Change 2 Specs Totally Leak, and This is Why You Should not Care

The Nintendo Switch 2 is twice the console as the unique Change, not simply in measurement however in {hardware} specs as properly. We lastly have a full concept of what’s occurring below the hood of the $450 handheld set to launch on June 5. The lengthy and wanting it’s that the Change 2 is sweet sufficient to play today’s games. As long as it hits 4K when docked and offers us distinctive video games with lovely visuals, “adequate” is all it ever wanted to be.

A report from Eurogamer alongside Digital Foundry’s latest video on the Change 2 successfully affirm all of the pre-reveal leaks we had in regards to the handheld’s processor and different {hardware} specs. The unique Change ran on a customized Nvidia chip primarily based on the Tegra X1 with simply 4 ARM Cortex A57 cores. That system on a chip (SoC) was comparatively low-powered, even again in 2017 when Nintendo introduced us its first dockable handheld console.

Digital Foundry’s Richard Leadbetter bought his data off of transport manifests and another leaks, and collated with Nintendo’s official specs page, they assist set up a greater image of the Change 2’s {hardware}. The brand new CPU on the Change 2 is the Nvidia T239 with ARM Cortex A78C cores. There are eight cores in complete with a “theoretical” max clock pace of 1.7GHz (truly clock speeds in docked and cell modes are far decrease). Two of these CPU cores are reserved for the system software program whereas builders get to play with the opposite six. The GPU is equally up to date to Ampere architecture with 1,536 CUDA cores (basically processing models contained in the GPU). That’s six instances the variety of CUDA as the unique Change.

The system is operating on 12GB of RAM, of which 3GB is reserved for the system itself. That plus the CPU makes it appear to be Nintendo is dedicating a hefty chunk of processing for the system itself, however contemplating what kind of under-the-hood software program the Change 2 is promising, it begins to make extra sense. Nintendo has held up its GameChat feature as certainly one of its handheld’s standout capabilities. This characteristic will let as much as 4 gamers at a time use voice chat on-line with the console’s built-in speaker. A separate camera accessory additionally helps you to host video chats as properly, although movies recommend will probably be at a really low body fee with doubtful visible high quality. Any system, not to mention one thing as compact because the Change 2, would battle to assist 4 simultaneous streams whereas operating any voice and video modulation software program within the background—all whereas operating video games as properly.

“Data we found suggests [GameChat] has a major impression on system sources, to the purpose Nintendo offers builders with a GameChat testing software,” Digital Foundry claimed, although with out citing a particular supply.

These specs suggest Nintendo needs the Change 2 to be a tool that lasts for a very long time, maybe so long as the unique Change’s eight-year lifespan. The upcoming machine’s secret sauce is its assist for Nvidia’s DLSS—the corporate’s upscaling tech that takes every body at a decrease decision and makes use of AI to deliver it to the next decision. The machine also needs to assist DLAA, Nvidia’s software program devoted to anti-aliasing. This digital trickery will assist video games like Cyberpunk 2077 to allow 60 fps at 1080p decision.

As a lot because the nerdiest of us like to geek out and speculate on tech specs, the Change 2 isn’t constructed to compete in opposition to an Xbox or a PlayStation 5. Nintendo is likely one of the few firms that realized aiming for the best graphical constancy is a dropping recreation for console makers and builders alike. Pushing probably the most real looking graphics mandates dearer {hardware} and longer, dearer recreation improvement. What adjustments within the minute-to-minute play expertise when a recreation’s operating high-end ray tracing expertise for ultra-realistic lighting? The Change 2 might be able to deal with some ray tracing situations, in keeping with the Digital Foundry report. Nonetheless, will probably be as much as builders to make use of that lighting tech throughout the bounds of Nintendo’s {hardware}.

Hogwarts Legacy Change 1 vs Change 2 pic.twitter.com/vcWRNSVWk0

— Change 2 Inventory Alerts (fan account) (@Switch2Stock) May 14, 2025

We’ve seen some games running on the Change 2, and already it’s proving itself highly effective sufficient for at this time’s video games like Hogwarts Legacy—a recreation that notoriously seemed horrible and ran poorly on the unique Change. Minuscule graphical touches apart, we anticipate most gamers will battle to inform whether or not Avenue Fighter 6 is being performed on a PS5 Pro versus a Change 2, as long as it maintains a secure body fee. If the primary Change proved something, it’s that builders can get some comparatively complicated video games operating on older {hardware} if they fight. Now, they only should strive rather less and possibly do not forget that a robust visible model is much better than ultra-realistic lighting and HD textures.