Nintendo Switch 2 Hands-On: More Power, More Features, and More Storage

We went hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2, testing its new features, improved hardware, and games like Mario Kart World. Here’s everything you need to know, including release date, pricing, and specs.

April 3, 2025

This photograph shows a Nintendo Switch 2 video-game console system of Japanese video-game company Nintendo, displayed during the worldwide presentation at the Grand Palais in Paris on April 2, 2025. Japanese video game giant Nintendo announced on April 2, 2025, that the new version of its Switch console would be launched on June 5, 2025. The Kyoto-based company also revealed new features for the Switch 2 -- an update to the 2017 original model -- including a new chat button that allows players to speak with each other while playing.

Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images

On April 2 at the Center415 space in Manhattan, Nintendo held its Nintendo Switch 2 Premiere and gave us the first extended look at the upcoming console. The event began with a Nintendo Direct, which introduced new details about the upcoming hardware and software. Afterwards, we had several hours to play the Nintendo Switch 2—hands-on—for the first time. Here are the major announcements from the Premiere, along with my impressions from our hands-on session.

Release Date and Price

The Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5, 2025, retailing for $450. The console will also sell as a bundle with Mario Kart World for $500. If you want the most for your money, the latter option is what you want. By itself, a digital copy of Mario Kart World will cost $80, so buying the bundle will get you a 37% discount.

Buying a Nintendo Switch 2 includes the following out of the box. Note that the new Joy-Con controllers are branded as Joy-Con 2, but you're only getting one set—not two.

Nintendo Switch 2 console
Joy-Con 2 controllers (L+R)

Joy-Con 2 Grip
Joy-Con 2 Straps
Nintendo Switch 2 Dock
Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable
Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter

USB-C Charging Cable

In addition, there will be various peripherals (essential, if you want a Player 2), also available for purchase. Below are the highlights among these:

Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller (plus USB-C charging cable): $79.99
Nintendo Switch 2 Camera: $49.99
Additional Joy-Con 2 Controllers (plus two Joy-Con 2 straps): $89.99

Joy-Con 2 Wheel (set of two): $19.99

The Nintendo Switch 2 Camera is not required, but it's highly suggested, as some of the console's more innovative features require it. More on that later.

Nintendo Switch 2 Specs and Statistics

From the perspective of graphics, framerate, and performance, Nintendo dropped out of the technical arms race years ago, preferring innovation in gameplay over the raw processing power prioritized by its competitors. That said, there's several quality-of-life upgrades to the Switch 2 versus its predecessor.

The Switch 2 supports 4K gameplay at 60 frames per second when docked to a TV, and 1080p gameplay at 120 frames per second in handheld mode. The Switch 2 comes with 256 GB of storage, which is eight times that of the Switch 1.

The Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch 1080p LCD screen compared to the Switch 1's 6.2 inch screen, and despite this, the two consoles have the same thickness. The Switch 1 weighed .66 lbs and .88 lbs with the Joy-Con controllers attached. The Switch 2 is a bit heavier, at .88 lbs and1.18 lbs with Joy-Con 2 controllers attached.

The Switch 2 has two USB-C ports to the Switch 1's one—one on the top, and one on the bottom, where you dock it. The Switch 2 includes a microphone, which enables chat. The lithium ion battery allows for 2-6.5 hours play time, Charging it in sleep mode takes three hours.

The processing power is a bit vague, with Nintendo only revealing that it is a "Custom processor made by NVIDIA.

The new Joy-Con 2 controllers have wider sticks than the Joy-Con 1 controllers, and rather than sliding into place, they are magnetized and "stick" to the sides of the Switch 2 console. The controllers are outfitted with updated Rumble technology, to allow for a wider range of vibration. Both controls have built-in sensors, which allow either to be turned on its side and used as a mouse peripheral.

The C Button

The mysterious C Button—the source of much speculation—is an interface button for the console's GameChat feature, which allows you to hang out and talk with your friends while you're gaming. So if you're playing multiplayer together, you can now chat and coordinate your plan together. You can share your screens with one another, and not just as a picture-in-picture; you can expand your friend's screen and watch his or her playthrough on fullscreen as a spectator. If you have the Switch 2 camera, you can broadcast your face to your friends as well.

GameChat

GameChat will be available as part of an Nintendo Online Subscription, although it will be offered for free on a trial basis until March 2026.

This is one of several community-friendly options that the Switch 2 is piloting. The console will also have GameShare. For select titles, a person who owns a game can locally connect to and play multiplayer with three other Nintendo Switch 2 players, even if those players don't own the game.

Nintendo has a new, recurring slogan for these features: "All Together, Anytime, Anywhere."

More about the Switch 2:

Final Switch 2 Thoughts and Takeaways

Based on my playthrough, the Switch 2 is a solid piece of hardware, and the games—not the specs—are what will ultimately determine its initial success. Because the Nintendo Switch 2 is just that—a sequel to the Nintendo Switch 1. The core appeal of the OG Switch—that you can take it with you on the road or dock it to your home entertainment system—is what continues to be appealing about the Switch 2. The question is whether players will follow Nintendo to a brand new console for an upgraded experience of something they're already getting.

And I think that yes, they will. Because ultimately, Nintendo players are social players. They want to play with their friends. And if the only way to play the new Mario Kart with friends is to get a Switch 2? Then that's what most people are going to opt for. There's no need to fix what isn't broken—a truism that Nintendo learned the hard way with the transition from the Wii to the WiiU—or to go even further back, from the Game Boy to the Virtual Boy. The Switch 2 plays and feels confident, like the developers know they're working with a winning formula.

One final note: the real game changer that the Switch 2 offers is the use of the Joy-Con 2 controller as a mouse. There are so many ways this can be leveraged for the home console market as a PC alternative. Think Baldur's Gate III. Or The Sims 4. Or even GTA 6. We know that Call of Duty will be coming to Switch 2. Imagine the possibilities of using a point-and-click function rather than fussing with thumbsticks.

Nintendo is offering wheel peripherals for sale—for people who want to play Mario Kart World in a more fun interactive way. By that logic, why not offer a shell peripheral for the Joy-Con 2 controller, which will make it more ergonomic to use as a mouse, and also protect it from the wear and tear from using it on its side? Why not sell large mousepads to further encourage its use? Trying to use this function on your lap or on a hard surface is going to lead to more problems—and damage—than it's worth.

Perhaps it's part of a future rollout—that first, Nintendo wants to draw in its casual audience before prioritizing this. But the mouse function is actually the Switch 2's secret weapon. And if this console becomes a long-term success, it'll be thanks to this function, and its successful implementation in the near future.