New rumors are emerging from the Taiwan Economic Forum regarding the specifications of the Nintendo Switch 2. The most striking aspect of the future portable console from Nintendo is that it will be more expensive. While the current console is priced around $300 in the United States, this new version will raise its price to $400, representing a 33% increase.
According to sources linked to these leaks, the market is optimistic about this price increase. It is said to help alleviate the pressure of the console’s costs, which are expected to be higher, as the industry demands a larger gross profit margin.
Will the Nintendo Switch 2 have an NVIDIA T239 SoC, 120 Hz screen, and 8 GB of RAM?
The Nintendo Switch 2 is said to use the NVIDIA T239 SoC. This SoC has been generating a lot of buzz since early 2022. More recent rumors suggest an NVIDIA T256. This SoC will use an Arm processor with eight Cortex-A78 cores. As for graphics, it is not entirely clear yet: some sources mention NVIDIA’s Lovelace architecture (GeForce RTX 40), while others mention the Ampere architecture (GeForce RTX 30) with some Lovelace features.
The integrated graphics are said to reach a resolution of up to 1440p in the best-case scenario. This resolution would be used only when the console is connected to an external television or monitor through its Dock Station. Other rumors also suggest that the console may not take advantage of NVIDIA DLSS technology. This implies that Nintendo has chosen a very basic chip for the Switch 2. By basic, we obviously mean low-cost hardware to achieve a better return on investment.
Reports assure that this SoC will be accompanied by 8 GB of RAM. Perhaps the saddest part of all is that the console will have 64 GB of storage. At least there is good news regarding battery life, which is said to “improve significantly.” Concerning the screen, it is said to reach 120 Hz, basically the standard for any current portable console with x86 PC hardware.
The most expensive portable console from Nintendo
Reports say the Nintendo Switch 2 will be much more expensive than its predecessor. These costs are linked to manufacturing costs due to inflation and the depreciation of the yen, resulting in a price increase of over 30%. However, this doesn’t make much sense when an Xbox Series X, with much more powerful hardware, would presumably be only $99 more expensive. The same goes for the PlayStation 5.
As much as the Nintendo Switch 2 may have a 120 Hz panel, this seems disproportionate. There are smartphones with 120 Hz AMOLED panels for less than €200.
Nintendo is known for many things, like suing anyone for making a DIY Mario or Zelda costume. On the other hand, the company made it clear with the Nintendo Switch that, even if selling outdated hardware, it would keep the price as high as possible until announcing the next console. So, a Nintendo Switch 2 with a price around $400 could be shooting themselves in the foot, especially with alternatives like the ASUS ROG Ally which runs all PC games and even Switch games if desired. The Switch 2 is expected to arrive later this year.
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