Michał Stekla
After months of speculation, Nintendo has officially released the Switch 2 – a console that builds on the proven concept of the first generation, but adds more power, a better screen, and fresh games that couldn't be played before. It's still a hybrid – you can play on the go, at the table, or on a big screen. You'll still find the Joy-Cons – but in a new version. And it's still all about the games, though this time on a larger scale.
What will you find in Switch 2? What's changed?
In the box, we get the console, improved Joy-Con 2 controllers (with a new mouse feature) and a classic docking station. On the front, there's a 7.9-inch LCD screen that offers 1080p and even 120 Hz. Inside – 256 GB of storage, which can be expanded to 2 TB via a microSD card. The battery? From 2 to 6.5 hours, depending on the game.
When docked, Switch 2 can display image in 4K at 60 Hz or 1080p/1440p up to 120 Hz. Nintendo also mentions support for HDR, VRR and 3D spatial audio, although not all features work perfectly in every game – more on this in FlatpanelsHD's analyses.
Under the hood sits the T239 chip from Nvidia, based on Ampere architecture. The manufacturer boasts 10 times higher graphical performance than in the original Switch. On paper, it looks like this: 3.1 TFlops in docked mode and 1.7 TFlops in handheld, which indicates a significant leap, although still not on the level of PS5 or Xbox Series X. It also includes ray tracing, DLSS and other contemporary graphical technologies.
New games, new possibilities
What's happening with the games? It’s really exciting here. To kick things off, there will be titles available exclusively on Switch 2 – including Mario Kart World, Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Street Fighter 6, Fortnite and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as well as Tears of the Kingdom. Over time, updates for older games optimised for the new hardware will also be released. Prices? Up to $109 AUD – which means Nintendo isn’t afraid to follow in the footsteps of major AAA publishers.
Choose 2 on sale during night sales – no queues, no drama
Ultima, Media Markt and Warsaw's Media Expert have launched the night sale of Choose 2. There were eager buyers, but no crowds – Nintendo did not repeat the chaos of the PS5 launch. The warehouses are full, so the resellers from OLX might be surprised.
Prices? $599 AUD for the console without a game, $649 AUD with Mario Kart World included.
Availability? For now, no problems – both online and in-store. But it might be different by the weekend.
ChooseTV 2 is not a new generation in terms of graphical revolution – it's rather evolution, not revolution. The console is faster, better, more modern, but it still doesn't throw down the gauntlet to the PlayStation 5 or Xbox. And it probably never has – because Nintendo has been playing its own tune for years.
If you want to play new titles and stay in the Switch ecosystem, today is a good day – Switch 2 hits the market on June 5 in the USA, Europe, Oceania, and parts of Asia. In the following weeks, it will be available in more countries.
