RUMOR: A future Switch console might utilize more powerful Nvidia technology

It might even have DLSS and ray tracing support

22 September 2022
by camcritiques 15
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Rumors about some sort of enhanced Switch have been rampant since the hybrid console first launched, but it seems like a new one may just be legit. The folks over at the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit have acquired an email from an Nvidia employee that offers some juicy details about what may be the next Nintendo console.

The main takeaway is that the next Nintendo console will use a more powerful Nvidia Tegra chip than the first that may even be capable of upscaling via DLSS 2.2 and ray-tracing based on its GPU architecture. Hopefully we’ll get to see a more powerful Switch sooner rather than later.

Thanks to sligeach_eire for the heads up!

About camcritiques

camcritiques

Cameron, AKA Cam, AKA Cam Critiques is a big fan of all sorts of video games, especially platformers and RPGs. He covers news and contributes the occasional feature here at GoNintendo, but you can also see more of his game-related work at https://www.youtube.com/camcritiques

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Comments (15)

Most Upvoted

riftsilver

I mean the T239 is a Nintendo chip. As a quick summary of things up to this point.

The Nvidia leak back in March referenced the T239 and NVN2, NVN being the graphics API Nvidia built for the Switch. Additionally, kopite7kimi the Nvidia leaker, said that the Nintendo would be using a custom T234, the T239 for their chipset almost a year before the Nvidia leak happened.

Nvidia seems to have plans to also repurpose the T239 for a future Shield if they're adding Linux kernel support. Which to me indicates we're getting a lot closer to chip production.

kuribo

1+ y ago

We got the Direct. Back to hardware rumour time.

All this confirms is the existing of a Tegra 239 SoC based on the submission of a kernel patch. Something that happens for many Nvidia SoC. It really does not add anything in the context of Nintendo.

Edited 1 time

riftsilver

1+ y ago

@kuribo

I mean the T239 is a Nintendo chip. As a quick summary of things up to this point.

The Nvidia leak back in March referenced the T239 and NVN2, NVN being the graphics API Nvidia built for the Switch. Additionally, kopite7kimi the Nvidia leaker, said that the Nintendo would be using a custom T234, the T239 for their chipset almost a year before the Nvidia leak happened.

Nvidia seems to have plans to also repurpose the T239 for a future Shield if they're adding Linux kernel support. Which to me indicates we're getting a lot closer to chip production.


hakannakah

1+ y ago

@kuribo

Nah, this has been referenced by kopite7kimi, a highly accurate Nvidia leaker in 2021. Then explicitly mentioned in an Nvidia hack earlier this year in March through NVN2, the successor to Switch’s NVN API. Now it has been openly mentioned by an employee doing actual work in real hardware.

This is the real deal and it is going into production soon. Switch will be six years old next year. Get ready.


khufuthemummy

1+ y ago

@hakannakah

On one hand, I’d love this instead of cloud versions of games. On the other, Nintendo has never really done the same thing twice.


Game Boy to Game Boy Color to Game Boy Advance was was literally the same thing 3 times and backwards compatible the whole way through.

DS (backwards compatible with GBA) to 3DS is also just an upgrade as well with the same form factor, backwards compatible, where the new one just happened to have a wacky 3D screen.

If anything, assuming they won't keep the next system similar to the Switch goes against everything they've done with their handhelds.


khufuthemummy

1+ y ago

@bakfug

Eh, maybe to you they are the “same thing”, but to me, there’s a big difference between Game Boy/Color/Advance. You can even see it in the games that came from each era. If you mean the name itself, it was a huge brand and only made sense being the only handheld on the market. Anyways, I guess I should have stipulated that they’ve never done that in terms of non-handhelds. They always come up with some new idea they want to introduce, and never focus on the technical aspects (HD, online, ray tracing) of their hardware.

Edited 2 times

haleman1704

1+ y ago

This will never end. Sigh.
Not even newsworthy for me.


Thanks. I can’t edit my post now but upvoted yours to be read as more accurate information on the Pod :)


Well, you're in luck because the Switch doesn't fall under "non-handhelds".


khufuthemummy

1+ y ago

@bakfug

More power would be for the docked version, the same way it is now.


I guess I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. If it stays a similar form factor, you are definitely correct. But even with little info, this also isn't some marginal increase only usable in docked mode. Even significantly underclocked in handheld mode, it would still be a significant upgrade over what we currently have.


khufuthemummy

1+ y ago

@bakfug

That the upgrades to any chips or things like ray tracing would be mostly seen when it’s docked, not in handheld mode. Saying Switch isn’t a home console is just as naive as saying it isn’t a handheld. So don’t really get the argument. :P


No one said it isnt a home console. I said it doesn't fall under non-handhelds, a non-debatable fact. I'm not sure how you're not understanding that this CPU would significantly outpace the one in the current Switch and think it's only "things like ray tracing". It would be a significantly more competent system for both docked and handheld mode.


khufuthemummy

1+ y ago

@bakfug

Then sounds like we agree more than disagree. 🙂 My main point was fans always have an idea of what makes sense and then Nintendo tends to divert expectations. A lot of people were stoked for the realistic Zelda and then it was changed to Wind Waker. People wondered how they would compete with the hardware focused 360 and PS3, then they tackled motion controls. But in general, Nintendo doesn’t focus on the hardware specs like a company like Microsoft or Apple does. That’s probably because most people don’t care what’s inside, they just want it to be a fun experience. So I don’t know that they’ll pivot and suddenly care about what chip or memory is inside their console, can it do ray tracing or not, etc. Of course a newer model would be more powerful than the current one— it’s been five years and technology advances so fast. You could even argue Switch was outdated before it originally shipped. I was only trying to say that the docked mode is where you’d see the most improvements. Maybe handheld would be able to better maintain frame rate and such. The only way I can see it being something Nintendo gets behind is if it can maintain the same (or similar) pricing. So much of what they do is to keep it within the price range of the average household.

Edited 2 times

I feel we are arguing two different things. Purely from a hardware standpoint, if you believe this to be real, it is quite literally the same thing as Switch but significantly improved and there is no way to argue otherwise. It's still a mobile chipset, meaning we know it's going in a handheld-like device. They have absolutely no reason to abandon the docking idea as it's been a huge hit and they've consolidated hardware divisions into one. This chipset theoretically outperforms the current Switch by 5-6x, which would be a noticeable difference in both modes before even considering DLSS, ray tracing, etc. Again, if you believe this to be true, and its extremely hard to ignore all the signs here, then these are non debatable facts. This isn't chasing some high end specs either. It's literally just how far mobile SoCs have evolved in the last 10 years.

Now could they change the form factor up a little? Sure! Maybe they put it in a 16:10 curved screen system...for some reason. Maybe they change up the controllers to add YR and YL. Maybe they have a wacky forced toothbrush controller for a new, adaptive way to hygenically play their games. We absolutely don't know these things. But the writing is on the wall when it comes to hardware.

Its too hard to speculate price though. The lowest price Steam Deck sits at a modest $399 USD, and the most expensive Switch at $349 USD, so I see no reason why Nintendo couldn't work this down to a similar price point.

Edited 1 time