Photos have seemingly leaked showing the new Joy-Cons and larger screen of the Switch 2, as well as its complete technical specifications.
While the reveal of Nintendo’s follow-up to the Switch is set to happen at some point before April next year, rumours have circulated in recent weeks that something might be planned before the end of October.
The growing rumours were further supported by recent reports of developers being invited to Nintendo of America this week, although it was unclear whether this was connected to an early reveal of the next console, or something else.
Just a day later, images have now appeared online which claim to show a prototype version of Nintendo’s next console, dubbed the Switch 2 by fans.
The pictures themselves were uploaded to a Chinese website, although their exact origins are unclear. We’ve not uploaded them here in case Nintendo’s lawyers hunt us down with a blue shell, but they have been widely circulated on Reddit and you can see them in the tweets below (assuming Nintendo don’t get to them).
What gives the pictures some legitimacy is that the design matches up with prior leaks, in a way that seems difficult to fake. A picture of the Joy-Cons shows some sort of magnetic connection, which was previously rumoured as a replacement for the slide-in controllers used in the original Switch back in April.
While that picture is an actual photo, along with one which seemingly shows the inner circuit boards of the console, other images seem to be low resolution CAD (computer-aided design) files.
These show comparisons of the new machine with the original Switch, emphasising the new console’s larger screen, the lack of slide-in rails for the Joy Cons, and what seems to be the same revamped kick stand from the OLED model.
In the description, there’s also a mention of two USB-C ports, placed at the top and bottom.
Overall, the images make it look exactly like the ‘iterative’ improvement, over the original Switch, that was previously rumoured – with a sleeker console with more rounded edges.
A translation of the caption also claims the console has an 8-inch screen, a magnetic slide rail, and measurements of 270mm (length) x 115mm (width) x 14 mm (thickness). For comparison, the OLED model of the Switch is 242mm x 102mm x 13.9mm, so that would make the successor slightly thicker.
Nintendo Switch 2 leaked tech specs
- SoCl (CPU + GPU) model: GMLX30-R-A1
- Memory model: MT62F768M64D4EK-026 (6GX2 dual channel, LPDDR5X, 7500 MT/s)
- Flash memory model: THGJFGT1E45BAILHW0 (256GB, UFS 3.1, manufactured by Kaixia, 2100 MB/s)
- Audio chip model: Ruiwu ALC5658-CG
- NFC reader model: NXP IPN7160B1HN
- Built-in microphone model: CMB-MIC-X7
- Dual cooling fans, model BSM0405HPJH9 and BSM0505HPJQC (copper gaming heat sink)
- Video signal conversion (DisplayPort to HDMI) must be chip model; Ruixian RTD2175N must be chip (support HDMI 2.1)
- Network chip model: Ruiming RTL8153B-VB-CG and Gigabit Ethernet chip (the base has a network cable interface)
- Microcontroller chip model: STMicroelectronics JSTM32G0OB0OCET6
- Video game console protective case model: HGU1100 (size: 206 x 115 x 14mm, made of plastic)
- Speakers: MUSE BOX-L and MUSE BOX-R (two-channel stereo)
A list of console specifications was also uploaded to the same Chinese website around the same time as the images, although they come from a different source. These list the console as having 256GB of internal storage, HDMI 2.1 ports, and 7500 MT/s for 12GB of RAM.
As broken down by Neoxon on ResetEra, the list of specs would make the console slower than the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S in terms of speed, but it will have more RAM capacity than the Xbox Series S – so it is somewhat comparable to the Steam Deck.
Nintendo’s next console being somewhat comparable to the Xbox Series S was also previously rumoured. These specifications also line-up with a previous leak in May, which came via shipping information posted on Famiboards.
Also, one source, who has not seen the final console but has been briefed on Nintendo’s plans, has told VGC that the leaked images match with what they know about the hardware.
None of this has been confirmed by Nintendo itself though, and the CAD style images are easy to fake, but all signs are pointing to a reveal of Nintendo’s next console very soon.
What are the known facts about Nintendo Switch 2?
The only concrete fact about Nintendo’s next console is that it will be revealed before April 2025, as confirmed by the company earlier this year. Other than that we know nothing for certain and even the name Switch 2 is just a fan invention.
However, while Nintendo hasn’t stated it explicitly, they have strongly hinted that the new console will be backwards compatible with the original Switch -which several unconfirmed rumours have also suggested.
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