, but Remains Tight-Lipped on Detailed Specs

Following the recent excitement surrounding Nintendo’s big reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, there was a noticeable silence from the company’s hardware team about the specifics of the chip inside. However, Nvidia, the mastermind behind the custom system on a chip, decided to spill some beans via a blog post.

Tetsuya Sasaki, the technical director for the Switch 2, mentioned at a developer roundtable that Nintendo prefers to keep the hardware specs under wraps. “We really like to focus on the value we can provide to our consumers,” he explained, reflecting the company’s consumer-first philosophy.

Taking a page from Nintendo’s playbook, Nvidia has also been tight-lipped about details like the core counts and processing speeds. Nonetheless, the company boasts the new chip delivers “10 times the graphics performance of the original Nintendo Switch.”

With Nvidia’s RT cores, the Switch 2 is equipped for serious hardware ray tracing, enhancing lighting and reflections, while tensor cores bring DLSS upscaling to the table. This tech suite is instrumental, likely enabling up to 4K graphics when docked and up to a smooth 120 frames per second in handheld mode.

Nvidia also highlighted how the tensor cores facilitate face tracking and background removal with AI, a feature showcased through the new social GameChat feature and playable titles like the Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV. It’s unclear if this technology borrows from Nvidia Broadcast, familiar to PC users.

Moreover, the Switch 2’s display gets a boost with a new variable refresh rate (VRR), with G-Sync ensuring tear-free visuals in handheld mode.

Drawing parallels with the past, Nvidia powered the original Switch with a custom version of the Tegra X1. Despite its age, the chip remained relevant, supporting new releases over an impressive eight-year span.

As we await the June 5 launch, priced at $449.99, it will be fascinating to see just how developers push the limits of this new chip. After all, tech aficionados are eager to see if the Switch 2 lives up to the hype and delivers on its promises.