Nintendo Swap 2 specs, rumours and options

It is now been fairly some time since Nintendo launched the Nintendo Swap (OLED mannequin) again in 2021 – the most recent and presumably final model of the Nintendo Swap that it is thrown out into the world.

Whereas it is a gorgeous console and brings a pleasant improve to the bottom swap within the type of that excellent all-new show, there are nonetheless loads of individuals crying out to know when Nintendo will deliver out a very new era of consoles – a Swap 2, for those who like. With an entire bunch of rumours and experiences swirling, we have gathered every thing you must know.

Swap 2 rumoured launch date

On the finish of July 2023, VGC revealed a bombshell report that was pretty shortly corroborated by Eurogamer, claiming that Nintendo’s subsequent console is concentrating on a late 2024 launch date.

That is apparently a conservative resolution to make sure that Nintendo avoids the kind of speedy inventory shortages that hamstrung gross sales of the PS5 and Xbox Sequence X after they each launched.

In September 2023 we discovered that Nintendo confirmed off its {hardware} specs and efficiency to builders at Gamescom 2023 behind closed doorways, additional indicating that the brand new console is firmly on the way in which.

A Nintendo Swap 2 or Swap Professional has been rumoured for years now, with a number of leaks and manufacturing rumours circulating over time. Nevertheless, this has by no means but resulted in a lot concrete data.

For instance, whereas Bloomberg claimed a Swap Professional would arrive in time for the “year-end procuring season” 2021, it turned out that Nintendo had different plans. It introduced the non-4K Swap (OLED mannequin) as a substitute.

Nintendo Swap OLED

Should you do not wish to wait till 2024, the Swap OLED is offered now and is totally excellent.

Swap 2 rumoured specs and design

• Primarily based on a brand new Nvidia Tegra customized chipset
• Storage and RAM set to get a lift

Whereas the Nintendo Swap Lite and Swap OLED each have related inside {hardware} to the prevailing Swap, the Swap 2 will get a extra thorough overhaul, as you’d count on given the Swap’s chipset is now seven years outdated. Even way back to 2019, Japanese website Gamepedia claimed it should have some spectacular inside specs.

The RAM, it stated, can be 8GB, double that within the present console, whereas the onboard storage will get a serious hike to 128GB. The usual Swap solely has 32GB of storage and nearly calls for that you simply purchase a microSD card if you wish to retailer a couple of recreation, whereas the Swap OLED upgraded this to 64GB.

However, whereas rumours beforehand recommended that the Swap 2 would use an upgraded Tegra X1+ processor, as discovered within the Swap Lite, it’s now thought a brand new Nvidia chipset with DLSS expertise might be utilised as a substitute. That complies with a February 2021 knowledge mine detailed on Reddit, which revealed the Swap Professional will have the ability to provide native 1440p decision and upscale to 4K via Nvidia’s DLSS 2.0 expertise.

Subsequently, particulars have surfaced suggesting it is going to be a customized model of the Nvidia Tegra Orin, known as T239. A leak of Nvidia particulars in March 2022 additionally additional implied that the producer is engaged on new {hardware} for a recent Swap mannequin.

That was additional backed up by a job itemizing in Might 2022 which furthered the concept that it is engaged on a brand new GPU that will be excellent for an upgraded Swap.

The Swap Professional is assured to not have a 4K show built-in, although. It’s anticipated to have an analogous 720p show decision and will properly pack the very same upgraded OLED show that the Swap OLED debuted. VGC’s launch date report did declare that, in an effort to hold the console’s prices down, it may ship with an LCD display as a substitute of this OLED choice, although.

A 4K decision will doubtless be reserved for connection to a TV – with increased decision processing presumably carried out via the dock itself. DLSS additionally has the good thing about increased body charges, in order that might be a bonus too. That decision increase was sorely missed when Nintendo launched the Swap (OLED mannequin), so is definitely an choice for any subsequent Swap fashions.

Higher battery life can be tipped, one other space the place the OLED mannequin did not make a lot progress.

Will the Swap 2 have backward compatibility?

• Full backward compatibility doubtless
• Will certainly have Pleasure-cons

Backward compatibility is a shoo-in (we hope). Nevertheless, a report in March 2021 claimed that whereas the Nintendo Swap Professional will play all present and future Swap video games, there might be some new titles that can completely run on the brand new console.

That is as a result of the enormously improved {hardware} – particularly graphics functionality – can be utilized by some builders to enhance their video games. Nvidia’s DLSS expertise will particularly solely seem on the Swap Professional as must be applied on the code degree. At current, solely a handful of titles (at most) are being tipped for exclusivity.

Nintendo

When Nintendo confirmed off its {hardware} to builders at Gamescom 2023, it reportedly did so by operating Breath of the Wild at the next decision and framerate, but additionally by exhibiting off Epic’s high-fidelity The Matrix Awakens demo from 2021, indicating that the Swap 2 may rival the PS5 and Xbox Sequence X/S for energy.

To see what different video games will work on Nintendo Swap Professional, you solely want to take a look at the upcoming schedule of Swap titles.

Builders have reportedly been instructed by Nintendo to make sure their present video games assist 4K too.

Nintendo Swap 2: What’s occurred thus far?

That is every thing we have heard thus far concerning the Swap 2:

7 November 2023 – Nintendo addresses Swap 2 experiences, denies it has briefed builders

Nintendo unsurprisingly denied the under experiences that it demoed its new {hardware} just lately, with out supplying any new data past that.

7 September 2023 – Nintendo demoed Swap 2 to builders at Gamescom

Eurogamer experiences that Nintendo confirmed its new {hardware} to builders at Gamescom 2023 – and VGC swiftly follows as much as again this up.

31 July 2023 – Sources: Nintendo targets 2024 with next-gen console

VGC experiences that the Swap 2 is aiming at a launch date in late 2024 to keep away from shortages, and provides some {hardware} particulars.

16 Might 2022 – Nvidia job itemizing suggests new Swap GPU

Nvidia uploaded a job itemizing to LinkedIn which may properly be for a place engaged on new {hardware} for a Swap Professional.

2 March 2022 – Nvidia leak signifies new {hardware} for Swap Professional

A significant hack of Nvidia reveals a variety of particulars, together with additional graphics {hardware} being developed to deliver DLSS and different options to a tool that might properly be the Swap Professional.

19 July 2021 – Nintendo reveals it has no present plans for an additional Swap mannequin

Nintendo took to Twitter to refute ideas that the value of the Swap OLED is exagerated past new part prices. Within the course of, it acknowledged it at the moment has no plans for an additional mannequin. That guidelines it out for 2021 for positive, presumably 2022 too.

13 July 2021 – Nintendo Swap Professional nonetheless deliberate, even after OLED mannequin

Enterprise Beat journalist and business analyst, Jeff Grubb, is adamant that the Swap Professional remains to be on the playing cards. He posted on Twitter that he has heard a 2022 launch is feasible.

1 July 2021 – Nintendo president admits the corporate is all the time growing new {hardware}

Throughout a shareholders name, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa refused to be drawn on plans for a Swap Professional however did admit that the corporate is “consistently growing {hardware}”.

13 June 2021 – Rumoured specs counsel a processor bump

Particulars declare that the Swap Professional will use a customized model of the Nvidia Tegra Orin chip, known as T239.

2 June 2021 – Swap Professional value revealed by French retailer

French retail Boulanger was discovered to have the Nintendo Swap Professional listed in its inventory database. It additionally listed the value as €399 (round £340). This has added additional weight to the idea that it might be introduced previous to E3 2021, which begins on 12 June 2021.

27 Might 2021 – Swap Professional may launch in September, will substitute present Swap

Bloomberg claimed that the Swap Professional will enter manufacturing in July for a September/October launch. That matches the same launch sample Nintendo adopted for the Swap Lite. The information website additionally reported that the Swap Professional is meant to be a substitute for the prevailing Swap, not simply an addition to the household.

12 Might 2021 – Common Show Corp mentions Swap Professional in earnings name

An OLED show producer claimed that the Swap Professional will characteristic an OLED panel because of the tech’s distinction and response time advantages: “Nintendo has chosen an OLED display for the brand new Swap Professional on account of OLED advantages of upper distinction [and] sooner response occasions,” stated firm CEO, Steven V. Abrahamson.

4 Might 2021 – Nintendo ramps up Swap manufacturing however will not speak Swap Professional but

Nintendo reportedly tasked suppliers to make 30 million new Swap items this fiscal 12 months, however will not say whether or not the Swap Professional is included: “There’s nothing we are able to inform you about manufacturing numbers and higher-end fashions,” an organization spokesperson instructed Nikkei.

7 April 2021 – Nintendo Swap firmware code hints at a 4K dock

Dataminers have reportedly discovered code within the newest Nintendo Swap firmware (12.0) that factors to a tool codenamed “Cradle Aula”. That is regarded as a brand new dock, presumably for the Nintendo Swap Professional, that might include the processing chip and DisplayPort connectivity for a 4K output.

23 March 2021 – New Nvidia chipset with DLSS can be used for brand spanking new Swap

Bloomberg’s sources claimed that the Swap Professional will undertake a brand new Nvidia SoC with DLSS graphics.

16 March 2021 – Provide chain “confirms” new Swap for later in 2021

Nintendo’s “allies” have reportedly confirmed the plans for a brand new Swap console to spice up gross sales this 12 months.

9 March 2021 – Swap Professional may have unique video games in any case

Although it was thought all video games will work throughout all the Swap household, business insider Nate Drake posted on ResetEra that no less than one developer is making a Swap Professional unique title.

4 March 2021 – 7-inch OLED show leaked

Bloomberg reported that Samsung Show is making the display for the following Swap – a 7-inch 720p inflexible OLED panel that’s set to enter mass manufacturing in June 2021.

22 February 2021 – Knowledge mine of Swap title hints at 4K upscaling

As detailed on each the ResetEra discussion board and Reddit by trusted insiders, an information mine of a Swap title means that the following console will have the ability to attain native resolutions of 1440p, which might then be upscaled to 4K with Nvidia’s DLSS 2.0.

7 January 2021 – Knowledge mine of Swap firmware reveals new “Aura” {hardware} and particulars

Video games web site VGC reported that knowledge miner SciresM discovered a number of references to a brand new Swap – codenamed “Aura” – inside the most recent firmware. This revealed a 4K chipset, OLED panel and higher battery life and cooling.

5 January 2021 – Analysts declare Nintendo Swap Professional remains to be on for a 2021 launch

A number of revered video games business analysts instructed Gamesindustry.biz that the Swap Professional can be a part of Nintendo’s huge push in 2021. Additionally they predict that the Swap collection will outsell Xbox Sequence X/S and PS5, when bolstered by the brand new machine.

28 October 2020 – Might the Swap Professional have a Mini LED show?

The subsequent Nintendo Swap may undertake Mini LED show tecnhnology, in keeping with the Financial Every day Information (through Reddit). In that case, this may give the built-in display higher distinction, extra correct colors and black ranges, even HDR.

9 September 2020 – Nintendo preps builders to make 4K video games

In response to Bloomberg, Nintendo has requested video games builders to construct 4K variations of their Swap video games in preperation for an enhanced console.

25 August 2020 – Nintendo Swap will get a giant {hardware} improve in 2021

The brand new Swap can be with us in early 2021 in keeping with Bloomberg. The positioning says Nintendo will “embody extra computing energy and 4K high-definition graphics” and the brand new mannequin will almost definitely characteristic an upgraded however customized model of the Nvidia Tegra chipset primarily based on newer ARM applied sciences.

6 August 2020 – Swap and Animal Crossing promoting like hotcakes

The very apparent scarcity of Swap consoles at most retailers was certainly a symptom of the success Nintendo’s hybrid continues to get pleasure from. It bought greater than 5.5 million items in Q1 2020, taking the Swap as much as 61.44 million lifetime gross sales, a rampant success when you think about how badly the Wii U misfired earlier than it. Swap manufacturing was additionally given a lift because of this.

31 January 2020 – No plans for Nintendo Swap Professional in 2020

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged that there are “no plans” for a substitute or upgraded Swap for the time being. “We consider that you will need to proceed to speak the enchantment of each Nintendo Swap methods and increase the put in base,” he stated. “Please word that we’ve no plans to launch a brand new Nintendo Swap mannequin throughout 2020.”

20 January 2020 – Nintendo is likely to be bringing a stylus attachment to the Swap’s Pleasure-Cons?

Nintendo introduced the launch of an official Swap Stylus, nevertheless it appears like there is likely to be extra to come back, with the eagle-eyed group at LetsGoDigital having unearthed a brand new patent from Nintendo so as to add stylus options proper onto customers’ present Pleasure-Cons.

Might 2019 – Provide chain rumours

The Wall Avenue Journal spoke to “elements suppliers and software program builders” in March 2019, who claimed that an enhanced model of the Swap, aimed on the extra devoted, hardcore gamer is on its method.