Nintendo Switch 2

The Switch has been almost unstoppable since it first arrived in 2017, carving out a niche for itself and becoming the third-best selling console ever. The Switch 2 never really had to be anything other than “more of the same,” but with increased power and performance, 4K output, a sharper, brighter, richer handheld display, and easy compatibility with hundreds of games—plus a few experimental features, like mouse controls, for good measure—this is something more: “the same, but better.”

Nintendo just made a better Nintendo Switch, and that's a good thing. This powered-up console delivers in every way that counts, even with a couple of headaches at launch. Now, we just wait for more games. $449.99

The Nintendo Switch 2 is an accomplished sequel. It takes the core of the Nintendo Switch and improves it in practically every way possible, from the vibrant new screen, to the magnetic snap of the Joy-Con 2 and core features like GameChat and a usable eShop. There's some typical Nintendo quirks and limitations, but that's par for the course, and in general it meets the expectations of a modern console. What the system needs now is more new games.

With the Switch 2, Nintendo improved everything we liked about the original while retaining its sleek and portable design.

For now, its short list of killer exclusives and even shorter battery life are the only bad points marring an otherwise extraordinary piece of consumer electronics. It’s absolutely state-of-the-art. Buy it.

It’s the small things that really make the Nintendo Switch 2 such a brilliant system. The magnetic Joy-Cons, the improved mic, the snappier UI, GameChat, accessibility – all these quiet upgrades just make using it smoother and more enjoyable day to day. Not everything lands, however. I think the UI looks a bit stale, and Mario Kart World didn’t quite click for me, but this feels like the most polished Nintendo Switch console, and there’s still lots of potential.