Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Nintendo Switch OLED – is the new console worth it?

With the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 fast approaching, you might be weighing up whether it’s worth picking up the follow-up console or sticking with your Switch OLED. With that in mind, we’ve put together this Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Nintendo Switch OLED guide, pitting the two handheld consoles against each other to compare their displays, storage, controller capabilities, and more.

For more on Nintendo’s much-anticipated console, be sure to check out our Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order and Nintendo Switch 2 price guides, as well as our Nintendo Switch 2 hub with all the details on the specs and launch titles. Or, if you want to check out what competition the Switch 2 is facing when it arrives, see our list of the best handheld consoles you can buy today.

Specs

Here are the Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch OLED’s specs:

Display

The most obvious difference between the Switch 2 and the Switch OLED’s displays, before you even turn either console on, is the size. The Switch OLED has a 7-inch screen, whereas the Switch 2 bumps up to 7.9 inches. That’s a pretty big upgrade, making the Switch 2’s display bigger than a lot of its competitors, including the Steam Deck OLED and the Asus ROG Ally.

In terms of the screen technology, there’s another big differentiating factor between the Switch 2 and the OLED. The latter, as the name suggests, has an OLED display, whereas the Switch 2 has an LCD screen. Normally, I’d say this is a point for the OLED, as LCD screens often struggle with deep blacks and vivid color, but in my experience, the Switch 2’s 1080p display looks just as lovely as the 720p OLED, or at least there’s very little to separate the two. The Switch 2 also offers up to 120 fps in certain games, but we haven’t gotten the full list of applicable titles yet.

If you prefer to play in docked mode, the Switch 2 offers 4K visuals with up to 60 fps. That’s a big upgrade on the Switch OLED, which is only capable of 1080p visuals when docked. The new Switch 2 dock also has a built-in fan, which should help keep your device cool while you’re playing some of the more demanding games from our guide to the best Switch games on your TV or monitor.

Before moving on, it’s also worth mentioning that the Switch 2 has two USB-C ports, while the OLED just has one, and a built-in microphone for GameChat. As far as we can tell, the reason the Switch 2 has two ports is so you can plug in the Switch 2 camera while the device is docked, which wouldn’t be possible with the original or OLED model. We’re also hoping that this means that Nintendo has some more exciting accessories in the works that make the most of the Switch 2’s two ports.

When it comes to storage, the Switch 2 is pretty generous, offering 256 GB of space compared to the Switch OLED’s 64 GB. However, it’s worth pointing out that we expect Switch 2 game file sizes to be a bit bigger. For example, we already know that Mario Kart World is a 23.4 GB file, whereas Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the original Switch is 11.3 GB. With that in mind, as well as the fact that the Switch 2 is getting big games such as Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, the big upgrade to storage space makes sense.

Unfortunately, if you were planning on using the same microSD card from your Switch OLED in the Switch 2, that won’t be possible. The Switch 2 is only compatible with microSD Express cards, which, unfortunately, are slightly more expensive than even some of the best microSD cards. Still, given the 256 GB of storage space, you might not have to use a microSD Express card, so long as you only keep a few games in rotation and delete them once you’re done.

Given that we only got a couple of hours to test out the new hardware in our Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on preview, and we still haven’t gotten all the details on the console’s custom Nvidia processor, we can’t truly compare the new console’s performance against the Switch OLED just yet.

Still, from our experience, the Switch 2 offers some pretty noticeable upgrades compared to the Switch OLED. Nowhere is this performance boost more obvious than in comparing gameplay footage of both consoles running The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which the Switch 2 handles with ease. It doesn’t run all that badly on the OLED, but in certain areas, there’s a noticeable dip in frame rates. That doesn’t seem to be the case with the Switch 2 Edition version of the game.

Much like performance, we can’t offer much of a comparison between the Switch 2 and the Switch OLED’s software until the console launches. While we’ve attended two Switch 2 hands-on events, we couldn’t access the menus or see any of the UI, such as the eShop or the home menu. We’ll be back to update this section just as soon as we’ve got a Switch 2 to check out or Nintendo reveals more information on the new device’s software.

When it comes to functionality, the Joy-Con 2s still offer gyro and motion controls, but you can also use both the left and right controllers as mice. During the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience event in London, I tried out Metroid Prime 4: Beyond using the right Joy-Con as a mouse, and while it took a little getting used to, having the option to aim as you would if using a mouse on a computer is a fantastic addition.

So far, our Nintendo Switch 2 v. Nintendo Switch OLED guide has been all about how much better the Switch 2 is compared to its predecessor, but in terms of battery life, it’s a different story. According to Nintendo’s own information, the Switch OLED offers 4.5 to 9 hours of charge, whereas the Switch 2 can only go for 2 to 6.5 hours, depending on the game you’re playing. This is a bit of a disappointment, but we’ll reserve judgment until we get our hands on the Switch 2 and put the battery through its paces ourselves.

At launch, the Nintendo Switch 2 is $100 more expensive than the Nintendo Switch OLED, coming in at $449 compared to the OLED’s $349 price point. There’s a pretty similar gap in the UK, with the Switch 2 costing £395 against the Switch OLED at £309. There’s a chance we could see a Switch OLED price drop after the launch of the Switch 2, or the impending US tariffs could drive up the price of the new console, but that’s how the prices stand at the time of writing.

However, if you’re perfectly happy with the battery life of the original, and you’re not particularly bothered about upgraded versions of games such as Mario Party Jamboree and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you might be better off holding out on the Switch 2 for now. Given that Nintendo is releasing Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A on both platforms, you’re still getting some fresh triple-A games without upgrading to the new console.

That’s all we’ve got for our Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Nintendo Switch OLED comparison guide. If you want to check out some more hardware before deciding what to buy next, be sure to check out our Asus ROG Ally X review and Steam Deck OLED review while you’re here. Or, if you feel like picking up something a little more nostalgia-inducing, see our picks for the best retro handhelds.