Following the confirmation that the next iteration of the Nintendo Switch will be unveiled before March 2025, recent leaks may have just revealed the hardware users can expect to find within the hybrid console. The current iteration of the ever-popular console is notorious for its less-than-desirable specs; even when it launched in 2017, it’s power was significantly less than competitors like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. While the so-called Switch 2 likely won’t rival Sony and Microsoft’s machines in terms of performance, it sounds like it will at least be a major step up for Nintendo.
Posted to X (formerly Twitter) by reputable leaker CentroLeaks, who states that some of the details were leaked via the manufacturing process, the Switch 2 will sport a 256 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage and 12GB RAM split over two 6GB 7500 MT/s LPDDR5 modules.
Additionally, the console will allegedly also come with a built-in microphone for those playing multiplayer games in handheld mode. It’s further speculated that since the actual body of the Switch 2 has a microphone, the controller will also sport one but this has yet to be confirmed.
Rumors regarding the hardware in the Switch 2 have been floating around for years as commentators have called on Nintendo to increase the console’s power in order to facilitate more complex games. One of the more common complaints leveled at the current Switch is that it’s processor isn’t able to support many modern third-party AAA games, forcing developers to implement significant graphical downgrades to ensure their game runs at all. Reports have stated that Nintendo has looked into implementing an upscaled 4K resolution when the Switch 2 is docked but these have yet to be verified.
Whether or not the recent leak proves accurate, it’s no secret that Nintendo is facing some stiff competition within the handheld market. When the Switch released, it was the only handheld device on the market, allowing it to carve out a niche as a device that could be used for its portability and ability to transition into a standard home-based console. With the launch of Valve’s Steam Deck and additional third-party machines like the Lenovo Legion and ROG Ally, the Switch 2 has much more to prove in a market that’s become more crowded in recent years.
The biggest draw for the Nintendo Switch 2 will be its library of games as the publisher is known for sporting one of the most robust and critically-acclaimed libraries. Rumors allege that several studios have already begun creating titles for the Switch 2, with some going so far as to state that highly-anticipated releases like Metroid Prime 4 will be made for the new console. Consumers will just have to wait and see what comes when Nintendo officially announces it later this year.
Source: CentroLeaks/X