Nintendo Switch 2 with 6x Switch GPU power guesstimate comes up as next-generation Switch alluded to in Microsoft-Activision acquisition document
There are many reports currently claiming that the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed a next-generation Switch console is in the works. Despite this almost certainly being the case anyway, the appearance of a possible, although redacted, mention of a Nintendo Switch 2 console has caused quite a ruckus across tech and gaming sites and forums. It’s worth remembering that Sony apparently started work on the PlayStation 5 almost immediately after the PlayStation 4 had started shipping, so it’s likely Nintendo has been working on the Switch successor for a long time now.
The next-gen Switch-related fuss has been caused by a section of a CMA document concerning Microsoft’s attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard. As spotted by an eagle-eyed Redditor, there is a portion in Appendix C, section 7, which reads as follows:
Of course, the redacted part could have mentioned a multitude of devices, but many have reasonably presumed it relates to the next-generation Nintendo Switch (“Switch 2”). It could even be that Nintendo Switch Online will be made available on the PC or for smartphones in the near future, with the Big N exploring other cloud-gaming revenue avenues beyond the Switch console. But with some belief that a Nintendo Switch 2 or similar could turn up by 2024, this recent development has encouraged some observers to guesstimate how powerful a Switch successor could be, and it’s going to be a beast…at least in Nintendo terms.
There has been a previous rumor that a next-gen Switch could operate with a mysterious Nvidia Tegra T239 chip, which could support up to 4 TFLOPs of GPU processing power. Considering the original Switch manages 0.3932 TFLOPs (0.5 TFLOPs when docked), this would be an over 10x performance increase. However, a more-conservative and arguably believable guesstimate has been provided by @foxygames_uk, who reckons the Nintendo Switch 2 might offer in the region of 2.4 TFLOPs, which is around 6x the current Switch and somewhere between PS4 and PS4 Pro GPU power, which for a Nintendo console would be incredible. In addition, the likely ray-tracing-capable Switch 2 could offer up to 4K upscaling from 1200p-1440p while docked and 1080p from 720p in portable mode.
Regarding Nintendo Switch 2, I think you're pretty close.
— THE F0X (@foxygames_uk) February 21, 2023
I'd guesstimate between PS4 / PS4 Pro power (2.4TF or so), 1200p - 1440p max resolution upscaled to 4K via DLSS 2 while docked, and 720p upscaled to 1080p while portable.
Average 2.5 - 5hr battery life.
Doable. https://t.co/LUt9RD7e3j
Source(s)
CMA & Reddit & @foxygames_uk & thegamingsetup
