When the Nintendo Switch 2 eventually lands in our hands, just how powerful will it be? It’s the question on all our minds as the handheld’s reveal looms, and now new leaks claim it’ll arrive with an excellent feature utilized by console rivals like the PS5 Pro. Worry not about your games running poorly, because a brand-new patent reveals that the Switch 2 may rely on DLSS upscaling to get the most out of your experience.
As spotted by VGC, a newly discovered Nintendo patent details the inclusion of deep learning super sampling in the Nintendo Switch 2’s hardware. The patent describes a machine learning component that could convert images into a higher resolution, with the assistance of AI. The Nvidia-developed DLSS technology enables players with lower-end hardware to experience better performance, making it a key selling point for FPS games like Battlefield V. Since the release of DLSS 1.0 in February 2019, various improvements have since followed, with the latest version landing in September 2023.
Conversely, the PS5 Pro utilizes its own proprietary version of this technology called PSSR, leading to a myriad of improvements for multiple titles running on the higher-spec console. Elsewhere, many of the best Steam Deck alternatives and Valve’s own handheld make use of AMD’s FSR upscaling, which is a boon for running richly detailed games like Cyberpunk 2077 on the go.
While it’s great to see recent releases benefitting from the technology, the inclusion of a DLSS-style system on the Nintendo Switch 2 could mean that older and demanding titles – including some of the best Switch games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – may see performance boosts as a result.
It isn’t the first time Nintendo has dabbled in the world of AI upscaling, though. A previous patent registered in 2020 mentions the potential to upscale images, specifically stating that the patent “relates to transforming a 540p image to a 1080p image, the techniques herein may be applied to other image sizes.”
Naturally, Nintendo remains quiet surrounding speculation about the handheld. However, as leakers claim a reveal is imminent, and that the Nintendo Switch 2 will have no problems running triple-A games, we’re eager to see just how impressive the console is up close.
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