The Nintendo Switch 2 launched last year, right before the prices of components such as RAM and SSDs skyrocketed. While the Japanese company tried to keep its launch price for as long as it could, it was eventually forced to raise it last month due to these challenging conditions. However, the appeal of gaming consoles is rooted in theiraffordability, and Samsung may be about to provide Nintendo and NVIDIA what they need to create an affordable Nintendo Switch 2 Lite.
“At the IEDM 2026 (International Electron Devices Meeting), Samsung is scheduled to present its 2nd-generation 8nm process 8LPU+,” a new report posted on Nintendo Patents Watch reads. This new node will come with:
- 12% performance enhancement
- 15% power reduction
- 8% area shrink
- ~10% I/O area reduction
- Stand-by leakage reduction
According to Korean publication Electronic Times, this new 8LPU+ process is aimed toward existing 8nm customers already in Samsung Foundry’s ecosystem, along with fabless chipmakers seeking automotive qualification, so NVIDIA and Nintendo fall among them, as the system’s T239 processor is manufactured using Samsung’s current 8nm node.
While there is no indication that NVIDIA and Nintendo will produce a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite with a processor produced using Samsung’s new 8LPU+ process, looking at what it delivers, it would align perfectly with the production of a new model. The 15% power reduction would benefit the system’s portable-only mode incredibly, while the 8% area shrink would increase wafer yields and drive down manufacturing costs for a more compact, dedicated handheld. Since offering a cheaper entry point in the Switch 2 generation is the main goal, this would align almost perfectly with that goal.
At this time, Nintendo hasn’t indicated it’s considering a new model, although the first Nintendo Switch 2 hardware revision with a removable battery has already reached the market. Unfortunately, the differences with the launch model are limited to this change, so there’s definitely still room for more changes that will hopefully make the system more affordable in a time when the high prices of electronic devices are effectively pricing out too many potential users.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack.
After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi “Suda51” Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA’s president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3.
When he’s not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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