Nintendo Switch 2 uses a custom NVIDIA Tegra T239 system-on-chip, with production hardware marked NVIDIA GMLX30-A1. Nintendo’s own specification sheet calls it only a “custom processor made by NVIDIA,” but motherboard inspection, teardown evidence, reverse engineering, and later die analysis identify the silicon and reveal its major CPU and GPU blocks.
What the Switch 2 chip image revealed
The original chip-shot story began with an unofficial image of a Switch 2 motherboard. The photograph, reportedly shared by an X user and later removed, showed the NVIDIA processor package on the console’s main board. Its marking was associated with GMLX30-A1, the package identifier linked to NVIDIA’s custom T239 design.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Nintendo Switch 2 System | $499.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Nintendo Switch 2 System with Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 Bundle | $568.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle with Bonus HDMI Cable & Screen Cleaning Cloth | $617.98 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
That image was not a Nintendo-released product photograph, so it should be treated as leaked hardware evidence rather than an official announcement. Its importance was that it connected Switch 2 to a specific NVIDIA SoC instead of leaving the console’s processor as an unnamed custom part.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Subsequent teardowns and chip-identification work strengthened that conclusion. A later FIB-SEM die examination added physical evidence about the silicon’s internal organization, including its CPU cores, GPU configuration, and reported manufacturing process.
#1 Best Overall
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Dock that supports 4K when connected to a compatible TV*
- GameChat** lets you voice chat, share your game screen, and connect via video chat as you play
HotHardware’s original chip-shot report, iFixit’s chip identification, and the Switch 2 hardware reference document the identification from different angles.
What is NVIDIA T239?
T239 is not an off-the-shelf Jetson or desktop GeForce processor. It is a custom NVIDIA system-on-chip designed for Nintendo’s hybrid console, with its clocks, power targets, memory configuration, and software behavior shaped around handheld and docked operation.
| Component | Reported Switch 2 configuration | Evidence and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Eight Arm Cortex-A78C cores | Reported by independent die and technical analysis |
| GPU | Ampere-derived architecture with 12 streaming multiprocessors | Reported by die analysis |
| GPU shaders | 1,536 CUDA/shader cores | Architecture-specific count; not a direct desktop performance rating |
| Memory | 12GB LPDDR5X across two packages | Hardware-analysis documentation; component suppliers may vary |
| Package marking | NVIDIA GMLX30-A1 | Physical hardware identification |
| Manufacturing process | Samsung 8N | Attributed to independent silicon analysis, not Nintendo’s initial specification sheet |
| Related silicon | NVIDIA T234 family lineage | Related architecture, but not the same processor |
The “Tegra” label describes the broader NVIDIA SoC family, while T239 identifies the custom design associated with Switch 2. GMLX30-A1 is a package marking, not the consumer-facing name of the console or a retail product designation.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →What the die shot added
The early motherboard image could identify the package. The later die work was more revealing because it examined the silicon itself. FIB-SEM analysis reportedly identified:
- Eight Cortex-A78C CPU cores.
- Twelve GPU streaming multiprocessors.
- 1,536 Ampere-derived shader or CUDA cores.
- A Samsung 8N fabrication process.
- A physical design distinct from NVIDIA’s larger T234 implementation.
This matters because earlier T239 reporting drew partly on leaks, software clues, documentation fragments, and comparisons with NVIDIA’s Jetson Orin hardware. Die analysis provides a stronger way to distinguish Nintendo’s chip from related NVIDIA designs, although it cannot reveal every firmware policy, clock state, or runtime feature.
Tom’s Hardware’s report on the die-shot analysis and the original Geekerwan analysis provide the detailed technical basis for these findings.
T239 is not the same as NVIDIA T234
T239 and NVIDIA’s T234 share an Ampere-era GPU lineage, but Switch 2 does not simply contain an unchanged T234. The two designs target different products and power environments.
Rank #2
- The next evolution of the Nintendo Switch system
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Supports up to 4K resolution** when using a compatible game and TV connected via the included Nintendo Switch 2 dock
- Nintendo Switch 2 plays compatible physical and digital Nintendo Switch games.***
| T239 | T234 | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Custom Nintendo hybrid-console SoC | Automotive and embedded platforms, including Jetson Orin-related systems |
| CPU implementation | Reportedly eight Cortex-A78C cores | Associated with Cortex-A78AE configurations |
| GPU lineage | Ampere-derived, 12 SMs and 1,536 reported shaders | Related Ampere-family design with a different implementation and scale |
| Design priority | Console performance within handheld and docked thermal limits | Embedded and automotive workloads with different power and reliability requirements |
The relationship is useful for understanding T239’s origins, but it does not establish identical performance, clocks, features, die size, or power consumption. Similar architectural lineage is not the same as interchangeable hardware.
What the GPU configuration means for games
The reported 1,536 CUDA cores indicate a substantial change from the original Switch’s customized Tegra X1-family processor, but the number should not be converted directly into a desktop GeForce equivalent. CUDA-core counts are meaningful only alongside architecture, clock speed, memory bandwidth, cooling, software scheduling, and workload.
Switch 2’s custom NVIDIA design enables modern capabilities that were not available in the same form on the original console, including:
- DLSS-related reconstruction: supported games can use NVIDIA’s machine-learning upscaling approach to produce a higher-resolution output from a lower internal render resolution. Results depend on each game’s implementation and target resolution.
- Ray tracing: the Ampere-derived GPU supports hardware-accelerated ray-tracing workloads, though the visual benefit and performance cost vary by title.
- Higher-resolution docked output: the additional GPU capability gives developers more room for larger output resolutions and more demanding effects, subject to each game’s settings and performance targets.
- More CPU capacity: the newer eight-core Arm design provides a stronger foundation for simulation, background systems, asset processing, and more complex game worlds than the original Switch’s older processor.
- Faster data handling: Nintendo’s custom platform includes hardware and software work aimed at reducing the cost of loading and decompressing game data.
These capabilities do not guarantee a fixed resolution or frame rate. Handheld and docked modes can use different clock and power targets, and developers decide how to allocate the shared memory and available GPU resources.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchOne reported test comparison placed emulated docked performance in the vicinity of a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. That is rough context from a particular methodology, not an official Nintendo or NVIDIA equivalence and not a universal prediction for Switch 2 games.
How Switch 2 differs from the original Switch
The original Switch used a customized NVIDIA Tegra X1-family chip. T239 moves the platform to a newer CPU design, an Ampere-derived GPU, LPDDR5X memory, and a substantially more capable rendering and data-processing subsystem.
The change is therefore more than a higher clock speed or a simple increase in shader count. It affects the types of rendering techniques developers can use, the resolution targets they can pursue, the complexity of game simulation, and how much work can be performed within a handheld power envelope.
Rank #3
- 【Ultimate Nintendo Switch 2 Bundle – Ready to Play】Includes the complete Nintendo Switch 2 console and a full-game download of Mario Kart World, so you can start racing right out of the box. Perfect for gamers of all ages and playstyles.
- 【Next-Gen Hybrid Gaming with Stunning Visuals】Experience a vivid 7.9‑inch 1080p LCD touchscreen with HDR support, and enjoy 4K TV output at up to 60 fps when docked — for immersive gameplay at home or on the go.
- 【Versatile 3 Play Modes】Seamlessly switch between Handheld, Tabletop, and TV modes — all featuring intuitive controls and smooth performance, wherever you choose to play.
- 【Enhanced Social Gaming with GameChat & Multiplayer】Connect with friends locally, enjoy online multiplayer with up to 24 players, and use voice chat via GameChat (internet connection and Nintendo Switch Online membership required after trial period).
- 【Powerful Storage & Joy‑Con 2 Controllers】Includes 256 GB internal storage (expandable with microSD), magnetic Joy‑Con 2 controllers, docking station, HDMI cable, AC adapter, grip, and straps — everything you need for the ultimate gaming setup.
Switch 2 reportedly includes 12GB of LPDDR5X system memory, while hardware references identify 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. Both are board-level components rather than user-upgradable modules. Different production batches may contain component-supplier variations, so a teardown of one unit should not automatically be treated as a guarantee that every console uses identical memory or storage parts.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →What Nintendo officially confirms—and what comes from hardware analysis
Officially confirmed by Nintendo
- Switch 2 uses a custom processor made by NVIDIA.
- The console’s official specifications cover its display, storage, memory, connectivity, and platform features.
- Switch 2 launched on June 5, 2025.
Nintendo’s public specification page does not initially name the processor as T239 or list every CPU and GPU detail. See the official Nintendo Switch 2 technical specifications.
Established through physical hardware and independent analysis
- The production SoC package is marked GMLX30-A1.
- The chip is commonly identified as NVIDIA Tegra T239.
- The design contains eight Cortex-A78C CPU cores and 12 Ampere-derived GPU SMs, according to die analysis.
- The console uses 12GB of LPDDR5X memory, with two reported 6GB packages.
- The reported Samsung 8N process comes from independent silicon analysis.
The evidence is strongest when these sources are considered in combination: Nintendo establishes the custom NVIDIA processor, physical hardware establishes the package marking, and teardown and die work reveal the design associated with it.
What the chip discovery does not prove
The T239 identification answers the central hardware question, but it does not settle every practical performance question. The chip shot and die analysis do not by themselves establish:
- One fixed CPU or GPU clock for every game.
- Identical performance in handheld and docked modes.
- A guaranteed resolution or frame rate for every title.
- How much memory bandwidth a particular game will receive in practice.
- That every game will use DLSS or ray tracing.
- That Switch 2 performance is equivalent to a particular desktop GPU.
- That every production batch uses exactly the same memory or storage suppliers.
Technical analyses may also report that some CPU resources are reserved for system software. That is a software and platform-allocation detail, not the same thing as saying the physical processor has fewer than eight cores.
The bottom line
The Switch 2 chip-shot story is best understood as physical confirmation of a long-rumored custom NVIDIA design. Nintendo’s new console uses the T239 SoC, marked GMLX30-A1, with eight Cortex-A78C cores and an Ampere-derived GPU reported to contain 12 SMs and 1,536 shaders. Its capabilities explain Switch 2’s support for features such as DLSS-related reconstruction and ray tracing, but the silicon’s identity alone cannot predict every game’s performance. The console’s clocks, cooling, memory behavior, software optimization, and handheld-versus-docked power targets remain equally important.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
