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Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid portable and home console that aims to be the only gaming system anyone needs. The hybrid controller is an undisputed success because it provides a high degree of portable visual quality and converts easily into a home console.
Nintendo Switch 2
The successor to 2017’s Nintendo Switch continues down the same path as its predecessor, providing a hybrid experience that supports both home and handheld gaming. Launching on June 05, 2025, with games like Mario Kart World, the basic Nintendo Switch 2 bundle comes with the console, Joy-Con 2, straps for the controller, a dock, an AC adapter, an HDMI cable, and a Joy-Con 2 grip.
With the announcement ofNintendo Switch 2, fans are looking forward to put this new version of the handheld for a spin. Nevertheless, as with any new consoles, there will be certain pros and cons. Some are related to pricing, while others are design issues that might have been carried on from the previous generations, despite the promises of Nintendo of a total “redesign” of the console.
In this guide, we will analyze in depth all the aspects of the mainline Switch Consoles, starting with the Classic and OLED versions, and then comparing their specs with the Nintendo Switch 2. Readers should take into consideration that, as the Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t been released yet,certain aspects like performancehave been excluded from the analysis.
Overview
Nintendo Switch/OLED
The Classic Nintendo Switch Console that was released back in 2017 has had quite a good run. Some of its games are still performing well despite the generational leap, andeven its OLED version(that has a bigger screen, 0.8 inches wider and with better resolution) will continue to perform just fine for a few more years. The Nintendo Switch OLED dock is a little bit wider and has access to a wired LAN port, which the base console doesn’t. With more internal storage, OLED is slightly superior to the base Switch, so it would be right to call it a Nintendo Switch 1.5. Both consoles have the same processor unit (Nvidia Tegra) and run at 1280x720 in handheld mode. OLED can run up to 1080p in docked mode, with slightly better contrast and brightness.
The Nintendo Switch 2 screen measures 4.5 inches tall x 10.7 inches wide, which is a little bit bigger than its predecessor. It has a 7.9-inch wide color gamut LCD screen (that’s 0.9 inches bigger than the OLED). It will also run at a higher native resolution of 1920x1080, and its refresh rate will run up to 120 FPS, which will also be the VRR when the console is docked, as long as it is set at 1920x1080/2560x1440 resolutions. For 4 K (3840x2160), it will only be possible to cap at 60 FPS and connect to compatible monitors/TVs. Additionally, the NS2 will present an additional USB-C port, which is an excellent addition to the tabletop mode. In terms of internal storage, the base model will bring 256 GB of internal space, contrary to the 32 GB/64 GB of the Switch/OLED versions. On the other hand, the Joy-Cons have received an ergonomic re-design and include a new button (C) to enable standalone voice chat.
Size
The Nintendo Switch dock measures approximately 4.1 inches high, 6.8 inches long, and 2.12 inches deep, while the OLED Switch dock measures approximately 4.1 inches high, 6.9 inches long, and 2.0 inches deep. One of the main benefits of the docked mode is that the console will keep charging for as long as it is connected to the power source (which is required to enable video display to monitors/TVs). It also has two USB Ports (USB 2.0 compatible) on the side, an HDMI connector, and a Wired LAN Port (only available in the OLED version). The docking frame has a slot to connect the switch directly to the system connector, and the backside of the dock (which is ultralight) connects to the power source through an AC port located on the backside.
The dock for the Nintendo Switch 2 is a little bit different than the original version and OLED versions of the console. It measures 4.5 inches tall, 7.9 inches wide, and 2 inches deep (approximately). It is a little bit heavier than the other docks (.84 lbs vs .72/69 lbs), and this is due to certain technical aspects that are included in the design of the device, which is wider to support the increased weight of the new handheld. The rest of the technical aspects are equal to the OLED dock, with two USB Ports (USB 2.0 compatible), an HDMI connector, and a Wired LAN Port. Players shouldn’t have too much trouble fitting their new consoles into their old setup if they have prepared special furniture or supports for it since it’s just a slight difference in size and weight.
Design
In terms of design, both the Nintendo Switch Classic and OLED models have been thought to be portable, though not as portable as the Nintendo Switch Lite, which is considerably more reduced in size. The whole point of the Switchwas to be a next-gen consolethat intertwined the best of the handheld ergonomics with a tabletop device that could be enjoyed in a living room (or transported alongside the console to enjoy wherever the players go). Still, one of the downsides of this console has always been the Joy-Cons, which have brought their particular set of issues, including the extreme drifting experienced to date: A design issue that Nintento has never corrected to date.
According to Nintendo, the new console underwent a ‘full design from scratch’ starting from the screen, which is wider and offers greatly improved graphics and better resolution, to the processor unit (Tegra T239 by Nvidia), and of course, certain aspects that haven’t been revealed to the public. The new technical aspects promise better battery autonomy and more GPU power without losing too much of that initial ideal of a powerful handheld that could also be docked and used as a tabletop console.
Of course, more power means an intense hardware tune-up, and for that, Nintendo had to design a considerably heavier console (it weighs 1.18 lbs with Joy-Con 2 controllers attached). So, is the Nintendo Switch 2 drifting away from being a handheld and becoming a less-than-optimal portable device? The answer is not that simple. The Steam Deck measures 11.7 in wide, 4.6 in tall, 1.9 deep, and weighs around 1.48 lbs, which technically would make the Switch 2 a little bit smaller than the original version of the Steam Deck. So, that’s a good thing.
The Joy-Con 2 has been redesigned as well, and according to Nintendo, they’ve been “designed to have bigger movement and smoother movement,” with no mention of possible improvements to the device’s structural flaws that caused the Drifting problem.
Value
Ever since Nintendo Switch games started to hit the market back in 2017, there has been a heavy discussion among fans about the pricing of both the console and the games. Nintendo Switch launched atUS$299.99, while the Lite version, launched in September 2019 had a cost ofUS$199.99.
The NSW OLED had a price tag ofUS$349.99on launch back in 2021. These consoles have maintained a regular suggested price throughout their reign, but the Nintendo Switch 2, with its MSRP set atUS$449.99, has finally reached tabletop consolepricing, similar to Playstation 5and Xbox Series X/S consoles. On the other hand, the Mario Kart+Nintendo Switch 2 bundle has a slight price rise, up toUS$499.99.Still, players should also keep into consideration tariffs, taxes, and other added values could make these numbers rise, depending on what happens from now on.
Nintendo Switch Vs Nintendo Switch 2 Verdict
One of the main concerns that lingers is the Joy-Con 2 design, which is suspiciously similar to the original Joy-Con, and thus the elephant in the room is obvious: The Drift. Since Tetsuya Sasaki (General Manager of Nintendo’s Technology Development Division) didn’t refer directly to anything related to Nintendo having addressed and solved this issue, that’s basically the same as ignoring the problem at hand.
There’s no guarantee that the new Joy-Con 2 won’t carry the same design flaw as its predecessor, but also no reason to believe it will. This strange Schrodinger cat-like risk that no one dared mention is the biggest drawback to convincing Nintendo Fans to upgrade to the first version of Nintendo Switch 2 at launch.
It is also important to mention thattons of features have been revisitedor adjusted, being the 256 GB Storage Space (vs. the 32/64 of the Classic/OLED versions) one of the most attractive improvements. On the other hand, it is true that the Nintendo Switch 2 promises enhanced graphics, even running at 4K 60 FPS in docked mode, and one detail that has been quite underrated but still adds value to the console: compatibility with Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi 6), something that neither the OLED nor the Classic versions offered.
Nevertheless, many fans of Nintendo have been raising their eyebrows while discussing that the pricing is not fair at all. They are especially annoyed about the sudden spike in the prices of Physical and Digital copies of games. Since some have referred to the infamous ‘cost per gameplay hour’ equation to calculate the value of a game (set approximately around 0,9 USD per game hour), some of the new games offered by Nintendo at launch should at least offer 100 hours of gameplay time to respect that value.
Still, many fans and game developers agree that it is a poor way to calculate the price tag for a game since some past titles cannot even measure up to that cost-per-gameplay-hour ratio.
Nintendo Switch 2 does seem enticing and more powerful than its predecessor on paper. In practice, it will have lots to prove before it can be considered a truly Next-Gen console or just the next Wii U. At the end of the day, it will be up to the consumers to decide if this new price tag is worth the investment.Nintendo Switch Pre-Ordersare already available through the Official Nintendo Switch 2 store, and its launch date is set forJuly 5, 2025.
