Nintendo’s new Switch 2 doesn’t hit shelves until June 5th, but we’ve already played with it. Should existing Switch gamers plan on upgrading?
Casting objectivity aside for a moment: I absolutely love my NIntendo Switch. It’s several years old, has seen two separate Joy-Con drift repairs, and houses a 1.5 TB microSD memory card because its default internal storage isn’t ideal, but I love it all the same. Which makes its recent fan troubles — the thing sounds like there’s a tiny blender inside now — both heart-breaking and obnoxious.
However, this put me in the market for an OLED Switch upgrade. A better and slightly bigger screen along with double the storage seemed like an obvious choice. Except now the Switch 2 is on the way, so do I stick with the OLED plan or hold out a bit longer for Nintendo’s newest console?
Well, I was able to get some hands-on time for both the new console and several of its upcoming games at a recent Nintendo Switch 2 premiere event. The experience made it a pretty easy decision.Better specs, fancier games
Nintendo’s still keeping some of the Switch 2’s hardware info close to its chest for the time being, but it’s obvious from both the April 2 Nintendo Direct and seeing multiple upcoming Switch 2 games in action that this will be an improvement. It’ll have a larger 7.9-inch LCD screen (though not OLED), can handle up to 1080p in handheld mode (over the OLED model’s 720p), and is capable of up to 120 fps for games that support it. And up to 4K when connected to a TV that can handle it.
It also comes with 256 GB of internal memory, which is a significant step up from the OLED Switch’s 64 GB — and way more than the original model’s 32 GB — with a promise of comparably faster read and write speeds on top of that added space. There are plenty of external upgrades as well, like a larger and more adjustable « kickstand », larger Joy-Con 2 controllers with built-in noise cancelling microphones, and a second USB-C port on top for tabletop charging or plugging in the new Switch 2 camera accessory.
And, of course, lots of games. Ports of current releases like Elden Ring and Street Fighter 6, purchasable Switch 2 Edition upgrades for current titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a classic Gamecube library for Switch 2 owners with a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, and even a few exclusives (hellooo The Duskbloods!).
