Nintendo Switch 2 vs Switch 1: All the differences I found while playing the new console
Nintendo has officially launched its newest home console/handheld hybrid. You're probably wondering what makes it so different from the original Nintendo Switch console.
After the Nintendo Direct Switch 2 livestream ended back in April, I got to spend several hours playing with the Switch 2 and upcoming games like Mario Kart World and Metroid Prime 4. After nearly five hours of hands-on time then, and much more in the time since, I came away very impressed with the Switch 2, but also concerned about a couple of key factors. Let's dig in.
On the surface, Switch 2 seems like a fairly iterative upgrade. Fortunately, that's not really the case.SEE ALSO: How to buy Nintendo Switch 2 online: It's all eyes on Target now
It looks much more professional than the Switch 1. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable
First, I want to focus on the hardware and its new features rather than the software.
The first Switch was a godsend in terms of industrial design compared to the Wii U. However, over time, things like the Steam Deck started to make it feel a little bit like a toy. Personally, the Joy-Cons were always too small for me to use comfortably, rendering it a TV-and-Pro-Controller-only machine in my household. Admittedly, it proved to be a fantastic device for children, but I am not a child, at least not physically.
SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 specs unveiled: Bigger screen, better performance, and more
From the first second I got to hold a Switch 2 unit, I instantly liked the way it felt in my hands. The 7.9-inch 1080p display (which supports HDR and 120Hz refresh rate) is substantially nicer than the 6.2-inch 720p display on the predecessor console. In addition to a bigger screen, the Joy-Cons also have some added muscle. I still would rather use the new Pro Controller (which feels great, but is functionally very similar to the last one), but I played several games using Joy-Cons and didn't have any comfort-related problems for once.
Nintendo crucially maintained the same level of thinness from Switch 1 to Switch 2, so it's in that sweet spot of "just heavy enough to feel premium and just light enough to feel comfortable." I'd also like to shout out the magnetic Joy-Con attachment mechanism, which instantly shut down any skepticism I may have had about its reliability the second I tried it. It smartly requires you to pull a little release trigger on the back to detach Joy-Cons from the unit, so it seems nearly impossible to do unintentionally. Miraculously, though, inserting the Joy-Cons magnetically works like magic. Nintendo absolutely nailed this aspect of the device.
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Nintendo Switch 2: Hands On
The new Pro Controller feels great. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable
It's no surprise that Switch 2 is more powerful than its predecessor, as that console was underpowered when it launched eight years ago. I can confirm that Switch 2 is noticeably more powerful than the original Switch.
SEE ALSO: My day one Nintendo Switch 2 review: It's here, and it's awesome
Doing a cross-country race across Mario Kart World's gorgeous open world without even a hint of loading between tracks is awesome. Seeing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom run at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second is very convincing in person. The Switch 2 can run Street Fighter 6 and Cyberpunk 2077 at levels that at least seem acceptable. It's definitely not a handheld PS5, but Nintendo forcing what is functionally a tablet to run (some) games at 4K resolution or 120 frames per second (Metroid Prime 4 looks unbelievable that way) is a real sight to behold.
The new Joy-Cons are very nice. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable
One big new thing is that the Joy-Cons have a mode where they double as computer mice. I don't know if you can literally use one on a PC, but the primary experience I had with them was very PC-like. My main exposure to the Joy-Con mouse support was in a brief demo of Metroid Prime 4, where it...basically played like a PC first-person shooter.
The mouse controls are very responsive and feel right. I do think the Joy-Cons are a little weird to hold with one side facing down on a flat surface, as that definitely caused some accidental button presses at inopportune moments. I'm also not sold on this becoming a regular feature in games after the launch window, or even something I personally want to do, primarily because I don't usually keep a flat surface within arm's reach while I play games. But I can confirm that it works precisely as intended, and as an added bonus, you can just lift up the Joy-Con and resume playing Prime 4 with dual-analog stick controls seamlessly without even pausing the game.
The fabled "C" button. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable
First announced back at the Direct in April, one of the Switch 2's defining features is GameChat. This is basically Discord, but with some Nintendo seasoning. Up to 12 people can be in a room yapping it up at a time, and up to four people can stream a very choppy-looking live feed of their gameplay to everyone else. I've tried a bit of this already, and I can confirm it at least works. GameChat is designed to be used with an open mic attached to the Switch 2 itself, and it does a pretty good job of eliminating unwanted background noise, in my brief experience. However, you can also just use a headset, if you like.
You can even pre-order a Piranha Plant webcam for your Switch 2.
SEE ALSO: Every Nintendo Switch 2 game you can preorder right now
Here is the start of the bad news when comparing the Switch 2 and Switch 1.
More horsepower and a better display also mean more drain on battery, which was confirmed by Nintendo, via Kotaku. (Womp, womp.) It has an approximate battery life of 2 to 6.5 hours, depending on what you're playing on it. Compare that to the Switch OLED, which can range from 4.5 to 9 hours, and it's not looking so hot for the new console. Again, this is something that was impossible to test prior to launch, so we'll need to find out for sure now that the console is actually out. But don't expect amazing battery life from Switch 2.
It still comes with a dock, of course. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable
This is the worst news about Switch 2: It costs $450 to start. There's also a $500 model bundled with Mario Kart World, which actually looks like the more enticing deal because Nintendo has gone wild with game prices this time around. Mario Kart World is a shocking $80 on its own and Donkey Kong: Bananza is $70. There's also a little minigame collection meant to be a tech demo for the console that is, for reasons I cannot fathom, a paid download. Combine all of that with the fact that upgraded "Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" versions of old games will come with a price tag for the upgrade, and it feels like Nintendo is nickel-and-diming us a little bit.
I'll grant the company a little bit of grace because of the Trump administration's chaotic tariff policy, but customers who feel the weight of a $500 console purchase justifiably won't give Nintendo the same benefit of the doubt. Regardless of all the upgrades Switch 2 brings, it's $150 more expensive than Switch 1 was at launch. It's not ideal.
UPDATE: Apr. 24, 2025, 3:29 p.m. EDT This story has been updated with additional photos of the Switch 2 and its accessories, as well as new details about the console's social features and preorder launch in the United States.
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