It is also expected that the next console from the house of Nintendo- Nintendo Switch 2 may also be launched soon. New leaks have been spotted over the last couple of days, since the previous update, and they reveal more about the contents which can be found inside. Here are 5 main improvements that will be introduced in the Nintendo Switch 2.
Redesigned Joy-Cons
Another major change is the Joy-Cons. As per the reports, the new Joy-Cons will be larger and have an extra button on the back of Joy-Cons which will be remappable. Also, on the front of the right Joy-Con, there will be one more button located below the home button. These Joy-Cons will have a new, more secure mechanism for attaching them via electromagnets, and the SL and SR buttons will be metal. These should include comfort and usability, especially, the size, which many users, myself included, have wished for a long time. But the problem is that these new changes will not allow the older Joy-Cons to work with the new Nintendo Switch 2 model in handheld mode, although, they will still be able to connect via Bluetooth.
In what can be seen as a clear attempt at counterattacking the Switch 2, Nintendo has released a new accessory that supports charging Joy-Con controllers when they are separated from the current switch. This accessory came out several months before the release of the Switch 2 and it probably appeals to Switch 2 buyers searching for a cheap couch co-op solution.
Improved Display
Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to come with a new LCD panel instead of OLED screen. This might seem like a regression, but the new screen will be an 8-inch, 1080p screen which is a step up from the current 7-inch, 720p of the Switch OLED. This enhancement raises the pixel density from 209 to 275 PPI, which means that the screen is more refined than the original switch and the switch OLED. Although it won’t have the high PPI of smartphones for instance the Honor Magic V2, the 1080p will help to conserve power which is necessary for a handheld console.
Enhanced Performance
The second key aspect that the Nintendo Switch 2 is likely to feature significant upgrades is performance. The current Switch which has a Nvidia Tegra X1 chip is relatively outdated as compared to modern smartphones. There is a possibility that the Switch 2 will have the Nvidia Tegra T239 chip, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of UFS 3. 1 storage providing about 4 TFLOPS of 32-bit floating point compute performance. This puts its performance right in the range of the Xbox Series S, and the PS4 Pro. Thanks to DLSS, the Switch 2 should be able to handle more graphically intensive games with higher resolution and frame rates which includes the likes of Call of Duty and possibly Game Pass. Compatibility with the first Switch model titles will also enable the older games to run at higher settings.
The Comparison of Battery Life and Design Changes
Leaks suggest that the Switch 2 will consume a mere 5 watts in handheld mode, and hence, the performance will be less than the Steam Deck but battery life will be better. To this end, in the docking mode, a fan is incorporated which increases the power consumption to up to 30 watts to support 4k gaming. This way, the battery life of the Switch should not be compromised but at the same time, there should be a performance improvement when the console is docked.
New Interface and Other Release Information.
It is believed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will come with a new layout of the user interface. Some leaks hinted at a UI almost identical to the PS5’s, but it is expected that the final design will be different and might, at last, include the option to change the background.
The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been moved from the end of 2024 to early 2025. Nintendo has said that the announcement will happen before the end of their fiscal year which is in March 2025; therefore, an announcement in February or March seems probable. As for the price, the information is still unknown, but considering the improvements, the Switch 2 will probably be more expensive than the first Switch, while the latter will still be available for sale.
Therefore, the Nintendo Switch 2 is looking to be a vast improvement over the first Switch in almost every aspect including the Joy-Cons, the display, the performance, the battery life, and the UI. Watch this space for more information as we get closer to the launch.
