Nvidia Says Switch 2 Is 10 Times More Powerful Than the Original Switch

Nintendo has shared the official tech specs for the new Switch 2, and now Nvidia has added more details. According to Nvidia, the new system has “10x the graphics performance” of the original Nintendo Switch.

The Switch 2 will run on a custom processor made by Nvidia. This new chip includes special features to make games look much better. In a blog post, Nvidia explained that the new GPU has “dedicated RT cores and Tensor Cores for stunning visuals and AI-driven enhancements.“

These RT (ray tracing) cores help create more realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows in games. This makes game worlds look more lifelike and immersive.

The Tensor Cores handle AI features like Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS). DLSS boosts game resolution, so the picture is sharper without lowering performance. The Tensor Cores also help with things like AI face tracking and removing backgrounds during video chats, which can be useful for social gaming and streaming.

Nvidia also said the Switch 2 supports “up to 4K gaming in TV mode and up to 120 frames per second at 1080p in handheld mode.” It also supports HDR and AI upscaling, which helps improve visuals and make games run smoother.

Another cool feature is VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which will work with Nvidia G-Sync in handheld mode. This makes gameplay “ultra-smooth” and free of screen tearing. Nvidia also noted that the Switch 2 uses power efficiently.

All of this sounds exciting, and many people are wondering how big games like Cyberpunk 2077 will look and play on the new system.

Tech expert Richard Leadbetter from Digital Foundry also shared his first thoughts about the Switch 2’s specs. Here’s what he said:

“As an opener for the deluge of games to come, Switch 2 lands where I would expect it to based on what we’ve seen so far. Personally, I went into the presentation expecting a machine with overall performance in line with Steam Deck, but early indications do suggest something more potent – at least in docked configuration.”

He also added:

“…it’s understood that ray tracing hardware support is built into Nintendo’s T239 processor – but we didn’t see any evidence of that in any of the games either. RT comes with a considerable performance hit, of course, so this isn’t exactly a huge surprise: when dealing with mobile hardware, every GPU cycle is precious. All we know for now is that both RT and DLSS are supported. Without going into much in the way of detail, Nintendo has confirmed it.”

The Switch 2 is shaping up to be a big upgrade from the original, and fans are eager to see it in action when it launches.

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