How The Switch 2 Could Do 4K@120fps

[Ck1x]

JEMC said:

Ck1x said:

The only problem I see with this is that even Nvidia are off of the Carmel cores idea they just recently licensed out usage of Hercules, so that probably has the better chance of making it into Switch 2. When it comes to Nvidia we currently don't have a real world example of just how efficient their technology is on 7nm or lower, so it can be a little hard to imagine how many cores Nvidia could squeeze into a chip the size of Tegra X1 or slightly larger. 

All of the new gpu advancements that Nvidia are showing and proving work, couldn't benefit anyone more right now than Nintendo with their next system. I kind of get those GC reminiscent days of when that system was so well built and thought out that it was doing some graphical effects in hardware that the others just weren't set-up for. It completely allowed for some impossible looking games running on it, with also punching way above its status specs wise...

Correct me if I'm wrong (I know very little about AMR processors), but aren't those Hercules chips designed for security tasks? I wouldn't rule out the possibility that Nvidia has licensed them just to make their own SoC more safe.

As for the node and TDP of the SoC inside the Switch' successor, we should remember that we're not only talking about Nvidia, but also Nintendo. The Switch launched with original Tegra X1 chips made at a 20nm node (already dated) and, despite that chip being rated at 15W TDP, Nintendo lowered clocks to reduce heat and power consumption even more.

I don't think Nintendo will jump to 7, much less 5nm tech, and the chip will also have to use very little power to make it suitable for a handheld without burning the owners hands.

Considering it is the codename in the ARM client cpu roadmap, I'm not sure if it can have multiple purposes and whether or not Nintendo jumps to 7nm or 5nm would really depend on what type of deal Nvidia and Nintendo can leverage from Samsung, since they are actively looking to acquire more fabrication business away from TSMC.

Again the X1 wasn't that old considering Switch was originally supposed to release holiday 2016 and I'm sure Nvidia probably gave Nintendo a great deal seeing as how Switch easily cleared out whatever X1 stockpiles they might have had(Maybe even with future promise to deliver a cutting edge chip to Nintendo for the next Switch). Not to mention those were stagnant times for node reductions, many of the foundries were struggling to get finfet up and running. 

I mentioned before that Nintendo did a 1 billion dollar deal with IBM just for cpu tech, so they aren't strangers to spending money if it benefits the long game. They're all in on Switch as it's currently their only avenue for generating longevity in the hardware space, so we might conclude this as a sign of them getting more aggressive instead of less. I only mention that because they don't have another successful platform to fall back on like the did with 3ds, when WiiU was failing...

https://www.arm.com/company/news/2018/08/accelerating-mobile-and-laptop-performance

Last edited by Ck1x - on 15 April 2020