Hardware Quality

The Switch 2 feels hefty, but also, maybe too hefty. The original Switch felt mostly fine, but its Joy-Cons were about as sturdy as a children’s toy. Switch 2’s controllers feel expensive and premium, and the bigger screen does feel like a pretty sizable upgrade from the Switch. The downside is that the Switch 2 is heavy enough to give me wrist pain when I’m holding it for too long. As such, I try to play mine in tabletop mode as much as possible when I’m in bed, and the Joy-Cons are the perfect controllers for a side sleeper who sets the Switch 2 up on its kickstand next to his pillow. The Switch 2 feels like a high-end device, but it comes with drawbacks to my wrists. — Kenneth Shepard

The Switch 2 looks great and feels even better, at least relative to the Switch 1. I don’t like that the back panel still flexes and feels hollow, and the Joy-Con are still a bit too wobbly for my taste. I wish there were some great third-party portable-mode alternatives for the Joy-Con right now, but because of the magnetic locks it seems like Hori and others will need a minute to develop the Switch 2 versions of their Switch 1 controllers. Also the screen blur feels like I’m drunk. Just kidding, I actually can’t tell at all. Despite the technical tests revealing staggeringly slow refresh speeds for the Switch 2, I’ve had zero complaints so far. I love that the screen is edged this time too, instead of the rounded surfaces of the original. — Ethan Gach

I’m no Digital Foundry so my understanding of what’s actually inside the new box is limited, but it sure feels better. It’s a joy to play Metroid Prime Remastered and not have to wait for the doors to open after shooting them. As for the Switch itself, it feels very solid, the kickstand feels sturdy, and there’s nothing cheap or tacky about it. But, like its only launch game, it certainly suffers from looking and feeling far too much like what we already had. — John Walker

I’m not the type to scrutinize my device’s screen for faults or to measure frame rate on one platform against another, so I’m not really the person to ask serious questions about hardware quality. I can say that I have no complaints; the device has a sturdy heft to it, the screen is—to my eyes—bright and captivating, and the Switch 2 Pro Controller feels like a natural extension of my hands. — Carolyn Petit

The OG Switch felt like a cheap toy in my big, dumb hands. In less than a week, the kickstand on my Switch broke, and it flapped open when I tried to hold it as a handheld. One of my Joy-Cons succumbed to stick drift and had to be taken out back. It never completely failed on me, and it was always charged and ready for me to play it. But using the Switch was a disappointing experience for me.

Switch 2, on the other hand, is wonderful. It feels like a high-end tech device, which is nice considering its daunting price tag. The kickstand is strong. The Joy-Con feel better. Everything feels better. The screen is also bigger. The whole unit just sits more comfortably in my massive, chunky hands. And that’s all I wanted. –ZZ