The 8 nm chip powering the Nintendo Switch 2 may be a disappointing choice for some, but there’s the chance that it has been chosen to allow the easy creation of upgraded system revisions based on node shrinks.
Speaking during their weekly podcast, the tech experts at Digital Foundry commented on the system’s Samsung 8 nm chip, suggesting that it may have been picked not only for economic reasons, as Nintendo likely got a deal on a production line that is no longer producing that many chips, but also to keep the door open for hardware revisions based on node shrinks. A future console revision on a 5 nm class node, which also includes a 4 nm node, could do wonders for battery life, which leaves something to be desired in the launch system, as it is estimated to be 2 hours at minimum, half an hour less than the battery life of the launch original Switch model. A node shrink would also open the way for a portable-only Nintendo Switch 2 Lite, as battery life in such a system would be extremely important to make it an enticing purchase. Considering Nintendo would want to bundle all of its key tech improvements together, an OLED model will likely also follow with a node shrink.
As Nintendo has always released hardware revisions for almost every one of its systems with only a few notable exceptions, there’s little doubt that Nintendo Switch 2 revisions will be made at some point, so it will be very interesting to see if Digital Foundry’s speculation ends up aligning with Nintendo’s plans. For the time being, however, those who wish to play Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, besides other exclusives, have no choice but to purchase the only console model that is launching on June 5th.
