Update 5/14/25: Digital Foundry has unveiled the complete specifications of the SoC powering the Nintendo Switch 2, confirming many circulating rumors about the console’s capabilities, including the CUDA core count of the Tegra T239 chip. This sheds light on how the system will perform when it launches in June, though its success will depend on how developers leverage this robust mobile hardware. The outlook is promising.

Original article:

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been officially unveiled, boasting significant upgrades over its predecessor. However, it enters a competitive market unlike the original Switch, with devices like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally X offering portable AAA PC gaming experiences.

While the Switch 2 will naturally appeal to fans of Nintendo exclusives like Mario Kart World, its $449 price point pits it against rivals like the Steam Deck for multiplatform titles, challenging its value proposition for non-Nintendo games.

With Nintendo revealing details about the console’s hardware, we can now assess its performance potential and determine whether its 4K gaming claims hold up.

Nvidia’s Tailored Processor

The heart of the Nintendo Switch 2 is its System on a Chip (SoC), a custom Nvidia processor supporting DLSS and ray tracing. Digital Foundry has detailed the chip’s specs: the Nvidia Tegra T239, an APU with an 8-core ARM CPU and an Ampere GPU featuring 1,536 CUDA cores. While based on the same architecture as the RTX 3080, its performance is scaled down significantly.

Leaks from 2023, now verified, pointed to the Switch 2 using the Nvidia Tegra T239 SoC with 8 ARM A78C cores and an Ampere GPU with 1,536 CUDA cores, equating to 12 Streaming Multiprocessors—smaller than the RTX 3050 for laptops. Each SM likely includes four Tensor Cores and one RT core, totaling 48 Tensor Cores and 12 RT cores.

In comparison, the Steam Deck uses a custom AMD APU with 8 RDNA 2 GPU cores, optimized for its lower-resolution display. Upcoming AMD Z2 processors, like the Z2 Extreme with 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores, will outpace the Switch 2 but at a higher cost.

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The limited GPU size makes native 4K gaming unfeasible, but DLSS could enhance performance when docked. With only 48 Tensor Cores, upscaling to 4K will be challenging for demanding titles, with most games likely targeting 1080p. Digital Foundry’s hands-on demos suggest games like Donkey Kong Bananza achieve native 1080p, while third-party titles like Cyberpunk 2077 rely on upscaling from as low as 540p, making 4K unrealistic even with DLSS.

The T239’s Ampere cores include RT cores, enabling hardware-based ray tracing, but the 12 RT cores and low power budget—estimated at 10W for the entire system, per Richard Leadbetter of Digital Foundry—limit its potential. Ray tracing in demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 will be minimal.

The Switch 2’s GPU runs at 1,007MHz when docked, slightly below the mobile RTX 3050, but drops to 561MHz in handheld mode, impacting performance. The CPU, however, clocks higher in handheld mode (1,101MHz) than when docked (998MHz), likely compensating for reduced memory bandwidth. The system features 12GB of LPDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 102GB/s when docked and 68GB/s in handheld mode, which may bottleneck open-world games like Mario Kart World.

Despite not matching the power of handheld gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally X, the Switch 2 will still deliver stunning visuals, thanks to Nintendo’s knack for optimizing games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. Compared to the original Switch’s Nvidia Tegra X1 with 256 CUDA cores on the Maxwell architecture, the Switch 2’s Ampere-based GPU with six times the cores offers a massive performance leap, ideal for cross-generation titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Battery Life

A 10W system power budget enhances battery efficiency, with Nintendo estimating a minimum of two hours of playtime. The Switch 2’s 5,220mAh battery, an upgrade from the original’s 4,310mAh, equates to roughly 19Whr, similar to the Steam Deck but with a less power-hungry processor. Size constraints likely capped battery capacity to maintain the console’s slim design.

The Display

The Switch 2’s 7.9-inch 1080p LCD display with HDR 10 support marks a significant upgrade over the original’s 6.2-inch 720p screen. While lacking the OLED of the Switch OLED, it offers a 120Hz variable refresh rate for smoother gameplay in titles with unlocked frame rates. The HDR 10 certification ensures at least 1,000 nits of peak brightness, and Wide Color Gamut support promises vibrant visuals, outshining the Steam Deck’s 800p LCD and even its OLED variant.

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 Worth It?

The Switch 2 vastly outperforms its predecessor with a sharper, brighter display, improved Joy-Con, and superior processing power. However, in a crowded handheld market, its $449 price faces stiff competition from pricier but more powerful devices. Its strength lies in Nintendo’s exclusive titles, optimized to shine on modest hardware. For fans of Nintendo’s catalog, the Switch 2 is a compelling upgrade, but for multiplatform gaming on the go, alternatives may offer better performance.