I was one of the first to play with the Switch 2 - it is worried, but she is an absolute highlight

Only two more months and then the time has come: The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on June 5. Today I can sweeten the waiting time a little: I was in the Grand Palais in Paris for a whole day and were allowed to spend several hours with the new console at a Nintendo event. For me it was one of the most exciting days of the year.

In the article I share my first hardware impressions with you to the new Nintendo console-what I liked, what I could not and what I could find out for you that was not mentioned in the Nintendo Direct.

The display is not OLED and still fantastic

The screen has changed a lot compared to the predecessor generation. Nintendo takes a step back and two steps forward.

The step back: No OLED screen is installed. The Switch 2 uses a LCD panel differently than the Switch OLED.

For this - and with that we are already in the steps - it looks fantastic:

• The screen diagonal is 7.9 inches. The new handheld has an even larger screen than the Switch Oled with 7 inches.
• To do this, the resolution in handheld mode was increased to 1080p. Images of the screen look nice and sharp. While I held the console in my hands, I couldn't see any individual pixels.
• I was particularly surprised that the screen now supports a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz - and even with VRR! This stands for variable refresh rate, i.e. a variable refresh rate. This ensures a liquid gaming experience even at lower FPS numbers and prevents image tears.
• HRD is also supported. Unfortunately, Nintendo has not yet shared any further details. Only that support from game to game will vary.
• These features, i.e. VRR, HDR and 120 FPS, are also supported by compatible screens. In Paris I played Metroid Prime 4 on a large television with 120 fps. It was really fun.

All the upgrades ensure a round overall picture that convinces when playing. The missing OLED display is no longer so tragic. In addition, an OLED panel would have had the price with this technical data beyond the 500 euros.

The new Joy-Cons do a lot right

With the new Joy-Cons 2, a lot is also happening compared to the predecessor. The bottom line is that it is a good thing, but an urgent question remains after my input date.

The analog sticks are now a little wider and therefore easier to use.Nintendo has fundamentally revised it. When playing, they feel beautifully precise and soft in the operation.

The new joy cons are also a little longerAnd so lie well in the hand even on larger hands. However, I can't tell you what this looks like with small children's hands.

Surprisingly good: the Joy-Cons as a mouse

Both the left and right Joy-Con 2 can be used as a mouse.To do this, a magnetic basis must be attached that has sliding pads on the underside.

I tried the mouse function for you in Metroid Prime 4 and in Mario Party Jamboree. And I was pleasantly surprised:

• The mouse sensor is precise and can even be combined with the gyroscope - for example for mini -games in Mario Party Jamboree. In one of them you have to stack objects, for example. With the mouse function, the objects and inclinations are reached to the left and right, the selected item can be tilted in the same direction.
• In Metroid Prime 4 I was able to reliably target and make quick movements. That really impressed me.
• According to Nintendo, the joy-cons in mouse mode should even be suitable for operation on your thighs, you should crouch on the sofa and have no table with a mouse pad. Unfortunately I couldn't test that anymore.

Mystery ventilated: This brings the new C button

A function is called up with the C button that is reminiscent of Discord-Nintendo calls it Gamechat.

With Gamechat you can integrate yourself into certain games as avatar or call your teammates via video.

• For video calls via gamechat you need a camera, Nintendo offers its own switch-2 camera.
• The microphone is located on the top of the console. According to Nintendo, your friends should even understand you when the console is docked and you crouch on the sofa a little further away from the console. This is also ensured by integrated noise canceling, which filters out background noise.
• It is possible to share your gameplay live with others. However, the divided video stream has a significantly reduced refresh rate of an estimated 15 fps.
• The Switch-2-Camera can cut out of the background and hide it. I tested this at Mario Party Jamboree, where it worked as a whole.

The new Joy-Con Grip:The new grip felt very comfortable. I could well imagine using it for the Switch 2 in the mode. The larger Joy-Cons 2 help extremely with ergonomics. The biggest difference to the previous grip: the Joy-Cons 2 combine magnetically.

The magnetic mechanism:I think it's great! The Joy-Cons feel more firmly connected to the housing and not as shaky as with Switch 1. They hold very stable on the console and can be replaced with a small lever button on the back of the Joy-Cons 2.

• If you press the lever, you only press the Joy-Con out on the top. Then you have to pull it off by hand. This ensures that the controller does not accidentally fall to the ground when replacing.
• If you connect the Joy-Cons to your housing again, you hear a satisfactory clack.
• The magnets are in the console itself. The two keys SR and SL of the Joy-Cons are made of metal and are attracted.

In the middle of the Joy-Con slots there is an elongated piece of connection. In the run -up to the community, the community was afraid that the part could be a potential vulnerability and easily break off. According to Kouichi Kawamoto, producer for Switch 2, Nintendo has paid particular attention to this. The connecting piece therefore has some game to prevent breaks.

No more stick drift? I stay skeptical

Nintendo did not let the cards look at whether they got the problem with the drifting joy-cons under control. Tetsuya Sasaki, General Manager for the Nintendo Switch 2, only assured that the new Joy-Cons 2 were equipped with significantly better analog sticks.

I am a bit skeptical:

• Because the Joy-Cons are kept with strong magnets on the housing, I think the use of Hall effect sticks is unlikely.
• These determine their position via magnets and therefore there is significantly less mechanical wear and the risk of the notorious stick drift.
• Hall effect sticks are more resistant to stick drift, but interference, for example through other magnets nearby, can cause input disorders.

Incidentally, the trigger keys are still digital and not analogous.This is useful for action and shooter games, but unfavorable for racing games.

Nintendo Switch 2: housing and ergonomics

The designis of course a very subjective thing. But I think it's a shame that the Switch 2 is only black with colored accents.

The high-quality workmanship is less subjective: the plastic used has a soft touch surface that feels very flattering in the hand. For this, every single dust grain is now visible on the black matt housing.

The two USB-C ports are not identical:Only the lower USB-C connection has an image output. Accessories such as the new Switch-2-Camera are connected to the upper. You can load the console via both connections.

The new kick:Although it consists of thin plastic, it still makes a reliable impression. It is particularly gratifying that a very large angle area can be continuously covered.

That ergonomicsis still a weakness of the Nintendo Switch 2. The rounded edges of the joy-cons are very good in the hand, but the back is still completely flat. I would buy a grip case for the console that retrofits an ergonomic handle.

Nintendo Switch 2: Technical data and dock

Unfortunately I could only look at the dock, but not touch, since all of this event was hidden behind glass boxes. But I can tell you what I have observed and knows about performance:

• It is supported by a maximum of a video edition of 4K with 60 fps via the dock. A fan is installed in the dock for improved cooling.
• It is up to the developers whether they can achieve the 4K resolution natively with their games and the Switch 2 hardware or whether NVIDIA DLSS (UPSCaling technology from NVIDIA, which is also used for PCs) should scalate the game.
• The console masters ray tracing at the hardware level. However, it is also up to the developers to do it themselves whether they implement it in their games or not.
• The internal memory is now 256 GB. This should also offer faster reading and writing speeds. There are no exact figures yet.
• The physical games of the Nintendo Switch 2 also have an unadorned increased reading speed.
• Only microSD express cards are compatible as an expandable memory. However, there will be a way to transfer games, scores and more from a switch 1 to a switch 2.

Nintendo did not yet want to reveal which Nvidia chip is in the Switch 2 and what the technical data is. However, this information could be announced by Nvidia in the near future.

I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Switch 2 and was then a bit sobering. The game looks phenomenal on the console, but in my opinion the image rate was only between 25 and 30 fps. Since this is a preliminary version, it is still possible that the performance will be improved.

And what about the battery life?Nintendo did not want to make any specific statements. How long the Switch 2 lasts depends on many different factors. According to Nintendo, the new CPU consumes more energy, but a larger battery was installed to compensate for this.

My first conclusion

Overall, I really liked the Nintendo Switch 2. The large screen and the new Joy-Cons were taken with me. In terms of performance, the console also does not seem to have to hide from Steam Deck and Co.orwill appear.

However, I am not a fan of the matt black color on which every dust grain becomes visible. As for the stick drift: I stay skeptical here even after the allusion date.

If you want to get a handheld in 2025, then the Switch 2 should be one of the best options despite the RRP of 470 euros. Because even if this is a chunk of money: the Switch 2 is at least 100 euros cheaper than the Steam Deck Oled.

However, the first party games could be very expensive.has already submitted at 80 euros. This could be a standard price.

These were my first impressions of the Nintendo Switch 2. Do you have any questions? Then she likes to put me in the comments!