Nintendo's Switch 2: What's Under the Hood?

Nintendo has finally spilled the beans on the tech specs for its upcoming Switch 2 console. But don't expect every detail to be laid out in plain sight. The company has always been a bit secretive about its hardware, and this time is no different. The Switch 2 is powered by a custom processor made by Nvidia, codenamed T239. This isn't just a regular off-the-shelf chip. It's been tailor-made for Nintendo, with some unique features that set it apart from other devices. The processor is built around eight ARM Cortex A78C cores. These cores are designed to handle 64-bit instructions, with some extra security features built in. The cache system is also quite robust, with each core having its own L1 and L2 caches, and all eight cores sharing a large L3 cache. This should help the Switch 2 handle multitasking and heavy workloads more efficiently. The graphics side of things is where the Switch 2 really shines. It uses Nvidia's Ampere architecture, the same tech found in the RTX 30 series of graphics cards. This means it's got a lot more raw power than the original Switch. The GPU has 1536 CUDA cores, which is a significant upgrade from the 256 cores in the original Switch. The clock speeds are also higher, with a maximum of 1. 4GHz. This should translate to better graphics and smoother gameplay. But here's where things get a bit tricky. Nintendo has reserved some of the system's resources for its own use. This means developers have less to work with. For instance, out of the 12GB of RAM, only 9GB is available for games. The rest is used by the system for other tasks. This is a bit of a bummer, but it's not unexpected. Nintendo has always been about optimizing its hardware for its specific needs. The Switch 2 also comes with some unique features. It's got a file decompression engine, which should help with loading times. Games and DLC are delivered in compressed packages, and this engine can decompress them faster than the CPU. This is a nice touch, and it should make the Switch 2 feel more responsive. The display is another area where Nintendo has made some improvements. The Switch 2 comes with a 7. 9-inch LCD screen, with a 1080p resolution. It supports HDR10 and VRR up to 120Hz. This should make games look sharper and more vibrant. But there's a catch. VRR is only supported on the internal display, not over HDMI. This is a bit of a odd choice, but it's not a deal-breaker. Nintendo has also confirmed that the Switch 2 will support DLSS and ray tracing. These are some of the latest graphics technologies, and they should make games look even better. But they're also quite demanding, so it'll be interesting to see how well the Switch 2 handles them. The Switch 2 is shaping up to be a significant upgrade from the original. It's got more power, better graphics, and some unique features. But it's not without its compromises. The reserved system resources and the lack of VRR support over HDMI are a bit of a letdown. But overall, it seems like Nintendo has done a good job of balancing power and efficiency. Only time will tell how well it performs in the real world.