With a recent leak of plenty of Nvidia’s confidential roadmap and upcoming products, it seems that part of that leak may indicate the specs for a refresh or update to the Nintendo Switch.
Scouring through some of the files, there are references to NVN2, which is the graphics API for the Switch. Perhaps more notably is that the API supports ray tracing and DLSS 2.2 tech, the latter of which provides for better upscaling results.
https://twitter.com/NWPlayer123/status/1498699245792239621
Without getting too deep in the weeds of processor and chip names, suffice it to say that this information leak gives a bit of insight into what Nintendo might be planning for their next console, or perhaps a Switch revision such as the oft-rumoured Switch Pro.
It is also very unlikely for Nintendo to use some of this technology, namely ray tracing, in its games, as the Switch has long had its processor under-clocked compare to preserve battery life when in handheld mode. Nintendo isn’t screaming to be at the cutting edge with technology like ray tracing in most of their games, but having the option to include it may be a boon for some games like Metroid Prime 4 or third-party titles that are more visually realistic.
Whatever Nintendo decides to use this next chip for, they’ve already said they’re only about half-way through the Switch’s life cycle, so it is highly unlikely that this would be for a new console, but rather an addition to the Switch console family.
Currently, the Switch is made up of Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch (OLED Model). There may indeed be room for a fourth model such as a Switch Pro, which upgrades the internals of the OLED Model, however we think it makes more sense that the OLED Model itself receives an update in perhaps another year and a half. At that point, it will have been on the market for two years.