Nintendo's latest release, the Nintendo Switch 2, has caused quite a stir in the gaming world. While true to its tradition, the company remained discreet about hardware details during the launch, Nvidia, the chip supplier, unveiled crucial insights in a recent blog post. This next-generation hybrid console features a custom Nvidia processor, boasting graphics performance reportedly 10 times superior to its predecessor, offering players a superior visual experience and seamless operation.

During a developer roundtable, Tetsuya Sasaki, the technical director of Switch 2, emphasized that Nintendo prioritizes consumer value over mere hardware specs. Similarly, Nvidia has not disclosed specific details concerning cores or processing speeds but highlighted the integration of RT cores and tensor cores. These advancements enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-enabled DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), respectively. Ray tracing delivers remarkably realistic lighting within games, while DLSS facilitates up to 4K resolution output in TV mode, enhancing frame rate to 120 frames per second in handheld mode.

Beyond significant graphics enhancements, Switch 2 introduces several novel features. A standout revelation by Nvidia is the Tensor Core's dual role—image processing and AI capabilities for face tracking and background removal. These are incorporated in the new GameChat social feature. For instance, players in Super Mario Party Fever - Nintendo Switch 2nd Edition can interact through real-time video, with the system automatically recognizing faces and eliminating backgrounds, providing a livestream-like experience. However, whether this follows Nvidia's Broadcast technology remains unknown.

The device boasts a 7.9-inch, 1080p LCD display supporting variable refresh rates (VRR) up to 120 Hz. Nvidia confirms G-Sync technology drives VRR in handheld mode, reducing screen tearing and ensuring smoother gameplay. Comparatively, the original Switch's 6.2-inch, 720p display has lagged, and the Switch 2 sets a new performance and display benchmark for portable gaming.

Reflecting on the original Switch, Nvidia's customized Tegra X1 chip, although not cutting-edge in 2017, was optimized by Nintendo to support a variety of high-quality games, achieving over 150 million units in cumulative sales. Today, the Switch 2 boasts a stronger hardware base, powered by a customized Nvidia Tegra T239 chip featuring Ampere architecture, with 1,536 CUDA cores, 12 RT cores, and 48 tensor cores, paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, offering an impressive total bandwidth of approximately 120GB/s.

In terms of theoretical performance, the Switch 2's GPU may achieve close to 1.5-2 TFLOPS in docked mode, similar to the PS4's performance, but potentially surpassing it in real-world efficiency due to modern architecture and DLSS capabilities. DLSS enhances resolution and frame rates, enabling smoother gameplay at 1080p or higher resolutions, whereas PS4 heavily relies on traditional methods and struggles to achieve comparable optimizations. Additionally, the ARM Cortex-A78C-based CPU significantly outperforms the PS4's Jaguar architecture in multi-threaded tasks and energy efficiency.

In handheld mode, frequency adjustments help balance power consumption and battery life, with expected GPU performance dropping to 0.8-1 TFLOPS, marginally lower than the PS4. Nonetheless, it supports most PS4-rated games, albeit at a potential resolution and frame rate compromise. While the PS4 Pro exhibits consistent higher performance via fixed power support, the Switch 2's 4K output leans on DLSS interpolation, possibly falling short of native 4K.

Taking everything into account, the Switch 2 in docked mode is akin to PS4 in performance, whereas handheld mode may slightly trail PS4's capability. Yet, Nintendo's software optimizations often bridge hardware limitations, suggesting an experience more aligned with the PS4 Pro than raw numbers suggest.

Further hardware details on Switch 2 are noteworthy. Storage is enhanced to 256GB, with Express TF expansion support. The new Joy-Con controllers connect magnetically, debut a "C" button for swift GameChat access. Additionally, the system supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and boasts a refined 4K output base for improved TV mode flaunting. Scheduled for release on June 5, 2025, with a standard version priced at $449, and a bundled package with Mario Kart World at $499, pre-orders commence on April 9.

Through Nvidia's collaboration, the Switch 2 reaches unprecedented performance heights. Notably, the graphics enhancements are not mere numbers—they translate into palpable gaming enhancements through technologies such as ray tracing, DLSS, and G-Sync. Whether gamers value high-quality room visuals or portable high-frame-rate gaming, Switch 2 accommodates diverse preferences, with GameChat enhancing social interactions. As the launch nears, more details will emerge, but existing information sufficiently confirms significant performance and innovation strides the new console embodies.