Nintendo Switch 2 vs Switch 1: What’s new, what’s not?

Curious how the Switch 2 compares to the Switch 1? Tens of millions of gamers are asking the same question.

Nintendo opened the floodgates for Switch 2 preorders on Thursday. Whether or not you managed to get one before every retailer website crashed, you’re probably wondering what makes it so different from the original Nintendo Switch console.

After the Nintendo Direct Switch 2 livestream ended a couple of weeks ago, 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, 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.

Still trying to get your hands on the Switch 2? Check out our updated preorder guide, get ready to preorder via Nintendo, and study up on how to track Switch 2 restocks.

It’s a much more premium-feeling device

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.

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.

Switch 2 has more horsepower, and it shows

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. Nintendo didn’t provide us with detailed tech specs at the event, so precise comparisons to other hardware will have to wait. However, I can confirm that Switch 2 is noticeably more powerful than the original Switch.

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 seemed at least acceptable from the brief glimpses I saw of them at the show. 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.

You can use a Joy-Con as a mouse

The new Joy-Cons are very nice.
Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Nintendo confirmed during the Direct something that we all basically knew already: 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 (not until someone hacks that together about five minutes after launch, anyway) 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.

Nintendo is going all in on social features

The fabled “C” button.
Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

The one major thing I didn’t get to try at all due to the nature of the event itself was GameChat, a new voice chat feature activated by the new “C” button on the right Joy-Con. Allegedly, you can host Discord-like chats for small groups of friends, complete with very choppy-looking game streaming and even webcam support via a separately sold accessory. Nintendo is really going all-in on this with Mario Kart World, as seen in a more recent Direct dedicated to that game.

You can even pre-order a Piranha Plant webcam for your Switch 2.

To be honest, it was pretty silly seeing Nintendo spend like 10 minutes on the concept of voice chat in the Direct, something other consoles have had for literally 20 years. But late is better than never. The only part I’m not really sold on is that Nintendo really seems to want you to use an open mic on the console itself instead of a headset. The company alleges that it can cancel out unwanted background noise, but I didn’t get to test that. We’ll see. At the very least, Nintendo is acknowledging that people like playing video games with their friends online, something the company has not always done well, or at all.

The battery life is apparently worse vs Switch OLED

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 at the event, so we’ll need to find out for sure when the console is actually out. But don’t expect amazing battery life from Switch 2.

It’s a much larger drain on your wallet

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.