Nvidia confirms DLSS, ray tracing for Switch 2

A custom Nvidia processor is at the heart of the Nintendo Switch 2, giving it power to push up to 120 frames per second in handheld mode, or up to 4K at 60 frames per second while docked.

While Nintendo has been cagey to share more details on its partnership with the graphics and AI giant, Nvidia published a short press release confirming the collaboration — and diving a little more deeply into the tech found in Nintendo’s surprisingly capable handheld.

It name-dropped a lot of features that are commonly tossed around in the world of PC gaming. For one, the Switch 2’s 7.9-inch 1080p LCD display has G-Sync support baked in, and its variable refresh rate (VRR) support will ensure that you won’t as easily notice fluctuations in frame rate. Nvidia shared that the Switch 2 has “10x the graphical performance of the Nintendo Switch,” and that is uses DLSS to upscale graphics in games. Also, that ray tracing is something that’s available for developers to take advantage of in the Switch 2.

Additionally, Nvidia’s tech supports other tentpole features of the Switch 2, including GameChat. Nvidia’s AI Tensor Cores are used to focus on face tracking while removing the background (giving that green screen streamer look).

“With 1,000 engineer-years of effort across every element — from system and chip design to a custom GPU, APIs and world-class development tools — the Nintendo Switch 2 brings major upgrades,” says Nvidia’s press release.