Nvidia Confirms AI and Ray Tracing for Nintendo Switch 2’s SoC, But Details Remain Under Wraps

At the big reveal for the Nintendo Switch 2 yesterday, Nintendo kept us all guessing by saying nothing about the new console’s chip. Fortunately, Nvidia, the company behind the custom chip, has decided to shed a little light on it through a recent blog post.

During a developer roundtable, Tetsuya Sasaki, the Switch 2’s technical director, mentioned that Nintendo doesn’t really open up about hardware specifics. Instead, their main concern is offering solid value to gamers. Echoing Nintendo’s approach, Nvidia is also keeping details like core counts and speeds under wraps but promises that the new chip delivers graphics performance ten times better than the original Switch.

Nvidia highlighted some cool features of their RT cores, like hardware ray tracing for more realistic lighting and reflections. Meanwhile, their tensor cores are working hard to enhance DLSS upscaling. This technology is probably what’s behind the push to 4K when the console is docked and that impressive 120 frames per second in handheld mode.

Additionally, the tensor cores support AI-driven features such as face tracking and background removal. These were showcased in the new social GameChat feature and titles like Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV. However, it remains a mystery whether this tech borrows from Nvidia’s Broadcast software on PCs.

In another exciting update, Nvidia revealed that the Switch 2’s variable refresh rate display uses G-Sync in handheld mode, eliminating annoying screen tearing.

Let’s not forget: Nvidia also powered the original Switch with a customized version of the Tegra X1 chip. Despite being somewhat dated even at launch, this chip has driven the system for eight years, supporting a steady stream of new game releases.

With the Switch 2 hitting shelves on June 5 for $449.99, we can’t wait to see how game developers stretch the capabilities of this upgraded chip.