According to supply chain sources, the SoC for Nintendo’s upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 will be manufactured by Samsung Foundry, breaking TSMC’s previous sole dominance. Currently, AMD and Sony are also in discussions with Samsung regarding potential future collaborations on the PS6 project.
The SoC powering the Nintendo Switch 2 is NVIDIA’s custom Tegra T239 chip, fabricated using Samsung’s 8nm process technology. This chip is based on the ARM Cortex-A78C architecture, featuring an 8-core CPU, with 6 cores optimized for gaming and 2 cores for system tasks. The GPU utilizes NVIDIA’s Ampere architecture with 1536 CUDA cores and supports dynamic frequency scaling, reaching 561MHz in handheld mode and up to 1400MHz in docked mode. For memory, the Switch 2 will be equipped with 12GB of LPDDR5X, with 9GB dedicated to game operation, a significant performance improvement over the original Switch. Furthermore, the chip supports DLSS 2.x/3.x technology, with a theoretical peak single-precision compute power of up to 4.3 TFLOPs, nearly a 10x increase from its predecessor.
Initially, the Tegra T239 was planned to use a more advanced 5nm process. However, Nintendo ultimately opted for the mature 8nm process to reduce production costs and ensure supply chain stability. The 8nm process, primarily used in NVIDIA’s RTX 30 series graphics cards, has a mature design and does not require extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment, leading to lower costs. Of course, following Nintendo’s usual pattern, a future “Switch 2 Pro” version, potentially featuring a Samsung 5nm chip and likely an OLED screen, cannot be ruled out.
Samsung Foundry’s high production capacity was one of the key factors in Nintendo’s decision to partner with them. External estimates suggest that Switch 2 sales will exceed 20 million units by March 2026, far surpassing the previous conservative estimate of 15 million units. Samsung’s manufacturing capability can ensure a sufficient chip supply, avoiding the pressure of competing with other manufacturers for TSMC’s advanced process resources. Additionally, Samsung’s 8nm process offers stable yield rates and fast delivery times, providing a guarantee for Nintendo’s mass production plans.
Samsung has also made significant progress in advanced process technologies. The first and second generations of their 3nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) process have achieved a target yield rate of 70%, showing initial potential to compete with TSMC. In contrast, while TSMC has a clear technological advantage in 3nm, its capacity allocation is limited by orders from major clients like Apple and NVIDIA. Samsung, by optimizing mature processes and improving advanced process yields, is actively trying to attract new clients.
In addition to Nintendo, AMD and Sony have also shown keen interest in Samsung’s foundry services. It’s reported that the two companies are discussing a project named “Jupiter.” This is rumored to be Sony’s next-generation handheld device, capable of running PS5 games at lower resolutions (e.g., 1080p). The SoC for this hardware is planned to use Samsung’s 2nm process. Development of Samsung’s 2nm process is reportedly progressing well, with current news suggesting yield performance comparable to TSMC’s.
The rise of Samsung Foundry has a profound impact on the global semiconductor industry. In the past, TSMC dominated the high-end chip foundry market due to its technological leadership and stable supply. However, Samsung, by increasing R&D investment and optimizing production processes, has gradually demonstrated competitiveness in 5nm, 3nm, and even 2nm processes.
Samsung’s collaboration with Nintendo signifies a quiet shift in the global semiconductor foundry market’s competitive landscape. As Samsung continues to push forward with advanced processes and capacity, its foundry business is expected to see new growth. In the future, whether Samsung can achieve greater breakthroughs in the 2nm process and consistently win industry trust will be key to challenging TSMC’s dominant position. The successful mass production and market performance of the Switch 2 will also serve as an important litmus test for Samsung’s foundry capabilities.