Nintendo Switch 2 Tested: Major Performance Boost with New Internals

Why Trust Is Crucial

Trust. It’s everything. Especially when you’re staring at the glowing screen of a device, wondering if it’s the best pick for your gaming dreams. Our experts dive deep into the nooks and crannies of products, testing them like they’re trying to win a prize at a state fair. Curious about our methods? Let’s go deeper.

The Guts and Glory of Semiconductors

In the land of semiconductors, power’s king. Sounds dramatic, right? But truly, if you can wrap a design around a tiny low-power chip, you’re onto something magical. Think lighter gadgets with batteries that won’t quit on you mid-adventure. Picture this: while everyone else was chasing beefier hardware, Nintendo snatched a neat little chip from Nvidia, called the Tegra X1 SoC. And boom! The Nintendo Switch was born. Fast forward to now, and we’re meeting the Nintendo Switch 2. Upping the ante, it’s got a snazzier VRR screen, bigger Joy-Cons, and more ports than you have fingers.

Personally, I’m mostly glued to my PC for gaming. But my hubby? Die-hard Nintendo fan. We’ve had all kinds of Nintendo devices beneath our TV. The Switch? Didn’t love it as a handheld, yet those Nintendo universes are like nothing else. I’ll never forget stumbling out into Hyrule in Zelda, my jaw dropped. Seriously, the sun was so bright it nearly blinded me, all pixel-y, but still.

Squeezing Performance from a Stone

You’ve got to hand it to Nintendo—they squeezed every droplet of power from the original Switch’s hardware. But time waits for no console. Eventually, games like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet began to stutter, and fans were grumbling. Tears of the Kingdom felt, well, like it was ready for a console that didn’t exist yet. Time for some heavier artillery. Enter the Switch 2.

Our game plan? Buy one off the shelf—a real retail romance—and dive in headfirst.

Cracking Open the Switch 2

Nintendo teamed up with Nvidia again. This time, the Switch 2’s got a custom chip buzzing at its core. They’re keeping the blueprints close to their chests, but word on the street is, it’s got eight Arm Cortex-A78C CPU cores. Sounds fancy until you find out most phones laugh in its general direction. Yet here’s the kicker: low clocks mean modest power. When docked, you’ll be pushing less than 20 watts. Almost like it’s sipping power, not guzzling.

And it’s got this whiz-bang Nvidia Ampere GPU inside with 1,536 CUDA cores. Translation? It’s more of a zippy iguana than a cheetah—still, it gets the job done.

Screen Magic (or Lack Thereof)

Hold your hats. The Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch, 1080p display that might make you smile. Sure, it’s not true HDR territory—shiny, but not blinding. Still, you’ll notice your games popping with color, even if, let’s say, Fortnite feels more like a fun fever dream than cinematic perfection.

Plus, there’s this thing called VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). Techy talk aside, it means smoother gameplay when the screen syncs with frame rates. But oddly, it’s limited to the internal screen for now. TV’s missing out. No clue what Nintendo’s play is here.

Buttons, Joysticks, and the Whole Shebang

Meet the Joy-Con 2s. Magnets hold ’em to the Switch like it’s a magic trick. They wobble a bit, yet feel solid. But those sticks? Bigger but still shakier than a tree in a windstorm. And let’s not get started on potential drift issues. Fingers crossed they don’t give out on us.

The Gaming Grit

Sure, the Switch 2 might not break records in raw performance. But popping into Zelda again? Pure nostalgia. Everything’s smoother, and I got lost (in a good way) exploring Hyrule. Fortnite? Finally playable without squinting at blurry blobs. Maybe not PC-level, but it holds its ground.

Docked or not, it’s a nifty device. But let’s be real, if I had a nickel for every frame drop I avoided thanks to this upgrade, I’d probably buy another game.

Our Time With the Littlest Power Gamer

The Switch 2? It barely whispers when running games. Kudos to a design that won’t have you wondering if you’ve accidentally booted up a jet engine. And yes, you’ll need patience with game downloads. Even Wi-Fi 6 can’t speed up Nintendo’s leisurely servers.

Storage? That’s where you’ll feel a pinch. 256GB might sound like a lot until you’ve stacked a few games on it. And those pricey microSD cards? Yikes. Keep an eye on those sales.

Keeping it plugged into everyday life feels seamless, though. My headset clunked right in without a hitch, and pairing Bluetooth accessories didn’t have me pulling my hair out. Sweet.

Wrapping it up, the Switch 2 is fun, portable, and, oh, did I mention fun? It’s not all sugar and daisies, but those Nintendo worlds are just so… enchanting. For those already smitten or folks eyeing that Mario Kart bundle, this might be your ticket to gaming joy.

Stay tuned while we keep poking and prodding this gadget, especially its battery life. Once we’ve nailed down everything, you’ll get our final scoop on it.