Nintendo finally answered most of our questions about the Switch 2, even though we didn’t like some of the answers, such as the surreal $449 price and games that cost as much as $80. Still, the console feels like a proper upgrade compared to the 2017 Nintendo Switch. There’s Full HD with HDR support in handheld mode, up to 4K 60fps HDR in docked mode, and 256GB of built-in storage.
While I’m ready to join the millions of people who will rush to take advantage of Switch 2 pre-orders and am excited to play Mario Kart World, I know I won’t be using some of the most exciting Nintendo Switch 2 features due to a bigger concern: Battery life.
Nintendo says the Nintendo Switch 2 battery life lasts from two hours to up to six and a half hours. That’s quite a big range, no? Still, the Big N states this is only an estimate, as your gameplay will determine better or worse battery life.
When the Nintendo Switch was first released, its battery life was definitely criticized. This time, Nintendo is trying to be a bit quieter about the Nintendo Switch 2 battery life. However, it means to me that I won’t be using the most exciting new features when I’m in handheld mode.
After all, how do you think the battery life will drain so fast? Of course, much of it can happen by playing Super Mario Party Jamboree with the camera and multiplayer communication, Full HD, and HDR on. Still, I’m pretty sure HDR will be responsible for draining at least a couple of hours from my gameplay experience. If we’re counting fps, it’s likely that this will also impact the Nintendo Switch 2 battery life.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t mean I’ll never use a higher refresh rate or HDR during my handheld experience. However, it might only happen when I’m at home and docked, playing my Switch 2 on the big screen.
Ultimately, we’ll all learn more about that once we have the Nintendo Switch 2 in our hands. As of now, it seems that we must be careful about enjoying these new features on long trips or when we’re far from a charging source.
