Nvidia Confirms AI and Ray Tracing Features for Nintendo Switch 2 Chip, Keeps Detailed Specs Under Wraps for Now

At the recent grand unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo kept a bit tight-lipped about the specifics of the tech tucked inside their latest console. However, the folks at Nvidia, who have crafted the system on a chip for the device, have decided to shed a bit more light on the matter in their latest blog post.

During a developer roundtable, Tetsuya Sasaki, the technical director for Switch 2, noted, “Nintendo tends to keep the hardware specifications under wraps. Our primary focus is on the value we deliver to our users.” This philosophy seems to transcend to Nvidia as they, too, are playing coy with details like core counts and processing speeds. Nonetheless, they boast that the new chip delivers a whopping “10x the graphics performance of the original Nintendo Switch.”

The upgraded chip features Nvidia’s RT cores, enabling sophisticated ray tracing, enhanced lighting, and realistic reflections, while the tensor cores facilitate DLSS upscaling. With DLSS, it’s likely that players will enjoy up to 4K resolution when docked and potentially reach 120 frames per second in handheld mode—quite the step up.

Moreover, these tensor cores introduce AI-powered features like face tracking and background removal. These innovations were demonstrated in Switch 2’s fresh GameChat feature and were notable in the hands-on experience with games like Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV. It’s still unclear, though, if these features share any technology with Nvidia Broadcast found on PCs.

Additionally, Nvidia has confirmed that the Switch 2’s variable refresh rate (VRR) display, powered by G-Sync in handheld mode, aims to eliminate screen tearing, ensuring smoother gameplay.

Drawing a connection to past success, Nvidia was also behind the original Nintendo Switch, which ran on a custom version of the Tegra X1. Remarkably, Nintendo has continued to release games for that chip even eight years post-launch—a testament to its endurance and capability.

As we approach the Switch 2’s release on June 5, with a price tag of $449.99, it will be intriguing to witness how developers harness this newfound power and potential of Nvidia’s chip in the latest incarnation of Nintendo’s popular console.