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Nintendo fans have been awaiting the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 for a long time, and it could finally happen in 2024. However, sources close to known leaker Moore's Law is Dead seem to indicate a 2025 release date, so it may not be too far. Therefore, should you wait for Switch 2 or buy the Switch OLED, which is already available?
The answer depends on a few factors. For instance, do you own the original Nintendo Switch? If yes, then buying Switch OLED won't make sense, and waiting for the Switch 2 would be a better option. However, if you have never played any Switch game, you should purchase the Switch OLED. You can play and enjoy a massive library of games right now instead of waiting a year for the Nintendo Switch 2.
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This article explains in detail whether you should wait for the Nintendo Switch 2 or buy the Switch OLED.
Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinions.
Nintendo Switch 2: Expected specs
The original Nintendo Switch and the Switch OLED both use the Nvidia Tegra X1 chipset, which is quite dated at this point. The most important update the Switch needs is the chipset, and that's exactly what the new Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to bring. Multiple leakers, including Kopite7kimi and Moore's Law is Dead, indicate that the chipset inside the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is the Nvidia Tegra T239 - a custom version of the Nvidia Jetson T234.
Though information about the T239 is scarce, there's quite a bit on the T234. Let's explore it in detail.
The Nvidia T234 contains two important clusters - the ARM-based CPU cluster and an Ampere architecture-based GPU cluster. The CPU cluster contains ARM A78 cores in a 12-core configuration.
A major difference between the two chipsets is that the T239 only has eight active cores compared to the 12-core ARM CPU cluster in the T234. Eight cores will probably be more than enough for the kind of performance Nintendo is targetting.
Another difference between the T234 and T239 is that the custom T239 chipset contains a major upgrade - the new file decompression engine. This feature is backported from Nvidia's latest Ada Lovelace architecture to the Ampere architecture inside the Nvidia T239. The decompression engine will be used to decompress large game assets and load them in a matter of seconds.
It's akin to what Sony did with their new PS5 and will allow Nintendo to achieve PS5-level game loading speeds on the new Switch 2. The GPU cluster inside the T234 has 2048 CUDA cores, while the GPU inside the possible T239 will probably have 1536 CUDA cores. The Switch 2 will also feature a 128-bit memory interface that will deliver around 102GB/s memory bandwidth, faster than the Nvidia RTX 2050.
However, the exact memory size and storage configuration are unknown at this point. There's also no information about its display technology, but fans are advised not to expect OLED in the Switch 2. That might be released later in a separate variant.
Nintendo Switch 2: Expected performance
The Nvidia T239 chipset is expected to have CUDA 1536 cores. For the sake of comparison, the Nvidia RTX 2050 has 2048 CUDA cores, so the T239 chipset will have around 33% fewer CUDA cores. According to a Red Dead Redemption 2 benchmark by LaptopMedia Benchmarks, the RTX 2050 delivers around 54 FPS at 1080p low settings.
The T239 has 33% fewer CUDA cores than the RTX 2050, and if we do the math, the performance should be around 36 FPS. So, the Switch 2 might just have enough performance to run AAA games like Red Dead Redemption 2 at locked 30 FPS gameplay.
Note: This is calculated performance derived from the leaked specification of the T239 chipset. Actual performance may vary.
Nintendo Switch 2 vs Nintendo Switch OLED: Which is better?
If the rumored specs from leakers are to be believed, the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 may run AAA console games available on Playstation and Xbox. But the new Switch 2 isn't here yet. The Switch OLED is currently available and has a massive library of games for you to play and enjoy. However, it can't run modern AAA games.
So which is better? In terms of raw performance, the Switch 2 will be better. But it is yet to launch, and no games exist for it, while the Switch OLED is available and has an expansive library of games. Thus, in terms of games, the Switch OLED is better.
Should you wait for the Nintendo Switch 2 or buy the Switch OLED?
If you have played Nintendo Switch games already and want to play AAA games on a handheld console, then waiting for the new Nintendo Switch 2 makes more sense. However, if you have never played Nintendo games, the Switch OLED is still a great starting point and allows you to choose from a massive library of Nintendo games.
