Everyone and their pet goomba knows by now that the Nintendo Switch 2 is releasing on 5 June 2025 with a pre-order price of $449.99 (tariff situation might change that for some regions?). Nintendo was kind enough to share the Switch 2’s technical details recently, with weight, size, ports, and all that, but they kinda left out the most crucial part: the actual chip!
The only thing Nintendo specifically mentioned about the CPU/GPU of the Nintendo Switch 2 was that it is a “Custom processor made by NVIDIA.” That’s it…seriously! It doesn’t give us much indication of how fast the chip could be, despite the gameplay videos showing promise.
NVIDIA’s Switch 2 Chip Information
Team Green, aka NVIDIA itself, came out to give us more insight about the power of the Nintendo Switch 2 and the chip that runs it, noting how the console takes performance to the next level.
NVIDIA also mentioned that this is a custom processor featuring an NVIDIA GPU, but went a step further to reveal it has dedicated RT Cores and Tensor Cores, for “stunning visuals” and AI-driven enhancements.”
The big one here is that the Switch 2 has 10x the graphics performance of the OG Switch, and NVIDIA explained some further technical details about the dedicated cores mentioned above:
- Tensor Cores boost AI-powered graphics while keeping power consumption efficient.
- RT Cores enhance in-game realism with dynamic lighting and natural reflections.
- Variable refresh rate via NVIDIA G-SYNC in handheld mode ensures ultra-smooth, tear-free gameplay.
All this translates to up to 120 FPS at 1080p in handheld mode, and 4K gaming when in TV mode. The Switch 2 also supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) and AI upscaling, according to NVIDIA.
Last but not least, the Nintendo Switch 2 boasts Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), but NVIDIA didn’t say which version.
While you wait for more information to become available, check out the excellent gameplay video for Donkey Kong Bananza below, showcasing beautiful graphics and high levels of destruction. It’s definitely a showcase for the Nintendo Switch 2’s powerful custom NVIDIA chip.
