First Impressions: Nintendo Switch 2 – The Bigger Screen You Actually Wanted, Finally

So Nintendo did something wild. They took the world's most loved hybrid console and actually made it bigger. Not "gimmicky bigger." Not "wireless controller we didn't ask for" bigger. Just... bigger. Which turns out, is exactly what people needed.

After four weeks of hands-on testing with the Nintendo Switch 2 that dropped on June 5, 2025, here's the honest take: this isn't a revolution. It's evolution done right. And for the ₹55,000–₹65,000 you'll pay in India's grey market (yes, Nintendo still won't officially launch here), it's worth serious consideration.

The Screen Is the Real Star Here

Let's cut through the specs noise. The Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch LCD screen. That's it. No OLED magic. No fancy tech wizardry. Just a bigger, brighter panel that does 1080p at up to 120Hz with HDR support.​

Compare that to the original Switch's 6.2-inch screen at 720p, and suddenly you're asking: why did we wait seven years for this?

The first thing you notice—and I mean first thing—is the difference in handheld mode. Playing Mario Kart World or Cyberpunk 2077 on this screen is night and day. Text is readable without squinting. Game worlds actually feel immersive instead of claustrophobic. During testing, I kept switching between a Switch OLED and the Switch 2, and the LCD actually holds up surprisingly well. It's not OLED's deep blacks and impossible color, but for gaming at this size, it's genuinely good.​

HDR support makes a real difference too. In docked mode on a proper TV, hitting that 4K output at 60fps reveals what Nintendo's really upgraded under the hood. Older games look noticeably sharper and more detailed. New titles like Cyberpunk 2077 actually run at a playable 30fps most of the time—something the original Switch couldn't dream of.​

The refresh rate being 120Hz matters if you play fast-action games. It doesn't transform your experience, but it adds smoothness. Frame consistency stays tight where it counts.

The Joy-Cons Are the Actual MVP

Here's what surprised me: the new Joy-Con 2 controllers are genuinely better, and I wasn't expecting that.

They're bigger—about 20% larger—which matters if you have, well, human-sized hands. The buttons feel more satisfying. There's actual tactile feedback now instead of that mushy feeling from the OG Switch. The new analog sticks are smoother and more responsive. During extended handheld sessions, they reduce hand cramping significantly compared to the original.​

The magnetic attachment system is brilliant. No more fumbling with tiny hooks. The Joy-Cons snap on with satisfying precision, and they're genuinely harder to accidentally knock loose. The connection feels sturdier, which will matter in two years when you're worried about longevity.​

The one catch? Ergonomics still aren't perfect. People with smaller hands (or anyone playing for 4+ hours straight) will still experience some discomfort. The default grip leaves something to be desired. But compared to where they were, this is legitimately better.​

Performance That Actually Changes How Games Play

Inside, the Switch 2 has a custom NVIDIA processor that's noticeably more powerful than what's in the original Switch. This isn't marginal improvement. Third-party ports of demanding AAA games (Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3) run at 1080p/30fps on the Switch 2 versus 540p/20fps on the original.​

Load times are faster. Game worlds are more detailed. Shadows don't pop in as aggressively. This matters because after seven years, game developers have actually started pushing harder on Switch development.

Battery life is realistic: expect 2–6.5 hours depending on what you're playing. Max out the screen brightness and sound while playing an intensive game, and you're looking at around 2.5 hours. That's acceptable for a mobile device from 2025, even if it's not spectacular. It's also similar to what Steam Deck OLED manages for comparable workloads.​

The 256GB internal storage is genuinely useful. The original Switch's 32GB felt like a joke after day one. This still requires microSD Express cards for expansion (up to 2TB), but at least you're not buying a card immediately.

The Reality of Getting One in India

Here's where the story gets messy.

Nintendo won't officially sell this in India. They haven't officially sold the original Switch here either, which is frankly bizarre for a tech company ignoring a 1.4-billion-person market. So you have two choices: wait (no timeline announced for official launch) or buy grey market from parallel importers at a 30–40% markup over the US price.​

The ₹55,000–₹65,000 you'll see quoted? That's real. Retailers are importing stock from the Middle East and Hong Kong, marking it up accordingly. There's no warranty. No customer support. No eShop integration from India. No nothing. You're essentially buying a foreign device and hoping it doesn't break.​

If you want to wait for an official launch, good luck. Nintendo apparently plans to eventually enter the Indian market (partnering with Redington, if reports are accurate), but timing is unknown. Could be next year. Could be 2027.​

Third-party games for Switch 2 are getting official Indian releases, which is hilarious in its inconsistency. So you'll find physical game copies in Indian stores but not the hardware to play them on.

Should You Buy It?

Here's the brutal honest take.

Buy it if: You own the original Switch and haven't jumped to Steam Deck or PS Vita. You actually play handheld regularly. You don't mind paying grey market prices for a foreign device without warranty. You want a significant quality-of-life upgrade over generation one.

Skip it if: You're on a strict budget. Indian rupees make this expensive compared to wages here. You already have a Switch OLED (the gap isn't massive enough to justify another purchase). You need warranty and support. You're hoping for an official launch—save your money and wait.

Wait for the price drop if: You're interested but can stomach waiting 3–4 months for grey market prices to normalize. Industry sources suggest ₹45,000–₹50,000 is realistic once stock flows freely and the import hype dies down.

The Verdict

The Nintendo Switch 2 is a well-executed, iterative upgrade to a console that didn't need revolutionary changes—it needed exactly what it got. Bigger screen. Better Joy-Cons. Stronger performance. Better storage. It's everything the Switch should have been in 2017.

The problem is context. For Indian gamers, the grey market pricing makes this objectively expensive. The lack of official support creates friction. Nintendo's refusal to acknowledge India as a market after 12 years of dominance with the original Switch is frankly insulting.

But if you have the cash and patience to navigate import channels? The Switch 2 is genuinely the best portable Nintendo gaming experience on the planet right now. It feels premium. It performs reliably. Games look and play visibly better. Is it worth ₹60,000? Maybe. Is it the gaming console you've been waiting for? Absolutely.

Just accept you're going to pay for that privilege in India.