Switch 2 Review: The Best Handheld Console Is the Future in Familiar Form

CNET

4 hours ago

Halfway between Newark and San Francisco, I was settled into my economy seat and fully enjoying the first-class gaming ticket that the Nintendo Switch 2 was giving me in-flight. A big 7.9-inch screen, tilted at a perfect angle as I played Mario Kart World's vast tracks using luxurious new controllers with fantastic vibration. Yep, the Switch 2 is great. Except that the battery was already winding down after just an hour and a half of play.
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In the world of large, powerful gaming handhelds such as the Steam Deck and upcoming ROG Xbox Ally, the Nintendo Switch 2 currently reigns supreme, with some caveats. Eight years after the launch of the original Nintendo Switch, the Switch 2 is clearly a revamp rather than a reinvention.
Nintendo didn't pull any surprises this time, and instead it delivered overdue graphics upgrades and a lot of design improvements into a console that, after a couple of weeks of living with it, has finally shown me enough to give you a verdict. This is a system whose graphics potential, I think, lies ahead, and a system that could be a doorway to a lot more. But it has some current drawbacks that could very well make some choose to wait for more games, or perhaps a better Switch model.
8.5 Nintendo Switch 2 $450 at Best Buy Like Slim design
Slim design Large 1080p display
Large 1080p display Notably better graphics
Notably better graphics Great-feeling magnetic-attaching controllers Don't like MicroSD Express cards storage is hard to find right now
MicroSD Express cards storage is hard to find right now Battery life is worse than Switch's
Battery life is worse than Switch's Still needs more unique exclusives
Let's rewind to 2011. The Nintendo DS was one of the most successful game handhelds of all time, and the latest Nintendo 3DS promised even more, with a backward-compatible design, better graphics, an analog stick, a glasses-free 3D screen. And worse battery life. The 3DS battery life didn't catch up to older DS models until years later.
The Switch 2 feels like a familiar story in comparison. For all its graphic updates and excellent hardware improvements, its battery life has suffered. Two hours, maybe three, is what you should expect. And you might find that your onboard storage for games fills up fast, too, unless you invest in expensive MicroSD Express cards that are currently hard to find.
But the Switch 2 looks to do a lot more than that. The graphics boosts and its improvements to modular ways to play put it right at the bleeding edge of where other game consoles look to be evolving next. It's a step ahead of where Windows handhelds and Steam Decks are currently at. And the way the hardware works for more current PC and PlayStation/Xbox-level games should open it up to a lot more software in the years to come. I do love what the Switch 2 can do for games and for connecting with friends. And I bet its advantages will grow even more in another year, when there are far more games and people playing on the Switch 2.
The Switch 2 (top left) vs. Lenovo Legion Go S (bottom left), Steam Deck OLED (bottom right) and Switch OLED (top right). The Switch 2 is small in comparison to the PC handhelds but bigger than older Switches.
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Graphics that beat the Steam Deck
I was surprised to find that the graphics on the Switch 2 actually look better than on Valve's Steam Deck handheld. I'm not used to Nintendo hardware being at the bleeding edge of tech. It is this time, though.
Even though the Switch 2 isn't as powerful as larger game consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, it does deliver the best gaming handheld graphics right now, period. It has a new Nvidia custom processor that, in early ports of games also playable on Steam Deck, shows better-looking images. I still need to do more direct comparisons with other games to check this out further, but Nintendo's already done an impressive job optimizing its own games, as well as the third-party games that are here so far for its hardware. But I'd still love to see more. The 1080p handheld display and consistent docked performance of games that can go up to 4K and/or run at 120fps have impressed me a lot. The Switch 2 has its limits, for sure, but it definitely feels like a better TV-docked gaming console than the Steam Deck.
There are only about a couple of dozen or so games designed for Switch 2 right now, along with a handful of others Nintendo has updated for Switch 2 with a mix of better resolution, graphics and frame rate. I'm impressed with the results, especially the more I play. Splatoon 3 now flies around, silky-smooth and sharp. Both Zelda games don't have any frame rate hiccups at all anymore, and this is the handheld I want to play to get back into Tears of the Kingdom; it feels fantastic now.
Taking the Switch 2 on a cross-country flight. The kickstand and the whole system still fit perfectly on a small tray table.
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The hardware feels fantastic
From the new thin and sturdy kickstand to the larger screen, the beefier Joy-Cons, which have notably better haptics and that lovely magnetic detach mechanism, I love just about everything in the Switch 2's design. Nintendo didn't pull any surprises, but it just seems more mature and polished now. When I looked at the OLED Switch and felt it was an overdue update to the Switch, the Switch 2 takes those upgrades a lot further.
So, I also love mouse mode. I really wasn't sure about it at first, and Nintendo doesn't have many games that work with the optical mouse function in both Joy-Cons, but boy, does the feature work well. The camera-based tracking reliably functions on every surface I've tried, from tables to sofa arms to my legs.
So far, those mouse features are mainly used with Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a $10 launch title that serves as an interactive hardware tutorial and demo/minigame collection, and which should have been included free with the Switch 2 (but isn't). Other upcoming games like Drag x Drive and Metroid Prime 4 Beyond will use mouse mode, and I hope others do too, since it's a lot easier to use than I ever expected.
Games look really good on the Switch 2 display, although it's not as bright or vivid as OLED.
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A screen that's more than good enough, but could still be better
After weeks of playing on it, my thoughts on the 7.9-inch 1080p display are that it's definitely good, and I'd love to see it in OLED someday. The HDR support, refresh rate and its larger, higher-res viewing area are all upgrades over previous Switch displays, but it's missing that extra bit of high-contrast vividness that OLEDs can have. The bezel around the Switch 2 screen is also thicker than I'd prefer. The screen could have been a bit bigger, or maybe the Switch 2 made smaller. Compared to the Valve Steam Deck, though, this feels a lot more compact and modern.
Your typical four-person GameChat session will show everyone's windows below your game, but you can adjust the windows or hide them completely.
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GameChat and Game Share: Evolved ways to play suggest a transformation in the works
I've been thinking about the name of Nintendo's console: "Switch." It's the modular transformations from tabletop to handheld to TV docked forms, complete with detachable Joy-Con controllers, that have made the Switch stand out from other consoles. That's still the Switch 2's stand-out advantage over handhelds like the Steam Deck, but the Switch 2 reveals some possibilities in new directions.
GameChat, a built-in audio and video chat function on the Switch 2, launches hangouts with friends on the fly. Testing it out with friends at work, the feature seemed totally fine, even though it's something I might not use much yet. The C button on the right Joy-Con controller launches GameChat, and uses your Switch friend list as contacts you can add to a chat and start a hangout.
The Switch 2 has its own noise-canceling microphone that pretty effectively blocks your own console's game sounds and room noise, but the audio quality with friends was sometimes hit or miss. As a built-in chat platform, it's a lot better than the phone app-based chat Nintendo leans on for the Switch. It's limited to up to 12 people with just voice, or four that can share audio and footage of the game they're playing, along with their own face if they have a USB-connected camera plugged in.
While video quality over GameChat varies and is definitely a lower frame rate and lower-res than most standard laptop webcams, it's good enough to feel presence and connection. Also, my own gaming performance didn't suffer despite having GameChat open at the same time.
Game Share opens up Switch-to-Switch play with only one game in one console, something only a few Switch games can do with Switch 2. It's a promising idea, since it can also mean family members who don't have a Switch 2 could perhaps play along in some games on their own Switch screen, using a form of localized streaming to share the gameplay. Donkey Kong Bananza has this support, but Mario Kart World doesn't. I think it's a fascinating way the Switch 2 could expand this, maybe even to phones or tablets, but it's really unclear how or when it'll be explored further.
The separately-sold Switch 2 Camera can put your face in certain games, which is actually a lot of fun.
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Nintendo's also playing with connected cameras this time around, and while it's fun, it's more of a gimmick at the moment. Plugging in a USB camera into the Switch 2 can let you share your face in Game Chat or overlay your face into games that have camera support. Mario Kart World does this, and a summer update to Mario Party Jamboree has a whole new mode with camera-connected games. Nintendo has its own wide-angle camera you can buy ($55) and plug in; certain third-party USB cameras may work too.
All of these things, and that new mouse mode, make me wonder how games could expand to add these tools. Big party games like Jackbox, maybe? I sense the flex in the Switch 2's philosophy and design, but these ideas haven't been hammered out yet into games that really make the most of them.
One weird wrinkle to Nintendo's game-sharing rules involves Virtual Game Cards, which can let you loan out your digital games to members of your family for two weeks at a time, or transfer use between two Switches with the same Nintendo account. I appreciate the game-loaning feature, but Nintendo previously allowed multiple Switches to play games under one account while on Wi-Fi. That feature's gone now. I still want games to be truly, freely shared across all family members without limits, but this is a start.
Mario Kart World is a lot of fun, but my kid also said it wasn't a must-get moment yet.
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Games are good, but more needed
I love Mario Kart World, the Switch 2's exclusive launch game. Its 24-player multiplayer is chaotic but becomes essential for making longer rally modes like the elimination-based Knockout Tour feel so special. The open world map for Mario Kart World doesn't have as many secrets as I'd have hoped (though who knows what Nintendo has in store for the future) but the way multicourse races include the path from course to course as part of the challenge adds variety and changes up expectations.
Even so, you could keep playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on your original Switch and still be perfectly happy. Mario Kart World doesn't have as many tracks yet, but again, who knows what Nintendo's plans are?
Games like Cyberpunk 2077 look pretty good on Switch 2, especially in TV mode.
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I've been playing through parts of the initial batch of new console and PC game ports like Yakuza 0, Cyberpunk 2077, Split Fiction and Street Fighter 6, and their upgraded graphics, resolutions and frame rates do feel surprising compared to what I'm used to getting on the Switch. They often look like they beat out some of the Steam Deck's handheld gaming performance. But, on TVs, they still look steps behind what a PS5 or Xbox Series X can do. They're very playable, but notably not exactly the same. Still, the Switch 2 is showing how it's, in some ways, nearly there for a lot of games.
Welcome Tour is more a playable welcome guide than full game, but it has its charms.
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For a taste of the weird possibilities, Switch 2 Welcome Tour is sort of a preview and interactive behind-the-scenes guide to the Switch 2's hardware benefits. The $10 game should have been free, and yet I've also enjoyed the four-plus hours I've spent in it so far. It's also the only way to show off or check out the mouse functions in a meaningful way right now. I want more experimental, lower-cost, small Nintendo games that will let me play more like this. Drag x Drive looks like one of them -- I played it briefly during a gaming showcase back in April.
It's the next wave of games I'm most excited for. The next exclusive, Donkey Kong Bananza, promises to be a 3D Mario-esque adventure. Metroid Prime 4, which will also play on Switch, looks ready to show off Switch 2 graphics really well. The new Pokemon Legends Z-A could be a great showcase, too.
But Nintendo still needs new Zeldas, new Marios, and new ideas beyond those to propel the Switch 2 into a position where it could really feel like a must-have. In the meantime I expect to get back into lots of Switch games in my library on the better hardware. For now, it's more of a fantastic Switch upgrade with promises of more in store.
Don't expect more than about two hours of battery life playing Mario Kart World.
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Battery life is the limiting factor
You're sacrificing something with the Switch 2, and that's mainly your battery life. At best, I've gotten around three hours of play on a charge with Switch 2, which is notably less than current Switches and also less than the Steam Deck OLED model.
My 12-year-old son's reaction to the whole Switch 2 proposition was telling. He prefers his old durable Switch and its funky mismatched Joy-Cons because he can play longer without needing to charge. Battery life matters for kids, too. So does size. The Switch 2's bigger feel but smaller battery life is a mismatch for families, and it's the main reason to consider waiting this out. Maybe a bigger-battery model emerges next, or perhaps Nintendo improves Switch 2's battery performance with future games.
None of that matters if you keep the Switch 2 docked. TV mode is maybe the new Switch's best way to shine, since the console can pull off 4K resolution and smoother 120Hz gaming, although not all games (or TVs) support those formats. The new camera-connected modes expect you to be TV-docked, too (although you could also use the camera in tabletop or handheld modes, if you have a place to rest it). Playing like this, you wouldn't miss out on a thing.
Still, I'd like to see battery life improve, especially since recharging isn't speedy. It's taken me more than an hour to charge the Switch 2 back to where I'd want it to be. In the meantime, living with a battery pack for long trips might be the solution.
For now, it's a sacrifice for better performance, much like that Nintendo 3DS.
Storage space is a factor, too
I've gotten frustrated by the Switch 2's already-limiting onboard storage options, too. The console has 256GB of onboard storage, far larger than the 64GB that comes on the Switch. But game download sizes have ballooned, too. Cyberpunk 2077 is around 60GB. Split Fiction is 69GB. Street Fighter 6? 48GB. There are some smaller Switch 2 games, and if you buy game cards with the games actually onboard (vs. "game key cards," which only trigger a download), you could save yourself storage space, too. Still, I found myself needing an expansion fast. Unfortunately, the Switch 2 requires microSD Express cards, a new format that's more expensive and currently really hard to find.
I bought a 256GB card and filled it fast, and haven't even put many of my original Switch games on it. Sure, I have a lot of Switch games, and many of the classic ones never get above 10GB in size. But, if future Switch 2 games continue on this larger file-size path that feels similar to the Steam Deck and Windows handhelds, managing games will be a challenge if you have more than a handful. In a year or so, microSD Express cards should be more plentiful, but at the moment, it's a bottleneck.
The dock, Switch 2, and Joy-Con grip are included. The Pro controller (right) is $85 extra.
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Do you buy it if you have a Switch?
If you've never owned a Switch before, the Switch 2 makes great sense as a starting point. Finally, the hardware is upgraded for the future, and almost all existing Switch games play on it. Many of them have AI-upscaled graphics, too, and others are being given Switch 2 boosts, either for free or for an extra fee.
However, if you already have a Switch, it's a toss-up. True, you won't regret how much nicer your games can look here, and the new hardware feels fantastic. But do you want the larger size and the smaller battery life? My kid says he can wait.
I still think it'll take a good year or so for the Switch 2 to ramp up its games and features and become a true must-have for Switch owners. Or maybe it'll take longer. Nintendo tends to update its handhelds every two years, so maybe 2027 could see a revised Switch 2? Who knows? In the meantime, just know that the Switch 2 keeps the good times rolling and, in most ways, it's a lot better, but paying up for the new games, the console, and new accessories can add up.
Do you buy it instead of a Steam Deck?
The Steam Deck and Switch 2 are very different beasts, with a lot of things increasingly in common. I still admire the Steam Deck OLED's longer battery life, its extra controls like trackpads and analog triggers, and its far more customizable OS that can be hacked to run other apps if you want. Plus, Steam is a treasure trove of so many games that don't even make it to handhelds like the Switch, and PC gamers can take advantage of using their existing library.
The Switch 2, however, has taken the lead now on impressive hardware. It's slimmer, has a higher-res display, can output 4K and 120Hz to TVs, comes with a dock, has those detachable controllers that can also be mice, and Nintendo does a great job optimizing its games for their consoles, with no signs that'll stop here. It also looks like the Switch 2 will be getting a lot of the Steam Deck-optimized games on Switch 2 over time, since its capabilities are so similar now. Further, the Switch 2 is bound to be a good place to sell indie games to a far larger handheld audience, much like the Switch has been.
I prefer the Switch 2 just a bit more than the Steam Deck right now, but it's a choice lots of people will debate, especially as more Windows handhelds with better performance start to pop up.
The future in familiar form
I think the Switch 2 will transform over the next few years. Maybe with its already-announced functions, maybe with others. Maybe via games that can finally make the leap. Maybe in other weird Nintendo ways no one can predict.
Already, it's building a foundation for some really useful stuff that the original Switch couldn't do, and current Windows gaming handhelds and the Steam Deck can't either.
Yes, it's mostly a better, more expensive Switch right now. But that's also reason enough to take the plunge, even with the battery life and storage concerns. It's not the perfect Switch 2, but it's also the Switch I'm going to use over any other. And, I think, the handheld I'll prefer over any other.
You can sit this upgrade out for a while, for sure, and wait for the rest of Nintendo's plans to unfold. I'd even recommend that. But then, yeah, come onboard, because I need more people to GameChat with.