The console

First thing I thought taking it out of the box is that this thing feels really solid and a little heavier than I expected. We have definitely returned to Wii era Nintendo build quality. Everything feels really premium all around, which it should for the price. More in line with the PS5 in terms of build. The stand is very secure, which was a big pain point for Switch 1. Screen is a whole load of mid-range - not bad, but not anything to write home about either, it’s still fairly good and 90% of people are going to be happy with it. The increased size is also a big upgrade, since it makes playing on the go much more comfortable (similar size to Steam Deck screen).

Joy Con 2

These things have such smooth sticks, it’s something you need to try to understand, but they just feel so nice. The magnets too feel very very secure in attaching them to the console. However, I do wish Nintendo rounded the backs a little bit on the console side, as if you’re not careful you might pinch your finger a bit when they snap on. The included grip is alright, but the flat top does make it slightly less comfortable than the Joy Con 1 grip. Mouse mode works better than you expect, very close to a PC mouse in terms of tracking, although you need to get used to how you need to grip it in order to not topple them over.

Performance

Obviously can vary game to game, so will keep this brief. All the Switch 2 games I have (Breath Of The Wild Switch 2 edition, Welcome Tour, Mario Kart World) run super smooth in 4K60 mode, no complaints here. Welcome Tour also ran in 120FPS mode fine (although my monitor only lets me do 120FPS over HDMI at 1080p, so didn’t test much more than that). Switch 1 games load way faster (at most 2 or 3 second load times for anything in Smash Bros, and the gate in the monastery in Fire Emblem Three Houses instantly opens rather than taking multiple seconds on Switch 1). Frame times are also much more consistent, it will keep games at their FPS caps all the time.

Accessories

Cases

The carrying case is just that, a carrying case, nothing special. Hard construction to keep it safe, soft inside, and some space for some game cards. The All in One case is a lot more interesting, since it lets you take the whole set up anywhere you go. Also quite sturdy, and well made. Size is good, and there’s a big flap on top with a foam (?) piece sticking out to prevent your dock from getting damaged.

Pro Controller

This controller is probably the best controller I have ever used. Remember how I said the sticks on the Joy Cons were smooth? These are smoooooooooth, they feel so so so good. The return to centre is a very good action too. Even better, they’ve dampened the sound on the edge of the material around the sticks, so even when you are playing hard the controller is very quiet, compared to the plastic on plastic loudness of a lot of previous controllers. The materials are so nice. It’s a soft touch plastic all around that feels so refined. GL and GR buttons are a welcome addition. It’s difficult to put into words how good this controller is, but if you get the opportunity, you need to try it. The only disappointment is that it (at least for now) doesn’t work on my Linux PC over Bluetooth, although we might see support soon as controllers get into the hands of driver developers. USB support isn’t implemented properly yet either, although it does show up unlike Bluetooth. We’ll probably have to wait for Valve to release a Steam controller configuration update for it to start working properly over USB in Steam games. When they do, I will use it. This controller is amazing.