Remember a few years ago, there were countless rumors of a Nintendo Switch Pro that never came to fruition? Well now that the Switch 2 is on the way, and some of the hardware has leaked out ahead of release, it sounds like there's a reason why that console never materialized.
According to Digital Foundry, it seems like the Switch Pro was always supposed to be the Switch 2. We just started hearing about the hardware super early.
Nintendo has revealed the official specs for the Switch 2, but there are some details that are a little vague. On top of that, there's only so much you can get from hardware specs on their own. But as Digital Foundry notes, alleged Switch 2 motherboards have arrived on various Chinese retail sites — allowing for some testing to take place.
YouTubers Geekerman and Kurnal have actually released hands-on videos with those alleged motherboards. In them, they dive into what the motherboard has to offer and start to test its overall capabilities.
What the Switch 2 hardware has to offer
If you want in-depth technical details about the Switch 2 hardware, check out both the aforementioned videos for a deep dive. But here are the basics of what to expect.
Much of the analysis seems to corroborate previous Switch 2 rumors, including the fact it has a custom Nvidia T239 processor, with eight ARM A78-class CPU cores and a custom RTX 30-series Ampere GPU. Six of those CPU cores are available to developers, while the final two are reserved for system software.
It's noted that despite concerns that the 8nm chips employed in the Switch 2 would require too much power for handheld use, that doesn't seem to be an issue. Which makes sense for a console that is literally named after its hybrid nature.
Other points of note include 12GB of LPDDR5X DRAM, split between a pair of 6GB modules, though apparently only 9GB is available to developers. Where that other 3GB of memory goes is unclear.
Switch 2 is just the Switch Pro with a different name
The analysis on the motherboard does show one bizarre piece of information, though. Both Geekerman and Kurnal found that the chip was "taped out", or had its design finalized, all the way back in 2021. Which is likely where all those rumors about the Nintendo Switch Pro came from.
Stuff will have leaked out much earlier in the production process, and may have got muddled up with the impending launch of the Switch OLED. Because, if you remember all the way back to the early part of the decade, there had been rumors suggesting the Switch Pro could come with a 7-inch OLED screen.
Though in the end the Switch OLED came out offering a display upgrade and little else of substance. That certainly tempered the rumors for a little while.
As Digital Foundry notes, chips are typically finalized the year before a big release — meaning the Switch 2 could technically have been released three years ago. As to why Nintendo would wait, all we can do is speculate.
Presumably the ongoing popularity of the original Switch played a part, because why ditch your existing system if it's still selling in great numbers? No doubt the surge in popularity during the pandemic helped prolong the console's lifespan too.
As to why Nintendo can use 4-year old hardware in a console that will likely last the better part of the next decade, Digital Foundry says the "fundamental features are still impressive and clearly do the job." Which is more than most of us can really ask for. It wasn't like the Switch 2 would ever offer PS5 Pro-levels of performance anyway.
More from Tom's Guide
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
