Nintendo Switch 2: 4K, 120fps, Enhanced Battery, and More

Nintendo's latest Direct has unveiled a wealth of information about the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, and the revelations have only continued to pour in post-presentation. Let's dive into the exciting new features and specs of the Switch 2, which promise to elevate your gaming experience to new heights.

A key highlight is the new 7.9-inch wide color gamut LCD screen, which offers a significant upgrade from the original Switch's 6.2-inch display, the Switch OLED's 7-inch screen, and the Switch Lite's 5.5-inch screen. The Switch 2's screen can output at a crisp 1080p (1920x1080) resolution. While we'll miss the OLED's vibrant colors, the new LCD promises to deliver stunning visuals.

Gamers will also appreciate the support for HDR10 and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) up to 120 Hz. This means your favorite games can run at an impressive 120fps, provided your setup supports it, ensuring smoother and more responsive gameplay.

When docked, the Switch 2 takes your gaming to the next level, enabling gameplay at 4K (3840x2160) resolution at 60fps or at 1080p/1440p (1920x1080/2560x1440) resolutions at 120fps. This impressive performance is driven by a "custom processor made by NVIDIA," though specific details about the CPU and GPU remain under wraps for now.

Battery life is another critical aspect of the Switch 2. It features a 5220mAh Lithium-ion battery, offering an estimated 2 to 6.5 hours of playtime and a three-hour charge time in Sleep mode. These estimates vary based on the games you play, but they align closely with the original Switch's battery life, though they fall short of the newer models' performance.

In terms of dimensions, the Switch 2 measures approximately 4.5 inches tall, 10.7 inches wide, and .55 inches thick with the Joy-Con 2 attached, weighing in at .88 pounds without Joy-Con and 1.18 pounds with them. This makes it taller and longer than its predecessors while maintaining the same weight as the original Switch.

Unfortunately, there's no confirmation yet on whether the Switch 2 will use Hall Effect joysticks to combat the drifting issues seen in previous models. However, a 2023 patent hinted at this possibility, so we'll have to wait and see.

On the audio side, the Switch 2 supports linear PCM output with 5.1ch surround sound. You can also enable a surround sound effect through headphones or the built-in speaker following a system update.

Storage has seen a significant upgrade, with the Switch 2 featuring 256 GB of internal storage, a leap from the 32 GB in the original Switch and Switch Lite, and 64 GB in the Switch OLED model. For expandable storage, the Switch 2 will require microSD Express cards, supporting up to 2TB of additional space, meaning existing microSDXC cards won't be compatible.

Connectivity-wise, the Switch 2 supports Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi 6), comes with 2 USB-C ports, a 3.5mm 4-contact stereo mini-plug (CTIA standard), and a built-in monaural microphone with noise cancellation, echo cancellation, and auto gain control.

For a deeper dive into the Switch 2, check out our comprehensive recap of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, details on its pricing, the list of launch games, and when pre-orders will begin.