Nvidia reveals Nintendo Switch 2 features that rival high-end GPU performance

Nvidia has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will have DLSS, Ray Tracing, and more when it finally launches in June.

Nintendo finally revealed more of the Switch 2 during its long-awaited April 2 Direct, including its price, release date, and screen specs.

They’ve upgraded the console to a 7.9″ LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate at 1080p resolution that, when docked to a TV, will upscale to 4k.

Internal specs haven’t been revealed, however, leaving many to wonder what will power the next-gen hybrid console. Luckily, Nvidia has swooped in with updates regarding how they’re helping the Switch 2 perform at its best.

Nintendo still hasn’t revealed the CPU

While the Switch 2’s CPU is still being referred to as a “custom processor made by Nvidia,” the massive GPU company published a blog on Thursday, April 3, revealing some of the ways they’re boosting its overall performance.

Nvidia says that the chip enables DLSS support, which powers the 1080p to 4k upscaling available when you use the dock. It’s unknown which version they’re using, however, so it’s unclear whether or not it will use frame generation.

The GPU inside of the Switch 2 also has “dedicated RT and Tensor Cores,” according to the company, which provide ray tracing for “lifelike lighting, reflections, and shadows” in games like Cyberpunk 2077.

The chips’ tensor cores, on the other hand, are what powers the face tracking and background removal Nintendo showed while revealing its GameChat feature during the April direct.

Nintendo

For the smoothest possible gameplay, you want to have a screen that adjusts its refresh rate to match the game’s FPS. This can be done by offering a variable refresh rate panel, and Nvidia says the Switch 2’s VRR when in handheld mode is powered by its G-Sync technology.

Overall, Nvidia claims it will have 10x the performance of its predecessor – but we’ll have to wait to see how that claim holds up when the console finally launches on June 5.

Pre-orders start on April 9, and Nintendo has a handful of unique ways to stop scalpers from buying all of their direct stock. To be able to order from them, you have to have been a member of Nintendo Switch Online for 12 months and have over 50 hours of total gameplay on your Switch 1.