[News] Samsung Reportedly Scores Win Over TSMC with Nintendo Switch 2 Chip Deal

Another strong boost for Samsung Foundry may be on the way. According to Bloomberg, sources indicate that Nintendo has tapped Samsung to produce the main chip for its upcoming Switch 2. This marks a major win for the Korean tech giant, as the original 2017 Switch chip was manufactured by TSMC.

Samsung is now reportedly producing the chip, designed by NVIDIA, using its 8nm process, as the report notes. Sources suggest that Nintendo’s shift to Samsung may be due to the new NVIDIA chip being optimized for Samsung’s manufacturing system, as the report indicates.

The report also mentions that Samsung has long been a key supplier to Nintendo, providing NAND flash memory and OLED displays for the original Switch, but has struggled to compete with TSMC in chip foundry services. This latest collaboration, the report highlights, signals growing recognition of Samsung’s foundry capabilities.

On the other hand, the shift could also benefit Nintendo, as it would no longer need to compete with other companies for TSMC’s production capacity, the report highlights.

The report notes that for Nintendo, ensuring sufficient console production to meet demand for what is expected to be the fastest-selling game console in history has long been a challenge.

Sources cited in the report state that current production levels are expected to allow Nintendo to ship over 20 million units by March 2026. If needed, Samsung could further ramp up capacity, though this would largely depend on the capabilities of hardware assemblers, including Foxconn, the report notes.

In addition to the SoC, the board reportedly features 256GB of TLC-based UFS 3.1 storage from SK hynix, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules provided by MediaTek, according to sources cited by Tom’s Hardware.

Samsung is also reportedly encouraging Nintendo to adopt OLED panels in future updates of the Switch 2, according to Bloomberg. For now, however, Nintendo has opted to use an LCD screen in the Switch 2, as noted by IGN.

Read more

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(Photo credit: Nintendo)