The LiquidLoop technology cools the CPU by evaporation of a circulating coolant in a closed system to distribute CPU heat over a larger area. An active fan is not needed for the Switch Alpha 12. According to initial tests by the the press, the Core i5-6200U was able to maintain a temperature of 60 C after approximately 20 minutes of running Prime95 at a clock rate of at least 2.2 GHz.

Other than the new cooling system, other specifications include 4 to 8 GB RAM, a 512 GB SSD, MicroSDHC slot, USB Type-C Gen. 1, and USB 3.0. Dimensions and weight of the tablet are 292.1 x 201.4 x 9.5 mm and 900 g, respectively, while thickness and weight will increase to 15.85 mm and 1.25 kg with the keyboard dock attached. A loop on the keyboard base will hold an included active stylus and key travel is rated at 1.4 mm.