I have tried the Nintendo Switch 2 and I already have an answer to the question “Is it worth buying it if I have the original switch”?

Not every day a new generation of consoles is launched. Nintendo’s are complex to frame for a few years, but within their segment, Nintendo Switch 2 It is a new generation with all the letters. I’ve been a few days Testing the thorough switch For analysis and, between All questions that can be askedmany acquaintances have made me “Is it better to buy Nintendo Switch 2 now or wait?”

Answering something like that has a lot of nuances because there is no perfect console for everyone and it depends a lot on the case, what you like to play or what other platforms you have at home. But a question for which I have a much clearer answer is another classic: “If I have a Nintendo SwitchIs it worth changing to Switch 2? “

Before trying the console, I thought it would only be worth it if the jump were going to give it from the original 2017 model, but These days with her have made me change my mind. This is going to be a more reflective text, as if I explained my ideas out loud, and I would love to read you in comments because an interesting debate can come out.

A generational jump. Throughout

I am a Nintendo Switch user from the launch of the machine. I bought it with ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild‘(Also Switch 2 start game) and, although the machine we are testing these days corresponds to a transfer of Nintendo, I reserved mine and is already in a house.

During these eight years, I have played hundreds of hours to Switch, but from the launch it was noted that it was justice in power. The tegra chip that used was obsolete and, although Switch opened the door to the market of the Consolidated PConly Nintendo games and some exceptions had a perfect performance on switch.

Then I had the model OLED For a time, and although in that the screen change (much better than that of the original model) and a more premium design, the performance remained the same. In these years, I have tried many games, and many of them with poor performance. Some exclusive titles were very bad and others, such as infamous’Batman Arkham Knight‘, directly They crawled into the console.

Come on, a change was necessary. When they connect to the dock, although the resolution increased to show on the TV, the performance in many titles remained below the desired and the multiplatform versions were, in many occasions, objectively worse. As much (the case of ‘Hogwarts Legacy‘, for example, that looks like a game of another generation).

When it was announced that Switch 2 was going to be retrocompatible, I stopped playing Switch 1 because I trusted that the performance of games that had no patch, simply by the increase in console power, improved. And it has been pleasant to verify that yes: the switching games 1 that crawled, Now in Switch 2 they are perfect.

This happens both in desktop and laptop mode, but there is something important to take into account: the games that previously were blurred, remain blurred in the new console because in many cases the resolution is not improved. It is something that shows in both modes, since now the dock gives 4K exit and the screen of the console has 1080p resolution compared to 1080p and 720p, respectively, of the first switch.

And it is not just the power to play a lot of games that were impossible in the previous console (‘Cyberpunk 2077‘,’Yakuza 0‘ either ‘Street Fighter 6‘There are three examples) or exclusive releases such as the impeccable’Mario Kart World‘or the future’Donkey Kong Baniza‘, but Switch 2 feels much more premium than the previous console. Here, yes, there are nuances.

If you come from an original switch, the jump is abysmal. The screen is much larger and better, the plastic of the Joy-Con is of more quality and with a velvety finish that feels great in the hands, the speakers have hit another climb, the support for the ‘tabletop’ mode is much better and, in general, everything feels more premium.

If you come from a Switch Oledyou will not receive such a large leap in terms of materials and screen (Switch’s OLED looks spectacular, but this Switch 2 LCD is not far behind), but you will have that extra power that feels great to the veteran console.

A month ago, when We saw the console in the Paris eventI commented that Switch 2 seemed to me that It was worth only if you played in desktop. After seeing the performance improvements that put all the Switch 1 games, if you have a wide catalog of pending titles, now after trying it I consider that the jump between switch (both original and OLED) is worth both in desktop mode and in laptop.

The new Switch 2 chip is not the pinnacle of technology, but Nvidia has been committed to him And this generation has something that did not have the previous one: the nuclei focused on AI for image reconstruction. Seeing what this technology can do on PC, when applied well, I consider it something that can give Switch a lot of life.

I return to the case of ‘Cyberpunk 2077’: Thanks to these technologies, I think they have created A much better port than many could expect At first.

If we talk about Switch Lite, the thing changes

While now I am clear that it is worth changing from switch to Switch 2, if the console you want to jump is Switch Lite, I don’t have it so clear. Well, I am clear that I would wait for me. I explain myself.

If you have Switch Lite It is because you want a strictly laptop console. That had no departure for TV and in your choice sure that you valued that factor: you were going to play much more in portable mode knowing that the screen was smaller than the other two options in the market.

It is much more portable (the increase in the size of the new is considerable), it still seems to me that it has a very good design for ergonomics and by materials and, above all, it is very easy to transport because it enters anywhere. Obviously, there are games that you will miss because they will not go out for Switch, but I also consider that there will be many editors that will continue to launch their games on the first console.

Due to all the jaleo with the Game Key Cards and the Cartridge sizes offered by Nintendothe Indies will continue to come out for the original switch and we have already seen examples of titles that will be on Switch 2 in the form of Game Key Card while in original Switch they will arrive with the complete game on the card.

If any of the exclusive Switch 2 games does not call you to make the jump, I would keep Switch Lite until Switch 2 have a stronger catalog of exclusive. But ‘Mario Kart’ may be your favorite saga, or ‘Donkey Kong’, or you want to play ‘Metroid Prime 4: Beyond‘In the best conditions … there it will be difficult to stop the desire to have the new console keeping the lite as a portable console.

Because that is another interesting nuance: changing switch for switch 2 seems to me a success, but buying switch 2 and maintaining a Lite switch to play in laptop away from home is another very good idea. Especially if you have Nintendo online with the cloud -saved games.

In the end, that is my opinion on whether it is worth Nintendo Switch 2 in these cases. The thing would change a lot if we put in the equation if you have other consoles or Even a consolidated PCbut hey, as I said at the beginning of the article … there are too many variables and it is difficult to find the perfect console for everything and everyone.

Images | Xataka

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