Are you eyeing an upgrade from the original Nintendo Switch to the Switch 2? Nintendo’s follow-up to one of the best-selling consoles of all time is hotly anticipated, but that doesn’t mean it’s an insta-buy for everyone.
So I’ve put together a list of questions to ask yourself before you pull the trigger on an upgrade. If you can answer yes to all or most of these, there’s a good chance you’re an ideal candidate for a Switch 2 upgrade.
Is the Switch Your Primary Console?
If you spend all of your gaming time (or a large portion of it) playing games on your Switch, an upgrade to the Switch 2 makes a lot of sense. If you’re already a big fan of the style of gameplay that Nintendo’s hybrid console enables, then you’ll be pleased to learn that the Switch 2 is more of the same.
You can play in handheld mode, you can dock your console for TV play, and you can get an even better tabletop experience with a redesigned kickstand that lets you position the console in even more positions. There are now two USB-C ports including one on the top, for an easier time charging and connecting accessories.
The interface is largely the same, and you should be able to easily transfer saves and games by logging in to the Nintendo account you’re already using on your existing console. You can even bring your friends list with you since Nintendo fixed a lot of this stuff at the start of the Switch lifespan. Your friends don’t necessarily need to own Switch 2 consoles if you want to play together, either.
Perhaps most importantly, your existing library of games should work just fine on the Switch 2 including digital downloads and physical game cards. Some games might benefit from the improved hardware and suffer far fewer performance dips while others, like Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild have paid upgrade paths for optimized Switch 2 versions.
Conversely, if you bought your Switch a few years ago and it’s been gathering dust ever since, it’s unlikely that Nintendo’s “more of the same” approach is going to tempt you over. If handheld play is what you desire, you might be better off with a Steam Deck, Windows handheld like the ROG Ally X, or Microsoft’s rumored Xbox handheld instead.
Are You Craving Better Visuals and Performance?
The original Switch launched in 2017, with an off-the-shelf NVIDIA mobile processor and a bold new form factor. Despite kick-starting a new generation of portable consoles that put handheld play at the core of the experience, the truth is that the Nintendo Switch hardware felt dated shortly after launch.
At this stage, it’s positively ancient. The latest third-party releases often skip the platform, while frame rate dips and visual downgrades are common. The good news is that the Switch 2’s hardware bump brings custom NVIDIA hardware, a 1080p HDR display that can do 120Hz with variable refresh rate support, and up to 4K resolution (in HDR) while in docked mode.
This effectively brings Nintendo’s handheld into line with modern consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X (thought don’t expect it to have as much power as those far larger and power-hungry consoles). It’s a Switch that can finally do ultra HD, vivid high dynamic range visuals, and Nintendo is even talking about a 120 FPS “performance” mode in the upcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
One thing that’s worth keeping in mind is that the Switch 2 is equipped with an LCD display, rather than an OLED. This means that the display won’t have the same infinite contrast seen on the previous OLED model. Personally, I’d take an LCD display with HDR brightness and double the refresh rate over the panel in the Nintendo Switch OLED anyway.
Does the Original Switch Feel Comfortable?
While we’ll need to wait until June 5, 2025 to get a Switch 2 into our grubby hands, it looks like Nintendo has barely changed the design of the Switch 2. It looks like a slightly bigger version of the original, with slightly larger analog sticks, bigger SL and SR buttons, and the same layout.
This isn’t necessarily what those of us with larger hands were hoping to hear. The Joy-Con controllers can feel cramped at the best of times, which can be a real issue in games that require a fair amount of dexterity like open-world Zelda titles and 3D Mario adventures.
But if the Switch is the perfect fit for you, then you’ve nothing to worry about. The Switch 2’s layout is almost identical to the original Switch outside of some slightly larger triggers on the back. Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 has the exact same thickness as the original too.
Related
I’m Worried Nintendo Is Repeating a Big Mistake With the Switch 2
The one big change Nintendo should have made.
If your solution to cramped Joy-Cons is to play in docked mode, you’ll be pleased to hear that your existing Nintendo Switch Pro Controller will work just fine with the Switch 2 (though you’ll miss out on the “C” button functionality). So even though Nintendo makes a Switch 2 Pro Controller, you won’t need to shell out for it (you can even use older Joy-Con in wireless mode for multiplayer play).
Are You All-In on Nintendo?
It’s often said that Nintendo marches to the beat of its own drum, a reference to the way the company has given up on competing with the likes of Sony and Microsoft in the console space. Gimmicks like Wii remote controllers aside, Nintendo can afford to do this thanks to the strength of its first-party offerings.
If you want to play Nintendo games, you’re going to need to buy a Nintendo console. The good news is that if you like Nintendo’s offerings, you’re rarely going to be disappointed thanks to the company’s consistently high-quality output. During the Switch generation, we received two genre-defining open-world Zelda titles, one of the best 3D Mario games of all time, and a reimagining of the 2D Mario formula that earned widespread praise.
Animal Crossing found a whole new generation of fans, while Metroid Dread proved that Nintendo should keep making 2D Metroidvanias. The first 3D Kirby title was a delight with a surprising amount of depth, while Pokémon fans received two games that sold like hotcakes despite underwhelming visuals and performance issues.
Related
Metroidvania or Search-Action? What You Need to Know About This Classic Genre
Don’t miss out on this rewarding style of game.
Nintendo even managed to make excellent use of its Wii U library by re-releasing and expanding on games like Mario Kart 8 and reprising the Mario Maker formula. If this short list of first-party games is making you feel warm and fuzzy, you might not be willing to miss out on Switch 2 exclusives like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.
On top of this, if you only have a Switch and aren’t too bothered about non-Nintendo consoles, the improved hardware in the Switch 2 will finally allow you to play hit games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring plus upcoming titles like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 and Borderlands 4 when they finally release. None of these will be coming to the original Switch.
Keep in mind that with more than 150 million consoles sold, the original Switch will keep seeing releases for years to come. Though Nintendo has drawn a line in the sand with releases like Mario Kart World, even Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will receive an original Switch version when it releases on July 17, 2025. You’ll just have to be content with inferior visuals and lower frame rates.
Do You Have a Spare $450?
While the original Switch launched at $299, Nintendo has upped the price of entry this time around to $449. If you buy the console with Mario Kart World in a bundle then you’ll spend $499 instead. Considering World Tour costs $80 on its own, this isn’t a bad deal if Mario Kart is your thing.
Not only is the hardware more expensive, but Nintendo is setting a new precedent for game prices with the hike to $80. You should expect to pay the same for upcoming Switch 2 releases, which means the upgrade will come with added costs across the board. If you can’t justify these price hikes, the Switch 2 might not be the best idea.
Though we’ll eventually see Switch 2 hardware deals, that won’t happen for a while as demand is likely to be high and retailers are likely to be far more interested in shifting original Switch stock instead.
Unfortunately, Nintendo games rarely drop in price so it looks like $80 will be the going rate for the foreseeable. You might be lucky to see up to 30% sales events on first-party titles a few years after release, though third-party games are frequently discounted to the point that finding deals on the eShop is a mess.
Related
Why Are Nintendo Switch Games So Expensive?
Don’t be surprised if you end up paying top dollar even for older Switch releases.
New console releases are almost always exciting, even if you don’t intend to buy one on day one. With the explosion in the popularity of portables, it’s intriguing to see how Nintendo’s next move lands. If you’ve been eagerly waiting for this and are heavily invested in Nintendo Switch games, an upgrade makes a lot of sense.
Perhaps the greatest argument for waiting for an existing Switch owner is to see what Nintendo cooks up in terms of Switch 2 revisions. The original console received both Lite and OLED versions, plus a hardware refresh that improved battery life. If you’re going that route, expect to wait a few years at least.
