Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on: Great updrades, but not cheap

The Nintendo Switch 2 certainly has big shoes to fill as the follow-up to the first smash hit hybrid console. However, small yet significant design tweaks and upgraded internals make this long-awaited handheld feel both new and familiar.

After its initial reveal in Nintendo’s first-look trailer, I had a lot of questions. And while the full Nintendo Direct showcasing the Switch 2’s features and capabilities answered some of them, it wasn’t until I held the new console in my hands that everything began to click.

At first glance, the Switch 2 feels more iterative than revolutionary. But it’s the combined experience of the console’s upgraded hardware, improved graphics and larger overall design that could very well deliver on what Nintendo fans wanted in the rumored Switch Pro that never came to be.

The bigger 7.9-inch 1080p display with 120Hz refresh rate looks gorgeous in person, even if the switch from an OLED display to an LCD one will surely feel like a downgrade for some.

The Joy-Con 2 controllers are now more comfortable to hold thanks to their larger overall size and bigger thumbsticks, while HD Rumble 2 provides stronger and more immersive vibrations. The new dock is more fully featured too with 4K support and overheating while the Switch 2 is docked shouldn’t be a problem thanks to its built-in fan.

Even with all of these upgrades and changes, the Switch 2 may be a hard sell for some with a higher launch price, more expensive games and paid upgrades that let original Switch games take full advantage of its new hardware.

Still, after spending a day going hands-on with the Switch 2 and all of Nintendo’s new accessories for it, I’m quite optimistic that it will be one of the best handheld gaming consoles you can buy.

Nintendo Switch 2 Specs

Nintendo Switch 2: What We Like

If you’re a fan of Nintendo’s first hybrid console, the Switch 2 brings some serious hardware upgrades for more visually stunning gameplay, alongside brand new ways to play. And let’s not forget the new accessories that should make for a better experience overall.

Bigger, faster and far more comfortable

At 4.5 x 10.7 x 0.55 inches and weighing 1.18 pounds, the Switch 2 feels larger and more substantial than its predecessor, but not overly so. It’s still easy enough to hold in one hand and you shouldn’t have a problem slipping the console into a backpack.

The Switch 2’s all-black design definitely feels more subdued than the original, though the light blue and pinkish-red accents underneath its thumbsticks let you know right away that this is a Switch.

On the top of the console, there are a few noticeable upgrades like the extra USB-C port and the new microphone for GameChat. The redesigned power and volume buttons are a nice touch and it’s great to see that Nintendo still includes a 3.5mm headphone jack with the Switch 2 for wired headphones.

Not only is the Switch 2’s new kickstand sturdier and larger overall, it also gives you more range of motion. In fact, you can almost have the console at a 10-15 degree angle when it’s fully extended.

The new buttons on the top of the backside of the Joy-Cons 2 make it a lot easier to take them off the console and damaged slide rails are now a thing of the past too.

Compared to the original, the Switch 2’s design likely won’t surprise you that much. However, the small changes Nintendo has made throughout make for a better, more comfortable experience in handheld mode.

Familiar faces but fresh gameplay

After watching the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, I walked into a lobby showcasing the new console and all of its accessories before entering a larger hall where I got to try out Mario Kart World for myself.

My Switch 2 hands-on started with a one-on-one race playing in TV mode. The Joy-Cons 2 felt a lot more comfortable in Nintendo’s new Joy-Con grip as I was selecting my character. In addition to Mario Kart World’s full lineup of playable characters, there were also plenty of variations of them in different outfits to choose from.

Racing through one of the game’s new courses on the big screen was quite fun thanks to the addition of several new power-ups even though I lost that first race.

Afterwards, I got to hold the Switch 2 for the first time and play through another race in handheld mode. Mario Kart World’s graphics were crisp on the Switch 2’s screen, and even though the new console is larger, it was comfortable to hold and I didn’t feel any strain on my hands.

After heading up stairs, I played through some more first-party Switch 2 games and got to see some heavy hitters like Cyberpunk 2077 and Street Fighter 6 in action on the new console.

Besides being one of the most fun experiences I had at the event, playing through the demo of Donkey Kong Bonanza was the first time I got my hands on the Nintendo Switch Pro 2 Controller. I can confirm that it does feel much better than the original, though I didn’t get to try out its new back buttons as they weren’t assigned to anything yet.

Upgraded Switch games were also on display but it was the new Nintendo Switch 2 games that showed me the new handheld’s true potential. Everything ran smoothly and the extra resolution and improved graphics really gave me that next-gen console feel even if Nintendo is a bit late to that party.

All new ways to play

The Switch 2’s new mouse mode may seem a bit gimmicky, but in the demo of Metroid Prime Beyond I played, it worked like a charm.

The right Joy-Con acted as a mouse and let me look around but I used its face buttons to transform Samus into a ball and to jump while blasting away enemies with its trigger. Meanwhile, the left Joy-Con let me control the game’s camera.

The most surprising part of playing Metroid Prime Beyond in mouse mode is that all I had to do was to lift up the right Joy-Con to switch back to using more traditional split Joy-Con controls.

Switching between the two control modes was seamless but I found that I kept going back to mouse mode due to how much more accurate and intuitive it felt.

Both Joy-Cons be used in mouse mode simultaneously and that’s exactly how I played through the demo of Drag x Drive. This new 3-on-3 sports game for the Switch 2 has you control a souped-up wheelchair as you try and score shots on the basketball court.

It took me a bit to work my way through the tutorial and learn the game’s controls. But once I got them down, I was rolling across the court, getting air on the ramps that went all the way around it and flicking a Joy-Con to shoot baskets.

Drag x Drive had me working up a sweat in no time — dragging Joy-Cons across a desk mat in the demo station. The game also sort of reminded me of Arms on the original Switch thanks to its heavy use of motion controls, but set in a Rocket League-like arena.

You’re going to want to re-accessorize

The good news with the Switch 2 is that all of your existing Joy-Cons and Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers are compatible with the new console. While we still don’t know whether or not all of the best Nintendo Switch controllers will work with Switch 2, at least first-party ones from Nintendo will.

Even then though, you might want to set aside some extra cash for a Switch 2 Pro Controller and some other Nintendo Switch 2 accessories.

The Switch 2 Pro Controller feels great in hand and you now also get a headphone jack, remappable GL/GR buttons and a C button for GameChat. This upgraded controller also features HD Rumble 2 and motion control support. The Switch 2 Pro Controller does cost slightly more than the original though.

The larger Joy-Con 2’s are a lot more comfortable to hold and playing with full-size thumbsticks is a big upgrade too. While you get a Joy-Con 2 grip in the box with the Switch 2, there’s also an optional Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip that, like the Switch 2 Pro Controller, has remappable buttons on the back.

I didn’t have a chance to try out the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, but my colleague Kate Kozuch found it to be quite fun when playing some of the new mini games in Super Mario Party Jamboree.

Likewise, I wasn’t able to go hands-on with the new Switch 2 Dock. However, I did get to play with the Joy-Con 2 Straps which have an extra piece on either side to make your movements smoother in mouse mode.

Nintendo Switch 2: What We Don’t Like

After years of speculation and leaks, the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here. However, this new handheld is significantly more expensive than its predecessor, upcoming games are also getting a price hike, and Nintendo still hasn’t told us everything about the Switch 2 yet.

A display downgrade (for some)

Although it sounds small on paper, the upgrade from the original Switch’s 6-inch LCD screen to the Switch OLED’s 7-inch OLED screen made a huge difference. From its deeper blacks to more vibrant colors, the Switch OLED’s display was a significant upgrade.

If you’re coming from a Switch OLED, the Switch 2’s 7.9-inch LCD display could feel like a major downgrade. Sure, you are getting a larger screen but switching back to an LCD display after using an OLED one can be jarring to say the least.

Still, I found the Switch 2’s screen to be bright and colorful with HDR. And while it isn’t an OLED, it does have a faster 120Hz refresh rate, which will make games that support it look a whole lot smoother.

In fact, during the demo for Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, one of the mini games I played had you guess the frame rate for objects like a basketball and tennis ball passing across the console’s screen.

Given the Switch OLED’s warm reception and overall success, I wouldn’t count out the release of a Switch 2 OLED in a few years.

Priced at a premium

We all knew that the Switch 2 would be more expensive than its predecessor, but the new hybrid console’s $449 price tag is more expensive than we were expecting.

This puts its price in line with the PS5 and Xbox Series X but it’s still cheaper than the Steam Deck OLED and a lot cheaper than other PC gaming handhelds like the ROG Ally X or the MSI Claw 8 AI+.

To top it all off, Nintendo Switch 2 games are launching at a higher price too. While some first-party Nintendo games will cost $70 at launch, others like Mario Kart World will go for $80.

Game prices have gone up across the board this generation, but with first-party games from Nintendo, this stings a bit more since they typically tend to stay at full price. Even now, Breath of the Wild which launched with the Switch and Super Mario Odyssey which came out slightly after still cost full price on the Nintendo eShop.

Nintendo Switch 2: Outlook

The Nintendo Switch 2 builds on the strong foundation of its predecessor with plenty of upgrades and new features. During my brief time with the new console, it certainly felt like more than just another iteration of the original Switch.

It’s games that sell systems though, and until I have more time to play Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bonanza and other Switch 2 games, it’s hard to say whether you should preorder a Switch 2 now or wait. Based on my hands-on experience with the new console, it definitely delivers plenty of much needed upgrades.

Stay tuned to Tom’s Guide as we’ll definitely be getting a Nintendo Switch 2 in for review so that we can put the new console through its paces ahead of its launch on June 5.

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