My ex-boss used to say that you can only have a few console refreshes in your lifetime. Indeed, the original Nintendo Switch was launched eight years ago in Singapore. And the Switch 2 was launched here only two weeks ago.
- Price: $719, get it at Lazada or Shopee
- Display: 7.9-inch touchscreen 1080p
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC
- Storage: 256GB, expandable via microSD Express card slot (up to 2TB)
- Weight: 534g (with Joy-Con 2 controllers attached)
| PROS | CONS |
| Bigger display | More expensive than the original Switch |
| Better controllers | Battery life worse than original |
| Feels faster overall | Very few Switch 2 games |
| Sturdier kickstand | Only supports microSD Express cards |
| Additional USB-C port on top | |
| GameChat social function |
The original Switch, which I was still using, redefined the console market with its portability and “dockability”. The “2-in-1” hybrid gaming concept became immensely popular and even inspired many handheld Windows gaming devices. As such, you can forgive Nintendo for not changing much of this successful formula, and instead providing improvements to the original design.
Out of the box, you get the Switch 2 Console (of course), left Joy-Con 2 in light blue and the right Joy-Con 2 in light red, as well as two Joy-Con 2 straps and a Joy-Con 2 Grip. You also get an AC adapter, USB-C charging cable, an ultra high-speed HDMI cable and the Switch 2 Dock.
Since I bought the game bundle, I received Mario Kart World launch game in cartridge form instead of a download code. Apparently, Singapore is one of the rare countries where the physical game is being bundled for the launch game.
Transferring your old Switch to the Switch 2 is really easy and seamless. For more information on how to do it, you can visit Nintendo’s guide here. In my case, it took only around 8 minutes to port over my game data and settings to the Switch 2. But re-downloading some of the digital games might take a while, especially if you have many games.
Anyway, with the Switch 2, you get a much larger 7.9-inch touchscreen 1080p display (compared to the original 6.2-inch 720p). The new console is also slightly bigger and heavier (534g compared to the original’s 404g), thanks to the larger controllers to suit the larger console due to the larger display. You get the point…
However, the buttons are all at the same position as the original apart from a new C button (for GameChat social feature) on the right Joy-Con 2 and a new top USB-C port beside the audio jack.
The top USB-C port is great for charging when during kickstand mode. With the original’s only USB-C port at the bottom, you could not charge the console when in kickstand mode.
In addition, the Switch 2 has a sturdier kickstand that stretches from side to side. This is unlike the flimsy kickstand that looks like it might break anytime.
Unlike the original, the Joy-Con 2 controllers attached to the main console by magnets instead of rails. As a result, it is much easier to attach and detach the Joy-Con 2 controllers.
Also, you can use either Joy-Con 2 controller as a mouse. Detach and place the Joy-Con 2 on its side and it will automatically work like a mouse with the mouse cursor showing on the display. While it might not work for first-person shooter games, it is possibly be a life-saver when playing games like Civilization, which require a lot of mouse clicks.
Internally, the Switch 2 gets a faster custom Nvidia eight-core processor (up from Tegra four-core processor), a larger RAM of 12GB (up from 4GB) and an expanded internal memory of 256GB (up from 32GB).
With all these upgrades, the games play more smoothly and more beautifully than before with loading times much faster. If you get the upgrade pack (US$9.99 each) for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild (BOTW) or its Switch 2 version, you will clearly see the improvement in terms of graphics. When you dock the console to a supported 4K TV, the sharp resolution and fantastic graphics of the supported games really show.
On the downside, the battery life of Switch 2 is actually worse than the original. In my tests, I found that the Switch 2 only lasted around 2 hours playing BOTW. By comparison, the original Switch could go for around 3 hours with the same game. Yes, you will get battery anxiety very quickly if you play Switch 2 without plugging to a power source.
Not to mention, the Switch 2 is more expensive than the original (S$699), which comes with two games and three amiibos. Now, the Switch 2 costs S$719 without any games. As I mentioned earlier in another post, it makes more sense to get the Switch 2 + Mari Kart World bundle at S$769. Still, it means the new console costs $70 more than the original and you only get one game.
And that brings me to another issue with the Switch 2. There are very few Switch 2 Nintendo games available on launch. Yes, there are many Switch 2-specific games like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Hogwarts Legacy, Hitman World of Assassination: Signature Edition, and even Sid Meier’s Civilization VII.
But there are no Nintendo-esque epics such as the BOTW game at launch in 2017. As gorgeous and fun-to-play as Mario Kart World is, it just lacks the oomph factor that Breath of The Wild or even Pokemon Legends. Plus, you need to pay for the upgrades to your BOTW and Tears of the Kingdom Zelda games in order to be fully optimised for Switch 2.
While the 256GB internal memory might seem a huge upgrade, the new games can take up a lot of space. For example, the Cyberpunk 2077 and Hitman are both 59GB huge while even Mario Kart World takes up 23.4GB.
To compound the storage issue, the Switch 2 supports only microSD Express cards. And currently, some storage companies like SanDisk only have a maximum of 256GB capacity for its microSD Express cards.
VERDICT: Nintendo Switch 2 might be similar to the original Switch in many ways. But it also has many improvements that are well worth the upgrade. It is the same but better, especially if you are still using the original Switch.