Analyst says Intel will make the custom NVIDIA chip on its Intel 18A node for Nintendo Switch 3

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Nintendo is ramping up into the launch of its Switch 2 handheld, and now we're hearing rumors that the future-gen Nintendo Switch 3 will feature an upgraded chip from NVIDIA... but made by Intel on its brand new Intel 18A process node.

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KeyBlanc analyst John Vinh wrote in his new "Sector Platform" rating for Intel shares, noting that "we believe Intel has won the GPU gaming socket for the Nintendo Switch 3 on 18A". This is massive news, as it means Intel will be making tens of millions of semi-custom SoCs from NVIDIA inside of the world's best-selling gaming handheld.

The analyst also noted that "Intel 18A is on track to ramp Panther Lake in 2H25 with KPIs including yields and defect densities trending in the right direction and are at acceptable levels". Vinh also said that Intel has reduced the prices of its Lunar Lake CPUs by 20-40% resulting in only small market gain shares.

• Read more: 'Dude, Microsoft just f***ed us' over on next-gen Xbox contract, says Intel source
• Read more: Intel wants to be inside Microsoft's next-gen Xbox console, built in the USA

Nintendo hasn't even launched the Switch 2 yet and we're already hearing about what is going inside of the Switch 3... and it's not from a rumor, but from an analyst. This isn't an April Fool's Day joke, but it seems that NVIDIA will develop the semi-custom SoC for the Nintendo Switch 3, and Intel will fab it on US soil on its fresh Intel 18A process node.