Get ready for the Nintendo Switch 2, expected to be unveiled next week, joining the ranks of the recently announced PlayStation 5 Pro. But the race for the Switch 2’s chip was intense, with AMD reportedly putting up a strong fight against NVIDIA, only to ultimately lose out. However, in a twist of fate, AMD secured the contract for the PlayStation 6, showcasing its continued power in the console gaming industry.
New information from Moore’s Law is Dead (MLID) reveals that NVIDIA’s T239 SoC, slated for the Switch 2, was finalized back in 2022. This processor, previously discussed in leaks and NVIDIA hacks, appears to be a cost-optimized version of NVIDIA’s Orin chip, incorporating efficiency tweaks from the Ada Lovelace GPU architecture and other enhancements.
MLID sources within NVIDIA shed light on the development process. One source, while not directly involved in the project, shared insights about the T239’s design and the Samsung 8nm node. This source emphasized the cost-effectiveness of the Samsung 8nm node and its suitability for Nintendo, given the expected lower demand compared to other, more modern nodes in the coming years.
Another NVIDIA source, focused on validating the Blackwell architecture, confirmed that the Switch 2 silicon has been finalized since late 2022. This source, who has less direct knowledge of the Switch 2, affirmed the accuracy of a Digital Foundry article analyzing the T239 processor, which was reportedly leaked during a past hacking incident.
The source further detailed that NVIDIA presented several options to Nintendo, including one utilizing the Lovelace architecture. Ultimately, Nintendo opted for a cost-optimized version of the Orin chip, incorporating efficiency improvements from Lovelace and additional features.
Intriguingly, the source disclosed that AMD put up a strong fight against NVIDIA for the Switch 2 contract, but ultimately lost the bid. This information adds another layer to the competitive landscape within the console chip market, with both NVIDIA and AMD vying for dominance.
As the unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2 nears, anticipation is mounting. The next-generation handheld console promises to be a significant addition to the gaming landscape, and the battle for its processor highlights the fierce competition within the console gaming industry. With AMD’s win for the PlayStation 6 and NVIDIA’s securing of the Switch 2, both companies continue to dominate the market, leading to exciting developments for gamers in the years to come.
