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Switch 2 will be backwards compatible with Switch

(www.videogameschronicle.com)
288 points ashitlerferad | 1 comments | 06 Nov 24 14:32 UTC | HN request time: 0.208s | source
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Macha ◴[06 Nov 24 15:45 UTC] No.42064052[source]▶
Huh, I'd been assuming the Switch 2 would be AMD Z2 based. I guess they've managed to convince nVidia to make them another SoC. A little surprised, would have thought nVidia would want to use any spare fab time for AI chips, though maybe they have some older process capacity?
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1. DCKing ◴[06 Nov 24 18:15 UTC] No.42066644[source]▶
Nintendo optimizes for cost, not maximum performance and almost always selects older technology. AMD Z2 chips go into $600+ bulky low margin PC gaming handhelds whereas Nintendo likely will want to hit $300-350 while keeping a healthy margin.

This also means that the Switch SoC doesn't use an expensive cutting edge manufacturing process. And it probably won't be made in TSMC factories at all. Leaks pretty clearly indicate an Nvidia Ampere based SoC built on Samsung's 8nm process, so it's the same tech as Nvidia's consumer line circa 2020.