Nintendo has reportedly selected Nvidia’s Tegra processor to power its next-generation DS/DSi console. According to Theo Valich, Nintendo has already started work on the new device and plans to debut it in late 2010 during the Tokyo Game Show.
“Given the fact that Nintendo DS hardware is based upon 16-bit and 32-bit ARM cores, it looks like next-gen DS could be backwards compatible with the DS application library,” Valich wrote on Bright Side of News.
“All of the apps that came for old DS could run on a single ARM11 core, yet alone the next-gen CorTex-A9-based Tegra, leaving graphics subsystem to do ‘something smarter.'”
Valich explained that the second generation of Tegra chips could make an “excellent base” for the next-generation DS.
“With Gen2 Tegra offering quite a graphics punch; GeForce 9 based hardware [CUDA-enabled design] should offer immense experience on small screens – we see no reason why you could not have4x Anti-Aliasing and 8x Anisotropic filtering on a dual-screen system,” said Valich.
Unsurprisingly, Nvidia has declined to either confirm or deny the rumored Tegra deal.
“We don’t comment on unannounced products or rumors,” an Nvidia spokesperson told TG Daily.
