Nintendo's Switch 2 console has finally been taken apart, giving us a look at the internals, including the onboard NVIDIA chip and elements from SK hynix and MediaTek.
Nintendo Switch 2 Teardown Shows Work From SK Hynix & MediaTek As Well, But Accessing The PCB Requires a Lot of Skills
The Switch 2 handheld is a device everyone eagerly waits to get their hands on, since it has been years since we saw the last generation. NVIDIA's CEO, Jensen Huang, recently praised his company's work with Nintendo in creating a competent device; however, we never really knew much about what the onboard chip looked like until now. A teardown by @Handanxie revealed Switch 2's internals, including the PCB, which houses the leading powerhouse by NVIDIA, along with SSD and memory internals.
Since the teardown video isn't in English, we couldn't interpret the specifics of the whole process, but based on the visuals, it seemed like there were layers of metal shielding, blocking users from accessing the main PCB. This is something great for the average consumer, given that it guarantees protection if the device gets damaged unintentionally, but for repairers, the disassembly process becomes troublesome. We are looking forward to how iFixit rates Switch 2, as it isn't going to be too high.
The motherboard resided under the cooler and battery, and was also covered with more metal shielding. Once the PCB was exposed to the camera, we took a look at the elegant NVIDIA Tegra chip, which features the "GMLX30-A1" name, which was previously said to be the name of the SoC for Switch 2. Hence, this validates the previous rumors about Tegra 239. Apart from NVIDIA's chip, we saw UFS storage from SK hynix and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth receiver from MediaTek, suggesting that NVIDIA's close partners got their share of the pie.
Consumers aren't advised to open up the Switch 2 at all, even if they are curious, given that it requires serious professionalism and could void your warranty. Given all the shielding and protection, we hardly doubt that the device will become non-functional after subtle damage, but we should await some "drop tests" to surface. Overall, users who are eager to get the new console should enjoy their time with it, since it is said to be a great device.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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