Nvidia Confirms AI and Ray Tracing for Nintendo Switch 2 Chip, But Holds Back Specifics

During yesterday’s big reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo kept the details about the new chip powering the console under wraps. However, Nvidia, the company responsible for crafting this custom chip, has now shed some light through a recent blog post.

At a developer roundtable, Tetsuya Sasaki, the Switch 2’s technical director, commented, “Nintendo tends to hold back on sharing too much about the hardware specs. Our main focus is on the value we deliver to our consumers.” Although Nvidia remains tight-lipped about specifics like core counts and speeds, they do promise that the new chip provides “ten times the graphics performance of the original Nintendo Switch.”

One of the exciting features of this chip is the inclusion of Nvidia’s RT cores, which enable real-time ray tracing, improving lighting and reflections in games. Meanwhile, tensor cores are harnessed for DLSS upscaling, a likely tool to boost the system’s performance to achieve up to 4K resolution when docked and up to 120 frames per second in handheld mode.

Moreover, these tensor cores bring interesting enhancements like AI-driven face tracking and background removal. These capabilities were showcased with the new social GameChat feature and integrated into games we tested, such as Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV. It remains uncertain if this uses any technology akin to Nvidia’s Broadcast on PC.

Another noteworthy feature confirmed by Nvidia is the variable refresh rate (VRR) display, supported by G-Sync in handheld mode, designed to eliminate screen tearing for smoother gameplay.

It’s interesting to note that Nvidia was also behind the original Switch, which was powered by a modified version of the Tegra X1. Despite being somewhat dated when it launched, that chip has served remarkably well, powering games for a good eight years.

As we look forward to the Switch 2’s launch on June 5, with a price tag of $449.99, the big question remains: Just how much can developers push the capabilities of this new chip? Time will certainly tell.