Now You Can Upgrade Your PC to Windows 11 Pro or Home for Only $10
Whatever your needs, from scrolling at leisure to gaming competitively or even staying productive at home, it makes a big difference to be running the latest version of Windows. You'll get access to all of the latest features and vital security updates, which is about to become all the more important with Microsoft ending support for Windows 10 in October 2025. If you haven't upgraded to Windows 11 yet, now's the time -- and we've found a way for you to do it on the cheap.
If you've ever looked into buying a copy of Windows 11, you'll know just how costly it can be. Buy Windows 11 Pro directly from Microsoft, and it costs a whopping $200. Thankfully, there are ways to get the same software for considerably less. StackSocial is offering Windows 11 Pro for just $10. The catch? You'll have to use promo code MSO5 at checkout to score this low price. Act quickly if you're interested to make sure you don't miss out.
This deal from StackSocial allows you to download Windows 11 Pro onto your laptop or desktop PC. Windows 11 Pro offers a seamless interface and supports professional-level work and multitasking. It also features DirectX 12 Ultimate, which provides better gaming graphics by utilizing your laptop or desktop's hardware to its full potential.
Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.
Windows 11 Pro also features BitLocker device encryption, Azure-AD, Hyper V and other professional tools that can help you run your business or enjoy hours of gaming. StackSocial is also offering Windows 11 Home the same price with the promo code, but we'd recommend opting for the Pro version while it's at such a low price.
Once you purchase, you'll be able to download Windows 11 Pro and enjoy your lifetime license. Keep in mind that your computer must meet the system's minimum requirements or you won't be able to download the software. For PCs that are currently running Windows 10, note that if Windows Update doesn't let you install the free Windows 11 upgrade, your computer will not be compatible with this version, either. Another caveat is that you'll only have 30 days to redeem your download code before it expires.
If it's new hardware that you need, rather than software, be sure to look through our roundups of the best laptop deals happening now.
Why this deal matters
Windows 11 Pro costs $200 when purchased directly from Microsoft. StackSocial is offering Windows 11 Pro for only $10 for a limited time when you use the promo code at checkout. This saves $190 on the latest Windows OS, making it a great option for those looking to upgrade. There's no word on exactly when this price will rise, but it's unlikely to last for too long.
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WIRED
30 minutes ago
- WIRED
RFK Jr. Orders HHS to Give Undocumented Migrants' Medicaid Data to DHS
Photo-Illustration: Wired Staff; ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/ Getty Images With demonstrations ramping up against the Trump administration, this week was all about protests. With President Donald Trump taking the historic step to deploy US Marines and the National Guard to Los Angeles, we dove into the 'long-term dangers' of sending troops to LA, as well as what those troops are permitted to do while they're there. Of course, it's not just the military getting involved in the LA protests against the heavy crackdowns by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). There's also Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which further escalated federal involvement by flying Predator drones over LA. And there are local and state authorities, who've used 'nonlethal' weapons and chemical agents like tear gas against protesters. Even Waymo's self-driving taxis—some of which were set on fire during last weekend's LA protests—could be used to investigate people who commit crimes during demonstrations thanks to their surveillance capabilities. In addition to protests, the undocumented community is pushing back against ICE's enforcement activities by turning social media platforms into DIY alert systems for ICE raids and other activities. And with thousands of protests scheduled to take place this weekend, we updated our guide to protecting your privacy—in addition to your physical safety—while demonstrating. Even if you're not an immigrant nor attending any protests, it's possible your data is still getting shared with immigration authorities. In partnership with WIRED, 404 Media this week revealed that a data broker owned by major airlines sold domestic US flight data to CBP and instructed the agency to not reveal that it did so. 404 also detailed a bug that allowed a researcher to discover the phone numbers connected to any Google accounts. (The bug has since been fixed.) Finally, we dissected Apple's AI strategy, which appears to bank more on privacy than on splashy features. And that's not all. Each week, we round up the privacy and security news we didn't cover in depth ourselves. Click the headlines to read the full stories. And stay safe out there. The Trump administration quietly ordered the transfer of Medicaid data belonging to undocumented individuals to deportation officials this week, according to the Associated Press, in a move legal experts warn is likely to erode public trust in the government's handling of personal data and result in a chilling effect among undocumented people desperate for medical care. The transfer, which was reportedly ordered by Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and included names, addresses, immigration status, and health claims, pertains to millions of enrollees, many in states that pay for the coverage using their own funds, the AP reports. The transfer may also be illegal, violating the Social Security Act and other data-handling statutes. According to the AP, Medicaid officials warned the administration that they did not have legal authority to disclose the records and that doing so would carry legal and reputation risks that could lead states to begin refusing to share information with the federal government, impacting the agency's operational functions. California governor Gavin Newsom, whose state is occupied by undesired federal military forces and ICE agents conducting continuous sweeps across neighborhoods heavily populated by immigrants, condemned the act, calling it 'potentially illegal.' An HHS official rejected the claim, saying the agency acted in full compliance with the law, while declining to clarify to reporters how the data would actually be used. 2 Italian Journalists' Phones Hacked With Paragon Spyware Move over, NSO Group. Two Italian journalists were hacked with spyware made by Israeli phone-focused surveillance firm Paragon, Citizen Lab revealed this week in a report based on forensic analyses of their phones. Two other Italians, both staffers at the immigrant rescue nonprofit Mediterranea Saving Humans, also had their phones compromised with the same malware. Paragon's Graphite malware, like NSO's Pegasus, infects phones with a zero-click technique that requires no interaction from the victim—in this case using a vulnerability in iPhones that was patched in iOS version 18.3 earlier this year. While Citizen Lab couldn't determine the Paragon customer behind the intrusions, there's reason to suspect the Italian government, given that an Italian parliamentary committee determined in a report earlier this month that two Italian intelligence agencies are Paragon customers. Ukraine Says It Hacked a Russian Aircraft Maker That Produces Strategic Bombers In its latest salvo against the Russian air force, Ukraine's HUR military intelligence agency said that it had hacked into the network of Tupolev, an aerospace company that manufactures and services Russia's strategic bombers. According to the cybersecurity news outlet The Record, the Ukrainian state hackers claim to have stolen 4.4 gigabytes of data, including internal communications, meeting notes, personnel files, and purchase records. Specifically, HUR says it was targeting data about individuals involved in the servicing and maintenance of Russia's bomber fleet, which has targeted Ukrainian cities. The hackers also defaced the homepage of Tupolev's website to show an owl clutching a Russian aircraft. 'There is nothing secret left in Tupolev's activities for Ukrainian intelligence,' HUR said in a statement. 'The result of the operation will be noticeable both on the ground and in the sky.' The move follows Ukraine's unprecedented drone operation earlier this month that damaged or destroyed 41 Russian aircraft, including bombers and spy planes. International Law Enforcement Conducts Major Takedown of Infostealer Infrastructure On Wednesday, a consortium of cops from Interpol and 26 countries announced a takedown, dubbed 'Operation Secure,' of domains and other digital infrastructure linked to 69 infostealer malware variants. 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Meta Sues a Nudify App for Advertising on Instagram Meta sued Hong Kong–based Joy Timeline HK Limited for repeatedly advertising an app on Instagram called CrushAI that offers 'nudify' deepfakes, using artificial intelligence to remove the clothes from anyone in a photo. Meta said in its announcement of the lawsuit that the company had repeatedly violated its terms of service for advertisers and that the move is part of a larger crackdown on similar deepfake apps pushed by 'adversarial advertisers,' as it dubs the companies who violate its terms. 'We'll continue to take the necessary steps—which could include legal action—against those who abuse our platforms like this,' Meta wrote in a statement.
Forbes
31 minutes ago
- Forbes
The One Luxury These Billionaires Say They Can't Live Without
Billionaires have been known to indulge in just about every luxury imaginable: Picassos. Diamonds. Private concerts by A-list pop stars. Super yachts with cinemas, spas and submarines. Trips to space. Because there's almost nothing a three-comma fortune can't buy, billionaires are often accustomed to owning the best of the best of whatever they want. But Forbes wanted to know what indulgence they view as absolutely essential. So this winter, we surveyed many of the world's billionaires on the one luxury they can't live without, with 40 responding. The most common answer by far was a private jet, which a dozen respondents chose. After that, three listed their phones. A couple shoutouts apiece went to prestige cars, second homes and, yes, air conditioning. And two listed their wives: 'Liz for 57 years!' wrote Charles Koch (estimated net worth: $67.5 billion), chairman of Koch, Inc. Stephen Smith ($6 billion), founder of Canada's First National Financial, said heli-skiing. One anonymous respondent fittingly wrote 'privacy.' Though 12 is a small sample, hundreds of other billionaires own private jets. So why do they put such a high premium on their planes? In most cases, it's about saving time. The process of traveling to a commercial airport, passing through security, boarding and taxiing typically takes several hours, even without delays. A private jet, meanwhile, can be ready in minutes. Not only can those passengers just show up and go, but they also have far more options for where to take off and land. Texas, for example, has 389 public-use airports, according to its transportation department. Only 25 of those—six percent—are commercial airports. 'We have a large number of locations and it would be impossible to get to them without a private plane,' says billionaire David Hoffmann, who invests in dozens of businesses from luxury transportation to real estate. Hoffmann is based in Naples, Florida but has entities across the country in places like San Diego, Minneapolis, Seattle and St. Louis. Samir Mane, a retail and real estate entrepreneur, agrees: 'I bought a jet because we don't have good flight connections to many of the countries where we operate.' Mane, who is Albania's first billionaire, is based in Tirana. Visiting his retail outfits in Sarajevo takes 20 minutes via private jet, he says, but would require a full day if he flew commercially. 'If I were based in London, Frankfurt, or Vienna, I wouldn't need a jet, since the flight connections from those cities are excellent.' 'A lot of these companies would struggle to operate if they didn't have their executives getting in and out of meetings across the country on the same day,' explains Hugh Chatham, VP of sales at plane brokerage CFS Jets. Or, as real estate investor Larry Connor put it in his survey response: 'It's not a luxury, it's a business tool.' Four billionaires wrote that their private plane was the most expensive item they'd ever bought in answer to a separate survey question. Planes tend to depreciate 5% to 10% every year, says Chatham, but most prices in the resale market doubled during the Covid-19 pandemic and have stayed high since. Now, pre-owned jets can cost as little as $1 million for a small, basic craft or as much as $75 million for one in the top tier, like Bombardier's Global 7500; new planes can go up to about $80 million for a business jet, though some billionaires have bought commercial-size airliners that stretch even higher. Bombardier's Global 7500, which was certified in 2018, is the world's largest business jet. The standard Global 7500 is a long-range jet that can handle nonstop flights across the world and includes a four-zone cabin, which means that passengers have separate spaces to work, eat, sleep and lounge. Billionaire brothers Lorenzo and Frank Feritta each own one that they bought in 2020 and that are now worth $55 million apiece, Chatham estimates. Billionaires who've purchased full commercial planes include Russian oligarchs Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov, both of whose aircrafts have been grounded and sanctioned by the U.S. government since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich purchased his Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in 2018. (That's the same kind of plane that crashed in India earlier this week.) Forbes Russia estimated that it cost him at least $350 million, including upgrades for its 50-passenger setup. Usmanov bought his Airbus A340-300 in 2012 for between $350 and $500 million, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. Both are among the largest privately owned jets in Russia. But while some billionaires splurge on ultra-fancy crafts, many choose simpler options. 'There's a little bit of a stigma around owning a private jet, and I think people don't realize that in a lot of cases, it's not as luxurious as you think,' says Chatham. 'For the most part, these guys are packing people into a tiny airplane where they have to sit there uncomfortable for two to two and a half hours. And that's because it saves them time and saves their company money.' There is also the increased concern of tracking: The rise of flight tracking apps like FlightAware has made it possible for anyone on the internet to see where and when a plane is flying, which many billionaires feel infringes on their privacy. Some disguise their ownership through layers of LLCs. If billionaires don't want aircrafts all to themselves—or don't want to shell out the big bucks to store, maintain and staff their own planes—another option is fractional ownership, which means purchasing a share of a plane and access to it for a proportional number of hours per year. Hoffmann says that he and his company use both full and fractional ownership: 'Our demand for flying is that high.' There are also subscription models, whereby customers buy access to a fleet for a month or year at a time. Alternatives like these can work so well that Mane actually turned to them just two weeks ago. He'd originally bought a used Citation XLS+ in 2021 for $10.8 million—his most expensive purchase ever. 'I sold it last week for $11.8 million,' he said last Thursday. But he still can't live without flying private: 'Now, I use Vista and NetJets.'
Android Authority
31 minutes ago
- Android Authority
After a week with the Nintendo Switch 2, these are the 4 things I love and 3 I don't
Nintendo Switch 2 The Switch 2 isn't as exciting or innovative as you might want or expect from the big N, but it proves that even when Nintendo plays it safe, there's still a unique magic to be found. I wasn't going to buy a Nintendo Switch 2. With no major Nintendo games releasing for a while and better and cheaper ways of playing indie titles, my original Switch had been gathering dust for months; I'd largely pivoted to spending my fleeting gaming hours on my PC rig, a Steam Deck OLED, and testing out a few exciting new Android handhelds. But then it went on sale, and I got an email from a retailer to say they had limited stock, and, well… here we are. I've owned Nintendo home consoles and handhelds stretching back to the Super Nintendo, so I've seen the many, many ups and downs of the Kyoto innovators' weirdest and most wonderful hardware launches. But in all that time, there was one thing missing: '2'. The Switch 2 represents the first ever numbered console follow-up from Nintendo, and it's hardly surprising considering the Switch's overwhelming sales figures and general popularity. Nevertheless, I was curious to see if it could earn that sequel status, so I kept my impromptu pre-order. After a week of playing around with the Switch 2, I can confirm that the unique home-handheld hybrid setup hasn't lost the sauce, and there are plenty of upgrades to get excited about. However, it's not the perfect successor I was hoping it would be, either. The performance upgrade is huge Oliver Cragg / Android Authority Put simply, the performance bump over the original Switch is the single biggest reason to buy the Switch 2. In handheld mode, the Switch 2 can run games in 1080p at 120fps. In docked mode, you'll get up to 4K at 60fps, with some games confirmed to benefit from NVIDIA's Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) upscaling tech for improved performance. What that means is even uber-demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 are now possible to play on a Nintendo console. Meanwhile, first-party games like Mario Kart World and the superbly-named Donkey Kong Bananza — launching in July — can up the size of their worlds, increase the number of particles and other bits on screen, and generally look far more visually and technically impressive than any Nintendo game to date. Perhaps the most underrated upgrade is the eShop experience, which is now fluid and doesn't take an age to load when you're simply trying to check the latest (usually very stingy) batch of game sale prices. The performance bump over the original Switch is the single biggest reason to buy the Switch 2 There's a significant hit to battery life compared to the original Switch (I've been getting 3-4 hours on a single charge; not terrible but not great), and I think the lack of variable refresh rate support when docked is a strange omission (it's there in handheld), but the fact that we're in the ballpark of PS4-like performance and visual clarity from a Nintendo console is an obvious win. Backwards compatibility upgrades are literally game-changing (but should be free) Oliver Cragg / Android Authority Thanks to a combo of hardware compatibility and an emulation layer, the Switch 2 can play most of the Switch 1's vast library of games. That's already great, and a huge improvement over other Nintendo console generation leaps, where backwards compatibility was the exception rather than the rule. It's also compatible with Switch 1 accessories, so you can keep using your Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, and even pair the original Joy-Cons to keep up with your exercises in Ring Fit (sorry, Labo fans, you're out). But the real reason backwards compatibility is such a big win builds on everything I said about the performance gap. Thanks to some timely updates, and in some cases even without patches, there are many games that now run significantly better on Switch 2. Paid Nintendo Switch 2 Editions aside, the backwards compatibility upgrades are impressive. The best example of this is Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the best-selling Pokémon games of all time and the only entry in the long-running series I had yet to play because it was genuinely unplayable for me on Switch 1. The textures are still a bit gnarly, but the vomit-inducing frame rate drops, razor edges on objects, painful load times, and awful pop-in are long gone when you click the same cartridge into a Switch 2 — it's a revelation (check out an hour of it here if you don't believe me). Of course, Nintendo being Nintendo, it couldn't stop itself from making the improvements slightly consumer-unfriendly and overcomplicated, so some performance upgrades are gated behind paid Nintendo Switch 2 Editions, such as is the case with the Switch's two The Legend of Zelda classics, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom (and yes, I know you get both 'free' with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, but you still pay for that!). Nevertheless, the fact that exploring Hyrule in HDR at a steady frame rate is even possible in the first place is something to cherish. The LCD is pretty good, actually Oliver Cragg / Android Authority Hands up, I was wrong on this one. The decision to shift from a gorgeous OLED on the Switch OLED refresh back to an LCD panel like the launch Switch 1 was the primary reason I wasn't going to buy the Switch 2. I knew it'd be better than that horrible display on the first Switch — LCD has come a long way in recent years — but as someone who bought both a Switch and a Steam Deck twice over to get an OLED screen on their respective model refreshes, I was sure the Switch 2 couldn't pull this off and I'd be better served waiting for the inevitable Switch 2 OLED. Nintendo Switch 2: Hot or not? 0 votes Hot NaN % Not NaN % And to be honest, I'll still probably buy that when it happens — OLED blacks can't be matched even by the Switch 2's excellent LCD — but the larger, more vibrant, higher refresh rate, HDR, and VRR-enabled 1080p screen is shockingly nice. If you're holding out for the same reason I was going to, then I'd encourage you to find a demo model in a store (or hope one of your friends snagged one of the rare launch units), and give it a look — it's far better than you think it'll be. Nintendo learned to KISS Oliver Cragg / Android Authority There was a bit of buzz pre-launch, accusing Nintendo of playing it safe with the Switch 2, and there's some validity in that, frankly. If the console were to be rebranded as the long-rumored but never-to-materialize Switch Pro, I don't think anyone would have questioned the nomenclature; it's essentially a beefed-up Switch with some extra features. Those wanting to see the wild creativity of the Nintendo that brought us a cube-shaped console with a random hand grip, the Wiimote, a dual-screened handheld with a stylus, or the many, many bizarre accessories of past decades, spanning the ungainly Power Glove all the way to the Labo VR box, will come away sorely disappointed with a console that is far more in line with an Xbox or PlayStation generational shift than any previous Nintendo evolution. But 'keep it simple, stupid,' is a saying for a reason. Perhaps burned by the aggressively misjudged Wii to Wii U transition (and paying for it in sales), the Switch 2 is an exercise in being smart enough not to mess with a successful formula. All the core tenets of the Switch 1 are preserved, with tweaks made where it counts that go beyond a mere performance boost. The UI is slightly cleaner and smoother, but immediately recognizable. The Joy-Cons now snap into place via magnets, and while you might get a nasty pinch if you're not careful, it's safer than shoving a Switch 1 Joy-Con back on the wrong way (ask me how I know this). Handheld mode is much improved with the larger display, and you no longer have to do battle with a dangling cable when you need a charge, thanks to the top USB-C port. Other additions like GameShare (sharing a game with someone to play together with one copy) and the Switch 2 Camera setup also make this a more socially friendly console, an area in which Nintendo has historically struggled, particularly in the online space. Seeing someone's reactions in a little bubble next to their racer in Mario Kart World, even if it's at a slideshow-like refresh rate, is a very Nintendo take on modern gaming essentials. So no, the Switch 2 isn't a moonshot project, but it's all the better for it. Mostly… The Joy-Cons and the Dock needed more love Oliver Cragg / Android Authority The Switch 2 is a big boy compared to the Switch 1, but it's still nowhere close to the size or weight of the beefy Steam Deck. So why can I not use it in handheld mode for as long as Valve's behemoth? The answer is ergonomics. I have an inflammatory disease that manifests as fairly consistent aches in my hands, but I can play on the Steam Deck for hours without any issues because the weight distribution and curved design mold to my palms and grip. This wasn't the case with the original Switch, and it's even worse with the Switch 2. The new Joy-Cons have more features and look nicer than ever, but the harder edges are more uncomfortable to hold. People swore by Hori Split Pad Pro replacements for a reason on Switch 1, and I can see the same thing happening again here. Beyond ergonomics and my tolerance, the Switch 2 Joy-Cons still feel underbaked. Teardowns have revealed that the Switch 2 Joy-Con joysticks are based on the same potentiometer tech as the original Joy-Cons. You know, the ones that consistently succumbed to stick drift. Hall effect and Tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) are table stakes on the best controllers now, and it's baffling that Nintendo didn't take greater measures to fix one of the biggest pain points of the Switch 1. Instead, that time perhaps went into making the Switch 2 Joy-Cons usable as a mouse — time poorly spent if so, while they do technically work for games like Civilization VII or even shooters like Fortnite, there's a good reason mouse companies don't make products that look like this: they're painfully uncomfortable after about 10 minutes of use. The Switch 2 console upgrades are all on point, but the new-gen Joy-Cons and Dock feel undercooked. The Switch 2 dock equally feels like Nintendo could've done so much more. Docking the console doesn't offer any additional peace of mind over the original Switch and dock combo regarding potential screen damage; it still has solid plastic on either side, which necessitates real care when you're reengaging the device to switch between handheld and home modes. And while the Switch 2 itself got a second USB-C port, the dock still has a whopping zero. It's two USB-A ports all over again, so charging controllers will require one of those USB-A-to-USB-C cables many of us have been trying to eliminate from our gadget lives. Where Nintendon't, others will. dbrand kindly sent me over its KillSwitch case, which immediately solved my Joy-Con woes by adding rubberized, textured ergonomic casing, and improves the dock experience via an adapter so you can dock the Switch 2 externally. The Ultra bundle I received also has the idiot-proof Prism 2.0 screen protectors, which I highly recommend for your Switch 2 (or really any gadget dbrand makes them for). I'm also holding out hope that there's a Hori Split Pad Pro or an equivalent made for Switch 2 to permanently fix the Joy-Cons and give them more reliable sticks and better grips as standard. The price doesn't end at the console Oliver Cragg / Android Authority If you can actually find one to buy, the Switch 2 itself isn't cheap. I'd say that $449 is a fair price for a modern console, especially when you consider that it's a hybrid system that can cover portable and TV play, and that the Steam Deck OLED is another $100 on top at its minimum entry. But the Switch 2 ecosystem is expensive, more so than the Deck and even more so than a traditional console from Microsoft or Sony. $80 games are apparently the new norm, so asking that for Mario Kart World stings, but it's not beyond expectation, especially when the cost of game development is at an all-time high. However, Nintendo has a knack for rarely ever reducing the price of its games. $80 now may drop to $60-$70, but based on recent history, you shouldn't ever expect to see Steam sale or even PSN/Xbox sale level of price drops on first-party Nintendo games. I'm still yet to pick up 2019's Fire Emblem: Three Houses, despite loving the series, because it's always stuck at MSRP, and I can get 2-3 games from my wishlist elsewhere for that price. Likewise, third-party games and indies do go on sale more often, but the sticker price is typically higher than in other ecosystems (and this may get worse if Nintendo doesn't fix another issue I'll get to in a moment). Nintendo isn't the only game in town anymore if you want to play on the go, and long-term it's cheaper elsewhere. Then there are the extras that come with any console, but still add up. 256GB base storage is a big leap from the 32GB of the original Switch and even the 64GB of the OLED model, but you'll still likely need more room for all your games before long, and the Switch 2 is only compatible with microSD Express cards, which start at around $50-60 for a 128GB card, and rise in cost from there for more storage. A Switch Online account is required for online play, and the Expansion Pack is needed for some emulation and additional perks. The USB-C camera is $54.99, and if you want a Pro controller with a capture button, that'll be a hefty $85 add-on. Overall, the Switch 2, even when you factor in the extras, isn't exorbitantly expensive, but with more competition in the handheld space in particular from the Steam Deck and the first wave of Steam OS machines, Xbox's ambitions to fix Windows for portable play, more and more breakout titles coming to mobile (e.g. Balatro), and the ever-increasing number of ultra-affordable retro handhelds, Nintendo isn't the only game in town anymore if you want to play on the go. The cartridge debacle is dumb Oliver Cragg / Android Authority Okay, so this is confusing, so bear with me. In its infinite wisdom, Nintendo decided to make the act of buying games more complicated than it needed to be with the introduction of Game-Key Cards. When you buy one of these boxed Game-Key Card games from a retail store, you get a regular Nintendo Switch 2 cartridge, but the game isn't stored on the cartridge, only an access key. Instead, when you put the cartridge into your console, it'll trigger the system to download the title. To Nintendo's credit, the packaging for Game-Key Card games has clear branding to differentiate them from a native Switch 2 game that is stored on the cartridge. There are also upsides to this approach, such as cheaper production costs for indie studios who don't have to buy larger storage cartridges. On the consumer end, you can also share and sell Game-Key Cards (Nintendo did an awful job at communicating this at launch, with this huge detail only coming out of an interview), which you can't do with previous digital-centric brick-and-mortar store purchases, which had a single-use game code. Game-Key Card confusion has been an unfortunate and avoidable blunder. But if only it were that simple. For starters, Game-Key Cards are no better than code slips for game preservation. If game publishers or Nintendo take the necessary servers offline, that key won't do anything. And the silly part is, even though Game-Key Cards exist, there were still two Nintendo Switch 2 launch games — Civilization VII and Split Fiction — that had a slip in the box, not a cartridge! Even my Switch 2 and Mario Kart World bundle came with a code for the racer, not a Game-Key Card. More alarming is the number of Game-Key Card games vs. actual cartridges, with the former outnumbering the latter — there's a handy list on reddit that is keeping track of each release. Reports are circulating that the number of Game-Key Card games is so high because Nintendo has only supplied 64GB Switch 2 cartridges for companies that want to offer the full physical game, as opposed to the Switch 1, which had a range, reportedly with multiple options and going as low as 4GB. With a suggested $16 cost price of each 64GB full cartridge for Switch 2, it's easy to see why publishers and indie developers have opted to save money per sale by buying cheaper Game-Key Cards that require only storage enough for an activation. The real disadvantage here plays into the Switch's very purpose — a simple, plug-and-play handheld that doesn't require jumping through any hoops. That paradigm continues to be unraveled by confusing initiatives like the Game-Key Cards, and, to a lesser extent, Switch 2 Editions. Here's hoping Nintendo fixes this dumb issue and offers more card sizes soon. Nintendo Switch 2 verdict: Is it worth it? Oliver Cragg / Android Authority When the dust settles and the restocks start hitting, I can safely recommend the Nintendo Switch 2 if you want to play the very best Nintendo can offer in the best possible way. Personally, I'm excited enough to play Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on a platform that can hit 4K at 60fps on my TV that I could justify it to myself. That said, if there's nothing on the horizon from Nintendo's first-party game slate that catches your eye, you might want to hold off, either until something does pop up that's Switch 2-only, or plays so poorly on the original Switch that it comes time to upgrade. Even when Nintendo plays it safe, there's still a unique magic to be found. But Nintendo consoles live and die by Nintendo's own games, and if you're looking instead for a handheld for a far broader experience of AAA and indies, I would recommend at least considering options like the Steam Deck ($549 at Manufacturer site), other Steam OS handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go S ($499.99 at Manufacturer site), and perhaps even waiting to see what comes of the Xbox Ally devices. We're no longer in a world where handhelds without a Nintendo sticker are a niche curiosity, and while the cost of entry is slightly higher elsewhere, the long-term costs are often a lot lower, and the plug-and-play advantage Nintendo previously had isn't quite as secure as it once was. There's also the lingering possibility of a Switch 2 OLED, which I'd guess is inevitable, but I doubt we'll see it for at least 3-5 years. In the meantime, you could be enjoying playing on a console that does almost everything you'd want from a Switch successor. It's not as exciting or as innovative as you might want or expect from the big N, but even when Nintendo plays it safe, there's still a unique magic to be found. Nintendo Switch 2 Improved performance • Surprisingly great LCD display • Fun social features MSRP: $449.00 Nintendo's best gets bigger and better. The Nintendo Switch 2 offers big upgrades over the original Switch, including a larger 7.9-inch 1080p 120Hz display, a beefed-up, custom NVIDIA processor, 256GB of internal storage, and GameChat social features. See price at GameStopSee price at Newegg Positives Improved performance Improved performance Surprisingly great LCD display Surprisingly great LCD display Superior console design Superior console design Fun social features Fun social features The best way to play Nintendo exclusives Cons Limited upgrades for Joy-Cons and Dock Limited upgrades for Joy-Cons and Dock Expensive ecosystem
