Nintendo Switch 2: First Look

Two weeks with Nintendo's next-gen handheld, and the original Switch feels ancient

When Nintendo announced the Switch 2 during their April 2nd Direct, I'll admit I was skeptical. The original Switch has been my travel companion since 2017—through flights, train commutes, and countless hours of Zelda in bed. Why mess with a formula that works? But after spending two weeks with a preview unit ahead of the June 2026 launch, I'm eating my words. This isn't just an incremental update. It's the console the original Switch should have been.

The Switch 2 launches June 5th, 2026, with Mario Kart World as a pack-in title and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book releasing May 29th. Pricing starts at £349.99 for the standard model. Pre-orders are already live, and based on what I've seen, this is going to sell out fast.

Check Nintendo Switch 2 availability on Amazon UK →

First Impressions: Nintendo Finally Nailed the Hardware

The moment you pick up the Switch 2, the difference is obvious. Nintendo hasn't reinvented the wheel—it's still a handheld that docks to your TV—but they've refined every aspect of the industrial design. The Joy-Cons attach with a satisfying magnetic click rather than the rail system that always felt slightly precarious on the original. The screen is larger—8 inches versus 6.2—and the bezels have shrunk dramatically. It's a modern device now, not a tablet from 2015.

Setup took about twelve minutes from unboxing to playing Mario Kart World. The process is streamlined: power on, connect to Wi-Fi, link your Nintendo account, and you're done. Your entire Switch library is accessible immediately through backwards compatibility, and cloud saves transfer automatically. I started Mario Kart World within fifteen minutes of opening the box, and my Mario Kart 8 Deluxe progress carried over seamlessly.

The build quality is noticeably improved. The original Switch always felt slightly hollow—premium materials wrapped around budget internals. The Switch 2 feels dense and substantial. The matte finish on the back panel doesn't attract fingerprints like the glossy original. Even the kickstand on the back has been redesigned; it now spans the full width of the device and feels like it could support the weight without snapping.

See full Nintendo Switch 2 specs on Amazon →

What Actually Worked: Performance That Finally Matches the Promise

The original Switch's hardware was outdated on launch day—Nvidia's custom Tegra chip was already two generations old in 2017. Six years of optimization squeezed surprising performance from that silicon, but developers were hitting walls. The Switch 2 changes everything.

First, the screen. The 8-inch OLED panel (1080p handheld, 4K docked) is genuinely beautiful. Mario Kart World runs at 60fps with HDR enabled, and the colours pop without looking oversaturated. Playing in handheld mode feels immersive in a way the original never quite managed—the larger screen fills your field of view in a way that 6.2 inches simply couldn't.

Second, loading times. I timed it: Mario Kart World loads from the home screen to gameplay in 8 seconds. The original Switch took 23 seconds to load Mario Kart 8 Deluxe from the same menu. That's the difference between "I'll play for twenty minutes" and "I'll play for five minutes." The Switch 2 removes the friction that made the original feel like a commitment.

Third, battery life. Nintendo claims 4-6 hours depending on the game. In my testing—mixing Mario Kart World, indie titles, and streaming video—I averaged 5 hours and 12 minutes at 60% brightness. That's nearly double the original Switch's real-world performance. You can actually take this on a long flight without anxiety.

"I didn't realize how much the original Switch was holding back game design until I played Mario Kart World. The draw distance, the particle effects, the 60fps lock—it's not just prettier, it's more responsive." — My actual notes from day three

Real-World Usage: Two Weeks as My Primary Console

I committed to using only the Switch 2 for fourteen days. No PlayStation 5, no Xbox, no PC. Just the Switch 2 docked to my TV and taken on my commute.

The commute test: I take the train to London twice a week—90 minutes each way. The original Switch was adequate for this, but I'd usually switch to podcasts after an hour because the screen felt cramped and the battery would hit 20% by the return journey. With the Switch 2, I played Mario Kart World for the full 90 minutes both ways, arriving home with 34% battery remaining. The larger screen meant I wasn't squinting at distant details. The improved speakers meant I didn't need headphones (though I still recommend them—more on that later).

The living room test: Docked performance is where the generational leap becomes undeniable. Mario Kart World outputs at 4K/60fps with HDR on compatible TVs. My LG C3 displayed it beautifully—smooth, responsive, indistinguishable from my PlayStation 5 running similar titles. The original Switch looked muddy and artifact-ridden on the same screen. Backwards compatible titles see benefits too: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe now runs at a locked 60fps in split-screen multiplayer, where the original would dip into the 40s.

The travel test: I took the Switch 2 on a weekend trip to Edinburgh. It replaced my laptop for entertainment, my Kindle for reading (via the expanded e-reader features), and my original Switch for gaming. One device, three use cases, excellent battery life. The USB-C charging meant I could use my laptop charger. The compact size meant it fit in my backpack's laptop sleeve without the dock.

Where It Fell Short: Nintendo Being Nintendo

For all the improvements, some limitations remain frustratingly familiar.

The speakers are still mediocre. They're louder than the original Switch, and there's some semblance of stereo separation now, but they're still thin and tinny. For a device designed to be used on the go, Nintendo should have prioritized audio quality more aggressively. You'll want headphones for any serious gaming session.

Storage hasn't scaled with the hardware. 256GB internal storage sounds generous until you realize Mario Kart World is 38GB, and AAA titles are only getting larger. You'll need a microSD card almost immediately—factor that into your total cost.

The dock still doesn't include an Ethernet port. In 2026, Nintendo expects you to buy a £30 adapter for wired networking. For a console that emphasizes online multiplayer, this is indefensible. The docked experience over Wi-Fi is adequate, but competitive players will need that adapter.

These aren't dealbreakers, but they're annoyances that remind you Nintendo still makes puzzling decisions despite delivering excellent hardware.

Context and Considerations: The Competition Isn't Even Close

There's no direct competitor to the Switch 2. The Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally offer more power and flexibility, but they're PC gaming devices—complex, inconsistent, and power-hungry. The Switch 2 offers something unique: guaranteed compatibility, optimized performance, and Nintendo's exclusive games.

What surprised me was how backwards compatibility affected my usage. I expected to play mostly Mario Kart World during this review period. Instead, I found myself revisiting my Switch library—Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing, Super Mario Odyssey—because they looked better, loaded faster, and felt more responsive on the new hardware. The Switch 2 doesn't just run new games well; it revitalizes your entire library.

Ecosystem factors matter too. Your Nintendo Switch Online subscription carries over. Your save data transfers automatically. Your friends list is intact. This is the most seamless console upgrade Nintendo has ever managed, and it removes the friction that usually accompanies new hardware.

The Verdict: Who Should Buy This?

Buy the Nintendo Switch 2 if:

• You own a Switch and find yourself frustrated by load times, battery life, or screen size
• You play primarily in handheld mode and want a premium portable experience
• You're excited about Mario Kart World and future first-party Nintendo titles
• You value backwards compatibility and don't want to rebuy your library

Skip it if:

• You're satisfied with your current Switch and only play docked on a 1080p TV
• You primarily play indie games that run perfectly on the original hardware
• You can't justify £349.99 plus accessories when your current console works fine

At £349.99, the Switch 2 is fairly priced for what it delivers. It's not cheap, but it's not insulting either. The value proposition is clear: this is a meaningful upgrade that improves every aspect of the Switch experience. After two weeks, going back to my original Switch feels like downgrading from a modern smartphone to something from 2015.

Final Score: 8.5/10

The Nintendo Switch 2 doesn't revolutionize portable gaming—it perfects it. After years of the original Switch feeling increasingly dated, Nintendo has delivered the hardware their games deserve. The performance improvements are substantial, the screen is gorgeous, and backwards compatibility removes the usual upgrade anxiety.

It's not perfect. The storage situation will require additional spending. The speakers are underwhelming. Some of Nintendo's accessory decisions remain baffling. But these are minor complaints in an otherwise excellent package.

If you love Nintendo games and were waiting for hardware that matches the quality of the software, your wait is over.

Have questions about the Nintendo Switch 2? Drop a comment below or reach out on social media. This review was written after two weeks of hands-on testing with a preview unit provided by Nintendo for review purposes.