Nintendo Switch 2 needs this one feature to stand out — and it isn't an OLED screen

1 day ago 7

There’s been a lot of discussion about the Nintendo Switch 2 in the days since the console was first revealed. Weirdly, despite the popularity of the Switch 1, there are plenty of detractors who aren’t happy that Nintendo is releasing another Switch. One particular complaint I've seen a lot is based on rumors that the display will be LCD, rather than the more advanced OLED.

As someone who typically plays their Switch in handheld mode I would love to see some upgrades to the Switch 2’s display. But I would be perfectly fine with another LCD display for the immediate future. Just as long as Nintendo does something about the power situation in handheld mode. Not just better battery life, but also faster charging speeds.

Because nothing is worse than being mid-way through a gaming session on the Switch and having to stop because the battery might be about to die.

The importance of long-lasting battery

Nintendo Switch 2 console, controller and a TV

I’m probably in the minority, but I still have the same Nintendo Switch I purchased back in 2017. Early adopting, and never upgrading in the years since, means that I’m still rocking a handheld with a pretty weak battery life — anywhere between 2.5 and 6.5 hours, per Nintendo support. Meanwhile newer models, including the Switch OLED, offer 4.5 to 9 hours of battery life.

Real world battery life is completely dependent on what your device is doing, so it’s rarely consistent. But worse performance in battery life tests isn’t going to miraculously change when you’re gaming — and the bigger numbers you get, the better.

I really hope that the Switch 2 can push these numbers up. An improvement on the Switch 1 launch model should be a given, considering it’s got worse battery life than the Switch Lite. But I’d still like to see an improvement over future models and the Switch OLED. Simply because the longer the battery life, the longer you can play without having to find some kind of power source. Which is kind of a pain.

Admittedly handhelds and battery life don’t always historically mix well together. The Steam Deck’s battery life is even worse than the Switch’s, generally lasting 2 to 8 hours depending on the game. But that doesn’t mean that Nintendo should avoid trying to push the envelope, and ensure the Switch 2’s battery lasts as long as physically possible. Better still, that could help Nintendo’s console standout in the even-more-competitive gaming handheld market.

Because there’s nothing worse than running out of battery in the middle of an important quest or match. Any kind of interruption can ruin a good streak, but having to scramble for an alternate power source in a panic could be catastrophic. Better that your handheld doesn’t run out of battery nearly as often.

Sure this isn’t going to be an issue if you play the Switch 2 on the TV like a traditional console. But for those times you are switching to handheld mode, the last thing you want is for the battery to die prematurely.

Faster charging is crucial too

One thing to remember about the original Switch is that it doesn’t actually charge particularly slowly. The console can pull in 18W of power while recharging, which isn’t slow, but it can still take up to three hours before it hits 100% again. Longer if you’re also playing at the same time.

The handheld can also charge obnoxiously slowly if you’re not using a fast enough charger. To the point where I’ve found myself caught out by low battery warnings and only had a normal phone charger to hand. Plug one of those in and a dead Switch seemingly takes forever to boot back up.

Though that is a problem that can easily be solved by not using the cheapest, slowest chargers available. Let my mistakes be a warning to you.

The problem is that you can’t always tether yourself to a power outlet while you wait for your Switch to recharge. It’s not quite as simple as popping a few more batteries into the back of your Game Boy, after all. Giving the Switch the ability to draw in more power in a shorter space of time means you can potentially get a few hours of gameplay back without spending quite as long plugged in.

Better overall battery life mitigates this problem, as can using external battery packs. But battery life is only temporary, and external batteries only get in the way — regardless of whether they’re wired or the bulky Switch-specific battery cases. So the faster you can top up the internal battery, the more comfortable your gaming experience will be.

The good news is that my hope might pay off. Rumor has it that the Switch 2 may be bundled with a 60W charger — quite the step up from the current 39W charging cord. While this doesn’t guarantee that the Switch 2 will be able to handle the full 60W, it does suggest that there may be a considerable jump in charging speed. Otherwise Nintendo would likely just reuse the original Switch charger. Unfortunately it’s currently unclear how much of an increase might be on the cards. Here’s hoping it’s at least double the current 18W speeds.

Bottom line

Switch 2 console and logo

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Considering we’ve only got a brief look at the Nintendo Switch 2 console, there’s still an awful lot we don’t know about the console. Battery information, alongside other hardware specs, are still officially unknown — though leaks and rumors have attempted to fill in that gap. But I’m a pretty simple guy, and there isn’t a lot more I really want from the Switch 2.

So long as I can use the console to play new and better games than the original Switch, at a time or place of my choosing. And the longer I can do that, without having to tether to a specific spot to recharge, the happier I will be. Even if the battery life itself hasn’t made any meaningful gains, Nintendo just needs to make sure the console has the ability to recoup that lost power faster than before.

I’d certainly be happy to get a lot more upgrades than that, but so long as Nintendo covers the basics, I will be a very happy gamer.