NVIDIA’s Tegra239 SoC Reportedly Featured in Nintendo’s Switch 2; Chip Image Emerges

Looks like the Nintendo Switch 2 is keeping the magic alive, thanks to a special touch from NVIDIA, much like its predecessor. In an exciting reveal, we’ve finally gotten a peek at the heart of the device—the Tegra239 chip.

When Nintendo launched the Switch 2, they made waves with the console’s impressive capability of delivering 4K visuals at 60 frames per second while docked. However, they kept mum on the specific chip running the show. It’s no secret that Nintendo and NVIDIA have a solid partnership for customized Tegra systems on chips (SoCs). This led many to bet on the Tegra239 being the brains behind the operation. Now, confirmation has arrived, with @Kurnalsalts posting an exclusive image online showing NVIDIA’s Tegra239 chip, clearly labeled as “T239.”

The tweet doesn’t spill any further details, so we’re left to piece things together with earlier information. Here’s what the grapevine tells us: the Tegra239 packs a punch with eight Arm Cortex-A78C cores and a GPU blending elements of Ada Lovelace and Ampere architectures, complete with 1536 CUDA cores. The CPU sprints at a speed between 1.1 GHz and 1.5 GHz—dependent on whether the Switch is docked. In terms of memory, expect a 128-bit interface with the cutting-edge LPDDR5 tech.

While specifics on the Tegra239 remain in the shadows, one thing’s certain: it supports DLSS upscaling, a major boost for the Switch 2’s performance. If you’re eager for more nitty-gritty details, check out our dedicated post diving deep into the console. This collaboration with ARM shows NVIDIA’s commitment to crafting top-notch custom ASICs, holding on tight to their exclusive Nintendo Switch partnership.

The looming curiosity revolves around when NVIDIA will finally pull back the curtain on its long-rumored AI PC chip. Buzz has circulated since last year about a potential team-up with MediaTek to roll out an ARM-driven SoC, speculating names like N1X and N1. However, updates remain elusive for now.