Nintendo Switch 2 full hardware specs are now confirmed, including CPU, GPU, RAM, and display upgrades.
Nintendo’s next-generation console, the Switch 2, is a major leap over the original. Fans have been waiting for years to see what kind of hardware the company would bring to the table, and it looks like Nintendo isn’t holding back this time.
Compared to the original Switch, this new system is a big step forward in power, offering stronger visuals, faster performance, and modern features that finally bring it closer to current-gen standards, without losing that classic hybrid charm.
While Nintendo officially revealed some specs earlier, key technical details were not revealed. There were a lot of rumors flying around about what’s inside, especially around the custom processor and GPU. Now, thanks to a detailed breakdown from Digital Foundry, we finally have the full picture. This includes exact CPU architecture, GPU capabilities, memory speeds, and more.
Full Nintendo Switch 2 Specs Confirmed: CPU, GPU, RAM, and More
According to Digital Foundry’s latest report, the Switch 2 is powered by a custom Nvidia T239 chip, purpose-built for this console. It’s based on modern Ampere architecture, something we’ve only seen in Nvidia’s RTX 30-series graphics cards. For the CPU, the system uses eight ARM Cortex A78C cores, running on a 64-bit instruction set. Out of these, six cores are available for developers, while two are reserved for the system.
Here’s a breakdown of the confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 specs:
CPU:
- 8-core ARM Cortex A78C
- 998MHz (docked), 1101MHz (mobile)
- Max possible clock: 1.7GHz
- 64KB instruction + 64KB data cache per core
- 4MB shared L3 cache
GPU:
- Nvidia Ampere architecture
- 1536 CUDA cores
- 1007MHz (docked), 561MHz (mobile)
- Up to 3.07 TFLOPs docked
- Supports ray tracing (10 to 20 gigarays/s)
- DLSS 1x, 2x, 3x, and DLAA support
Memory:
- 12GB LPDDR5X RAM
- 102GB/s (docked), 68GB/s (mobile)
- 3GB reserved, 9GB usable for games
Storage:
- 256GB UFS internal
- Supports up to 2TB via MicroSD Express
- Built-in file decompression engine for faster loading
Display:
- 7.9” LCD, 1080p resolution
- HDR10, VRR up to 120Hz
- 10-point capacitive multi-touch
Some of these details confirm what was already leaked years ago, like the T239 chip and DLSS support, but this is the first time we’re seeing the full spec sheet laid out in official developer documentation. One interesting note is the new file decompression hardware, which offloads that work from the CPU, speeding up load times. There’s also built-in support for Game Chat, though it may impact performance depending on the game.
Before this full breakdown, rumors were swirling about DLSS 3, ray tracing, and memory upgrades. Most of those have now turned out to be true. And while this might not match the raw power of a PS5 or Xbox Series X, it’s a massive improvement over the original Switch, especially when it comes to docked performance.
One limitation worth pointing out is that VRR support only applies to the internal screen. There’s currently no VRR over HDMI, likely due to hardware limitations in the dock. Still, between the upgraded specs and features like DLSS, ray tracing, and native 1080p support, the Switch 2 is looking like a seriously solid upgrade.
Demand for the Switch 2 is already skyrocketing, especially in Japan. Major retailers like Bic Camera and Joshin are restricting pre-orders to top-spending customers, even requiring lottery entries. Analysts estimate that Nintendo could have as few as 800,000 units available at launch for Japan, despite demand being five times higher.
For those looking, here’s the full comparison between Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch 1 specs:
| Spec | Nintendo Switch 2 | Nintendo Switch |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8x ARM Cortex A78C | 4x ARM Cortex A57 |
| CPU Clock (Docked) | 998MHz | 1020MHz |
| CPU Clock (Mobile) | 1101MHz | 1020MHz |
| Max CPU Clock | 1.7GHz (theoretical) | 1.785GHz (theoretical) |
| GPU Architecture | Nvidia Ampere | Nvidia Maxwell |
| CUDA Cores | 1536 | 256 |
| GPU Clock (Docked) | 1007MHz | 768MHz |
| GPU Clock (Mobile) | 561MHz | Up to 460MHz |
| Max GPU Clock | 1.4GHz (theoretical) | 921MHz |
| TFLOPs (Docked) | 3.072 | ~0.39 |
| Memory (RAM) | 12GB LPDDR5X | 4GB LPDDR4 |
| Usable RAM for Games | 9GB | 3.2GB |
| Memory Bandwidth (Docked) | 102GB/s | 25.6GB/s |
| Memory Bandwidth (Mobile) | 68GB/s | 21.3GB/s |
| Storage | 256GB UFS + MicroSD Express (up to 2TB) | 32GB eMMC + MicroSD |
| Display | 7.9″ LCD, 1080p, HDR10, VRR, 120Hz | 6.2″ LCD, 720p, SDR, 60Hz |
| Touchscreen | 10-point multi-touch | 10-point multi-touch |
| Ray Tracing | Yes (Ampere-based, 10-20 Gigarays/s) | No |
| DLSS Support | DLSS 1x/2x/3x, DLAA | No |
| File Decompression Engine | Yes (hardware accelerated) | No |
| Game Chat Integration | Built-in with dev tools | No |
What do you think of the confirmed specs for the Nintendo Switch 2? Are you planning to pick one up at launch? Let us know in the comments.
