Nvidia Confirms AI and Ray Tracing Features for Nintendo Switch 2 SoC, Keeps Specs Under Wraps

Nintendo made headlines yesterday with the grand unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2. However, there was a noticeable silence from the company’s tech team regarding details about the chip that powers this new device. Thankfully, Nvidia, the company behind the custom chip, shed some light on the topic through a recent blog post.

At a developer roundtable, Tetsuya Sasaki, the technical director for the Switch 2, remarked, “Nintendo doesn’t divulge too much about hardware specifications. Our goal is more about highlighting the value we deliver to our customers." Following Nintendo’s approach, Nvidia remained tight-lipped about specifics like core counts and speeds. However, they did assert that the chip delivers graphics performance that is ten times superior to the original Nintendo Switch.

The chip’s prowess comes from Nvidia’s RT cores, which handle hardware ray tracing, lighting, and reflections, while their tensor cores are crucial for DLSS upscaling. This technology likely bolsters up to 4K graphics when the system is docked and enables the device to hit frame rates of up to 120 FPS in handheld mode.

Moreover, Nvidia confirmed that the tensor cores facilitate features such as face tracking and AI-driven background removal, showcased in the new social GameChat feature. We experienced this firsthand with games like Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV. It remains uncertain if this technology overlaps with Nvidia Broadcast features on PCs.

In addition, Nvidia pointed out that the Switch 2’s new variable refresh rate (VRR) display is enhanced with G-Sync in handheld mode, effectively reducing screen tearing issues.

The original Nintendo Switch also relied on Nvidia’s expertise, featuring a custom version of the Tegra X1 chip. Despite its age, this chip has remained surprisingly effective, running new games even eight years after its debut.

As we await the Switch 2’s release on June 5 with a price tag of $449.99, it’s exciting to speculate just how much developers will be able to extract from this powerful new chip.