Nintendo Switch – NVIDIA’s Next-Gen Lovelace GPU Rumored to be in Nintendo Switch Pro

by
Petar Vukobrat
in General | Jul, 27th 2021

The oft-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro is still a hot topic, as is the GPU (or SoC, rather) that’ll be housed within its enclosure. Millions of gamers across the globe yearn for a more powerful Switch and, frankly, it’s easy to understand why. Nintendo’s insanely popular hybrid console simply cannot compete with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X, and it’s only a matter of time before it becomes fully obsolete hardware-wise.

The OLED Switch still hasn’t even hit the shelves and yet people are already talking about its successor — the one we really don’t know anything about. There have been many rumors (both wild and fairly plausible), but it would perhaps be best to just reserve judgment until we get something a bit more concrete to sink our teeth into.

Still, it’s fun to theorize about the Switch Pro and just how powerful it might be once it finally sees the light of day. On the off-chance you feel the same way, you’ll be happy to know that there’s a brand-new rumor (courtesy of Tom from Moore’s Law Is Dead) that delves a bit deeper into what kind of GPU the upcoming Switch Pro might be packing upon release.

If the rumor mill is to be believed, Nintendo’s next-gen Switch will feature an SoC based on NVIDIA’s RTX 40 series technology — codenamed Ada Lovelace.

These graphics cards will be based on TSMC’s 5nm manufacturing process, so gamers can expect a lot more power and efficiency across the entire product line-up. This SoC will not necessarily allow the Switch Pro to compete on even footing with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but it’ll definitely give it a puncher’s chance. Or, at the very least, it’ll make the fight a lot more even than it currently is. Moreover, the inclusion of DLSS will be a huge boon for reasons that need no explanation.

If NVIDIA’s current release cadence holds up, we can expect this updated Switch Pro in the second half of 2022. NVIDIA will also be looking to “outship AMD into oblivion.” Even if AMD’s RDNA 3 graphics cards end up being a big deal (which, in all fairness, seems quite likely), NVIDIA will still try to get their next-gen graphics cards into as many hands and households as possible.

So it should come as no surprise that they’re already looking to increase production and get a bit of this oh-so-alluring next-gen tech into the upcoming Switch Pro as well. Lower MSRPs could also be on the table, although we’ll have to wait and see whether the ongoing semiconductor shortages will throw a wrench in their plans.

In any case, the fight between NVIDIA and AMD seems to be fiercer than ever and, by the looks of it, it’ll greatly benefit both the Switch Pro and anyone who ends up buying it!