AI is making its way into every walk of life, including our games, and with a Nintendo Switch 2 announcement now possibly just a day away it's time to get serious about Ninty's upscaling efforts.
Of course, the original Switch launched well before any AI opportunities were afforded to this weaker handheld console. Even the Switch OLED was just a little too early for consoles to be using the technology. In 2025, fresh off a CES packed to the brim with AI innovations, the Switch 2 is perfectly positioned to take full advantage - and it feels like the best thing to hit the handheld system yet.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the perfect candidate for the efficient upscaling technology. Unlike the PS5 Pro, which uses AI upscaling to add some finer details to the background and up the framerate a little when you're in beast RTX mode, the Switch family has always lagged behind in raw power. That's no shade - we don't love these handhelds for their mind-blowing photo realistic graphics or slick running of demanding titles, they're so popular because they focus on the actual games underneath all that.
Nobody's mad about sub-optimal resolutions or the odd stutter in gameplay, because the titles on this machine are worth more than that all together. Take that game-first approach, create a device that costs less than both the PS5 and Xbox Series X (and most PC-focused gaming handhelds), and add AI upscaling that can actually reach 4K? Now you've got yourself a deal.
Nintendo filed a patent for an AI upscaling system on its Switch 2 games back in July 2023, and that patent was published for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. It revealed that upscaling can occur in real time, allowing for games to be stored in 1080p on a cart and bumped up to higher resolutions on the fly. That means games that can ultimately run at UHD on a docked device could technically fit onto a standard 32GB Switch cart (as noted by Laura Kate Dale on Bluesky). Nvidia is producing the Switch 2's chip, but this isn't the PC's DLSS like we know it.
The fact that there are so many different PC games all storing their information in different ways means even DLSS 4 can't do much to keep those file sizes down. However, Nintendo keeps all its language and systems the same, allowing for a bespoke solution that can easily upscale everything it reads instantly. That's a huge gain for efficiency in a system that's desperately crying out for it.
In its patent, Ninty does add that this upscaling technology will take a lot of power from the system, likely too much to be used in handheld mode. Thankfully, it's not handheld mode I'm worried about. 1080p looks just fine on a smaller screen, and will look even better with those framerates caught up. On a 4K display, though, things can get rough. Should this AI tech come through, docking a Nintendo Switch 2 could be a game-changer.
I want AI in a Nintendo Switch more than any other console
Yes, the PS5 Pro can use the service to buff it's already powerful internals but the Nintendo Switch 2 could be using the tech in a real, meaningful way. I reviewed the PS5 Pro back when it first launched, and I'd happily take 4K upscaling on my TV over a few extra pixels in the background of Ratchet & Clank. The jump from 1080p to 4K is much larger than the move between a standard PS5 Slim and a Pro model, and it's not just about framerates and highly detailed textures.
Using AI to ensure the Nintendo Switch 2 remains a physical-media console is a big win in my books. I know, I'm going to sound old - but I'm not a massive fan of systems moving towards an all-digital future. I already miss the feeling of walking into a store, grabbing a box off the shelf, and poring over the manual and back cover on the way home. Manuals have been left in the dust, but at least let me have my shelf and the option to trade games at a later date.
The Nintendo Switch 2 was never going to be the leader in raw power. The brand has simply never had an interest in throwing its hat in the ring with Sony and Microsoft to offer similar levels of grunt. What do you do when you can't out-muscle a giant? You out-maneuver it. In using AI services for efficiency, the Switch 2 could become a Trojan horse worth inspecting - and the fact that these systems can update along with the device through its life means the next console could be far better equipped to age with grace.
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