Latest Nintendo Switch 2 leaks suggest relatively unchanged design but significantly improved specs

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It’s a modern week, which means we have a modern batch of Nintendo Switch 2 leaks and rumors to sift through. While there’s still no official word on Nintendo’s next console, modern images that supposedly show the system’s design could give us a rugged idea of ​​what to expect.

Originally posted on Chinese social media site Xiaohongshu (the equivalent of photo-sharing apps like Instagram in the region), 12 photos have been making the rounds on various gaming forums, supposedly showing the final design of the Nintendo Switch 2, our tentative name for a potential Nintendo Switch successor.

Of those images, 10 are 3D model renders. They show what looks like a beefed-up version of the Nintendo Switch, with a much larger display and a enormous stand similar to the one on the Nintendo Switch OLED. There are also some obvious differences in the area where the controllers attach to the system, which now appears to be much more recessed.

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It also looks like the Joy-Con controllers won’t slide into the console from the top, but will instead be slotted in from the side and potentially held in place by some sort of physical latch or magnets. The controllers themselves look relatively similar to the existing Joy-Con, albeit with some changes to the trigger area.

The miniature Joy-Con release button has been replaced entirely with a much larger, trigger-like input. It’s unclear whether this is some kind of additional, reprogrammable trigger found on many of the top-of-the-line Nintendo Switch controllers, or simply a redesigned way to detach the controllers.

The other two photos in the set appear to be real photographs, likely taken in a production line environment. That would make a lot of sense, especially given the recent reports that the Nintendo Switch 2 has entered mass production. One photo shows the controller casing in more detail, including the larger SL and SR buttons. The other shows what could be the tablet portion of the modern console, albeit with a number of components removed.

The PCB is present, aside from a few extra cables. Everything looks correct and closely lines up with some of the information in a previous spec leak, supposedly from shipping and customs data from the past few months. That leak suggested the console would retain its portable form factor, including dock compatibility.

The console was said to feature 12GB of RAM, a huge step up from the 4GB of the existing Nintendo Switch, as well as 256GB of storage. This would be a major upgrade that, when combined with GPU and CPU improvements, could put the Nintendo Switch 2 somewhere in the neighborhood of the Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro in terms of processing power.

Of course, all of this should be taken with a grain of salt. The renders and photos definitely seem plausible, as do the previously rumored specs, but until it’s officially announced, it’s anyone’s guess what Nintendo might be planning. Hopefully, the reveal will come soon.

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