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[Dereck]

Whoa, settle down folks.

The thing that jumps out most immediately to me at an architectural level is the fact that the battery is a single discrete component rather than a conglomerate of smaller modules that are more evenly dispersed for heat and balance reasons. Tablets today have followed that design paradigm for the better part of a decade and I'm confused why that isn't the case here for something that has that form factor. I'd like to see more of it before I say any more but that's my take from a distance. I can't really speak to the hardware specs themselves until more is known about them.

LOL

 

[weeman_com]

I doubt this thing will have the same samsung/note7 issues with the battery as it looks like Nintendo put the biggest possible battery without modification and placed everything else around it.

I wonder how Nintendo will try to redesign this system? Would they try and make an XL version? Throw in an OLED for lower battery drain?

Also anyone know what nm scale the chips are made in yet?

 

[JaseMath]

Is that the pascal chip?

The plot thickens!

 

[mario_O]

Oh I'm sure it will say Nintendo somewhere on the motherboard. iFixit will make it clearer.

I dont see it.

 

[Hermii]

This is why it would be interesting to see a dock teardown. There's been whispers of a fan in the dock for a little while now.

There is no fan in the dock, that would be redundant. The regular fan in the Switch is running at a higher speed when docked.

 

[NeOak]

I dont see it.

We haven't seen the other side of it though.

 

[Schnozberry]

I wonder why the SEC number would differ on the Switch ram.

Different series of Samsung Memory. They probably aren't all that different aside from the Shield TV modules being 1.5GB each and the Switch modules being 2GB.

 

[Pancake Mix]

I dont see it.

We haven't seen the other side.

Edit: Beaten!

Don't think Nintendo has ever not put their logo on a motherboard. It's probably on the other side.

 

[LordOcidax]

They use two different fonts on the same module, as seen in this example:

Where it goes G4G4, that font does look vaguely like what's on the Switch RAM.

531 is clear, i think the third line end in G4

 

[Thraktor]

I think the mobo should have the Nintendo brand on it. Right? maybe it's a dev kit.

It does seem strange that there's no Nintendo branding on it, but the product code on the board is HAC-CPU-01. As far as I'm aware HAC is the code used for final consumer versions, whereas HAT would be used if it were development hardware.

We haven't seen the other side of it though.

Arstechnica has a photo of the other side. It's the fourth photo in their gallery (and no Nintendo logo in sight).

 

[mario_O]

There's the Switch internal development code (HAC) all over the board, but that's it.

So it could be a dev kit?

 

[Infinite]

How much ram does it have?

 

[Inspectah_Deck]

We haven't seen the other side of it though.

OP is missing some pics from the source.

 

[NeOak]

Oh nice. Thanks for that!

 

[z0m3le]

They use two different fonts on the same module, as seen in this example:

Where it goes G4G4, that font does look vaguely like what's on the Switch RAM.

Interesting, but that isn't what I see with that second digit, it looks like another K more than any 4, with a vertical line being met with a 45 degree line coming in like the K before it, not 2 vertical lines. (funny enough I lost my glasses a couple weeks ago, so maybe I would be able to make out a bit more with them, however from what I can see, they don't look like a 4 IMO)

 

[Unknown Soldier]

So we're back to the maxwell pascal shield wars, even though we've seen the console, we've seen what the games look like, we've seen with the soc is capable of, and we've heard all of the real life, first hand impressions about how the graphics feel impressive for a portable/handheld...

I mean if you wanted to apply logic to something here, you could simply realize that there is no consumer level Tegra SoC with Pascal. At all. Nvidia has not produced one. It doesn't exist. So why would anyone expect it to be in the Switch?

The conversation probably went something like this:

Nintendo: We want to buy something for our new mobile-home console hybrid.
Nvidia: Well, we have this. (holds up a Tegra X1)
Nintendo: Okay, we'll take that.
Nvidia: Great to have you on board! No one else wanted to buy this!
Nintendo: Oh, we're experts on selling things no one wants to buy!
Nvidia:

 

[Pancake Mix]

Looks like Nintendo stopped printing their name on 3DS motherboards as well.

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+3DS+XL+2015+Teardown/36346

I stand corrected.

 

[Thraktor]

Different series of Samsung Memory. They probably aren't all that different aside from the Shield TV modules being 1.5GB each and the Switch modules being 2GB.

The SEC number could be the manufacturing line it was made on. The codes don't seem to bear any relation to the product itself, that I can see.

 

[OryoN]

I was always under the impression that this chip would be lightly-to-moderately customized(Wii U, for reference, being a heavily custom chip)

We haven't heard anything about A53's in the rumored specs(which isn't very unsual tbh), so assuming those are gone, wouldn't adding more more cache in their stead make sense? What else might be a likely addition?

Also, what other components from the Tegra X1 die would be irrelevant to Switch's design? Like various decoders, and stuff. What things does anyone suppose would be good candidates to omit, and what would be make sense as a replacement, if any?

 

[10k]

Thraktor was right. They wasted no space. The battery couldnt be any bigger unless they increased the form factor size.

 

[Schnozberry]

Looks like there's some kind of Realtek chip on the bottom of the SOC. Anybody know what it might be? I'm guessing bluetooth, maybe?

 

[Vic]

It does seem strange that there's no Nintendo branding on it, but the product code on the board is HAC-CPU-01. As far as I'm aware HAC is the code used for final consumer versions, whereas HAT would be used if it were development hardware.

Looks like Nintendo stopped printing their name on 3DS motherboards as well.

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+3DS+XL+2015+Teardown/36346

I stand corrected.

Hmm, the SoC being fabbed in July 2016 is kinda weird, but it would make sense if they we're initially planning to release the hardware at the last holiday season.

 

[PantsuJo]

Looks like there's some kind of Realtek chip on the bottom of the SOC. Anybody know what it might be? I'm guessing bluetooth, maybe?

Bluetooth and/or wireless.

Maybe a combo chip, often used nowadays.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

It won't be pascal

The leaked specs will be right

There is no need to be upset

 

[LordOfChaos]

The plot thickens!

That was the Maxwell Shield TV, TX1. Not Pascal.

 

[Inspectah_Deck]

Looks like Nintendo stopped printing their name on 3DS motherboards as well.

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+3DS+XL+2015+Teardown/36346

I stand corrected.

And that settles that.
3DS: RED-CPU-01
Switch: HAC-CPU-01

 

[NeOak]

I mean if you wanted to apply logic to something here, you could simply realize that there is no consumer level Tegra SoC with Pascal. At all. Nvidia has not produced one. It doesn't exist. So why would anyone expect it to be in the Switch?

The conversation probably went something like this:

Nintendo: We want to buy something for our new mobile-home console hybrid.
Nvidia: Well, we have this. (holds up a Tegra X1)
Nintendo: Okay, we'll take that.
Nvidia: Great to have you on board! No one else wanted to buy this!
Nintendo: Oh, we're experts on selling things no one wants to buy!
Nvidia:

BELIEBE!

 

[LordRaptor]

OP is missing some pics from the source.

Damn Japan, why you always pixelate the good stuff?

 

[Schnozberry]

The SEC number could be the manufacturing line it was made on. The codes don't seem to bear any relation to the product itself, that I can see.

Looking at the Samsung Memory in my laptop, it says SEC 546y. Manufacturing line or location makes sense for inventory tracking purposes.

 

[notaskwid]

I doubt this thing will have the same samsung/note7 issues with the battery as it looks like Nintendo put the biggest possible battery without modification and placed everything else around it.

I wonder how Nintendo will try to redesign this system? Would they try and make an XL version? Throw in an OLED for lower battery drain?

Also anyone know what nm scale the chips are made in yet?

Its already xl enough.

 

[Shaii]

Hmm, the SoC being fabbed in July 2016 is kinda weird, but it would make sense if they we're initially planning to release the hardware at the last holiday season.

Makes sense if it's a dev-kit

 

[brain_stew]

Honestly, as a handheld device, Nintendo have finally delivered a competitive, well designed contemporary machine. I just wish everybody (including Nintendo themselves) would stop pretending this is a home console.

It detracts from what is a very impressive device and brings front and centre it's biggest weakness.

 

[z0m3le]

The memory chips might not be identical?

 

[Schnozberry]

Bluetooth and/or wireless.

Maybe a combo chip, often used nowadays.

Yeah, that makes the most sense. I'm just surprised to see them chosen over Broadcom.

 

[Thraktor]

Hmm, the SoC being fabbed in July 2016 is kinda weird, but it would make sense if they we're initially planning to release the hardware at the last holiday season.

They announced that it was releasing in March 2017 back in April of last year, though (and had probably made the decision some time before that), so it would be a little odd to still go ahead with manufacturing quite that early.

 

[10k]

Looks like there's some kind of Realtek chip on the bottom of the SOC. Anybody know what it might be? I'm guessing bluetooth, maybe?

My ROGII motherboard used Realtek for on board audio lol. Maybe it's the DSP?

 

[Rushersauce]

It won't be pascal

The leaked specs will be right

There is no need to be upset

It will be Volta! We were all rused.

 

[Schnozberry]

The memory chips might not be identical?

I'm guessing the camera is playing some tricks on you.

 

[Astral Dog]

4GB is ok,not ideal but more than ok for the power the Switch has. More worried about the bandwith tbh

I got hyped for a moment at the possible 6 speculation though


For reference thats 3.2 x Wii U for games, 6.2x 360 and 6.4x PS3

 

[notaskwid]

Honestly, as a handheld device, Nintendo have finally delivered a competitive, well designed contemporary machine. I just wish everybody (including Nintendo themselves) would stop pretending this is a home console.

It detracts from what is a very impressive device and brings front and centre it's biggest weakness.

Agreed.

 

[z0m3le]

I'm guessing the camera is playing some tricks on you.

I'm certainly confused about it, but the QR code looks different, of course these are all jpegs

 

[Buggy Loop]

Fucking hell, why do all leakers have shitty cameras?

 

[Vic]

They announced that it was releasing in March 2017 back in April of last year, though (and had probably made the decision some time before that), so it would be a little odd to still go ahead with manufacturing quite that early.

I always though the Switch was initially planned to be released for 2016 Holidays. Weird.

But this really might be the inside of a July dev kit, the same that had it's clock speeds leaked by DF. The internal code HAC, which you mentioned is reserved for retail hardware is really a throw off though.

 

[Meesh]

Fucking hell, why do all leakers have shitty cameras?

LOL like watching UFO autopsy..

 

[EDarkness]

Honestly, as a handheld device, Nintendo have finally delivered a competitive, well designed contemporary machine. I just wish everybody (including Nintendo themselves) would stop pretending this is a home console.

It detracts from what is a very impressive device and brings front and centre it's biggest weakness.

For me it WILL be a home console. I doubt I'll be taking mine out of the dock, so yeah...it is. But the beauty of the whole thing is that you can use it any way you like. Portable, home console, or both...you choose. The problem with hybrids like this is that being portable has to be the limiting factor if that is a real viable option. I think the dock is there to give that boost so that the home console side doesn't lose out. It's a compromise, but that's the whole design at it's core. Lots of compromises.

 

[Skittzo0413]

This really might be the inside of a July dev kit, the same that had it's clock speeds leaked by DF. The internal code HAC, which you mentioned is reserved for retail hardware is really a throw off though.

Weren't all of the Switch hardware components from the July dev document leak given various HAC code names?

 

[Astral Dog]

Honestly, as a handheld device, Nintendo have finally delivered a competitive, well designed contemporary machine. I just wish everybody (including Nintendo themselves) would stop pretending this is a home console.

It detracts from what is a very impressive device and brings front and centre it's biggest weakness.

Someday they will understand 😦

 

[z0m3le]

This really might be the inside of a July dev kit, the same that had it's clock speeds leaked by DF. The internal code HAC, which you mentioned is reserved for retail hardware is really a throw off though.

That chip would be manufactured in the 3rd week of july (starting july 18) it doesn't rule out a devkit put together and given out in early august, but it would be very tight timing to have the devkit ready by the end of july (maybe 10 days)

 

[KingSnake]

The HAC code really denies the devkit theory.

 

[SporeCrawler]

The foxconn leak was right?

so foxconn leak said pascal or maxwell