Nintendo Switch 2 Developers Announce DLSS, Hardware Ray Tracing, and Additional Features

On Nintendo’s official specs page, the anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 boasts a somewhat cryptic "Custom processor made by NVIDIA" for its CPU and GPU. During a lively developer roundtable featuring some of the minds behind the Switch 2, we gleaned fresh insights into what this new iteration might bring to the table, especially in terms of hardware and the exciting possibilities it offers to game developers.

Producer Kouichi Kawamoto, technical director Tetsuya Sasaki, and director Takuhiro Dohta eagerly fielded questions from the press, with Raymond Elliget interpreting their responses about the forthcoming Switch.

"Nintendo tends not to reveal too much in terms of hardware specs," Sasaki explained. "Our focus is more about the value we aim to provide for our consumers." Yet, our discussion did shed light on some aspects, providing hints about what to anticipate.

We uncovered some intriguing details about the technological backbone Nintendo is utilizing and specifics concerning hardware features absent on the spec sheet. Here’s the scoop:

DLSS and Hardware Ray Tracing: Checked

Continuing their partnership with Nvidia allows Nintendo to leverage its DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technologies.

In response to a question from Inverse’s Shannon Liao, Dohta revealed that Nintendo is implementing DLSS upscaling technology, making it available for developers to utilize.

"As far as the hardware is concerned," he said, "it can output to a TV at a maximum of 4K. Whether developers choose to use that as the native resolution or downscale and upscale it, is entirely up to them, offering numerous possibilities for software adaptation."

As for hardware ray tracing, Dohta confirmed that the chip supports this feature, adding yet another exciting tool for developers to experiment with.

Battery Life and System Processing

Nintendo’s official spec sheet mentions that the Switch 2’s 5220 mAh battery offers around 2 to 6.5 hours of playtime per charge, depending on various factors. Sasaki highlighted that the actual battery life is hugely influenced by the specific game being played and the conditions under which the system operates.

Dohta jumped in to note the expanded feature set, including functionalities like GameChat, which make the system more complex than its predecessor. Because of these advancements, the variability in battery life is even broader than it was with the original Switch, complicating direct comparisons with its predecessor.

Emulation for Original Switch Software

Addressing questions about backward compatibility with games from the original Switch and GameCube classics, developers confirmed that these are indeed emulated—a method similar to Xbox’s approach to backward compatibility.

"The response is a bit nuanced," Sasaki acknowledged, suggesting a software-centered approach rather than purely hardware-based emulation.

Bluetooth: A Boost in Connectivity

The Joy-Cons now connect to the Switch 2 using Bluetooth 3.0. Responding to inquiries regarding past issues with connecting multiple Bluetooth devices—like controllers and headsets—to the original Switch, Sasaki confidently stated:

"Yes, we’ve improved connectivity."

He elaborated further, indicating that larger system size and enhanced antennas should significantly better connections. Plus, they’ve increased the number of antennas and made "a lot" of other adjustments to iron out previous connection woes.

LCD Over OLED: A Smart Swap

This new model features a 7.9-inch LCD screen that supports HDR. While some might view this as a step back from the premium OLED display seen in earlier models, Sasaki highlighted the strides made in LCD technology during development.

Kawamoto pointed out that while the OLED model lacked HDR support, this new LCD screen compensates with enhanced capabilities.

USB Type-C Ports: Dual Functionality

When CNET’s Scott Stein inquired about whether the top USB-C port on the Switch 2 could link to external displays like Xreal glasses, Kawamoto clarified that only the bottom port supports video output.

"It’s challenging to comment regarding support for glasses, as they aren’t an official Nintendo product," Kawamoto remarked.

The top USB-C port, however, has been demonstrated working with the new Nintendo Switch 2 camera and also serves to charge the system while in tabletop mode.