On the Nintendo Switch 2’s spec page, the details about the CPU and GPU are pretty vague, simply described as a “Custom processor made by NVIDIA.” Fortunately, I got the scoop during a developer roundtable where some of the leading minds behind the Switch 2 shared their insights on its hardware and the creative tools it offers game developers.
At this event, Producer Kouichi Kawamoto, Technical Director Tetsuya Sasaki, and Director Takuhiro Dohta fielded questions from the press, expertly translated by Raymond Elliget. While Nintendo is known for playing its cards close to the chest when it comes to hardware specs, Sasaki expressed their main focus: “What we really like to focus on is the value we can provide to our consumers.” Despite this cautious approach, the team did share a few tasty tidbits about what we can expect.
With NVIDIA in their corner, Nintendo is continuing to harness technologies like DLSS. Responding to a question from Shannon Liao at Inverse, Dohta confirmed the use of DLSS upscaling technology. He explained, “When it comes to the hardware, it is able to output to a TV at a max of 4K, and it’s up to the software developer to decide whether to use that as a native resolution or upscale from a smaller one. This opens up a wide array of options for developers.”
The chip in the Switch 2 supports hardware ray tracing as well, another potential tool for game devs looking to enhance their creations.
Switching gears to battery life, Nintendo’s official spec sheet for the Switch 2 notes a battery capacity of 5220 mAh, with an estimated lifespan of 2 to 6.5 hours on a single charge. However, the developers advised that this estimate varies greatly based on the games and settings used. Dohta underscored this by saying the wider range of features—like GameChat—makes the battery performance even more variable than the original Switch.
And what about playing those older Switch and GameCube classics? The team confirmed these are emulated on the Switch 2, offering a similar experience to what you might find with Xbox’s backward compatibility. It’s more of a software-based solution rather than purely hardware-driven, according to Sasaki.
Improving Bluetooth connectivity was another key focus. Upgraded to Bluetooth 3.0, the new Joy-Cons promise better connections. Sasaki noted, “Yes, it has improved,” pointing to the system’s larger size and additional antennas as significant factors enhancing connectivity.
Now, let’s talk screens. The Switch 2 boasts a 7.9-inch LCD display with HDR support. Although some might see this as a step down from the OLED screen found in a premium version of its predecessor, Sasaki mentioned how much LCD technology has advanced. Kawamoto chipped in, noting that the OLED model lacked HDR support, unlike this new LCD display.
Finally, two USB Type-C ports grace the Switch 2. When asked if the upper port could support external displays like Xreal glasses, Kawamoto clarified that only the bottom port supports video out. As for the top port, it’s more geared toward demonstrations with the new Nintendo Switch 2 camera and can charge the console when it’s in tabletop mode.
That’s our deep dive into the Switch 2’s features, promising exciting opportunities and improvements for developers and gamers alike.
