Nintendo Switch 2: Is Nintendo's new console worth it? [TEST]

After a long wait, the Nintendo Switch 2 was finally released on Thursday, June 5, 2025. We received it on the day and spent several hours with it. So, is it worth it? Let's see it together!

A little context

Eight years after the release of the Nintendo Switch, the Japanese video game giant has launched its brand new console: the Nintendo Switch 2. Starting at €469.99 (and €509.99 with the digital version of Mario Kart World), this is a real gamble for Nintendo, which intends to do better than its previous console, which still managed to place itself, with more than 152 million copies sold, in third place on the podium of the best-selling consoles in history, behind the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS. But is the Nintendo Switch 2 just an improved version of the original Nintendo Switch? Or is it a fully-fledged machine with new features? From the moment it was announced, Nintendo has emphasized the technical capabilities of the Nintendo Switch 2. And the least we can say is that it crushes the 2017 console on (almost) every level. First of all, the Switch 2 is larger than the original Nintendo Switch (116mm x 272mm x 13.9mm, with the Joy-Con attached), which allows for greater viewing comfort in handheld mode. The 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate remain quite pleasing, and Mario Kart World, which serves as the console's launch game, benefits fully from it.

However, we regret that Nintendo has chosen to turn away from OLED technology in favor of an HDR-compatible LCD screen. The reason given is obviously the costs that an OLED screen would have entailed, even though we know that Nintendo is secretly working on an OLED model of the Nintendo Switch 2. It should be noted, however, that the Nintendo Switch 2 screen offers significantly superior performance to the original Nintendo Switch.

With its Nvidia Tegra 239 chip, 12GB of RAM and the With DLSS support, the Nintendo Switch 2 is much more powerful than the 2017 console was (it's comparable to the PlayStation 4 Pro). The graphics are much better - especially noticeable in the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Hogwarts Legacy - and Nintendo Switch games run more smoothly. Our many games on Mario Kart World were convincing: we did not observe any major drops in frame rate that disrupted the readability of the races. (We did notice, however, that some textures continue to appear with delay in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition; during a cutscene on the Prelude Plateau, a body of water filled up live.)

Although they offer graphical improvements, the Nintendo Switch 2 updates, which are not all free, are not worth the extra cost of 10 euros. While The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are indeed smoother in their Nintendo Switch 2 version, the bonuses offered remain too anecdotal to justify an increase. It should also be noted that the necessary use of the Nintendo Switch smartphone application to access the Zelda Notes goes against the policy that led Nintendo to integrate Game Chat into its console in order to avoid the use of a third-party application.

Improved Joy-Con but a weaker battery

Another notable improvement for the Nintendo Switch 2 is obviously its Joy-Con 2. Larger than those of the Nintendo Switch, they are more comfortable and fit the player's thumb better, which is more noticeable in portable mode during prolonged games. When they are detached and separated for use in individual controller mode, they offer superior comfort and better handling, thanks to larger SL and SR buttons. (It should be noted that some buyers complain about drift issues with the Joy-Con 2; the part being welded, it becomes even more difficult to repair this problem.)

Unfortunately, the battery has been sacrificed on the altar of all these technological improvements. With a battery life of between 2 and 6.5 hours, the Nintendo Switch 2's battery is the weakest of the four existing Nintendo Switches. As a result, using the Nintendo Switch 2 in portable mode during long journeys may be further compromised. However, we recall that the original Nintendo Switch received a revised version in 2019, offering a battery life of at least 4.5 hours (compared to 2.5 in its 2017 version); we can therefore hope for an updated version of the Nintendo Switch 2 in the coming years with a more powerful battery.

New Features

The Nintendo Switch 2 offers two new features. The first of these is obviously Game Chat, which Nintendo has been promoting extensively, particularly through its advertisements. We haven't been able to test it, however it's important to note that it's very easy to access this tool using the C button - which unfortunately we often confuse with the HOME button; however, the use of a phone number and a Nintendo Switch Online subscription are required. Additionally, Nintendo reserves the right to record your private conversations locally to avoid any overflow.

The second new feature of the Nintendo Switch 2 is the mouse mode of the Joy-Con 2. Unfortunately, it can currently only be used on the "game" Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour. We are eagerly awaiting the release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which will include gameplay phases with the mouse in its Nintendo Switch 2 version, to test this new feature. There are fears, however, that mouse mode will be shunned by developers...

Should you buy the Nintendo Switch 2?

With no games that fully utilize the Nintendo Switch 2's new features, it's hard to see Nintendo's new console as anything other than a Nintendo Switch that's vastly improved in many ways. Because the Switch 2's real weak point, for now, is its catalog, which relies on a single exclusive (Mario Kart World) and updates to older Nintendo Switch games whose technical improvements don't always justify the €10 price increase. The release in the coming months of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Donkey Kong Bananza will allow us to refine our point of view on the Nintendo Switch 2.

At first glance, the Nintendo Switch 2 is indeed a more powerful and comfortable console than the 2017 Nintendo Switch, but it seems - for the moment at least - to be aimed more at the most regular Switch players than at more casual players who will have little interest in getting it before the inexorable announcement of a new The Legend of Zelda in the months or years to come, which will allow Nintendo to popularize its new console!