The Nintendo Switch 2 is Nintendo’s successor to the original Switch: a handheld you can also dock to a TV, now with a bigger 1080p screen, magnetic Joy-Con 2 controllers and up to 4K on the TV. It plays most original Switch games too, so your old cartridges aren’t wasted.
What is the Switch 2?
Like the first Switch, it’s a hybrid: handheld, tabletop or docked to your TV. What’s new:
- Screen: 7.9-inch LCD, 1080p, up to 120Hz, with HDR
- TV mode: up to 4K output when docked
- Storage: 256 GB built in, expandable only with microSD Express cards (older microSD cards only work for screenshots and clips)
- New C button for GameChat voice and video chat with friends
- Backward compatible with most original Switch games
Switch 2 vs original Switch, OLED and “V2”
| Model | What it is |
|---|---|
| Original Switch | First model, 6.2″ LCD screen, shorter battery life |
| Switch “V2” | A revised original Switch with better battery life, not the Switch 2 |
| Switch OLED | Original Switch with a 7″ OLED screen and better speakers |
| Switch Lite | Handheld only, no TV mode |
| Switch 2 | The new generation console |
A “Switch V2” is not a Switch 2, so check the box and model name before you pay. There’s also no “Switch 2 Pro” or “Switch 2 OLED”: the Switch 2 screen is LCD.
Joy-Cons, screen and TV mode
The Joy-Con 2 controllers snap on magnetically instead of sliding on rails, and release with a button. Lay one on its side on a table and it works like a computer mouse in games that support it.
On the TV, the Switch 2 can output 4K, but not every game runs at 4K; many target lower resolutions for smoother frame rates.
Battery life in handheld mode depends on the game, roughly 2 to 6.5 hours by Nintendo’s own estimate.
Buying a Switch 2 in Kenya
Nintendo doesn’t officially sell in Kenya, so every Switch 2 here is an import. Before you buy:
- Warranty: it comes from the seller, not Nintendo. Ask what’s covered and for how long, in writing.
- Japan-only model: Japan has a cheaper Switch 2 locked to the Japanese language and Japanese accounts. Avoid it unless you read Japanese.
- Games: Switch 2 game cards aren’t region-locked, but many “game-key cards” only hold a download licence, so you still need internet to install them.
- eShop: there’s no Kenyan eShop, so most players set their Nintendo Account to another country, often the UK or US. Gift cards only work in their own region.
New to consoles? Start with our beginner’s guide to gaming in Kenya.
Is it right for you?
- Yes, if you want one console for travel, matatu rides and the TV, or you love Mario, Zelda and Pokémon, which never come to PlayStation or Xbox.
- Maybe not, if you mainly play FIFA, Call of Duty or big action games online; a PS5 or Xbox has more of those and cheaper used games locally. Compare them in PS5 vs Xbox Series X.
Quick answers
Nintendo’s newer hybrid console: a handheld with a 7.9-inch 1080p screen that also docks to your TV, and plays most original Switch games.
No. The V2 is a revised original Switch with a better battery. The Switch 2 is a completely new console.
It can output 4K when docked to a TV, but many games run at lower resolutions for smoother play. Handheld mode is 1080p.
