Tag: Hardware
News Switch 2's HDR Looking Washed Out On Your TV? Here's The Fix
HGiG or not HGiG, that is the question
If you've been feeling (as this writer has) that your Switch 2 graphics look a little washed out on your TV set in docked mode, guess what? It seems a bunch of other folk have too. What's more, there's an actual reason for it, and it can be fixed. Sort of. Hooray! The video above from YouTuber HDTVTest...
Poll Has Your Switch 2's Screen Got Any Nasty Scratches Yet?
Be careful
If you're anything like us, then chances are you've been handling your Switch 2 like it's a ticking timebomb. There's nothing quite as soul-crushing as when a new piece of tech gets a nasty dent on the casing or a horrible scratch on the screen. It feels like the end of the world. With the Switch 2, reports are starting to emerge that...
It's a feature
It seems some eager players have been a little mystified as to the reasons behind a message that's been popping up on their Switch 2 screens during play as of late. Yep, over on Reddit (thanks GoNintendo) a handful of gamers have been rocking up to report that an alert related to the console's HD Rumble has been poppi
Guide Best MicroSD Express Cards For Nintendo Switch 2
Your old Switch cards won't work, it's time for an upgrade
The Switch 2 will thankfully have a lot more internal storage than its predecessor, boasting 256GB at launch compared to the meagre 32GB seen in the original (or 64GB if you have an OLED). Still, more storage is always better, but with the Switch 2, you'll need to opt for a microSD Express...
Petey good
While Nintendo itself put out an official Switch 2 Camera alongside the new console, it's Hori's officially licensed — and we have to say adorable — Piranha Plant camera which attracted the most attention. A little USB-C webcam fashioned after the enemies from the Super Mario series, it's certainly a lot more fun-looking that...
Review Nintendo Switch 2 Camera - An Elegant But Nonessential GameChat Companion
Say cheese
In the lead-up to the Switch 2 launch, one of the biggest talking points from Nintendo was the new GameChat feature and accompanying camera. Heck, the company even reunited with actor and SNES legend Paul Rudd for a new commercial showcasing the technology: “Now you’re playing together,” as if the previous four decades of...
Video We Put The Switch 2's Battery Through Its Paces With A Full Timelapse
How does it hold up?
Given the improved specs in the recently released Switch 2, it's not entirely surprising that the system's battery can't quite keep up with its predecessor's (though with the increased size, one has to imagine that Nintendo could stuff a bigger one in there). But just how good / bad is it? Well, our lovely video producer Alex...
Guide Nintendo Switch 2 Guide: Ultimate Resource
Your complete guide to Switch 2
Switch 2 is the new system from Nintendo and the direct successor to the original Nintendo Switch that launched all the way back in March 2017. Switch 2 launched worldwide on 5th June 2025 and retails for $449.99 / £395.99 / €469,99, and it's available to buy from retailers in North America and the UK - although...
Hardware Review Nintendo Switch 2 - A Faster, Slicker, Sexier Switch
A worthy successor
Editor's Note: Nintendo declined to send out Switch 2 review units to media in the weeks prior to its 5th June launch, but having now spent a full week living with the system, we can deliver our final verdict. Rumours of a successor to the Nintendo Switch started doing the rounds early in that console's life. While the Switch...
Guide Nintendo Switch 2: How To Transfer Screenshots From Switch 2 To Smartphone, PC Or Mac
Snappy snaps
The screenshot button is back on Switch 2, and Nintendo has made it easier than ever to share your snaps with the world. In this guide, we'll run through everything you need to know about Switch 2 screenshots, including how to take them, manage them, and transfer them to your phone, PC or Mac. How To Take Screenshots And Videos On...
Random Ouch! Switch 2 Owners Are Feeling The Pinch With The New Joy-Con
Watch those magnets
After tinkering with the Switch 2 for about a week now, the general consensus amongst NL staff is that the new magnetic Joy-Con are simply marvellous. On the original Switch, there was always a sense that the Joy-Con weren't quite as secure as we would have liked, and this was simply exacerbated by general wear and tear. Switch...
News Magnetic Joy-Con Sticks Already In The Works For Switch 2 Amid Fears Of Drift
"Stay tuned!"
A few days back, the online repair community iFixit posted a brief teardown of the new Switch 2 Joy-Con and confirmed that the sticks are nearly identical to the Switch 1 in terms of how they've been built. Naturally, then, this has caused a bit of kerfuffle with fans; many of which are understandably concerned that Joy-Con drift will...
Round Up The Reviews Are In For The Nintendo Switch 2
Here's what the critics think so far
It's almost been a week since the arrival of the Switch 2. Now that more outlets have spent some time with Nintendo's new hybrid system, first impressions and reviews are beginning to roll in. If you haven't already seen our own "review-in-progress" here on Nintendo Life, based on what we've experienced so far,...
News Xbox Officially Enters The Handheld Space, But Nintendo Won't Be Worried
This feels as niche as it gets
Xbox has officially entered the handheld space with the announcement of two new devices: the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X. Launching toward the end of 2025, the new portable systems are the result of a collaboration between Xbox and Asus. They aim to take advantage of Xbox Play Anywhere, a service that lets...
Poll Switch 2 Battery Reportedly Lasting Under Two Hours With Mario Kart - How Is Yours Holding Up?
How's that charge holding?
With gamers across the globe now settling in to put their Switch 2 consoles through their paces, we've been seeing a bunch of media outlets, alongside eager social media and Reddit users, report in on how they're finding the battery life thus far. For full transparency, we've yet to run a rigorous battery test here at...
Review Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller - A New Benchmark In Comfort And Design
Super-smooth
Moving from the Switch 1 Pro Controller to the Switch 2 Pro Controller, Nintendo has largely taken the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ route. Keeping the same basic layout intact, it instead applied several small, but significant improvements to make this latest iteration the very best Nintendo controller I’ve ever had the...
Talking Point Does Your Switch 2 Vent Smell?
Not unpleasant, necessarily
Most of us here at Team NL, like many of you, have been unwrapping shiny new consoles today as Switch 2 arrives, finally. Nothing like the smell of new hardware in the morning, right? Having said that, while we've been getting to grips with the new console, some of us have noticed an aroma. Not an unpleasant one, you...
Guide Nintendo Switch 2: How To Connect Bluetooth Headphones, AirPods
Wired or wireless, life finds a way
Can you connect your favourite Bluetooth headphones or earbuds to your Switch 2 console? Why, yes you can! Where the original Switch needed a little post-release update to enable the use of such devices, we hit the ground running this time. The Switch 2 requires no such update with its Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi...
Video The First Full Switch 2 Hardware Teardown Is Here
What do your insides look like?
Chances are many of you are receiving your Switch 2 consoles by now, and we'd wager that, like us, you're being extra careful not to cause any damage to your precious new hardware. Not so with YouTube repair channel TronixFix, which has posted the first full hardware teardown of the Switch 2. Now, naturally we knew...
News The Switch's 'Repairability Score' Has Tanked Following Reassessment
"the Switch didn’t age as gracefully as we’d hoped"
iFixit, one of the world's leading online repair communities, has nerfed the original Switch's 'repairability score' following a recent reassessment. Upon launch, the team had originally scored the console a pretty health 8/10, noting that the modular design of the system makes a lot of...
Guide Nintendo Switch 2 System Transfer: How To Move All Games, Saves, Profiles From Switch 1
When old becomes new
With Switch 2 being an evolution of Switch 1, Nintendo is making the transition between consoles as easy as possible. This means that backwards compatibility is a thing, with most of your existing games fully playable on the new console (with some notable exceptions, mind you). So, how do you transfer everything from your...
News Nintendo Switch 2 Chip "Unlike Anything We've Ever Built Before" Says Nvidia CEO
"Switch 2 is more than a new console - it's a new chapter"
Nintendo has shared a special Creator's Voice video on its YouTube channel, just days before the launch of the brand new Nintendo Switch 2 console. This time, the focus isn't on the upcoming third-party games coming to the console. Rather, it focuses on the Nintendo Switch 2's Custom...
News Now Switch 2 Setup Walkthrough Videos Are Popping Up Online
What's next, cartridge tasting?
More and more videos of people getting their Switch 2s early are popping up online, and the latest is probably the biggest and best look we've had at the system and its UI. In fact, the same person who shared the unboxing and boot screen has now uploaded a video showcasing the Nintendo Switch 2's start-up screens,...
News A Video Showing The Switch 2's Boot Screens Has Been Shared Online
Power on
We're a little over a week away from the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, so naturally, a few leaks are starting to make their way online. The latest is a video showcasing the Switch 2 being powered on for the first time, meaning we get a good look at the primary Nintendo and Switch logos before the system takes you through the initial...
News Nintendo Switch 2 Final Tech Specs Have Been Confirmed
GameChat has a "significant impact on system resources"
We all know the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be significantly more powerful than its predecessor, but just what kind of internals is the new console boasting? Well, thanks to a new breakdown by Digital Foundry, we can now finally dive into the specifics. First, let's take a look at the custom...
News Nintendo Switch 2 Hardware Chip Was Potentially Finalised As Early As 2021
Planning ahead
With the Nintendo Switch 2 entering development as early as 2019, it might not come as a surprise that the hardware chip may have been finalised as early as 2021. And according to a teardown of a supposed Switch 2 motherboard, that's exactly what it's come down to. Digital Foundry has summarised findings by
Video Switch 2's Mouse Controls Are Nothing New For Nintendo
A mousehold name
Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2 has been accused of not being especially revolutionary, which is mostly fair. It’s more of an evolution of a concept that works rather than a vast departure, but that doesn’t mean it’s devoid of ideas. The big kahuna of new additions in my eyes is the mouse controls, allowing for a veritable...
News Xbox Branded Handheld Photos Leak, And It's Not Quite As Slick As The Switch 2
Those fingerprints don't help
Two versions of the upcoming ROG Ally 2 have been leaked via FCC photos, showcasing a standard white model and a black model branded with a dedicated Xbox button. Highlighted by VideoCardz (thanks, Eurogamer), the photos come from the US FCC's official certification of the hardware, so seem to be pretty legit. It's...
Guide Nintendo Switch 2: GameChat Guide - How Does It Work?
Cam and see
After years of enlisting third-party apps to perform a simple call with your friends while playing Switch, Nintendo introduced a solution for Nintendo Switch 2. GameChat lets you talk to your friends via your Switch 2 system, meaning you can natter away either while playing co-op or entirely different games. You can even use a camera to...
News Store Listing Suggests Switch 2 Joy-Con Might Be Customisable
We'd advise caution, though
A new store listing on AliExpress suggests that the new Switch 2 Joy-Con might be customisable; at least to a certain degree. As highlighted by Stealth40k on Bluesky, a listing from Electronics-Dropshipping Store shows that the side panels on both Joy-Con can be removed and replaced with different colours. The two...
Guide Nintendo Switch 2: GameShare Guide - How To Share Games Locally And Online
Share the love
Alongside the launch of Switch 2, Nintendo introduced an innovative new way to share games with your friends across multiple systems. GameShare lets you play select multiplayer titles on different systems at the same time, so your pals can join you for a gaming sesh while looking at a screen of their own. In this guide, we'll run...
Poll GameStop Offers A Tempting Switch 2 Trade-In Deal, But Is It Really Worth It?
Out with the old?
Buying a new console on or close to its launch date (or, in some cases, at any point during its lifespan) can be exceptionally costly. It's often a good option, then, to flog your current-gen console and get a discount off your next hardware purchase, especially if the new one is backwards compatible. In the case of the Switch 2,...
Poll So, Did You Manage To Get A Switch 2 Pre-Order In? (North America)
A pre-orderly fashion
Well, Switch 2 pre-orders are finally live across North America and we're interested in getting a sense of how it's been for Nintendo fans on the ground in the US and Canada. Following a 15-day delay from the planned date, Switch 2 pre-orders went live at retailers across North America at 9pm ET / 12am ET. Europeans have been...
News The Switch 2's New Magnetic Joy-Con Originally Didn't Have A Release Button
Ready? Pull!
Before the Switch 2 was officially announced earlier this year, magnetic Joy-Con controllers were rumoured for quite a while. In fact, developers at Nintendo wanted to utilise magnets on the original Switch, but the technology at the time meant that they wouldn't be strong enough to gain the late Satoru Iwata's approval. Thankfully,...
Feature The Switch 2 Sticks Might Not Be Hall Effect, But They Feel Fantastic
So smooth
One of the disappointments to come from the recent avalanche of Switch 2 information was the confirmation that the new Joy-Con 2 controllers would not use Hall Effect magnet technology. Of course, it does make sense, in a way, since the Switch 2 is already utilising magnets to attach the Joy-Con to the console, so although it would be...
News Nintendo Switch 2 US Pre-Orders Start 24th April, System & Launch Game Pricing Unchanged
But accessories "experience price adjustments" in the US
Switch 2 will remain at the previously announced price of $449.99 USD ($629.99 CAD) for the base hardware and $499.99 ($699.99 CAD) for the Mario Kart World bundle in North America, Nintendo has announced. Prices for Mario Kart and Donkey Kong Bananza will also remain unchanged at $79.99 USD...
Guide How Much Does Nintendo Switch 2 Cost?
Prices of the Nintendo Switch 2 in your region
The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally out this June, and it's likely that many of you have started budgeting for the new console. There's a lot of confusion and information going around on pricing for the new system — which will be the place to play all of the latest and greatest Nintendo games — and...
Guide All Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Games, Upgrade Packs, And Free Performance Updates
Next-gen TLC
Nintendo has been very bullish about making the transition from the Switch 1 to the Switch 2 as seamless as possible for current owners, so naturally, that means we're seeing a bunch of original Switch games updated for the new system to take advantage of that additional power. We've got two types* of updates for Switch 1 games:...
Guide Nintendo Switch 2: All Mouse Mode Compatible Games
Which games use the Joy-Con Mouse?
For anyone worried that the Nintendo Switch 2 is lacking that unique feature, then fear not: Mouse Mode is here for those of you who love the weird and wonderful. The Joy-Con 2 double as mice, which you can use by holding sideways on any surface. And many games launching on the new console will be using this brand...
News Some Fans Are Drawing Unfavourable Comparisons Between Switch 2 And Xbox One
Don Mattrick's infamous quote resurfaces
The Nintendo Switch 2 pricing reveal hasn't exactly gone down well, and with the economic instability at the moment, many consumers are frustrated at the price and lack of communication. But as interviews with Nintendo of America reps were published yesterday, one of Doug Bowser's comments in particular has...
Guide Switch 2: All New Accessories
New stuff!
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Switch 2, we are getting that old familiar pang...for some slick new accessories. Yes, we all know that picking up lots of new bits and bobs for a new console is almost as exciting as playing it, and so we've put together this list of all first-party accessories that we are currently aware of,...
Guide Nintendo Switch 2: Internal Storage - How Many Games Can You Store?
How much can you stuff into the Switch 2?
With game sizes exploding and the Switch 2 being a more powerful system, you might be worried about running out of space. We've all run out of storage on our Switch 1 many times, right? So here's how to get prepared for maximising your new console's storage. This guide will tell you everything you need to...
News Is The Switch 2 A Steam Deck Killer? Digital Foundry Dives Deep
All Killer, no filler?
Now that we're getting super-close to the Switch 2 launch and with a ton of specs and technical details to get stuck into, the boffins over at Digital Foundry have been cutting through all the hyperbole to take a detailed look at what we actually know about the
Guide Nintendo Switch 2: Battery Life - How Does It Compare?
Comparisons with Switch, OLED, and Steam Deck
With a swathe of new features and upgrades, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a much more powerful piece of kit compared to its predecessor. As such, we're sure many of you have questions about just how long the thing can run in handheld. With Mouse Mode, higher frame rates, and generally better tech inside the...
News Nintendo Of America President Says Tariffs "Not Factored" Into Switch 2 Price
But new tariffs is "something we're going to have to address."
The Nintendo Switch 2 is a little pricier than many were expecting. The console will cost USD $449.99 / GBP £395.99 for the console itself, or USD $499.99 / GBP £429.99 bundled with Mario Kart World. For many, that's a lot, and when initially revealed last week, it brought to mind the...
News Switch 2 Devs May Assign Specific Inputs To Pro Controller's Back Buttons
Is it worth the hassle, though?
One of the biggest surprises from the recent Switch 2 Direct is that the accompanying Pro Controller will actually come with two new back buttons labelled 'GL' and 'GR'. In addition to a slightly revamped design in which Nintendo took inspiration from the GameCube controller, the new Pro Controller is also seemingly...
News Yes, You Can Adjust The Sensitivity Of The Switch 2's Mouse Controls
"I wanna play on my legs"
After lots of rumours and speculation, Nintendo has confirmed that, yes, mouse controls for the Switch 2 is a very real thing. It looks awesome too, with games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Drag x Drive making full use of the new feature to provide you with new options and completely new ways to play. The good news is...
News It's Official, Switch 2 Joy-Con Will Not Feature Hall Effect Sticks
Controllers have been designed from the ground up
One of the biggest issues that's plagued the Nintendo Switch since its launch in 2017 is stick drift. In fact, Nintendo faced several lawsuits as a result of the issue, with an ex-repair supervisor previously stating that the workload to fix drifting Joy-Con was "very stressful". Now, while we c
Feature "We Really Want To Future-Proof" - The Nintendo Switch 2 Interview
Nate Bihldorff talks pack-ins, game-key cards, and Korok Forest
Nate Bihldorff, Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal has been a rollercoaster ride. We've been waiting what feels like years for this momentous occasion, and from the game selection and the revelation of the 'C' button's function to
