The Nintendo Swap 2 could appear like its predecessor, however there’s been a variety of adjustments to its options and underneath the hood. The brand new console has “10x the graphics efficiency” in comparison with the unique Swap, says Nvidia, which constructed the customized processor powering the Swap 2.
The Swap 2, with a launch date on June 5, is priced at $450 alone or $500 in a bundle with Mario Kart World, the headliner of the console’s launch video games. This is all the information on easy methods to preorder the Swap 2.
Notice that we’re principally evaluating the Swap 2 to the unique Swap 1 launched in March 2017, as a result of looping within the Swap Lite and Swap OLED will get sophisticated.
Design
Broadly, the Swap 2 is a bigger model of its predecessor, with every part wanting barely inflated: larger footprint, larger display, larger Pleasure-Cons.
Authentic Swap: The unique Swap, with Pleasure-Cons slotted into the facet rails, is a bit of over 9.4 inches broad, 4 inches tall, a bit of over half an inch thick and weighs about 10.5 ounces (297 grams). The Pleasure-Cons slide into place from the highest of the gadget’s sides, whereas a skinny wedge of plastic pops out of the again of the console to function a kickstand.
The Swap additionally got here with a dock, which the console might slot into to for recharging and outputting to a TV or giant show by way of HDMI port.
Swap 2: The brand new Swap 2 is greater in each manner, however it has the identical total form and structure as the unique. The brand new Pleasure-Cons will certainly be held in place on the console magnetically, and connect with the console by way of pins. The brand new console additionally sports activities a large U-shaped kickstand that spans virtually its complete rear width, which may be moved round to prop up the Swap 2 at a wide range of angles. Nintendo says the console has extra highly effective audio system, which we’re wanting ahead to testing.
The Swap 2’s dock is essentially comparable in operate although it has rounded edges and an inner fan to chill down the console throughout lengthy sport periods. Extra importantly, it might output video games in 4K to TVs, however just for choose video games.
From the January reveal trailer, a Pleasure-Con comparability between the Swap 1 (left) and Swap 2 (proper).
Pleasure-Cons
The Pleasure-Cons have been a marvel after they arrived on the primary Swap, and whereas they’re functionally comparable in its successor, there have been upgrades within the Swap 2’s controllers.
Authentic Swap: The Swap Pleasure-Cons are easy however highly effective controllers that slid on and off the console by way of plastic rails, connecting and recharging by way of pins on the facet. Detach and so they turn out to be their very own micro-controllers, with little shoulder buttons in addition.
A facet view of the Swap 2 Pleasure-Con (prime) in comparison with the Swap 1 Pleasure-Con (backside).
Swap 2: The brand new console’s Pleasure-Cons are bigger to suit the Swap 2, and lock into the facet of the console by way of highly effective magnets — there are small inward-facing buttons to the facet of ZR and ZL to detach the controllers from the console. The larger-size Pleasure-Cons have longer L and R outdoors shoulder buttons, in addition to a lot wider SL and SR inner shoulder buttons, that are accessible when indifferent from the console.
And sure, you should utilize the Swap 2 Pleasure-Cons as mice by putting their interior edges flat on a floor. In the course of the Nintendo Direct, we noticed it getting used to regulate lively motion video games just like the wheelchair basketball-simulating DragXDrive and technique video games like Civilization VII.
The Swap 2 appears to be like similar to the rumors stated.
Show dimension
Authentic Swap: The unique Swap has a 6.2-inch LCD display with 1,280×720-pixel decision, which was moderately spectacular at launch in 2017 however has been outclassed by newer handhelds with sharper shows. The Swap OLED upgraded this with a bigger 7-inch show exhibiting deeper blacks and colours, however no improve in decision. The Swap Lite has a 5.5-inch LCD display.
Swap 2: Unsurprisingly, the Swap 2’s bigger dimension means a bigger show. The brand new console has a 7.9-inch 1080p LCD display that may stand up to 120Hz refresh price in handheld mode, or as much as 4K when docked and outputting to a TV.
Why no OLED show? Presumably to avoid wasting on prices… or presumably to provide Nintendo room to launch a Swap 2 OLED model down the road.
Watch this: Extra Particulars of the Nintendo Swap 2 Revealed: Supercut
CPU/GPU
Authentic Swap: The unique Swap runs on an Nvidia customized Tegra X1 processor cut up into 4 ARM Cortex A57 CPU cores, and in line with Hackaday, there are 4 additional A53 cores that are not used.
Swap 2: As soon as once more, Nintendo hasn’t launched any official data on the Swap 2’s specs, even after the Nintendo Direct reveal stream — and so they most the corporate reveals is that it has a “customized processor made by Nvidia” on the Swap 2’s official specs web page. Nvidia confirmed it additionally has a customized GPU, claiming that the brand new console has “10x the graphics efficiency” of the Swap 1, and the customized processor’s AI-powered options embody Deep Studying Tremendous Sampling (DLSS), face monitoring and background removing for video chat and real-time ray tracing.
We do nonetheless have extra supposed particulars from earlier leaks. Months in the past on X (previously Twitter), leaker Zuby_Tech posted that the Swap 2’s CPU shall be an eight-core Arm Cortex A78C. Additionally they recommended that the GPU shall be an Nvidia T239 Ampere, aligning with years of comparable rumors reported on by Eurogamer and others concerning the customized chip, which derives from Nvidia’s Tegra line of chips for smartphones and cell units.
RAM and storage
Authentic Swap. The Swap has 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, expandable as much as 2TB by way of microSD playing cards within the slot beneath the kickstand.
Swap 2: Even after the reveal stream, Nintendo did not launch official specs for RAM. Leaker Zuby_Tech posted on X again in September suggesting the Swap 2 may have 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. That leak additionally recommended the brand new console may have two inner followers, up from the one one within the unique Swap.
Nintendo did verify that the brand new console may have 256GB of onboard storage, which may be expanded with particular microSD Categorical playing cards — sorry, your previous Swap-compatible microSD playing cards will not work on the Swap 2.
Battery life
Authentic Swap: The unique Swap packs a 4,310-mAh battery, which supplies between 4.5 and 9 hours of battery life relying on display brightness and different components.
Swap 2: Although Nintendo did not launch particulars on the Swap 2’s capability within the reveal stream, the corporate does listing specs on its web site, exhibiting it packs a 5,220mAh battery. Whereas that is notably bigger than the one in its predecessor, Nintendo estimates this may solely get gamers between an estimated 2 and 6.5 hours, relying on video games performed.
A screenshot from Nintendo’s Swap 2 introduction video exhibiting the console’s topside and the brand new second USB-C port subsequent to the three.5mm headphone jack and, presumably, the cartridge slot to the best.
Ports
Authentic Swap: The primary Swap sports activities a single USB-C port out the underside, a 3.5mm headphone jack on the highest and Wi-Fi 5 plus Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity. On the highest is a slot on the prime for Swap sport cartridges in addition to the microSD slot beneath the kickstand on the rear of the console.
Swap 2: The Swap 2 retains the unique’s USB-C port on the underside and three.5mm jack on the highest whereas including one other USB-C port topside, and now we all know what it is for: to attach with equipment just like the Nintendo Swap Digicam, a webcam-like digital camera on a stand to allow you to do Nintendo’s model of FaceTiming whilst you play video games with your mates.
Nintendo hasn’t clarified the console’s connectivity choices, and rumors are scarce on the topic.
As for cartridges, Swap 2 will play some unique Swap video games in bodily variations. The cartridge slot is to the best of the headphone jack within the above picture, which is the place the slot is on the unique Swap. You may inform sport cartridges from the 2 console generations aside by shade: ones for the brand new Swap 2 are pink, whereas older Swap 1 video games are black.
Watch this: We Performed Nintendo Swap 2: Mario, Donkey Kong, Mouse, Digicam and a Lot Extra
