Review: Nintendo Switch 2

Switch 2: Switch Harder. Sure, that's a glib summation of one of the most eagerly anticipated games console launches of all time, but it is, nevertheless, apt. The Nintendo Switch 2 isn't the sort of generational leap PlayStations or Xboxes offer, but rather a refinement of what's worked for the last eight years. In short, it elevates, hones, and polishes almost every facet of the original Switch to deliver what is almost its ultimate form.

The similarities are apparent from the moment you open the box: a familiar tablet-like console and two hand controllers, the refined Joy-Con 2 grips. Everything's a bit bigger, and those controllers now snap into the console magnetically rather than slide onto rails, but it all looks and feels like just another Switch. Thankfully, its improvements soon shine through.

The increased size is the most striking difference. The 7.9-inch screen makes for a larger core unit, but the resolution bump to 1920 x 1080 full HD, with a 279 pixels-per-inch density, makes brilliant use of it. Throw in HDR10 support for increased brightness and more vibrant colors and a variable refresh rate of up to 120 Hz for incredibly smooth visuals, and it just about makes up for reverting to an LCD panel. In fact, going back to the 720p, 210-ppi Switch OLED instantly feels muddy in comparison. That said, the mere existence of the Switch OLED makes it feel like a Switch 2 OLED is inevitable.

The revamped dock is harder to get excited about but does enjoy some upgrades, including better ventilation, a sturdier footprint, and less chance of scratching the screen when docking thanks to a cornerless design. The main boost here, though, is full 4K output to your TV when docked, albeit with a few caveats.

While a docked Switch 2 can pump out a 3840 x 2160 resolution—again supporting HDR10—it's capped at a 60-fps refresh rate. VRR isn't available when docked, and even if your TV supports 120 Hz, you'll get that refresh rate only if you cap the console's output resolution at 1920 x 1080 or 2560 x 1440. Even at 60 fps, though, it's slightly surreal to see 4K quality from a Nintendo platform, given the company's historic reluctance to play the numbers game when it comes to system specs.

On the audio front, expect punchy sound even in handheld mode. The Switch 2 uses the exact same internal speakers as the Switch OLED, but small redesigns bolster performance. They're insulated internally to reduce sound bleed and are angled for better directionality, and there's a great use of 3D audio. Through a compatible TV or decent headphones, you can enjoy 5.1 Linear PCM surround for an even more immersive experience.

Power Trip

One notable tweak for the new console is the inclusion of a USB-C port at the top—nestled alongside the returning power button, volume rocker, 3.5-mm headphone jack, and Game Card slot—as well as the bottom, where the console normally connects to the dock. The upper port can be used to connect accessories but also supports charging, making it far easier to enjoy uninterrupted play in handheld mode. It's even better for tabletop play, though, allowing you to prop the Switch 2 up on its kickstand and keep it powered through the top port, which simply wasn't possible before.

Incidentally, the kickstand itself is disappointing. It's now a narrow, U-shaped leg running half the circumference of the console. It's sturdy enough once extended, keeping the Switch 2 upright at any angle, but it always feels a bit flimsy when you're pulling it out, slightly bending in a way that makes me worry about future snappage. It's leagues ahead of the tiny nub of a kickstand on the original Switch but doesn't feel as secure as the OLED model's full-panel approach.

Without being plugged in, play time on the Switch 2 can be highly variable. On demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Hitman: World of Assassination, the battery would drain from full to empty in about two hours. On signature launch title Mario Kart World, expect closer to four hours between charges.

Nintendo claims the 5,220-mAh battery can deliver up to 6.5 hours of juice, but in my experience nothing hit that milestone. Nintendo is aiming for battery longevity, though with the Switch 2 intentionally not using fast charging, while the maximum charge can be capped at around 90 percent, both features helping prevent degradation.

Taking Control

Upscaled in line with the console, the Joy-Con 2s feel far more substantial than their predecessors thanks to some smart design choices. The spacing and depth of the face buttons are tailored to the new size; shoulder buttons are longer; and there's a smoother curve to the casing where each one sits in your palm. Meanwhile, the SL and SR buttons—the integrated shoulder buttons on the inner ridges for when a Joy-Con is being used as a single controller—are actually prominent enough to be useful now.

When attached to the central Switch 2 console, the magnetic connection feels far more robust than I'd expected. There's a tiny bit of give by design, mere micrometers of movement that reduce leverage and help prevent damage or accidental detachment. There seems to be little chance of tearing a Joy-Con 2 off by mistake. Instead, a new trigger must be deliberately squeezed to force the controller away from the console. This is cleverly positioned to be easily accessible from above but almost impossible to snag in the middle of a game.

Like the original Joy-Cons, there's an array of miniature technical marvels crammed into both grips, although most features are, like so much of the Switch 2 as a whole, largely iterating on what came before. Motion tracking controls remain solid, while the haptic feedback—dubbed HD Rumble 2—is significantly enhanced. It responds quicker to prompts from a game and is capable of more nuanced sensations. They can even vibrate fast enough to become ersatz speakers, able to pump out high pitched sound effects from the controllers themselves. Practical utility? Near zero. Tech flex points? Infinite.

The biggest change to the Joy-Con 2s is, of course, the ability to use each as a mouse. Undoubtedly, it's impressive on a technical level, especially given the sensors accurately tracked movement on just about every surface I tried, from tabletops and sofa arms to jeans and even carpet (just). However, I'm still not sold—and after a week with the console at this point, I'm not sure Nintendo really is, either.

Of the first-party launch titles, only Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour—a walk-through of the new console's features; charming, but ultimately a glorified, paid-for demo—does much with mouse controls, throwing in a few mini games that show off hypothetical potential. Elsewhere, Cyberpunk 2077 and Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster offer more meaningful uses, but the Joy-Con 2s simply aren't comfortable to use in this fashion. Only time will tell if mouse mode ends up being more than a hastily discarded gimmick.

More disappointing is the fact that the thumbsticks on both the Joy-Con 2s and the sold-separately Pro Controller haven't adopted Hall effect components. The original Switch was plagued with drift issues for its controllers, and it's a shame that Nintendo hasn't taken the opportunity to rule that out here.

Overall though, the Switch 2's ergonomics are great, balancing comfort with accessible inputs (although children or anyone with smaller hands may disagree). Assembled into handheld mode, it feels less toylike, and while it's heftier (weighing in at 534 grams versus 319 for the Switch OLED), it's nowhere near the wrist-snapper that Steam Deck or ROG Ally X can be.

A Fresh Start, Looking Backward

Setting up offers a choice between a system transfer from an earlier Switch or simply signing in to a Nintendo account. The former quickly copies existing user accounts and game-save data to the Switch 2, allowing you to pick up where you left off. The latter leaves profiles intact on both machines, with game saves manually transferred over Wi-Fi or through cloud saves. If you opt for system transfer, it's easiest to do so with both consoles in handheld mode as there's a fair bit of menu hopping, but note that both units need to be plugged in.

It seems clear Nintendo wants existing users to move wholesale to the Switch 2, but I suspect many will keep their earlier console for a while, purely because of storage woes. While the Switch 2 comes with 256 GB of onboard storage, a welcome 8X increase on the original Switch and 4X on the OLED, it still fills up quickly, especially if you're planning on moving an existing digital library over.

While a MicroSD slot allows for expansion, it only supports the MicroSD Express format—fine for speed, performance, and future-proofing, but compatible cards are currently limited by smaller capacities. Still, given Nintendo is almost single-handedly forcing the adoption of the Express format with the Switch 2's release, expect that to change rapidly—Lexar already has a 1TB card on sale, for example.

Whichever option you go for, it's soon clear how little Nintendo has changed the Switch experience, though. Up and running, the Switch 2 feels near-identical to use, the only clues you're on a new console at all being a colorful, pulsing menu cursor and more melodic UI sounds—four singsongy chimes on startup is a cute touch. Dig deeper into settings and there are a few differences, notably new accessibility features that allow control-scheme remapping, but otherwise it’s a seamless transition.

That sense of continuity is wonderful though. Nintendo's message seems to be just enjoy what you play rather than fret over specs or release formats. That's even easier to do thanks to backward compatibility that's far better than many dared hope. Nearly every single Switch game remains playable here, whether digital or on a physical game card. Even older peripherals are supported—original Switch Joy-Cons are detected and paired to the new console with a tap of their sync buttons, keeping the likes of Ring Fit Adventure viable on Switch 2. Factor in the curated library of retro titles available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers—from the NES to GameCube—and Switch 2 feels close to an all-encompassing Nintendo experience.

As a result, the distinction between a Switch 1 and a Switch 2 game feels almost inconsequential, particularly when many earlier games get a boost just running on Switch 2. Sometimes this takes the form of paid upgrades that significantly improve visuals and performance, as for Zelda hallmarks Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Others benefit simply from being on the new machine, utilizing the eight-core custom Nvidia system-on-chip to their advantage—Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are noteworthy here, the monster-catching RPGs finally playable with a stable frame rate and far less pop-in than was evident on Switch.

Communication Revolution

The most notable, wholly new feature for Switch 2 is GameChat, which sees Nintendo leaning hard into the social aspect of gaming. Activated by tapping the new C button on the right-hand Joy-Con 2 or the Pro Controller, GameChat connects up to four online friends for voice or video calls. The console itself has a built-in microphone, which proves astonishingly good at picking up your voice whether playing in TV, tabletop, or handheld mode. Noise cancellation is impressive, too, the mic automatically cutting out background chatter or game audio and enhancing speech.

Video requires a camera to be connected via that upper USB-C port. Nintendo's official one (another optional extra, sold separately) does a solid job, with a 1080p, wide-angle lens, but any USB-C camera will work. Privacy initially seemed a concern, but GameChat defaults to obscuring anything other than people, while easy-access controls let you choose between face-only close-ups, full views of your living space, or turning it off entirely.

Ostensibly, you'd expect to be using GameChat to coordinate multiplayer sessions on the same game—discussing team tactics on titles like Splatoon 3, where the ability to screen share can come in handy—but the system is actually independent of what's being played. I've ended up just chatting with other friends who happened to be online at the same time, each on different games, as often as I've done group calls during Mario Kart World races or talked through co-op adventures on Split Fiction. It's quickly, and completely unexpectedly, become one of my favorite parts of playing on Switch 2. However, it's worth noting that while GameChat is free to use at launch, it will eventually require a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online.

Is a great chat service really the killer app people were hoping for from a Switch successor, though? Probably not—but GameChat being the most notable distinction highlights how little Nintendo wanted, or needed, to shake things up.

The Switch has been almost unstoppable since it first arrived in 2017, carving out a niche for itself and becoming the third-best selling console ever. The Switch 2 never really had to be anything other than “more of the same,” but with increased power and performance, 4K output, a sharper, brighter, richer handheld display, and easy compatibility with hundreds of games—plus a few experimental features, like mouse controls, for good measure—this is something more: “the same, but better.”