Nintendo Switch 2 Hands-On Experience Shows Why it May be Worth the Money…For Some

Several members of the press were able to partake in a Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on experience at their NYC flagship store. First impressions? Well, it’s a mix of excitement and familiarity, since the console is more of a beefed-up Switch rather than a total reinvention. The first-party games reportedly looked stellar, though some noted that many titles shown were ports rather than all-new exclusives.

What most notice right away is its 7.9-inch LCD, up from the original Switch’s 6.2 inches and the OLED model’s 7 inches. It runs at 1080p in handheld mode with a 120Hz refresh rate and supports HDR10, which means sharper visuals, smoother motion, and better color pop than the original’s 720p cap. When docked, it can push 4K at 60 fps or 1080p at 120 fps, a massive leap from the first Switch’s 1080p/30 fps docked ceiling.

As for the new Joy-Con 2 controllers, they are most certainly another evolution. They’re larger, with magnetic attachments replacing the old rail system, snapping on with a satisfying click (and a release button to pop them off). They’ve got bigger SL/SR buttons for better detached play, and a new “C button” on the right Joy-Con ties into the GameChat feature.

Audio’s also improved, as it now has 3D sound support through built-in speakers or headphones, with clearer, more balanced output. Accessibility gets a boost too, with adjustable fonts, screen readers, and speech-to-text in GameChat.