Recently, the tech-focused channel Geekerwan acquired a motherboard claimed to be from the Switch2 on the second-hand market, which aligns with numerous prior leaks. They conducted a teardown analysis and provided the following conclusions:
Basic Specifications
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RAM: 12GB LPDDR5X, 8533MT/s
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Connectivity: MediaTek MT3681AEN chip for Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
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Process: Manufactured by Samsung, with a core area twice that of the original Switch.
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SoC: NVIDIA Tegra T239 (taped out in 2021)
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Process Node: Between Samsung’s 8nm and 10nm processes.
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CPU: 8-core Cortex-A78C, 8×256KB L2 cache, shared 4MB L3 cache.
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GPU: Ampere architecture (same as RTX 30 series), 12 SM units, 1536 CUDA cores.
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CPU Benchmark Data
Simulated using Jetson Orin NX (featuring the same 8-core A78 AE CPU for automotive/security applications):
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CPU Clock: 1100MHz (handheld mode), 998MHz (docked mode).
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Memory Bandwidth: 68GB/s (handheld), 102GB/s (docked).
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Simulated Scores: Single-core performance comparable to the Snapdragon 845; multi-core between Snapdragon 845 and Apple A12, representing a 569–598% improvement over the original Switch.
GPU Benchmark Data
Based on a downclocked RTX 2050 (closest in scale to T239):
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GPU Clock: 561MHz (handheld), 1GHz (docked).
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Memory Bandwidth: Same as CPU.
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Simulated Handheld Performance: Between Snapdragon 8 Gen2 and 8 Gen3, on par with Steam Deck (752% improvement over original).
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Simulated Docked Performance: Between Apple A18 Pro and Snapdragon 8 Elite, comparable to GTX 1050 Ti (696% improvement over original).
GPU Gaming Performance
Tests using the downclocked RTX 2050 (no optimization considered):
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Cyberpunk 2077:
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TV/1080P/Low/DLSS Quality: ~30 FPS
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TV/1080P/Low/DLSS Performance: ~40 FPS
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TV/1080P/Ray Tracing/DLSS Ultra Performance: ~15 FPS
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Handheld/1080P/Low/DLSS Quality: ~30 FPS
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Handheld/720P/Low/DLSS Performance: ~40 FPS
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Black Myth: Wukong:
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TV/1080P/Low/DLSS Balanced: ~30 FPS
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TV/1080P/Low/DLSS Ultra Performance: ~40 FPS
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Handheld/720P/Low/DLSS Ultra Performance: Below 30 FPS
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Monster Hunter: Wilds:
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TV/720P/Low/DLSS Ultra Performance: Below 30 FPS (drops to 20 FPS)
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Handheld: ~15 FPS
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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2:
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TV/1080P/Medium/DLSS Performance: 30–40 FPS
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Handheld/720P/Medium: ~30 FPS
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6:
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TV/1080P/Low/DLSS Ultra Performance: 50+ FPS
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Handheld/720P: ~40 FPS
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Summary
Switch 2’s performance trajectory resembles the original Switch: it may suffice for third-party titles in its first two years but risks falling into the "Switch 2-exclusive absence" dilemma afterward.
However, Nintendo’s optimization prowess (as seen in titles like Donkey Kong Bananza) could alleviate some pressure, giving the platform a slightly longer runway.
