The Nintendo Switch 2 is right around the corner. Here is everything we know about the new features and hardware that will set this console apart.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is almost here. In just a few months, you can get your hands on the sequel to the greatest home console since the PlayStation 2, at least according to sales figures. While some features and changes are a tad concerning -– almost nobody is looking forward to the increased game prices -– others are turning heads in a good way.
While Nintendo has teased several console changes and new features, the company kept the biggest Switch 2 additions under wraps until quite recently. On April 2, Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct livestream all about the Switch 2. The video announced quite a few upcoming games — including «The Duskbloods», a spiritual sequel to the highly acclaimed FromSoftware RPG «Bloodborne» — but the real meat of the event lay in the long-awaited Switch 2 feature and tech reveals.
Granted, we have known about some of these features thanks to prior leaks, but due to the unreliable nature of leaks, we couldn’t be sure of what was real and what was misdirection until Nintendo made an official announcement. Now that Nintendo has finally put its cards on the table, we finally know just what the Nintendo Switch 2 will be capable of. More importantly, we know what upcoming features and tech will set it apart from the original Nintendo Switch -– and possibly other consoles.A larger screen and higher resolution
The Nintendo Switch might be portable, but its screen isn’t anything to write home about. Even the Nintendo Switch OLED doesn’t improve too much from the standard Switch screen. The Nintendo Switch 2 finally provides the upgrade fans have been waiting for.
At 7.9 inches, the Nintendo Switch 2’s screen is a beefy upgrade over the original Switch’s 6.2-inch display and the Switch OLED’s 7-inch screen. Additionally, the upcoming console will deliver 1080p resolution –- the base pixel number of rival consoles and gaming PCs. However, that’s just when you’re using the Nintendo Switch 2 on the go — when docked, the console is planned to deliver up to 4K gaming, which is not only impressive but hints at further upgrades under the hood.
While we don’t know the console’s exact specs, we can easily infer that the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be far more powerful than the Nintendo Switch thanks to the upcoming library. The Switch 2 will be powerful enough to support games like «Cyberpunk 2077» and «Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade», which implies the GPU will fall somewhere between the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in terms of performance.
To get the most out of these titles, Nintendo is implementing an additional fan into the Switch 2’s dock. Players will have to choose between two playing modes — one that will render games at 4K resolution but cap the refresh rate at 60 fps, and another that will offer a 1080p resolution at 120 fps.Bigger and better controllers
The Nintendo Switch 2’s larger size isn’t just for show. The upcoming console’s upgraded dimensions also extend to the Joy-Con controllers and help fix some of the original Switch controller’s biggest problems.
It’s no secret that the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons are small. Their buttons are small and their thumbsticks are small. Thankfully, the Nintendo Switch 2’s Joy-Cons are larger and more suited for most gamers’ hands. Two of the main selling points are the larger thumbsticks and the wider shoulder buttons, which should be easier to use. Also, the shoulder buttons are made out of metal, which helps make the controller’s magnetic connection to the Nintendo Switch 2 even stronger.
Nintendo’s controller improvements don’t just end with the second generation of Joy-Cons, as the new Pro Controller launching alongside the Switch 2 will also have some upgrades.
