After an eventful Nintendo Direct on April 2, NVIDIA revealed new details about Nintendo Switch 2 hardware features, including support for DLSS and ray tracing. Marking the second generation of the Switch lineage, the Nintendo Switch 2 features an advanced NVIDIA GPU with dedicated RT Cores and Tensor Cores, which allow for ray tracing and AI-driven features.
The Nintendo Switch 2 features a custom GPU along with APIs and tools that allow the console to game up to 4K in TV mode and up to 120 FPS at 1080p in handheld mode. The console also supports HDR as shown at the Nintendo Direct, and NVIDIA claims Switch 2 has “10x the graphics performance” of the original Switch. Moreover, Nintendo Switch 2 supports variable refresh rate via NVIDIA G-SYNC, which ensures smooth gameplay without screen tearing.
Switch 2’s RT Cores bring real-time ray tracing lighting, reflections, and shadows to supported titles, while the Tensor Cores power AI-driven features like DLSS to boost the game’s maximum resolution and promote efficient power consumption, according to NVIDIA’s blog post. The Tensor Cores also enable AI-powered face tracking and background removal features in video chat on Switch 2, just like the NVIDIA Broadcast feature suite.
The Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5, 2025, for $449.99, and pre-orders will open on April 9 at participating retailers in the US. A Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle will be also available for $499.99.
