Over two years ago, in the summer of 2021, a reputable leaker possibly revealed a photo and the name of the next processor for the Nintendo Switch 2. At the time, it didn’t garner much attention, but now Eurogamer has gathered additional clues about the yet-to-be-announced console alongside the image.
The photo showcases the die of a chip labeled as T234, which belongs to the Jetson Orin AGX family that Nvidia sells to the automotive and robotics industries. The Switch 2 is expected to use a variant called T239 with extensive modifications.
Despite this, the processor is still expected to excel in both machine learning and ray tracing. This aligns with earlier reports suggesting that Nintendo is basing the Switch 2 on an SoC with roughly the performance capabilities of a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, while also heavily relying on Nvidia’s Upscaler DLSS for graphics enhancement.
The T234 chip used in automobiles is relatively large – too large for a console. Hence, for the Switch 2, a version with 1,536 shader cores instead of 2,048 and a lower clock speed is said to be in use. According to Eurogamer’s research, the memory interface will be 128 bits wide (T239: 256 bits).
Eurogamer has more data, but they admit that it’s not entirely certain that Nintendo has opted for the T239. In the original Switch, the company used a Tegra X1 from Nvidia, so it’s likely that the two will continue their partnership. In Xbox and PlayStation, processors from AMD are used.
Nintendo Switch’s Enormous Success
As for when the Switch 2 might be released or at least announced, that remains uncertain. Nintendo has just released its financial results, and it seems the company isn’t in a rush. In the months of July to September 2023, Switch sales increased by 2.4 percent compared to the same period in the previous year.
Since the launch of the Switch in March 2017, the company has sold approximately 132.46 million units worldwide. This makes the device the third best-selling console. The Nintendo DS has found even more buyers, with 154 million units sold, followed by the PlayStation 2 with 155 million units.
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