Nintendo has provided a detailed official specification sheet for the Switch 2, but the initial details did not reveal much about the console’s CPU and GPU capabilities. Recent revelations from Digital Foundry, however, offer what they describe as “rock-solid confirmation” of the final tech specifications. This new information clarifies elements of previous leaks and speculation surrounding the system’s internals, many of which have proven to be accurate over time.
Unlike its predecessor, which featured a standard Nvidia Tegra T1 chip, the Switch 2 is said to incorporate “highly customized silicon tailored for Nintendo and mobile gaming.” The following tables illustrate the significant performance differences between the two systems.
Switch 2
Switch
Docked (Quality)
Undocked (Performance)
Docked (Quality)
Undocked (Performance)
CPU clock
998 MHz
1101 MHz
1020 MHz
1020 MHz
GPU clock
1007 MHz
561 MHz
768 MHz
460 MHz
Ray-tracing
20 gigarays/sec
10 gigarays/sec
N/A
N/A
Memory bandwidth
102GB/s
68GB/s
25.6GB/s
21.3GB/s
Switch 2
Switch
Total System (reserved)
Total System (reserved)
CPU cores
8
2
4
1
Memory
12GB (LPDDR5X)
3GB
4GB
0.8GB
Switch 2
Switch
CPU architecture
8x ARM Cortex A78C
4x ARM Cortex A57
GPU architecture
Ampere
Maxwell
CUDA Cores
1536
256
Memory interface
128-bit/LPDDR5
64-bit/LPDDR4
The data suggests a considerable disparity in performance between docked and undocked modes, with the GPU clock and memory bandwidth significantly enhanced when connected to a television. This distinction may account for the inclusion of an active cooling fan in the Switch 2 dock, a feature not present in the original version.
When docked, the Switch 2’s miniaturized Ampere GPU achieves a performance output of 3.072 TFLOPs, compared to 1.71 TFLOPs while undocked. These figures highlight the potential loss in graphical capabilities for players using the console away from a TV.
Interestingly, the CPU clock speed of the Switch 2 is reported to increase when the device is played in undocked mode. Although there is no official explanation for this phenomenon, Digital Foundry speculates it might be an effort to offset the system’s reduced memory bandwidth in that configuration.
System resources
Like its predecessor, 25% of the Switch 2’s CPU cores and overall memory are allocated for operating system functions, limiting access for game developers. Digital Foundry notes that certain GPU resources are also reserved by the system, but does not specify the allocated amounts.
This generation introduces features such as Game Chat, allowing players to stream gameplay or webcam video from up to four friends to a single console. Despite the significant resources consumed by Game Chat, Nintendo has provided developers with a tool to simulate the potential API latency and cache misses that may occur during its use.
In addition to core graphics capabilities, the Switch 2 features a dedicated File Decompression Engine that manages the loading of game data from the built-in 256GB of UFS memory and MicroSD Express expansion cards, thereby reducing CPU load. The portable screen supports variable refresh rates up to 120 Hz; however, HDMI displays connected through the dock currently lack official support for VRR.
While numerical specifications provide insight into the hardware, the real test of the Switch 2’s capabilities will emerge through its game performance. Anticipation builds for more concrete comparisons as the console approaches its launch next month.
