Rumour: Nintendo NX Will Be Powered By Nvidia's Mobile-Focused Tegra Tech

So excited for the eventual reveal! Can't be too long now 😊

From Eurogamer:

"What this means is that prior, plausible rumours of an AMD-powered console with PS4-beating performance and utilising x86 architecture are erroneous. NX is smaller, leaner, portable - and yes, less powerful."

One part of me is like, 'Yay!' while the other part is feeling pretty ho-hum about the above quote...

This rumour's at least a couple weeks old by now

Are these chips any good? I really hope they're going with the X2.

Go Nintendo!

If the NX really is some super-powerful handheld console, then I might splurge and get it next Christmas. I said no new hardware for me for a while, but a new handheld is... much harder to resist than a new home console.

More rumours and more uncertainty. Nintendo needs to get on with it and reveal the machine. More rumours mean that more and more people will fall in love with one possibility of the machine and inevitably, that means many people will be disappointed that their hopes for the machine aren't true and they wont want the system.

@Moon the Tegra X1 is still the most powerful SoC (at least in terms of GPU, im not sure about its CPU part... but its aimed for gaming so GPU comes first).

the Tegra X2 should be (obviously) better

Hopefully we're talking a Tegra X2 that will hopefully have much improvement. I have a Shield TV, great for emulation..not great if you're trying to compare it to a typical console like PS4 or Xbox One. Honestly some of its' ports aside from Doom 3 even come up short of the Xbox 360 and PS3. I realize this is an issue that will be somewhat rectified in the NX (more optimization as it won't be running on Android, Nintendo being involved, etc..) but a Tegra X1 would be really underwhelming in a console in 2017.

I like the sound of this.

@R9delta i mean XB360/PS3 level of power on a handheld is pretty mind blowing, not sure how this would work out tho, the Tegra X1 is kinda power hungry AND hot, so im kinda skeptical about the handheld part

@Faruko It NEEDS to have a decent battery life. Nintendo knows this. If they can combine incredible power with a good battery life, they'll have essentially made my dream handheld.

Those who read the news about PC gaming GPUs knows how much Nvidia is improving their video cards from year to year - which means generation to generation on the off-boards PC GPUs: more potent and capable cards consuming less energy and one generation making the last one almost obsolete while making cheaper cards more potent every year!

And they certainly put their know-how in good use in a SoC!

So, about graphics power, I believe we have a behemoth in terms of portable gaming!
And those videos in this article showed us what it can do!

Certainly not on par with the current and future generation of gaming consoles, but this Nvidia chip SUPPORTS UNREAL ENGINE 4!!
And may not have any trouble with updated Unity!

So Nintendo is avoiding a technology that does not supports mainstream updated engines - a big mistake for the WiiU.

Probably Nintendo won't use a next generation chip, due to their elevated costs - although there is a rumor that the NX won't be a cheap price platform.
Nintendo is always working on more cheap tech and not looking for the future in terms of processing power.
But this "problem" seems to be part of their policy as a company - and one that is surpassed by their incredible games!

I take all rumors wityh a gigantic grain of salt but I do hope that whatever the tech is, it is handheld based, that will broadcast to a TV (steamlink style) and it is AT LEAST as powerful as a PS4 (IT BETTER BE).

What we need to remember is that this device will support Breath of the Wild. No matter how powerful it is, that is our guideline here

So this is somewhat better than a PS3? This seems like a better version of Vita. I don't think this is what we wanted from the NX even if it ends up being a portable hybrid.

@Nintendofan83

It's the individuals fault if they choose to confuse "rumour" with "fact".

Must be fun reading all these NX rumors over at the Nintendo offices....

I really hope this is fake. I couldn't support another half baked gimmicky console. Mostly because nintendont support it once it starts to falter. If it's at the same level as the xboxone I just might give in. Any less and I'm going to be catching up on my backlog until this system has a good amount of support. Every game studio out there was excited for the Wii u. As the release day crept closer everybody started jumping ship. Hope this isn't round 2 of that.

@Angelic_Lapras_King not if some of these rumours are true and need nintendo reads the comments that say they are doomed and people will not buy the nx

It nice to hear NX will even better than Wii U, but i REALLY HATE that 2 sample videos on above. No NEED to USE ADULT games to show the performance, please.
I felt pissed off and disgust as a gamer. I want to see Ultra HD Kid-friendly sample games.

No offense, but the games in the video above look horribly dated and lifeless. Those look like a huge step down from Wii U to me.

So probably about equivalent power of the Wii U just in handheld form?
Pretty cool.

I wish I were tech (internals and behind the outerware) savy enough to understand and grasp what chips do what. So I probably don't have much to add to the discussion about how powerful this thing is or might be. I will say the prospect of a true portable/home console device is exciting. It's one of the aspects of the Wii U I've grown to love (the family can watch their TV shows while I can play a game on the Gamepad). So it sounds like this is being taken to the next level with the NX

With that being said, I am not totally buying or taking too much stock in any rumors until we get the official reveal from Nintendo.

Don't forget the cluster computing patent from a few months back - I'll bet the TV box element upscales to PS4 worthy power when playing on a tv

Looking more and more like NX is going to be mainly a mobile system.
Rumours that they are getting into vr also point to something like the galaxy gear headset setup.
If they use the X2 and it's mobile and it slots into a gear type headset it could be amazing.

@R9delta What? DOOM BFG runs 720p30fps on PS3 but 1080p60 on k1

@tysonfury Yes! What I want is a powerful portable with a really nice screen which joins forces with its base station console in the home to push out the same games in a higher resolution to your home TV/projector.

Now what media this would run is anyone's guess. I've always been a fan of physical media and box art (although now I'm older and have a family space is becoming more of a premium) but these days prefer digital games for a handheld for the convenience.

EDIT: Just seen the other article claiming that it will use cartridges. Kinda love that idea as I always felt more attached to cartridge games than optical discs.

So excited! Must try to keep expectations in check.
An expensive and powerful handheld that also connects to the telly is exactly what I want. Let it be true! Let it be true!

Another article on NX rumours while the other one is still going fast and furious? I wonder how many people will bother to migrate over?

I'm going back there, don't follow the tech stuff enough. though X1 or X2 would help explain why the new system is called Ntinedo X. Assuming the N is for Ntinedo and not "New" as in "New 3DS". The worst name they could possibly come up with would be 'New Wii U". Though it does kind of roll off the tongue. nu-wee-ewe

Another cool speculation and article. Nintendo is getting juicy. Watch out now... lol. Ok. This "NX" is going to make current console gaming a little irrelevant in terms of how we play. The mobile market is where the big business and profit is, so, Nintendo is not going to be foolish by neglecting the opportunity.

This is going to be fun

@BionicDodo I'm pretty confident the media will be DS style carts with pretty boxes, but with an emphasis on downloads first - much like Wii U has been this gen

Also, note that you guys are underestimating the K1. Don't forget, this baby supports Geforce Now. You can stream plenty of AAA games perfectly to your NX from anywhere in the world with Wifi. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt is one of those. It costs 8 dollars a month, but it gives you a full library of games.

@Grandpa_Pixel I'm actually quite happy about that. Being able to take an experience like Breath of the Wild with me and play at home on the same console sounds brilliant.

@rjejr It's a kind of a modular system, with a constellation of options (all connected by the cloud) - so I was thinking as a name: SuperStar

It would be kind of cool if your mobile can be the second screen when you're playing on the handheld

@tysonfury I'd be fine with that if they could get their eShop pricing right. I've bought tonnes of Vita and PS3 games at crazy prices in PS Store sales. The downloads cannot be more expensive than the cartridge from Amazon or it is not going to happen.

@MailOrderNinja I would be as well. And if it was a handheld, HD Pokémon?

@The_Ninja I wasn't complaining about Doom. In fact it's one of the few games on the Shield tv that actually run a lot better than the PS3/X360 versions. Trine 2, Borderlands Pre-sequel, and 2 run okay too but apart from that stuff like Metal Gear Rising, Resident Evil 5, the Half-Life series, and others run absolutely terrible. Granted the situation should be a little better on the NX but if the Shield TV is any near indication how games will look and run on it I'm not impressed for a 2017 console...for a handheld though it's fine, probably more than fine honestly.

My point is, if the NX is rolling with a Tegra X1 i'd keep the expectations in check for the NX as a console.

this might be true ... based on AMD's conference call they got 3 new semi custom builds coming up for Q3 and beyond.. AMD didn't get into any specifics... I believe one of them is the PS4 Neo and the other the XBOX scorpion... now if the new XBOX S or whatever it is has also a new chip that is not the same as the original XBOX One then this rumor might be legit...

personally I hope not.. I tend to like AMD at the moment

My biggest question would be how the X1 (or X2) compares to the Wii U. The Wii U can run Breath of the Wild as we've seen it. If the NX uses a chip that can do better than that, on a portable, I'll be pretty impressed.

For a handheld sounds awesome but home console/handheld hybrid system it don't sound powerful enough I still think Nintendo is going the two different systems route which works together the handheld will release in Japan first and the home console for the rest of the world.

good article, clear and verified information.
gg

IF the NX can be an handheld that can play x1/PS4 multiplatform games suddenly the Neo and Scorpio are no longer an direct threat to the NX, If Nintendo can gets itself involved in MS' cross network play deal the NX becomes very attractive as a replacement for basic X1/PS4 to sit along side the Neo/Scorpio.

@johnodaz there is nothing stopping them releasing a more powerful dock down the line (much like their "supplemental device" patent) that boosts it to a more comfortable power range for a home unit.

Interesting, I always thought it would be a home console, but perhaps the portable console that can be played on the TV is the way to go.

Its nearly impossible to predict Nintendo's next move, so I guess we can all keep guessing as to what's true and what is not!

@abe_hikura

Nintendo allowing cross network play would be huge! Sports fans could still play their favorite Nintendo games, and in theory still play against their friends on XBL or PSN. I believe this would lead to more sales for Nintendo's consoles, as people who love SMB or Zelda, but still want to play with their friends, could get the best of both worlds...Imagine playing COD against your friends, but then, switching over to a Nintendo exclusive when you're done.

Great value in that set up if you're a big Nintendo fan.

To be honest, I have lost all interest in the nx. Until its reveal I wont care about any rumours. It seems it wont be BC so I have to buy another wii u first abd after that I will see how the nx fares and will make a decision. Too many games in my collection as to risk not beibg able to play them in the future.

For a moment I got really excited.
...Until I saw the rumor tag.

I can't wait to see what the NX actually is. These rumors get more annoying by the day. And then sites post every rumor like fact.

I'll believe it when Nintendo actually announces it.

If this is true, I'll probably go over to Sony.

Nintendo Life: Make fun of rumors via videos, but then post rumors the next day anyway....

Really hope it's not true, would mean another barrier for third party devs that are releasing stuff on xbox & ps if it's not x86. And Nintendo really needs them back.

Please X2! If it's X2 I'll be a happy Nintendo fan ready to line up on day one. If X1 I'll probably still line up on day one. Just telling myself all the good things about it the whole time I'm waiting in line.

The first story on this has a much healthier comment thread

I mean, didn't we hear something about "industry leading chips"? That could mean Ninty would be one of the first companies to use X2.

The reveal will probably be at Tokyo Game Show.

@tysonfury Very true. And we've already seen this sort of thing being done by folks like Razer with the connection between the Razer Blade/Stealth and the Razer Core. Just looked up a video review for that combo, and it seems to run at about a 85-90% of full-on desktop computer power. That way, it works on its own, can connect to a TV if desired, and also, be powered up by a Nintendo-equivalent of a Razer Core to make it run at modern standards and beyond for playing on the home TV. This could be done while also having a rock-solid (and less expensive) handheld device serving as a standalone. I would wonder about costs at that point, but otherwise, I don't see why it wouldn't work and still be able to match/exceed current hardware with the increased performance that can be squeezed out of not having the overhead of a desktop OS involved.

Will this mean that games will be dumbed down like other mobile games? Not interested if so.

Wii expect NXtraordinary console.

So we have both a highly powerful portable and a slightly underpowered home console. I'm both excited and disappointed at the same time.

@Faruko Not too mind blowing. The Vita was capable of output near, though clearly below, 360/PS3 level graphics in 2011.

I think we're talking Tegra X2 here, folks.

Hold onto your butts.

Honestly not sure about this. As always, you can talk chipsets and teraflops and I will look blankly at you. Show me some compelling games and I don't care if the shaders are 2012.

Let's keep in mind some of the announced titles for the system so far. Dragon Quest 11 and the new Sonic point to close to or equal performance of the PS4. Personally I feel that is more than enough considering we've already moved into the area where the "law of diminishing returns" has begun to take a major toll on traditional console games. Chasing the dragon of graphical horsepower has cause many modern games to stagnate and become too similar to one another when the focus should be on things like gameplay, art design and fun which is part of the reason why the indie games market has exploded over the last 4-5 years.

It's also why I feel that VR will be a fad like 3D TV's. Nintendo, like Microsoft, will likely focus on Augmented Reality and a portable home console could easily feature that making the NX more prepared for the future than Sony's machine. Just a thought.

I was super unexcited about this on first hearing, but if the controllers are decent when playing at home.... I guess I'm in.

And I just wanted a new home console, powerful enough to compete with ps4/x1.
Now we ending up with something "new" that no one understands. We'll see no 3rd party support. Again.

Not buying into any rumours until I actually see what the NX is.

To those dreaming that NX(if it is indeed a handheld) can achieve PS4 level graphics, you must understand that though Tegra X1 or X2 can achieve high levels of visuals what limits it is heat, always HEAT, ever wonder why Xbox1 or PS4 is so large? Its because of heat. Ever tried to over clock a GPU or CPU? What limits your overclocking? Correct! Its heat. So unless the NX portable somehow has a revolutionary heat displacement system or a large enough case then no matter how great the GPU is then it cannot throttle itself to PS4 levels.

In my opinion regardless of what chip they use, the NX portable can only achieve up to a slightly better PS3 or a suped up vita.

@whanvee I would call any device that unifies Nintendo's mobile and home markets, packs "Zelda" in it's first year, and is profitable in each unit sold a success. If this is THE Nintendo console this gen, the 20m shipped first year Ninty predicted sounds reasonable. If that is the case, Nintendo will have very much made the right choice. One piece of hardware to support, each unit profitable, and a larger market for all of its titles... That might not be your ideal as a gamer, but that sounds like a killer business plan for Nintendo.

I don't mind if it lags behind in power--you don't buy a console for power, after all--but I am concerned if it's difficult to port PS4 and XB1 games to.

@Grandpa_Pixel It would be a license to print money.

@Anti-Matter Mature games are generally much more technically demanding than Everyone games (as they tend to have a much more realistic art style meaning that sharper textures, realistic physics, a ton more polygons, etc. needs to be rendered), so it would make sense to show off more Mature titles in order to have a better sense of the Chip's technical power.

@BiasedSonyFan It's gonna start getting real horrible in here soon...

@Faruko Nah, we need the new Xeon Haswell-E chip from Intel for over $6,254
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-xeon-phi-knights-landing,32121.html

THIS will kill pretty much any game you want...but for a steep price XD

Difference between this and the vita is that the Vita was a handheld, which was trying to be like a console. I loved it for that. However my worry is that developers won't be able to put their games on NX and I don't want another Wii U scenario. Hopefully the NX will be able to match the PS4 and Xbone in power, or at least well enough for it to be able to handle the games on current gen systems. It's all rumours so we'll see how it plays out.

I've been saying for quite a while that if Nintendo's goal is a unified platform then they're going to use ARM in the NX. They've been using ARM chips since the GBA and they have extensive experience with them. An x86 chip is very unlikely.

Even if the NX has a home console version I'm pretty certain it will still use ARM because it removes the complexities of building two separate compilers and SDK stacks for different models. Instead it will work like the iPhone and iPad where code can be written once and work on both platforms transparently.

I am sceptical they'd be working with Nvidia though. I think it far more likely they'd either try to integrate something from AMD or source something from Japan like they did with the 3DS.

Well the graphics in that video are clearly not as "good" as the Wii U's graphics. I never was that convinced by those Tegra chips...

@DoctorOverbuild The NX appears to be more handheld than home console, so no it most likely won't receive the AAA console multiplats. Doesn't mean it won't get Japanese 3rd party support like the 3DS or even the Vita.

Call me when there is actual news.

Tegra X2 please! Even with "less battery" it's a fair trade. 3 ~ 4 hours is enough, not ideal, but more than enough with amazing graphics.

This site is now powered by the tears of graphics whores who believe in rumours.

Fleetwood Mac -Second hand news
From the ablum Rumours.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogaIeXITWNY

@Grandpa_Pixel so that would mean NX is at least slightly more powerful than Wii U... does that rule out the Tegra X1?

so if the NX doesn't truly appear to be a contender for MASS appeal, i'll be putting my money into mini-quads.

@aaronsullivan Well that's b/c you and I only posted once each in this thread. Remove all our comments and from the other thread and it's probably pretty close.

The talking point is really low, but I'm going to go single-handily take care of that.

@Clownshoes you have NO idea what figures can you even claim?

@Judgedean see you...

@day what the heck is a mini quad?

@WiltonRoots but, we have to see if any of these rumours have bear fruit...

@brandon9271 I would have assumed so

@Nintendofan83 I like how because people are impatient and there are rumors piling up, Nintendo supposedly needs to hurry up. They only have one chance to reveal the NX and they need that to go as well as possible. The rumors won't matter anymore once we see for ourselves. Just relax.

@IceClimbers "Doesn't mean it won't get Japanese 3rd party support like the 3DS or even the Vita."

It's crazy how well Vita still sells in Japan and how much game support it gets. 3DS still does OK there too, even if the new Yoke Watch sold under 1 million. A handheld in Japan should sell fine, a handheld in the US that outputs to the TV will sell better than Wii U 2 would have.

Not buying until there's a new "Fire Emblem" or Monster Hunter game for it.

@abe_hikura yes that is true will have too see what the NX is can do when revealed.

the only thing we need to know about the NX:
does Zelda Botw preform / play better on the wii-u or the NX.

@SharkAttackU WHAT ? near XB30/PS3 ? hahahaha it wasnt even close.

The Vita wasnt even HD, most of their "impressive games" lacked any kind of AA and had terrible texture work. it was "wow" because the small screen made it look good, which is were handhelds can gamble a little bit. But no, the Vita was very good for a handheld, but it was nothing compared to the 360 or PS3

I mean, the Tegra X1 on a 720p handheld/console resolution would be mind blowing, the X1 was made for running 1080p screens.

But of course, the X1 was released like early last year, so MAYBE AND JUST MAYBE we can see Tegra Parker in the works (Tegra X2)

Digital Foundry said something reassuring:

"The GPU [on Tegra X1] easily outperforms the equivalent chip in Wii U, so we should expect to see an excellent version of [Zelda] on the new platform. And I'd certainly hope to see improved performance and maybe higher resolution and detail."

(@ 4:22 in this vid: https://youtu.be/C6cTt_nxTWo?t=4m22s )

@Goob
That's the problem for me. Ultra HD realistic graphic will not working for me now. I'm bored and also feel disgust (for adult title) at the same time. I prefer colorful, whimsical and cheerful cartoonish style.

AFAIK there's no such thing as an X2. Tegra Parker will likely be using some other letter followed by a 1, but even then it's unknown if Parker will indeed release considering NVIDIA seems keen on pulling out of the mobile arena considering their chipsets aren't very popular with device makers.

I have always claimed that the NX is a controller for the Wii u. Nintendo can't drop the gamepad idea and this is version 2.

This is not just a rumour.

Seeing as sonic 2017 Is confirmed for it then we must be talking on par with ps4 and xb1. I can't imagine the x2 would be but it's something I would be happy to be wrong about.

Oh, great!!.....mmmm wait Doom 3 12years old.

As long as the NX is powerful enough that it can handle third-party ports from Xbox one and PlayStation 4 games then Nintendo NX could have a chance. Innovation is not going to be enough this time around the NX is going to need some power.

Yeah, Nintendo is done if this is true.
What a waste, especially going with Nvidia.
AMD has left them in the dust, and that's where gaming has left Nintendo.
I'd have been excited, if it weren't just another GBA with a crappier gimmick.
Detachable controllers? I might just jump on the VR train if this is what Nintendo thinks is going to work.

@starman292 your assuming that that Sonic game is graphics intensive. Its like saying that NX is as powerful as the PS4 since both of them can run just dance

@NodesforNoids AMD left them in the dust? In what category? NVIDIA still reigns supreme for PC gaming. AMD is the one catching up.

Remember that Neo and Scorpio will probably both release before NX, meaning the X2 won't even be in the same league. Again.
Even the Gamecube did better than the Wii U, and the 3DS was a resounding failure compared to the DS, also standing as a low point in Nintendo's history.

@diwdiws so that's why the Shield flopped, and why both Sony and Microsoft picked AMD, right?
You talk PC gaming like console gaming is exactly the same, but it's not.
Nvidia makes GPUs.AMD is better rounded. Your opinion is slated in one area, like a master class elitist. Instead of looking at the bigger picture, where AMD's influence runs deeper than Nvidia's.

Is it possible the chips are for the controllers, or at least one controller? Might have a mobile platform that can play games independantly that is also a controller for the main system?

@NodesforNoids but you said left the in the dust? You didnt really clarify where? Performance wise NVIDIA chips are consistently better, Driver support NVIDIA still out performs AMD, market share wise (despite AMD cornering the console market) NVIDIA controls almost 80%, Thats 80 freakin percent of the total GPU market.

So for you just because AMD managed to snare the console market and shield failed = NVIDIA being left to dust.

Im not an elitists im just pointing out that your comment is incorrect.

@Clownshoes after this holidays spending but before next holidays spending.

@StuOhQ
I just want to enjoy a vast part of what gaming has to offer without having to buy more than one console. Unless the install base is as big as the Wii was, we will once again be losing tgird party support.

It just boggles my mind how they won't spend an extra couple bucks for some decent components. I'm sure by now the stuff inside the PS4/Xbox One must be pretty cheap. Instead they will get some dirt cheap processor with some archaic structure which no one but them can make sing. I'm always excited for Nintendo's next console. That is until I hear them come out with the whole "we are not in the console race, we are doing our own thing" statement. As soon as i hear that my stomach churns.

Fingers crossed it's X2. I'd place the X1 Shield TV close to, but not quite 360 territory. An X2 is finally bound to jump beyond.