StarTopic Future Nintendo Hardware & Technology Speculation & Discussion |ST| (Read the staff posts before commenting!)

[Concernt]

That has only been true since the Wii, though. It was definitely a focus for Nintendo before their "blue ocean" strategy.

Sorta. They've never really chased the biggest and best and most modern. NES wasn't cutting edge when it came out and had a pretty "blue ocean" strategy for the time. SNES was on top for maybe a year before other companies were nipping at its heels, and N64, while graphically competent, wasn't hitting the cutting edge with cartridges.

Nintendo, back then and now, seems to target an "experience" more than a performance profile. When you're making home consoles with minimal gimmicks that tends to lean towards graphics. When you're making a hybrid? Performance is still a genuine concern. Nintendo Switch, realistically, had about as good a GPU as it could have at the time, given what was available in mobile SOCs when manufacturing began. No reason to expect different this time, it'll probably use about as good a GPU as it possibly can for its size and power consumption. That appears to be what T239 is. At 4N, what with sub-4nm nodes being basically unobtainable for most companies, nevermind at the prices Nintendo needs, it's about as good as one could expect. I only desperately hope that it is indeed 4N.

 

[Deleted member 887]

That has only been true since the Wii, though. It was definitely a focus for Nintendo before their "blue ocean" strategy.

This is Miyamoto talking about the N64

I think that a lot of the reasons that Zelda has been so praised are not related the N64's level of expression, the unique camera systems and auto-jump system, nor the gorgeous cinema scenes and spectacular boss fights. It is true that some other team may realize the level of expression that we achieved with Zelda, but of course it will not be the exact same as Zelda. With improved hardware, I can imagine Zelda having more detailed graphics and a quicker response time, but when it comes to increasing the degree of fun, I cannot be certain of that at this time.

And before him, Miyamoto was a student of Gunpei Yokoi. Nintendo’s philosophy of pursuing performance is tied to their philosophy of gameplay

 

[lexony]

My honest two cents on Virtual Reality and Augment Reality:

Nintendo has never been like Sony and Microsoft in the sense that their goal is to release a video game box capable of the most high-end graphics and performance possible.

I mention this because, in my mind, Nintendo will say: look, we have a winning form factor of home and handheld experiences all in one, plus a stelar lineup of first party software. We’ve peaked in terms of the graphical output we need to deliver the experiences we want.

I think that the Switch 3 might be the console Nintendo uses to deliver AR and VR related experiences. And by that time, they’ve more than already finished Nintendo World, and they’ll release some software related to that. A Nintendo World game with AR and VR gameplay

I would say though that the Switch changed their approach to new ideas of experiences at least a little bit. Their goal with the Switch was to some extend to make it conventional and powerful enough to keep the needs of third parties in mind. At the time of release it maybe was not the strongest piece of tech ever but it still was quite powerful for a mobile device. A 2017 handheld by Sony, Valve or whatever wouldn‘t have been more powerful. So they definitely went "all out" for the price they wanted it to sell.

Unique experiences are important to them and I‘m sure there will be something special to the next Nintendo console. But I think they need to have it at least in the same Ball Park of the other consoles otherwise they could run really fast in a WiiU situation again. So I think to provide some form of conventional experiences and implement by the market accepted new technologies for devs will stay part of their hardware strategy.

This maybe dosen‘t seem too important from a First Party perspective where they can do whatever they want. And those games clearly are the main drivers of the Switch especially in the later years. But I‘m sure Nintendo needs third parties and Indies to stay relevant, especially early on of a consoles live. That the Switch got Minecraft, Fortnite and Overwatch was a huge deal.

 

[Ars2439]

Even if there's no evidence I'm stoked to see that VR/AR isn't off the table yet. I could easily sink hundreds of hours into a VR Mariokart, it's just about the only thing I really want to see from the industry right now.
There are multiple problems with taking a Pimax Portal approach though, with the 8 inch screen being the most glaring issue. LABO-style VR with a screen that big would be cumbersome at best. It'd make more sense to see it as a separate wired unit to make it cheaper and lighter, also removing the need for a battery.

 

[MadMarvainy]

I would say though that the Switch changed their approach to new ideas of experiences at least a little bit. Their goal with the Switch was to some extend to make it conventional and powerful enough to keep the needs of third parties in mind. At the time of release it maybe was not the strongest piece of tech ever but it still was quite powerful for mobile device. A 2017 handheld by Sony, Valve or whatever wouldn‘t have been more powerful. So they definitely went "all out" for the price they wanted it to sell.

Unique experiences are important to them and I‘m sure there will be something special to the next Nintendo console. But I think they need to have it at least in the same Ball Park of the other consoles otherwise they could run really fast in a WiiU situation again. So I think to provide some form of conventional experiences and implement by the market accepted new technologies for devs will stay part of their hardware strategy.

This maybe dosen‘t seem too important from a First Party perspective where they can do whatever they want. And those games clearly are the main drivers of the Switch especially in the later years. But I‘m sure Nintendo needs third parties and Indies to stay relevant, especially early on of a consoles live. That the Switch got Minecraft, Fortnite and Overwatch was a huge deal.

Well said, it got games like Apex, Smite, and even Rogue Company as well. Obviously, those aren't as big as Fortnite and aren't as successful as the other two games you named but I think it bodes well for Switch 2. It will keep getting these live service games as long as they can run on the platform well enough.

 

[Deleted member 5146]

Hmm, does the Switch 2 being a continuity console with estimated specs being on par with the higher-end of handheld PCs not indicate Nintendo's approach towards hardware capability is moving again in the right direction?

 

[Kise Ryota]

It'd make more sense to see it as a separate wired unit to make it cheaper and lighter

This is the way.

I would make something like the magic leap 2. You would have a proper HMD (the sensors, cameras, lenses, 2k-per-eye screen) and you would connect the HMD to the tablet (wired). The tablet would be attached to your body using a support (Nintendo loves something like that).

This solution would be good because it would be cheaper for consumers, nintendo wouldn't need to use Switch's components (SoC, ram, etc) on the HMD (so it wouldn't interfere with Switch's production), and it would offer a good experience because the HMD would be lighter and comfortable.

 

[Saturnman789]

Hmm, does the Switch 2 being a continuity console with estimated specs being on par with the higher-end of handheld PCs not indicate Nintendo's approach towards hardware capability is moving again in the right direction?

Honestly when we consider the leaked specs and all, it feels like the Switch Successor is closer to being a portable Xbox Series S than a mini-ps4, especially when you take into account DLSS and The architecture being nearly a decade newer than the ps4's.

Hopefully the "impressive" comment is implying something like this, it would be so awesome man!

And I bet third parties would be really happy to finally work on a nintendo console with some actual muscle to it. If its powerful enough to handle the latest AAA releases (Thanks to the series S for creating more optimized ports, possibly and indirectly benefitting the switch successor) and the online is decent enough, you really wouldn't need to own any other console hahaha!

And yeah nintendo's approach seems different now, like they really want to give us the best gaming experience they possibly can, while also sticking to the creative nintendo magic we've seen since the ds.

 

[Serif]

They went in the right direction with the Switch, packing an HD screen and full set of controls in their handheld and running their flagship 3D Zelda at better performance than their last gen home console while in portable mode, marketing one of the most popular AAA open-world RPGs in their reveal trailer. Switch performance is memed constantly now but in 2017 it felt like the future, there was nothing else like it. Going from a 3DS to that felt like a luxury. It was clear they learned their lesson. Nintendo knows they have no real competition in the handheld and hybrid space so they can just continue to iterate to make the best hybrid with a ton of features, while at the same time being hyper-cognizant of the Wii U mistakes and the fact that the Switch is now their only gaming console.

I don't think the potential specs of Switch 2 are a surprise considering the relative power of the Tegra X1 at the time of release, much stronger than the PS3/360 in a mobile chipset about a decade after those consoles released. We're almost at a decade since the PS4, and we're most likely getting a mobile chipset stronger than it in handheld mode. I don't believe this pattern can go on forever (could a 2030 mobile chipset be as strong as a PS5 while still being affordable?) but it doesn't have to thanks to diminishing returns and upscaling techniques. I watched some footage of recent base PS4 games and they looked fantastic, and that's just the minimum expectation.

A game that looks like this running on an 8 inch tablet, I am more than satisfied.

 

[Hermii]

Hmm, does the Switch 2 being a continuity console with estimated specs being on par with the higher-end of handheld PCs not indicate Nintendo's approach towards hardware capability is moving again in the right direction?

Honestly Nintendo going with the TX1 for the Switch indicated that. This is just continuing that trend.

Edit: Damnit, @Serif beat me to it.

 

[KeijiKG]

Hmm, does the Switch 2 being a continuity console with estimated specs being on par with the higher-end of handheld PCs not indicate Nintendo's approach towards hardware capability is moving again in the right direction?

"high end handheld PCs?"

Nintendo's current hardware pool is post-A78 Android Tablet grade hardware that supports ray-tracing. I wouldn't go as far as pitting it against a Ryzen Z1 or anything like that just yet.

 

[Turrican3]

That is... Not what I meant.

And I sure hope it doesn't work like that!

What I mean is:

* Hidden text: cannot be quoted. *

I apologize for the misunderstanding.

Though personally, I believe a pointing system that uses a fixed reference like the sensor bar is not THAT bad. Definitely better than one that relies on the user manually recentering if you ask me.

 

[Turrican3]

That has only been true since the Wii, though. It was definitely a focus for Nintendo before their "blue ocean" strategy.

Mostly true in the home console space up to and including the Gamecube, but we shouldn't forget what they did with their handhelds. While there were huge technical (batteries, performance) constraints since the beginning, I think it's fair to state they never ever targeted the cutting edge with this - extremely significant! - market segment.

I'd argue they're now somewhat in the middle-upper tier though, that is, assuming the rumoured specs end up being true and of course taking into account we're still in the mobile space, hence it probably makes little to no sense making comparisons to WAY less constrained platforms.

I mean diminishing returns are definitely a thing (the Switch just happens to be the most recent confirmation that the masses aren't really THAT interested in playing with the most powerful available hardware) and unless a major technological shift happens, I'm quite confident will help keeping Nintendo relevant as long as their games are deemed worthwhile AND they don't make stupid design choices with their hardware (i.e. making them inherently unattractive, WiiU says hi)

 

[TechnicalTip6578]

Hero's leak aside, i'd like to ask: assuming the console is possibly as strong as PS4 pro/Xbox series s, would something like FF7R be a "perfect game" to demonstrate the strength of the hardware?
Because i've talked with some friends long ass time ago about what third party game is "perfect" for such a thing, most thrownaway names are Elden Ring, RDR2 or any game that pushed PS4/XONE to its limit

 

[ShadowFox08]

Now, this does mean 32GB carts would be more widely used, followed by 64GB, and possibly 128GB carts, but those are easily within feasibility for the masses. Personally, I don’t see this being the bottleneck some are suggesting. If anything, I think the speed of the carts themselves, plus internal, and expandable storage are more of a concern.

I don't think we'll get to 128 GB carts on Switch 2. I think the use of 62 GB carts will be as rare as 32GB on switch.

All this talk about ff7r.. Makes me curious if a switch release is being considered and how it would look on it. Would it be a "miracle" poet like Doom and Tfw Witcher? We'll see

 

[YolkFolk]

I don't think we'll get to 128 GB carts on Switch 2. I think the use of 62 GB carts will be as rare as 32GB on switch.

All this talk about ff7r.. Makes me curious if a switch release is being considered and how it would look on it. Would it be a "miracle" poet like Doom and Tfw Witcher? We'll see

Wouldn’t be the same situation as Doom or Witcher since it would be a storage issue only. Those two games were designed with much stronger hardware in mind compared to Switch whereas FFVII Remake was designed for a console which will be in the same ballpark as Switch 2. The obvious solution to storage is that some of the game would be on cartridge and the rest would be a download.

 

[Bonejack]

Looks like my post caused some page long discussions, huh? I almost feel bad for posting this shortly before i went into my weekend. ;D

I'm curious what the fake/wrong/dubious parts of the OG rumor/leak are (/end up), given the most of it is (or appears) to be unrelated to anything Switch 2 and is about dev progress in Atlus/SQEX games.

 

[ITSMILNER]

Is it that parts of it are fake/wrong or just that some of the info hasn’t been heard by the ones saying it’s fake? Not everyone hears everything right?

 

[ILikeFeet]

Hmm, does the Switch 2 being a continuity console with estimated specs being on par with the higher-end of handheld PCs not indicate Nintendo's approach towards hardware capability is moving again in the right direction?

You're gonna be disappointed then

 

[Maxrunner]

Hopefully the "impressive" comment is implying something like this, it would be so awesome man!

There were comments on specs?

 

[Rabash]

I don't think we'll get to 128 GB carts on Switch 2. I think the use of 62 GB carts will be as rare as 32GB on switch.

All this talk about ff7r.. Makes me curious if a switch release is being considered and how it would look on it. Would it be a "miracle" poet like Doom and Tfw Witcher? We'll see

No matter how powerful the Switch 2 is, if Nintendo isn't able to offer affordable 64+ GB cartridges to developers, we won't get big AAA titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Final Fantasy XVI, Elden Ring or Call of Duty.

 

[Hermii]

There were comments on specs?

Nate said what he heard was "delightful" and "impressive", interpret is as you wish.

But we more or less known the full specs for well over a year, so the only thing that can happen is that the last few blanks are filled in, which won't really change much one way or another imo.

 

[ghostboltz]

Most likely is that we will start hearing about leaks in 2 weeks from now.

 

[ILikeFeet]

No matter how powerful the Switch 2 is, if Nintendo isn't able to offer the developers affordable 64+ GB cartridges, we won't get big AAA titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Final Fantasy XVI, Elden Ring or Call of Duty.

Nah I don't believe that. Most of these studios are fine with putting a code in a box. Hell there ain't even a physical for Red Dead Redemption 1 yet.

 

[SoldierDelta]

No matter how powerful the Switch 2 is, if Nintendo isn't able to offer the developers affordable 64+ GB cartridges, we won't get big AAA titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Final Fantasy XVI, Elden Ring or Call of Duty.

I mean... Nier Automata's steam page is listed as 50gb while the Switch version is 11gb total. Compression is possible, it's just that game devs are kinda unwilling to compress.

There's also the technical wonder that is Borderlands 3 on Switch, so frankly I don't even know anymore.

 

[Shoulder]

I don't think we'll get to 128 GB carts on Switch 2. I think the use of 62 GB carts will be as rare as 32GB on switch.

All this talk about ff7r.. Makes me curious if a switch release is being considered and how it would look on it. Would it be a "miracle" poet like Doom and Tfw Witcher? We'll see

Going to disagree on this one. Compared to Tegra X1 with PS4/Xbone, the T239 chip has a much shorter gap in performance to the current gen systems. That does not mean those impossible ports won’t become a thing at all, but more titles will be easily achievable than before. This also has a net benefit since the Switch platform itself is hugely popular with consumers, and developers, Switch 2 is likely to continue that.

And as far as 64GB carts being as rare as 32GB, I think we need to increase the fact not by 2, but by 4 given the leap in performance between X1, and Drake (performance to game size ratio though isn’t linear, and compression techniques might shrink game sizes even further than we think)

128GB carts I see as the real rare beast.

 

[Deleted member 3433]

No matter how powerful the Switch 2 is, if Nintendo isn't able to offer the developers affordable 64+ GB cartridges, we won't get big AAA titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Final Fantasy XVI, Elden Ring or Call of Duty.

You can see the prices of current memory as an investment. Macronix will likely give developers and publishers significantly more memory for the physical releases. 64GB will likely be nothing. See the increase in memory from the 3DS to Switch.

 

[Bonejack]

While i agree in thinking that Nintendo would do best to get the 64GB carts down to a reasonable price, they could maybe help devs out by offering a good compression and decompression solution for them to implement in a ReDraketed version.

It's not going to fix the entire problem, but i'd say at least for non GaaS / heavy multiplayer games it's a viable "better than nothing" thing.

 

[Skittzo]

While i agree in thinking that Nintendo would do best to get the 64GB carts down to a reasonable price, they could maybe help devs out by offering a good compression and decompression solution for them to implement in a ReDraketed version.

It's not going to fix the entire problem, but i'd say at least for non GaaS / heavy multiplayer games it's a viable "better than nothing" thing.

From what I remember T239 does include a dedicated decompression hardware feature. File decompression engine or something like that.

 

[Bonejack]

From what I remember T239 does include a dedicated decompression hardware feature. File decompression engine or something like that.

Well, i didn't know that. That would be good.

Question remains if it's fast enough for what devs would need. And if it isn't, if Nintendo / nVidia would be able to build upon that for a viable solution. ^^

 

[lemonfresh]

Dont the cloud only games do bad a lot of the time though, will devs really push the cloud only games going foward. I heard the kh ports werent so hot

 

[SoldierDelta]

From what I remember T239 does include a dedicated decompression hardware feature. File decompression engine or something like that.

If that's true, then that's the best thing we can ask for.
As i said, developers seem to be mostly allergic to the idea of compression so an automated way of doing that would be amazing.

 

[metonight]

So, it looks like Drake has a File Decompression Engine, a new piece of hardware which isn't on Orin.

A while ago after it was found out that Drake is using an 8 core CPU from a Linux commit message, I had a browse around myself and found some differences in some of the hardware blocks between Orin and Drake. Most of these are pretty understandable (removing automotive-focussed hardware), but one of them has stuck in my brain for a while, which is that there's a new block on Drake that's not on Orin, labelled FDE. I find this interesting because if it's on Drake but not on Orin, it would likely be something requested by Nintendo, or at least something that's of particular usefulness for a games console.

I just found a commit which solves the conundrum. The commit message simply reads:



I've also found a LinkedIn profile of a Nvidia employee which mentions FDE being "File Decompression Engine for games". I won't share it here, as I don't really feel comfortable posting links to random people's social media on public forums, but you can find it easily enough if you search. In any case, if the block is on Drake but not Orin, then it's not a huge leap to say it's for games.

A File Decompression Engine makes a lot of sense for a games console. Decompressing files as they're read from disk has a significant CPU overhead, something Nintendo are clearly well aware of, as Switch features a CPU boost mode specifically for improving loading times. It's a clear win for a fixed-function block like this, as modern game engines are constantly loading (and decompressing) assets from disk, and doing so on dedicated hardware will be more efficient in terms of transistors and power than throwing more CPU cores at it. Sony have gone this route with the PS5, where they've licensed both an algorithm and the hardware IP from an external source, whereas Nvidia seem to have done this in-house.

I think this is a pretty good sign for the next Switch. I've been saying for quite a while that dedicated decompression hardware would be a sensible thing to add to the new console, so it's good to see Nintendo and Nvidia thinking along the same lines. Of course it doesn't mean anything like PS5 load speeds, and we're still going to be limited by the read speeds of game cards, internal storage and removable storage, but it suggests Nintendo are serious about improving load speeds and decreasing CPU overhead of asset streaming. Which bodes well for them also using faster storage media too.

Here the OG post about FDE for those who are interested.

 

[Spork4000]

If that's true, then that's the best thing we can ask for.
As i said, developers seem to be mostly allergic to the idea of compression so an automated way of doing that would be amazing.

Games would be WAY bigger if devs were allergic to compression. Some are better at it that others, but pretty much every modern game makes heavy use of it. Otherwise they'd all be 300GB+

 

[PedroNavajas]

Cloud In general do bad. People with limited income with Switch as only system will also have less than ideal internet service along with a low quality wirless router. People with the disposable income and the enthusiast insentive to have and maintain high quality internet will likely have access to other version of the game.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Well, i didn't know that. That would be good.

Question remains if it's fast enough for what devs would need. And if it isn't, if Nintendo / nVidia would be able to build upon that for a viable solution. ^^

I doubt the hardware decompression will be the bottleneck. moving data off storage first will be the hold up. that's a very power dependent task, which can't be spared in a battery-powered handheld

 

[Lancelot]

Hmm, does the Switch 2 being a continuity console with estimated specs being on par with the higher-end of handheld PCs not indicate Nintendo's approach towards hardware capability is moving again in the right direction?

Yes, pretty much... Though that wouldn't be new since the original Switch was actually a rather powerful handheld for its time, they're just going one step further by making a customized chip specifically designed for gaming.

 

[Lancelot]

"high end handheld PCs?"

Nintendo's current hardware pool is post-A78 Android Tablet grade hardware that supports ray-tracing. I wouldn't go as far as pitting it against a Ryzen Z1 or anything like that just yet.

It will defeat the Ryzen Z1 in practice though... Especially in the efficiency department, since they're designing it around the memory bandwidth and power budget that the Z1 chips struggle to perform at. Steam Deck already matches it in the TDPs that don't decimate the battery (<5w) and nobody wants a single hour of battery life I suppose. How is this not the absolutely best (not just in performance) chip available currently? Even with the A78s being three years old as the A710s and beyond are too inefficient for the time being?

 

[PedroNavajas]

"high end handheld PCs?"

Nintendo's current hardware pool is post-A78 Android Tablet grade hardware that supports ray-tracing. I wouldn't go as far as pitting it against a Ryzen Z1 or anything like that just yet.

CPU wise? Yes, the Ryzen's are faster and will likely be better than whatever the Switch 2 will have. That CPU is even a competitor to the PS5/XBSX: At max clocks the Z1E should be considerably faster. Let's remember that the 7840u is, first of all, an 8 cores Zen 4 laptop chip that was designed to do profesional tasks. The Z1E is a 7840 with some features disabled.

GPU wise? If it's really TSMC 4nm then it has good odds of beating the Z1E at reasonable battery life (the Rog last well under 1 hour at turbo mode).

 

[Ojoloco]

Nah I don't believe that. Most of these studios are fine with putting a code in a box. Hell there ain't even a physical for Red Dead Redemption 1 yet.

There are a physical edition of RDR1 coming to switch.

 

[Deleted member 887]

I don't wanna yuck anyone's yum - but a Series S level of performance is likely impossible.

Speculate all you want, I just don't want a sort of "spec inflation" to happen where at some point the wildly optimistic becomes the default, and a new wildly optimistic emerges beyond that.

 

[TechnicalTip6578]

I don't wanna yuck anyone's yum - but a Series S level of performance is likely impossible.

Speculate all you want, I just don't want a sort of "spec inflation" to happen where at some point the wildly optimistic becomes the default, and a new wildly optimistic emerges beyond that.

understandable, it's just i thought that based on what we know & heard so far, it is sorta comparable or at least close to something like Series S

 

[ILikeFeet]

There are a physical edition of RDR1 coming to switch.

I know. but the game is doing exceptionally well in its digital only form, which is where I think the majority of its sales will come from. the need for physical has been diminished for western studios. while Nintendo systems are the hold out, I don't think it'll be for long. Drake might be that turn of the tide for western companies. if they really need physical, a code in the box or a license key on a game card would be the go-to option

understandable, it's just i thought that based on what we know & heard so far, it is sorta comparable or at least close to something like Series S

it is close in the sense that there might not be that big of an IQ difference. but asset changes and frame rate changes would still be on the table

 

[Lancelot]

I don't wanna yuck anyone's yum - but a Series S level of performance is likely impossible.

Speculate all you want, I just don't want a sort of "spec inflation" to happen where at some point the wildly optimistic becomes the default, and a new wildly optimistic emerges beyond that.

The baseline for docked always was PS4 Pro+ with all the hardware features, anyway. Memory bandwidth limitations alone will make such a thing impossible... It's still closer in spirit to Series S only because of the 7 years old tech PS4 Pro uses.

 

[TechnicalTip6578]

it is close in the sense that there might not be that big of an IQ difference. but asset changes and frame rate changes would still be on the table

that's understandable, i sadly tend to raise my expectations & sometimes think the specs are mostly comparable to series s lol

either way, hoping it isn't seen as "dated" hardware in 2025 & beyond among many devs

 

[Serif]

If it ends up down the line that current gen ports to Switch 2 run at 'low' settings with a low internal resolution that is DLSS'd or FSR'd to 1080p, that is still much better than the current state of 'impossible' ports which tend to cap out at dynamic 720p. 'Low' settings still look good in many games, and even upscaled 1080p looks acceptable at a distance. Having tested DLSS Ultra Performance, even though the artifacts are noticeable, I would be more than happy at that level of IQ to get a demanding game running. I understand there's a CPU gap too, if they end up needing to cut features from a game or reduce enemy density or whether, then so be it. Even the Series S is beginning to remove parity.

 

[Deleted member 5146]

You're gonna be disappointed then

Wouldn't put money on that, it's almost 2024 and I'm still not let down in any way by the Switch itself

 

[Lancelot]

that's understandable, i sadly tend to raise my expectations & sometimes think the specs are mostly comparable to series s lol

either way, hoping it isn't seen as "dated" hardware in 2025 & beyond among many devs

Of course it'll be dated hardware by 2025, but all indications point towards 2024 as the release date. Even for then, it's going to hold up pretty damn well.

 

[prizna]

Has there been any more credible talk on BC for the Switch 2?

 

[Dekuman]

Sorta. They've never really chased the biggest and best and most modern. NES wasn't cutting edge when it came out and had a pretty "blue ocean" strategy for the time. SNES was on top for maybe a year before other companies were nipping at its heels, and N64, while graphically competent, wasn't hitting the cutting edge with cartridges.

Nintendo, back then and now, seems to target an "experience" more than a performance profile. When you're making home consoles with minimal gimmicks that tends to lean towards graphics. When you're making a hybrid? Performance is still a genuine concern. Nintendo Switch, realistically, had about as good a GPU as it could have at the time, given what was available in mobile SOCs when manufacturing began. No reason to expect different this time, it'll probably use about as good a GPU as it possibly can for its size and power consumption. That appears to be what T239 is. At 4N, what with sub-4nm nodes being basically unobtainable for most companies, nevermind at the prices Nintendo needs, it's about as good as one could expect. I only desperately hope that it is indeed 4N.

It was a different kind of time.
the NES was quite powerful when released, largely because Atari self selected out of the market and the nearest competition most people were familiar with was the 2600. Even Atari's successors like the 7800, while more powerful in some aspects, had a lot of cost cutting built in that hampered it.

the SNES was quite powerful for its time. I think its graphics chip was quite advanced. While it had ample competition from more powerful systems, it bested the competition that mattered, the MD/Gensis

N64 too was kind of unique in that it did 3D really well at a time when GPUs weren't popular in PCs. It wasn't until the GPUs (Voodoo 3?) became popular on PCs that the dynamic changed.

Edit: console designs have also evolved. Back in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, custom designs and chips were common. The SNES for example could do things that even the Neo Geo AES couldn't do, because the neo geo was designed to play SNK's arcade games and just pushed a lot of sprites. The SNES graphics chip could do stuff like trasnparencies that had to be faked on many other platforms.