When you check out Nintendo’s official specs for the upcoming Switch 2, they keep things pretty hush-hush with a simple “Custom processor made by NVIDIA” label for both the CPU and GPU. I recently got to sit down with some of the bright minds behind the Switch 2 at a developer roundtable, and they spilled a bit more about what we can expect from this exciting console in terms of hardware and the cool toys developers will get to play with.
We had the chance to chat with producer Kouichi Kawamoto, technical director Tetsuya Sasaki, and director Takuhiro Dohta, with our questions and their answers filtered through interpreter Raymond Elliget. They didn’t reveal all of Nintendo’s secrets, but they did share some intriguing insights.
“We’re not about showing off high specs,” Sasaki explained. “Our focus is really on delivering value to our users.” Still, we managed to glean some fascinating details from them.
### DLSS and Ray Tracing
By teaming up with Nvidia again, Nintendo taps into some impressive technologies, including DLSS. Dohta confirmed they’re incorporating DLSS for upscaling, and developers will have this tool at their disposal. “You can output at a max of 4K to a TV,” he mentioned, “whether developers stick to native 4K or upscale is up to them.” This flexibility opens up a world of possibilities for game creators. As for hardware ray tracing, it’s confirmed as well, providing another powerful option for developers.
### Battery Life and Processing Power
According to their official specs, the Switch 2’s 5220 mAh battery should run somewhere between 2 and 6.5 hours, though it’s quite the estimate. Sasaki emphasized that your mileage may vary based on the game and your system’s environment. Dohta pointed out that with new features like GameChat, the system is more complex, which widens the range of battery life compared to the original.
### Emulating Original Switch Games
Curious about backwards compatibility? It turns out Nintendo is using emulation for original Switch games and GameCube titles, similar to Xbox’s approach. Sasaki gave a nuanced explanation, saying, “It’s not solely hardware doing the work; it’s mostly software-driven.”
### Enhanced Bluetooth Connections
With the new Joy-Cons connecting via Bluetooth 3.0, players experiencing connectivity issues with the original console have reasons to rejoice. “Yes, it’s improved,” stated Sasaki plainly. The system’s increased size and enhanced antennas should mean much smoother connections, he explained, along with numerous other tweaks that have been made.
### LCD vs. OLED
The Switch 2 features a 7.9-inch LCD screen with HDR support. This might seem like a step down from the premium OLED Switch, but Sasaki assured us that LCD technology has made great strides. Kawamoto added that the previous OLED model lacked HDR support, which the new LCD screen includes.
### USB Type-C Ports
CNET’s Scott Stein asked about the USB-C ports, wondering if the top port could connect to external displays like Xreal glasses. Kawamoto explained that video out is only supported through the bottom port. The upper USB-C is mainly for charging or using the new Switch 2 camera in tabletop mode.
