Topic: The Nintendo Switch Rumor and Speculation Thread

@TheFrenchiestFry
To be fair the PS3 in terms of hardware was a completely different system to the PS2. Pretty much nothing stayed the same. Similar with the PS4 coming from the PS3 and similar with the XBox going through those generations. Not so much with this current console generation transition and probably won't be with the Switch and whatever comes after it.

The Switch brand is strong so why release something that distances themselves from that brand? Why drop support for people who are already invested in the platform? If they don't have to, if they can keep forward compatibility going I see no reason for the Switch to get a "successor"

Except that Xavier users a Carmel CPU while both the X1 and Orin use ARM Cortex A__ CPUs. Although I do agree that Orin does seem a bit of a stretch right now, also kind why I thought Xavier made more sense early on. There are no products available yet with Orin so still a bit early.

With that said, Nintendo released the 2019 Switch revision in July 2019 before Nvidia released their new Android TVs based on the same revised X1 in October 2019. So it's not unprecedented.

I'd think that any Switch successor, be it a mid-gen refresh or an entirely new concept, will most likely use a custom designed chip. The X1 was highly unusual in that Nvidia developed it with an eye to the gaming market and, since it was a very good fit for what Nintendo wanted to do with the Switch anyway, they were able to pretty much take it off the shelf. The X1+ was also just a die shrink to a not exactly cutting edge 16nm process so an easy win-win for both parties.

However, with Nvidia having subsequently taken the Tegra line down a different route, more aimed at the automotive market, that seems unlikely to happen again. I suppose it's possible that Orin will give them what they want, but it's not like they couldn't go to Nvidia, specify how many cores, compute units, clock speeds, that it's got to have total compatibility with existing Switch code, etc. and still get a great deal if they're buying 50 million of them. That's basically what AMD are doing for both Sony and Microsoft at the moment, after all.

@skywake My understanding is that the Carmel CPU should be compatible with ARM Cortex A. It was part of Nvidia's Project Denver which was their attempt to create their own ARM design, like Apple have done. Unlike Apple it wasn't successful in the market so they abandoned the project and reverted back to licensing Arms own designs (and now want to buy Arm!).

Regarding the Shield set top box, I just assumed Nvidia had an agreement with Nintendo to relaunch it with the Tegra X1+ after the Switch Lite came out. As it was, details of the Mariko codename leaked via Linux driver updates before the Switch Lite was released. So, if there is a new SoC coming to Switch, I'd assume the Shield will get it as well. And driver updates to the Linux could be a reliable source of leaks in the future

@Matt_Barber I agree a lot with what you say about custom chips. However I've heard the argument about Tegra SoCs been designed for the automative market before as a reason for ruling out similar coming to Nintendo, and I don't get it. Yes, early Nintendo Tegra SoCs were aimed at consumer devices, but as Nvidia didn't have any modem technology they fell flat as smart devices became more mobile in the last decade. As Nvidia's GPU tech has taken off in the AI/ML (artificial intelligence/machine learning) enterprise market (where the cards are sold without video outputs), they've developed specialised Tensor core to accelerate AI/ML code. They've then added Tensor cores to their RTX GPUs for gamers to use DLSS, and added Tensor cores to their Tegra SoCs to meet demand for industrial (including automative) appliances, and small mobile and IoT (internet of things) devices. The Xavier SoC is available in a number of models drawing power as high as 65W and as low as 10W. There's nothing purely automative about it, or Orin.

Orin hasn't been released yet, so kopite7kimi's leaks on Twitter could be based on insider information, or just pure speculation. The codenames he gives could be legit, or he could have just made them up based on what Nvidia has done in the past. But you can't rule something out just because Nvidia also sell variants to car companies

@TheFrenchiestFry Wasn't the 3DS on the market for 9 years?

Not about the Nintendo Switch but this is interesting. Valve is making their own Switch like handheld and it's going to cost at $400. And it also looks like Valve has worked with AMD to create a custom chip for it

https://www.steamdeck.com/en/

@TSR3 It's still kind of in the market but pretty much all of the pre-New models are now discontinued officially and it hasn't gotten any major support from developers since 2019. Its last notable game was pretty much Persona Q2

@Aeon7 This sounds amazing actually. I'm actually really hyped for something like this

I'm curious to see how it'll compete with the Switch and what Nintendo and Nvidia's response will be. Assuming if the Steam Deck does well enough

@TheFrenchiestFry Quite like the look of it too. Pretty interesting model with a lot of control options.

Eh, I'll stick to my proper PC for Steam stuff ..... Still, I'll keep an eye on that!

I like the idea.

Then I saw the screen resolution that's also 7 inches big with bezels.

Then I saw the battery life

Then I saw the internal storage. That's not even one decent PC game.

So it's a $650 machine that plays games for 2 hours.

Also how does it work docked (sold separately), is it connected to mains or is it doing that off of battery?

@nessisonett Only thing that really irks me is the face button placement but it already looks miles better than a Steam controller or any of the other Steam Machines or mock up PC handhelds

Ugly but looks really comfortable to hold. Not sure about the touchpads, they are very close to the stick, seems easy to accidentally touch them, but will have to try it to be able to tell.

Price is quite decent £349 for what is a much more powerful machine than the Switch is competitive but the £459 model makes much more sense to buy.

The steam handheld looks, actually pretty good for its price, I really don't think its going to compete with the switch in anyway as they both have different types of game, I mean one can play PC games, and who doesn't want that, the other plays nintendo games, and even with that said nintendo isn't the type to compete, BUUUUUUT i'm hoping That this might, And its a very big might, scare nintendo a little bit so they might want to up there game.

Ugh what I'm I saying, Nintendo is not going to do that in a million years.

@Snatcher Nintendo come up with a concept. Everyone tries to make the most powerful version of it. SONY usually wins (with their branding) meanwhile Nintendo are rubbing their hands together thinking 'the fools, they are all making Switches. Get ready to announce our next idea.'

(or something)

@GrailUK LOL.

@Aeon7 I remember reading something about this a few months ago. At the time I assumed it would be similar to all the other £1000 Switch style PC clones. It doesn't look too bad actually, but the price is the most attractive feature
I'll look forward to the reviews. It may even get me back into PC gaming.

Honestly that Steam handheld could get me into casual PC gaming.

It's interesting how Valve stuck with a 7" 720p (up to 800) screen. I remember when Bloomberg first reported on the OLED screen, there seem to be a lot of people who wanted Nintendo to produce a perfect PC port machine for them, at minimal cost, and anything less than full HD 1080p was a rip off/cowardice/evil-capitalist-plot etc