New leaks about the Nintendo Switch 2 are making waves online, sparking excitement as the world’s most popular handheld console appears to be getting a major upgrade. Slated for release in 2025, the Switch 2 promises a significant boost in performance. But how much of a leap are we talking about?
The leaked motherboard images highlight key components, notably an NVIDIA System-on-Chip (SoC). While the specific chip isn’t confirmed, speculation points to the NVIDIA Tegra T239 based on rumour. It is also not unbelievable as that the previous Switch models did feature the Tegra X1 and X1+.
The T239, originally built on Samsung’s 8 nm DUV process, is rumoured to have been upgraded to Samsung’s more advanced 5 nm EUV node for the Switch 2. This transition boosts transistor density by 70%, offering better performance and efficiency. Based on the leaks, the die size of the chip appears to be about 200 mm²—much smaller than the NVIDIA Orin’s 341 mm², thanks to reduced CPU and GPU core counts.
In terms of architecture, the T239 packs a hybrid CPU with three performance tiers: a high-power Arm Cortex X1 core, three Cortex A78 cores for additional power, and four Cortex A55 efficiency cores. Its GPU, based on NVIDIA’s “Ampere” architecture, includes 12 streaming multiprocessors, delivering a total of 1,536 CUDA cores. The console is expected to feature 12 GB of LPDDR5X-7500 RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
The Switch 2’s design has also seen an upgrade. The prototype seems noticeably larger than the Switch OLED’s. Its display is an 8-inch panel, up from the 7-inch screen on the OLED model.
While these leaks are exciting, it’s important to take them with a pinch of salt until Nintendo officially confirms the details. Still, if these updates hold true, the Switch 2 could redefine handheld gaming once again.
Sources: MHN1994 (Reddit), Nintendo Prime (Twitter), VideoCardz, Techpowerup
