For a few hours now, a leak has been circulating on the networks, revealing images of an alleged motherboard for the next Nintendo Switch 2 console. The real revelation is that the images reveal more precisely the new Nvidia SoC that will equip the console, as well as clues as to the amount of RAM on board. If speculation is rife, let’s have a look at the latest.
Nintendo Switch 2: no revolution on the agenda
First of all, even if the leaks seem to be getting clearer, it’s important to remember that nothing has yet been made official, and that these elements should be taken with a certain reserve. Let’s start with the motherboard. Some shots show a component layout vaguely reminiscent of the current Switch architecture. The positioning of key components, a memory slot and connectors are similar to those on the first Switch. This suggests a gentle evolution, rather than a total revolution.
As for the SoC, the leak indicates that it will still be supplied by Nvidia, which comes as no surprise. Rumors point to a model that is certainly more recent than the Tegra X1, but not as modern as one might expect. Some are referring to a “T239”. From the visible parts of this chip, we can guess that it is manufactured on Samsung Foundry‘s 8nm node, the same one used for Ampere. Next, we discover a 6 GB LPDDR5 module. There are two of these for a total of 12 GB, three times more than the amount used in a classic Nintendo Switch. Obviously, these meagre details are no match for the debauchery of specifications to be found on future PC handheld consoles due to appear early this year. However, this is not where Nintendo’s battleground lies. The Nvidia chip should, however, bring some beneficial new features. In particular, we’re hoping for an improved dock mode, which could take advantage of the extra power to display a cleaner image on a larger screen. Of course, with Nvidia in the picture, we’re also looking forward to native DLSS support, for sharper rendering without putting too much strain on the GPU.
But the real question is when this new Switch will arrive. Some rumors suggest an announcement during 2025, with an end-of-year release at the earliest. Others are betting on an imminent surprise launch… Faced with the advent of PC consoles, it will be interesting to see how this future Nintendo performs. Last year, when we surveyed the overclocking.com community, we found that the Switch was massively present in your equipment. Proof once again of Nintendo’s truly singular character.