Nintendo Switch 2 vs 1: What's the difference?
You can watch a trailer, stream Mario Kart World gameplay footage, or scroll through endless Reddit threads, but nothing beats actually holding the thing in your hands. At Nintendo's first Switch 2 Experience Day at the ExCeL in London, it was immediately clear: the Nintendo Switch 2 is a serious step up from the original.
The new console supports 4K resolution when docked, 1080p in handheld mode and up to 120fps in either – a significant leap from the original Switch's 1080p docked, 720p handheld and 60fps cap. The HDR (high dynamic range) is now supported in both modes, too, bringing deeper contrast and richer colours. While playing a demo of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Switch 2 Edition (£64.99, Very.co.uk), the difference was striking. Not only did the visuals look sharper, but the boosted frame rate made movement feel much smoother and more responsive.
The HDR (high dynamic range) is seen in both docked and handheld modes on the Switch 2 and offers a much-improved contrast. While playing a demo of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Switch 2 Edition, the difference between it and the original release was almost night and day. The game ran much smoother on the Switch 2, thanks to the boosted frame rate and resolution.
Even in areas dense with textures, the new console didn't miss a beat. Among the Switch 2 exclusives, Donkey Kong Bananza (£64.99, Argos.co.uk) looked simply stunning, while the frame rate in Mario Kart World remained stable throughout, despite all the chaotic action unfolding on screen. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond also stood out in this department.
The Switch 2 features a larger 7.9in screen, up from the original Switch's 6.2in, and as a result, the connecting Joy-Cons are naturally bigger too. The larger Joy-Cons make the console feel less fiddly and more comfortable to hold, with quality-of-life improvements such as slightly bigger shoulder buttons making a tangible difference to gameplay.
The Joy-Cons now connect magnetically instead of using a rail system, though they still detach in a similar way. You just press a button to safely release them. One of the biggest new features is that both Joy-Cons can now function like a mouse. It's the kind of thing that could feel gimmicky, but in practice, it absolutely doesn't.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, for example, can be played with the Joy-Cons as normal or with one acting in the way a PC mouse would. Yes, it's nothing new in the PC sphere at all, but to be able to switch between the two on the fly depending on what the situation is or just to change things up was a blast.
Drag x Drive was a great surprise, too. It takes a little getting used to, but it quickly turns into a really fun wheelchair basketball version of Rocket League. Super Mario Party Jamboree – Switch 2 Edition also makes good use of the mouse controls, with more minigames that are incredibly fun and offer something fresh compared to the regular version – and that's key.
GameChat is another huge addition, and it's why a new 'C' button has been added to the right Joy-Con. This pulls up a chat menu, allowing players to talk to friends and family while playing.
A camera can also be attached, letting you appear on screen and video chat mid-game or during matches, so real-time reactions can be seen by everyone. You'll also be able to view what other people in your lobby are playing, even if it's a different game. These features are free to use during an open access period, but after 31 March 2026, a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion subscription will be required.
Audio has been improved too, with better speakers, support for 3D audio and generally clearer sound across the board. There's also a built-in microphone now, making voice chat much more accessible.
The stand has been redesigned as well – it now runs almost the full length of the console and feels far sturdier, making it easier to use at different angles. A second USB-C port has been added to the top of the device, making it more convenient to charge or connect a camera.
There's also been a big bump in internal storage, with the Switch 2 offering 256GB – a significant upgrade from the original model's 32GB.
If you're looking to get your hands on the Nintendo Switch 2, follow our liveblog, where we're tracking restocks across the board.
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Sony dismisses Switch 2 because PS5 is a 'great experience on big screens'
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Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Switch 2 review
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Formats: Nintendo Switch 2 (reviewed), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PCPrice: £59.99Publisher: CD ProjektDeveloper: CD Projekt RedRelease Date: 5th June 2025 Age Rating: 3 Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 in the UK right now MORE: Yakuza 0 Director's Cut review – Kiryu on the Nintendo Switch 2 MORE: Games Inbox: Is Nintendo the best video game company ever?
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After spending a considerable amount of time testing Cyberpunk 2077 on Nintendo Switch 2, and comparing it to the experience on Steam Deck, the results will probably surprise you. Cyberpunk 2077 is out now on Nintendo Switch 2. So, how does it run, and how does it compare with other devices like the Steam Deck? Let's dive in. First, let's get technical. How you experience Cyberpunk 2077 on Nintendo Switch 2 depends on which mode you're playing it in, and also, how you're playing it. When the Switch 2 is docked, there are two different graphical modes available in CD Projekt Red' s title: Performance mode and Quality mode. Performance prioritises frame rate over resolution, while quality mode prioritises visuals over frame rate. In Performance mode when docked, Cyberpunk 2077 runs at 1080p and targets 40fps with the frame rate being uncapped. In Quality mode, when docked, it again runs at 1080p, but the frame is capped at 30fps, with the game targeting 30fps. I was super impressed by the console's performance generally in my Nintendo Switch 2 review, but what about Cyberpunk 2077 specifically? Introducing All Out Gaming, a dedicated gaming brand providing the best gaming news, reviews, previews, interviews and more! Make sure you don't miss out on our latest high-quality videos on YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook, where we'll be posting our latest reviews, previews, interviews, and live streams! You can also subscribe to our free All Out Gaming newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories. Docked performance test When looking at footage of both modes side by side, there's a negligible difference, so I prefer performance mode for that reason, as you get the smoother experience and slightly higher framerate. You really do have to start pixel peeping to the max in order to spot any real differences when you're actively playing the game. There's maybe a small difference in sharpness, shadows, and lighting here and there, but unless you're really, really looking, it's going to be pretty hard to spot. Where you can see a difference is when V looks in the mirror right at the start of a new game, if you've chosen the Nomad starting option. There's slightly more fuzziness in the performance mode, maybe due to the different type of DLSS being used, and you can see the added sharpness in quality mode. But that's about it; they're very, very similar. Docked performance test – Now let's compare the Switch 2 in performance mode against the Steam Deck, running at 1080p resolution when docked. We set the Steam Deck to the Steam Deck graphics preset and FSR 3 in Balanced mode. And personally, although they are pretty close, I prefer the Switch 2. I think the image looks less grainy, slightly sharper and probably slightly smoother too in terms of average frames, although it's hard to say definitively without an fps counter on Switch 2. Handheld performance test Let's talk about the handheld experience now. On Switch 2 in Quality mode, Cyberpunk 2077 runs at 1080p resolution, targeting 30fps, and it's also locked to 30fps. When in Performance mode during handheld sessions, the game runs at 720p resolution but with the frame rate limit unlocked, aiming for 40 frames per second. And it's here you can see a clear difference in image quality, which you would expect considering the resolution differences. The DLSS AI upscaling utilised is far more noticeable in Performance mode, in my opinion, with more artifacting and just generally a fuzzier image. But in terms of frame rate, both modes felt pretty consistent and smooth. So I'd say the 40 and 30 fps claims are about right in these modes. And personally, I prefer playing Quality mode when on handheld, just for the added sharpness. But Performance mode is also a good option for players who want smoother gameplay. I will also say that when travelling at super high speeds, I did get the game to chug and stutter a little bit, even when docked, so that's something to be wary of, as it's loading a lot of textures at once. I would also mention that the crowd density is low – about the same as the Steam Deck preset – and it's a lot, lot lower than you would get on Xbox Series X, PS5 or PC. Compared to those platforms, the game does feel significantly emptier. Handheld performance test Now let's compare how the handheld experience with the Switch 2 compares to the Steam Deck, with Valve 's device running at 1280 x 800, which is the screen's native resolution. And when looking at the side by sides, even with the Switch 2 running in performance mode at 720p, in my opinion, the game looks much better on Nintendo 's console and also has the frame rates to match too; maybe not in the highs, but definitely more consistent frame rates with the Switch 2. For me, there's just no comparison about which is a better experience: Nintendo's console looks and feels better. Overall, I think CD Projekt Red have done a great job optimising this AAA title to run on Nintendo's latest console. The idea that Cyberpunk 2077 could run on a Nintendo console at all, even just a few years ago, would have been ridiculous, so the fact that it's running at this level of performance is a superb achievement. Obviously, if you're running this game on a current-gen console or a more expensive gaming handheld, or even a PC, you're clearly going to get much, much better performance. But for those who want to experience third-party games on Switch 2 for the first time, you can now play games like Cyberpunk 2077 on this platform, and have a good experience, which is awesome!. And if this game can run on this console, the world really is Nintendo's oyster, as well as all of the major game developers out there. I mean, where's Call of Duty, Microsoft? We're waiting!
