Swap 2 Specs Absolutely Leak, and Here is Why...

The Nintendo Switch 2 is twice the console as the unique Swap, not simply in dimension however in {hardware} specs as nicely. We lastly have a full concept of what’s happening beneath the hood of the $450 handheld set to launch on June 5. The lengthy and in need of it’s that the Swap 2 is sweet sufficient to play today’s games. As long as it hits 4K when docked and provides us distinctive video games with lovely visuals, “adequate” is all it ever wanted to be.

A report from Eurogamer alongside Digital Foundry’s latest video on the Swap 2 successfully verify all of the pre-reveal leaks we had concerning the handheld’s processor and different {hardware} specs. The unique Swap ran on a customized Nvidia chip based mostly on the Tegra X1 with simply 4 ARM Cortex A57 cores. That system on a chip (SoC) was comparatively low-powered, even again in 2017 when Nintendo introduced us its first dockable handheld console.

Digital Foundry’s Richard Leadbetter acquired his data off of transport manifests and another leaks, and collated with Nintendo’s official specs page, they assist set up a greater image of the Swap 2’s {hardware}. The brand new CPU on the Swap 2 is the Nvidia T239 with ARM Cortex A78C cores. There are eight cores in complete with a “theoretical” max clock velocity of 1.7GHz (really clock speeds in docked and cellular modes are far decrease). Two of these CPU cores are reserved for the system software program whereas builders get to play with the opposite six. The GPU is equally up to date to Ampere architecture with 1,536 CUDA cores (primarily processing items contained in the GPU). That’s six instances the variety of CUDA as the unique Swap.

The system is working on 12GB of RAM, of which 3GB is reserved for the system itself. That plus the CPU makes it look like Nintendo is dedicating a hefty chunk of processing for the system itself, however contemplating what kind of under-the-hood software program the Swap 2 is promising, it begins to make extra sense. Nintendo has held up its GameChat feature as one in all its handheld’s standout capabilities. This function will let as much as 4 gamers at a time use voice chat on-line with the console’s built-in speaker. A separate camera accessory additionally helps you to host video chats as nicely, although movies recommend it will likely be at a really low body price with doubtful visible high quality. Any system, not to mention one thing as compact because the Swap 2, would battle to help 4 simultaneous streams whereas working any voice and video modulation software program within the background—all whereas working video games as nicely.

“Info we found suggests [GameChat] has a major affect on system sources, to the purpose Nintendo supplies builders with a GameChat testing device,” Digital Foundry claimed, although with out citing a selected supply.

These specs indicate Nintendo desires the Swap 2 to be a tool that lasts for a very long time, maybe so long as the unique Swap’s eight-year lifespan. The upcoming machine’s secret sauce is its help for Nvidia’s DLSS—the corporate’s upscaling tech that takes every body at a decrease decision and makes use of AI to deliver it to a better decision. The machine also needs to help DLAA, Nvidia’s software program devoted to anti-aliasing. This digital trickery will help video games like Cyberpunk 2077 to allow 60 fps at 1080p decision.

As a lot because the nerdiest of us like to geek out and speculate on tech specs, the Swap 2 isn’t constructed to compete towards an Xbox or a PlayStation 5. Nintendo is likely one of the few corporations that realized aiming for the best graphical constancy is a dropping recreation for console makers and builders alike. Pushing essentially the most life like graphics mandates dearer {hardware} and longer, dearer recreation growth. What modifications within the minute-to-minute play expertise when a recreation’s working high-end ray tracing expertise for ultra-realistic lighting? The Swap 2 might be able to deal with some ray tracing eventualities, in accordance with the Digital Foundry report. Nevertheless, it will likely be as much as builders to make use of that lighting tech inside the bounds of Nintendo’s {hardware}.

Hogwarts Legacy Swap 1 vs Swap 2 pic.twitter.com/vcWRNSVWk0

— Swap 2 Inventory Alerts (fan account) (@Switch2Stock) May 14, 2025

We’ve seen some games running on the Swap 2, and already it’s proving itself highly effective sufficient for right this moment’s video games like Hogwarts Legacy—a recreation that notoriously regarded horrible and ran poorly on the unique Swap. Minuscule graphical touches apart, we count on most gamers will battle to inform whether or not Avenue Fighter 6 is being performed on a PS5 Pro versus a Swap 2, as long as it maintains a steady body price. If the primary Swap proved something, it’s that builders can get some comparatively complicated video games working on older {hardware} if they fight. Now, they only should attempt rather less and possibly keep in mind that a powerful visible model is much better than ultra-realistic lighting and HD textures.