Nintendo Switch 2 Hardware Chip Was Potentially Finalised As Early As 2021

As the Nintendo Switch 2 embarked on its formation journey as far back as 2019, it almost seems expected that the hardware chip could have been finalized as early as 2021. A dismantlement of an alleged Switch 2 motherboard tends to confirm this assumption.

Digital Foundry has synthesized findings by Geekerwan and Kurnal, who have procured a Switch 2 motherboard (from a digital seller in China) and carried out a comprehensive examination of the technology. Both seem to agree that the hardware was probably completed four years ago, implying that the chip has been in Nintendo’s possession since then.

The T239 chip bears resemblances with Nvidia’s T234, but with notable variations. Apparently, the chip could be operating on an 8nm processor, potentially escalating to a 10nm. The chip size is more than 40mm2 larger than the Steam CDDeck’s debut model, measuring at 207mm2.

The chip size is the crucial factor for the Switch 2 being considerably larger than the initial Switch, as it’s over 75% larger than the prevailing console’s chip and double the size of the chips found in the Lite and revised versions.

Does this mean we could have gotten a glimpse of the Switch 2 as soon as 2022? Possibly. Digital Foundry makes a fascinating observation — that the prospective work on the chip (in the course of 2020) aligns with the time frame when rumors about the Nintendo Switch Pro began to circulate, although the chip wasn’t officially named until June 2021.

Even if the hardware itself was set — DF notes that “silicon” typically becomes available approximately a year before a console launches — the team surmises one of the reasons the Switch 2 wasn’t unveiled sooner is simply that there wasn’t a pressing need. The original Switch has enjoyed widespread popularity and back in 2021, it was only a four-year-old console with an array of new software releases.

Considering the prolonged development period for a chip, the fact that preparations for the Switch 2 began in 2019 aligns nicely with the rest of the information available. In reality, it’s a combination of affirmed facts and ever-changing plans.

We are merely weeks away from the console’s release now, and we eagerly await its live demonstration. You can watch Digital Foundry’s discussion regarding the processor in this week’s DF Direct, above.

Last week, Nintendo divulged it’s Q4 financial overview for the fiscal year 2025 and announced expectations for the Switch 2 to move 15 million units this financial year. Analysts also predict an unprecedented launch for the new console. However, which would equate to a plethora of T239s finding their way into consumers’ hands.

Share your perspective regarding the processor for the Switch 2 in the comment section below.