Hardware Nintendo Switch Technical Specifications Discussion

[TheDarkGreninja]

Launch line up seems pretty good as far as what Laura Kate Dale says

 

[nmkd]

I think it will be another GameCube. With the GameCube Nintendo had a platform archetecture that they could evolve for three generations while still maintaining full backwards compatibility. The Switch may be the same thing. I can see Nintendo eventually launching a Wii U Mini to satisfy those with large Wii and Wii U libraries (and I don't think they will futz with the OS enough to block Homebrew and Nintendo my), and eventually the Switch could get GameCube games.

Very likely, especially since they have a "two decade partnership" with Nvidia.

//Sent from my glorious OnePlus X

 

[Yil]

A73, unknown gpu, dev unit compatible with 1060 egpu. Better battery (not swappable) than phone with same size.

 

[Futurdreamz]

I was expecting something like a 1055... The eGPU in the devkit is promising - means there may be a "Power Dock" in the future.

 

[smileyhead]

phone with same size

Phone? Not tablet?
*starts worrying*

 

[Yil]

Phone? Not tablet?
*starts worrying*

Same size as a phablet. The screen is bigger than 6.2 inch, and it has huge room for non-swappable battery.

I was expecting something like a 1055... The eGPU in the devkit is promising - means there may be a "Power Dock" in the future.

Unless Intel has a hand in this (a low power thunderbolt controller), usb c won't be able to handle the bandwidth. That op said someone from Nintendo went to test them several days ago. The consoles are running a fish demo at very promising frame rate.

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Several things:
While the chip is only 921MHz, it requires tegra x1 to overclock to even try to catch up, suggest having more than 256 cuda cores. Note that pascal has only 90% of Maxwell's ipc.
The dev unit seems to have an embedded version of 1060 for egpu, not necessarily down clocked, but definitely not crazy overclocked.
I hope the original op of that leak won't end up in jail or dead.

 

[ov3rkill]

Tegra Pascal maybe? or a custom X1 or maybe X2.

 

[Xzi]

Tegra Pascal maybe? or a custom X1 or maybe X2.

It's a custom Tegra chip specifically for Switch, so it won't be X2, but it'll be closer in power to X2 than X1. It'll be based on Pascal tech, of course, just as X1 has Maxwell tech in it.

 

[Yil]

It's a custom Tegra chip specifically for Switch, so it won't be X2, but it'll be closer in power to X2 than X1. It'll be based on Pascal tech, of course, just as X1 has Maxwell tech in it.

Yeah, but x2 is around 1400 MHz, so this should have higher core count than x2, which is 256.

 

[Xzi]

Yeah, but x2 is around 1400 MHz, so this should have higher core count than x2, which is 256.

Right. Leaked specs said like 900 cores. Seems a little optimistic but very much possible.

 

[Yil]

Right. Leaked specs said like 900 cores. Seems a little optimistic but very much possible.

Nah, just 921 MHz, 900 cores cannot fit in there unless they use 3dic.

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Here's the better question: Is a10x enough horse power cause the switch will end up using that chip, and this will take three years for medium range phones to catch up.

 

[Xzi]

Here's the better question: Is a10x enough horse power cause the switch will end up using that chip, and this will take three years for medium range phones to catch up.

Why on Earth would Nvidia use an Apple chip in Switch? It's going to be a custom Tegra chip based on Pascal. If 1-10 is it's power between WiiU and XB1, it'll be like a 7-8.

 

[Yil]

Why on Earth would Nvidia use an Apple chip in Switch? It's going to be a custom Tegra chip based on Pascal. If 1-10 is it's power between WiiU and XB1, it'll be like a 7-8.

Sorry for not making myself clear. I am saying the new chip is on par with a10x and really hard to surpass for a good while.

 

[Xzi]

Sorry for not making myself clear. I am saying the new chip is on par with a10x and really hard to surpass for a good while.

The a10x is garbage along with everything Apple does. Nvidia hardware is and always has been far more suited to the purpose of gaming.

 

[Futurdreamz]

The a10x is garbage along with everything Apple does. Nvidia hardware is and always has been far more suited to the purpose of gaming.

At this point the latest Ax chip is about as powerful as the Intel chip in their "Pro" Macbooks...

Which just goes to show that Nvidia should be able to work wonders now.

 

[KingVamp]

A73, unknown gpu, dev unit compatible with 1060 egpu. Better battery (not swappable) than phone with same size.

I forgot to talk about the A73. The chip isn't even in devices yet, is it really possible this will be in the Switch?

I was expecting something like a 1055... The eGPU in the devkit is promising - means there may be a "Power Dock" in the future.

Even if this was possible, it would probably be easier and cheaper just to make the Switch two or at least the "New Switch".


It appears that I was mistaken, Huawei Mate 9 has the A73, but that is still a pretty new chip.

 

[Futurdreamz]

I forgot to talk about the A73. The chip isn't even in devices yet, is it really possible this will be in the Switch?



Even if this was possible, it would probably be easier and cheaper just to make the Switch two or at least the "New Switch".


It appears that I was mistaken, Huawei Mate 9 has the A73, but that is still a pretty new chip.

It's up to Nintendo. But it would be a big feather in their cap if they can bring out the Power Dock which brings the cost for upgrading down to a cheaper price - and your Gold Hyrule edition Switch is not rendered obsolete.

It might be better to have a Power Dock that enables 4K then to build it into the unit. Then the people who want it can buy the dock and those plebeians (like me) stuck on 1080p or less don't have to pay the sunk cost for capabilities they can't use.

 

[Xzi]

It might be better to have a Power Dock that enables 4K then to build it into the unit. Then the people who want it can buy the dock and those plebeians (like me) stuck on 1080p or less don't have to pay the sunk cost for capabilities they can't use.

That would be pretty neat, and a GTX 1060 working with what's in Switch would get you to 4K, not to mention be more powerful than the other two consoles. It is possible for Switch to have 4K output and 4K gamestream games just with the chip in it already, though.

 

[Futurdreamz]

If Nintendo can have great graphics on a $250 device, and sell a Power Dock with 1060-level graphics for no more than $250 (maybe more power, maybe cheaper - a 1060 is $200 right now and will be cheaper in a couple years)... They can easily make a console that is more powerful (docked) than even the PS Neo (and most likely Scorpio) for around $500 paid in two installments possibly years apart. That's very easy to save for, and gives you a console that competes with the other offerings while also being portable.

This is also Nintendo's insurance plan. The Wii was 480p max as they underestimated the drive for 1080p. The Switch will support 1080p native (and maybe some 4k streaming and upscaling?), and if 4k takes off they can just launch an eGPU which their system already supports (probably why the devkits emulate it already). If 4k takes off they already have the groundwork, and if it falters they minimized their sunk cost and console price.

This does put things into perspective as to what's next for the PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Up until now every console generation has been a much needed graphical upgrade, but now The Wii U can sorta keep up with the latest and greatest. Even if 4K becomes a big hit with the Scorpio and the PS Pro, what's next? What will the PS5 and Xbox Two look like? What will make them worth buying? Seems the next big bet is virtual reality, but I just don't know if it will take off as well. And even then, I strongly suspect that Nintendo can come out with a VR Dock that upgrades their current console to VR easily.

I can see the Switch selling like hotcakes, but I don't know about the other two. They may need to rethink their platform, and if they do they may be fighting a battle that Nintendo is already winning.

 

[Xzi]

If Nintendo can have great graphics on a $250 device, and sell a Power Dock with 1060-level graphics for no more than $250 (maybe more power, maybe cheaper - a 1060 is $200 right now and will be cheaper in a couple years)... They can easily make a console that is more powerful (docked) than even the PS Neo (and most likely Scorpio) for around $500 paid in two installments possibly years apart. That's very easy to save for, and gives you a console that competes with the other offerings while also being portable.

This is also Nintendo's insurance plan. The Wii was 480p max as they underestimated the drive for 1080p. The Switch will support 1080p native (and maybe some 4k streaming and upscaling?), and if 4k takes off they can just launch an eGPU which their system already supports (probably why the devkits emulate it already). If 4k takes off they already have the groundwork, and if it falters they minimized their sunk cost and console price.

This does put things into perspective as to what's next for the PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Up until now every console generation has been a much needed graphical upgrade, but now The Wii U can sorta keep up with the latest and greatest. Even if 4K becomes a big hit with the Scorpio and the PS Pro, what's next? What will the PS5 and Xbox Two look like? What will make them worth buying? Seems the next big bet is virtual reality, but I just don't know if it will take off as well. And even then, I strongly suspect that Nintendo can come out with a VR Dock that upgrades their current console to VR easily.

I can see the Switch selling like hotcakes, but I don't know about the other two. They may need to rethink their platform, and if they do they may be fighting a battle that Nintendo is already winning.

Well, the 1060 can do VR just fine, so that's another plus. There's still a lot of room for improvement where Xbox and Playstation are concerned, Scorpio and Neo will be running games low-mid settings at 15-30 FPS in 4K. The difference going from that to a 4K gaming PC with high settings and 60 FPS is massive. Not to mention you'll run into a lot of textures that are still 1080p and suddenly look far uglier in 4K. If Nintendo does release an eGPU dock with a full Nvidia GPU, and it's still a big if, the other consoles will be playing catch-up with Nintendo for once, rather than the other way around as it has been for decades.