Digital Foundry also notes that the indicated clock speeds of the Switch 2 can be tailored to higher theoretical maxima: 1.4 GHz for the GPU and 1.7 GHz for the CPU. Nintendo could ultimately use this headroom for improved graphic performance and faster loading screens, as it did on the original switch in 2019. And although developers can adjust the GPU clock speed that is used by their games, it is unclear whether they can overclock directly to the theoretical maximum itself.
System sources
Just like on the original switch, 25 percent of the CPU cores and the general memory on the Switch 2 is reserved by the OS functions system and is therefore not accessible for Game developers. Digital Foundry also notes that some GPU sources have been reserved by the System OS, although it has not given any accurate measurement for this amount.
The use of gamechat on the Switch 2 can have a significant effect on system performance, according to Digital Foundry.
Credit: Nintendo
The use of gamechat on the Switch 2 can have a significant effect on system performance, according to Digital Foundry.
Credit: Nintendo
This time, those functions at the Game Chat system level include the possibility to stream gameplay and/or webcam video from a maximum of four friends to one system. Even with important sources that have been reserved by the operating system, Digital Foundry notes that Game Chat “has a significant impact on system sources”, leading Nintendo to offer developers a test tool that simulates “API -Latentie and L3 -Cache -Missers” that can happen when GameChat is in use.
Apart from the core pixel hardware, the Switch 2 also adds a new individual file decompense engine, which can process the charging data of the 256 GB UFS memory of the system and MicroSD Express expansion cards without taxing the CPU. And although the portable screen of the Switch 2 contains support for variable refreshing speeds of up to 120 Hz, there is currently no official support for VRR on HDMI screens that are connected to the dock of the system.
Although it is nice to look at numbers, the real proof of the Hardwarepower of the Switch 2 will be in the performance of the games. We look forward to more direct comparisons of software performance when the console is launched next month.
