It’s been more than eight years since the original Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017, and now we have the full lowdown on what’s next: the Nintendo Switch 2.
In a big Nintendo Direct at the start of April, the Japanese gaming giant showed off a whole suite of Switch 2 features and the games we can expect to see at the console’s June 5 launch and beyond, including one unexpected exclusive.
Given the original Switch is one of the biggest-selling games consoles of all time, we can expect the Switch 2 to build upon that success, which could make it the biggest deal in gaming this year… alongside GTA 6.
So let's get into what you need to know about the Nintendo Switch 2 and if it should be on your wish list this year.
Nintendo Switch 2: cut to the chase
- What is it? The successor to the Nintendo Switch console, officially called the Nintendo Switch 2
- How much will it cost? $449.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95
- When will it release? June 5, 2025
- When do pre-orders open? In the US: April 8 at My Nintendo Store, April 9 at other retailers. In the UK: pre-orders appearing right now.
- What will its upgrades be? A new design, a custom chipset with a power boost, a 7.9-inch LCD display with 1080p resolution, Game Chat, and more
Nintendo Switch 2: release date and price
Pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 go live on April 8, and then you’ll have a bit of a wait as the hybrid console will be released on June 5.
Pricing is a little more punchy than that of the original Switch, with the Switch 2 starting at $449.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95. But the better bet might be the Mario Kart World bundle, which costs $499.99 / £429.99 / AU$769.95; that's notable as Mario Kart World on its own costs $79.99 or £74.99, so by going the bundle way you’re saving a nice chunk of change.
For comparison, the original Switch cost $259.99 / £259.99 / AUD$435, but with the Switch 2 you do get a bunch of new features as well as hardware upgrades.
Nintendo Switch 2: design
Ultimately, the Nintendo Switch 2 looks a lot like the original Switch, only larger - it has a larger display than the Switch OLED’s 7-inch panel coming in at 7.9 inches, and a bigger overall footprint with Nintendo stating approximate measurements of 4.5 inches tall x 10.7 inches wide x 0.55 inches thick.
As a result, the Joy-Con 2 controllers are taller and more curvaceous. They’ve dropped the prominent blue and red colors of their predecessors, though the left joystick has a blue accent and the right one has an orange accent.
As a result the Joy-Con 2 controllers are taller and also more curvaceous. They’ve dropped the prominent blue and red colors of their predecessors, though the left joystick has a blue accent and the right one has an orange accent.
The buttons and their layout are the same as before, but there’s now a new square button with the letter ‘C’ in it.
This C button is actually used to control the new Game Chat feature, which is an in-built chat feature for Switch 2 users to talk to their friends by making use of a microphone in the Joy-Con 2.
Rather than slide and lock in place, like the Joy-Con controllers did on the original Switch, the ones for the Switch 2 snap into place via magnets; there are buttons below the Joy-Con triggers that look like smaller triggers and are used to securely detach the Joy-Con 2 controllers.
Speaking of which, when they are detached the controllers have the same functionality as the original Joy-Con controllers.
However there’s a new mouse function that lets you place the magnetic side of the Joy-Con 2 controllers on a surface where snores in it will act as a form of mouse.
Going back to the Switch itself, there are a few nips and tucks to the design of the power and volume buttons, and the ventilation grille now has three instead of five vents.
The biggest difference to the top edge of the console is the addition of a USB-C port that lets you connect accessories like the new Switch 2 Camera. The 3.5mm headphone jack makes a return for the Switch 2.
Speaking of that, on the bottom edge of the Switch 2 there are new downward-firing speakers, which should offer an audio boost.
As you'll see from the gallery above, there's a new kickstand, which like the one on the Switch OLED runs the length of the console but is hollow rather than a single panel. It looks to be more solid than the puny slither-like kickstand of the original Switch, and it looks like it could lock into several positions.
There’s a new more rounded dock for the Switch 2, which now includes a fan to keep the console cool as it can now output a 4K signal; that should make it perfect for one of TechRadar’s picks for the best 4K TVs.
For people who want to game when in docked mode, there’s a rather similar peripheral that takes the Joy-Con 2 controllers and turns it into a single controller; this wasn't a highlight of the original Switch and we can’t say it looks much improved for the Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch 2: display
As mentioned, the Nintendo Switch 2’s touchscreen display comes in at 7.9 inches, and now has a 1080p resolution; double that of the original Switch.
Slightly disappointing is Nintendo's choice to go for an LCD rather than an OLED panel. However, this could be a shrewd move to keep costs down, and this new LCD screen does support HDR.
But the display now refreshes at a nippy 120Hz when running at full pelt. A variable refresh rate function should keep on-screen action smooth even if a frame rate is well below 120 frames per second.
Nintendo Switch 2: specs
At the heart of the Nintendo Switch 2 is a custom chip made by Nvidia.
What specs that chip sports haven’t been detailed, but it looks like this chipset isn’t an off-the-shelf one like the original Switch had.
Default storage comes in at 256GB, but can be expanded with the use of microSD Express cards up to 1TB. But do note: the microSD card that you may have used with the original Switch won’t be compatible with the Switch 2.
There’s a 5,220mAh battery that Nintendo reckons will provide between two and six-and-a-half hours of battery life. When the battery runs out of juice, it should take around three hours to recharge when the console is in Sleep mode.
Other specs include: accelerometer and gyroscopic sensors, HDMI output, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Nintendo Switch 2: games and features
When the console launches on June 5 it’ll be joined by a host of Switch 2 launch games, the standout title looks likely to be Mario Kart World.
One launch title with a sting in its tail will be Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, which is basically an interactive demo that people will need to pay for, though Nintendo has yet to give us a price for it. I’d argue such a demo should be bundled for free.
Check out the full list below:
- Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer
- Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
- Deltarune
- Fast Fusion
- Fortnite
- Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
- Mario Kart World
- Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
- Sid Meier's Civilization 7 (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition)
- Split Fiction
- Street Fighter 6
- Survival Kids
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch 2 Edition)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch 2 Edition)
- Yakuza 0 Director's Cut
But there's a good bit more coming after the launch day, with a big Switch 2 exclusives in the form FromSoftware’s new title The Duskbloods due to come out in 2026, and Donkey Kong returning to the 3D realm with Donkey Kong Bananza being released on July 17.
Other exclusives include Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment coming at some point in 2025, as will Kirby Air Riders, along with others.
There’ll also be a host of next-generation updates for existing Switch games, some of these will be free while others will be paid upgrades or offered to members of the Nintendo Switch Online – Expansion Pack service.
To round all that off, the Nintendo Switch 2 will feature DLSS and ray tracing, which should make its games perform better and look slicker, though which titles will use them hasn't been revealed.
Nintendo Switch 2: early thoughts
@techradar ♬ original sound - TechRadar
So should you be getting ready to pursue a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order? Well, that depends on how much of a Nintendo fan you are, how sold you are on the Switch 2’s features and launch titles, and if you’re happy to swallow an inflated price.
From my point of view, I don’t think waiting will hurt, and the later you buy into a games console generation, the more games you’ll have to play, the more options you’ll have for bundles, and the greater chance of finding offers on the Switch 2.
However, I think there’s a lot to like here, and my colleague, Hardware Editor Rhys Wood, seems to be on the same page when he went hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2.
The upgrades and nips and touches to the Switch 2 look like genuine improvements over the original Switch, which was and still is a console I love using. And I feel the potential to run better-looking games and the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, along with having a FromSoftware exclusive, will really boost the appeal of the Switch 2.
Do let me know your thoughts in the comments below and on TechRadar’s TikTok channel. Otherwise, keep an eye on TechRadar as we’ll bring you more news, analysis, and opinions on the Nintendo Switch 2.
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