Nintendo Switch 2 launches with ‘breakthrough’ tech

The Nintendo Switch 2, featuring a custom Nvidia processor, launched worldwide – including in South Africa – yesterday (5 June 2025). The next-generation console builds on the original, introducing powerful new hardware innovations.

“We optimised the semiconductor process technology for high performance in a handheld device, so it can go wherever you go,” said Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in a recently posted YouTube video on Nintendo’s channel. “This chip is a technical marvel. It delivers performance, intelligence, and beauty in the palm of your hand.”

Huang said that, when it came to the first edition of the device, Satoru Iwata, the late fourth president of Nintendo, wanted to create something no one had seen before. It had to be a console powerful enough for big cinematic games, but small enough to take anywhere.

“It sounded impossible. But that vision became the original Nintendo Switch. We lost Iwata-san before the launch, but his clarity, his purpose, it still inspires our work every day. Together, we poured everything into that [first] system.

“And now a bold new chapter begins. The mission: build a new console that takes the original vision further. To make it so, we had to reinvent everything. The chip inside Nintendo Switch 2 is unlike anything we’ve built before.”

_{Photo courtesy Nintendo.}

He said the chip brings together multiple breakthroughs. One of these is the most advanced graphics ever in a mobile device. It also includes full hardware ray tracing and high dynamic range, which provide brighter highlights and deeper shadows. Another breakthrough is an architecture that supports backward compatibility. It features dedicated AI processors that sharpen, animate, and enhance gameplay in real time while maintaining ultra-low power consumption.

“Switch 2 is more than a new console,” said Huang. “It’s a new chapter worthy of Iwata-san’s vision.”

_{Photo courtesy Nintendo.}

Specifications and pricing

The Nintendo Switch 2 introduces several hardware improvements over its predecessor. The device features a larger LCD screen capable of full HD (1080p) resolution in handheld mode. The display is 1.6 times larger than the original model while maintaining a slim profile. When connected to a compatible television via the included dock, the system supports resolutions up to 4K, along with high dynamic range, variable refresh rate, and frame rates up to 120 fps in supported games.

The updated dock includes a built-in fan for thermal management, designed to help maintain stable performance during extended use. It also supports HDMI-CEC functionality, allowing compatible televisions to automatically power on and switch inputs when the console starts. Auto Low Latency Mode is supported for reduced input lag on compatible displays.

The console features two USB-C ports, one on the top and one on the bottom, enabling charging in tabletop mode and connection to accessories. The newly designed Joy-Con 2 controllers attach magnetically and can function as a mouse in supported software. The rear kickstand is now adjustable up to 150 degrees to accommodate various viewing angles.

A new feature, GameChat, allows users to initiate voice calls, share their screen, and engage in video chat using a compatible USB-C camera accessory (sold separately). Nintendo says some legacy Switch titles may not be supported or fully compatible with the new system, but most physical and digital Switch games will carry over.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is available at a starting price of R12,499 on the South African Nintendo website here.