Rumour: Samsung’s New Chip Process Kicks Off ‘Nintendo Switch 2 Lite’ Speculation
Samsung is reportedly developing a new 8LPU+ chip process that could make the Nvidia processor used in the Switch 2 smaller, faster and more power-efficient. That has fuelled speculation about a cheaper, handheld-only “Switch 2 Lite”, though neither Samsung nor Nintendo has confirmed such a console.
The process is expected to be presented in December at IEDM 2026, and reported figures include 12% higher performance, 15% lower power use and an 8% reduction in area. Nintendo plans to stop selling the original Switch from February 2027, but that does not confirm a replacement; a Lite model remains one possibility among other hardware revisions, including a rumoured OLED version.
In short
- Samsung’s reported chip process has prompted Switch 2 Lite speculation.
- Claimed gains include 12% more performance and 15% lower power use.
- Nintendo has not announced a Lite model.
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The case for
A smaller, more efficient chip could make a handheld-only Switch 2 cheaper to produce and extend battery life, giving Nintendo a way to reach buyers who do not need TV play. With the original Switch reportedly due to leave sale, a lower-priced model could also help maintain an affordable entry point to the platform.
The case against
A more efficient chip process does not show that Nintendo intends to make a Lite model: it could be used in existing hardware or another revision, such as an OLED version. Without confirmation of the console or its price, performance and power figures alone are too uncertain to establish that a separate handheld would be commercially worthwhile.
Explained simply
The Nintendo Switch is a games console that can be used both as a handheld device and connected to a television. Nintendo has previously sold smaller, cheaper versions of its consoles, while Nvidia makes the processor used in the Switch 2.
Samsung makes the factories and processes used to produce computer chips. A more compact, power-efficient process could make a console processor smaller or use less battery power, but it does not by itself mean a new console is planned.
Nintendo has not confirmed a handheld-only Switch 2 or an OLED revision. The original Switch is a separate, older model, and its planned withdrawal from sale would not establish what hardware Nintendo might offer next.