New Nintendo Switch 2 details will please those who play the console docked
Expect significantly better performance when playing the Nintendo Switch 2 docked
💪 The Switch 2 is expected to have higher performance when in docked mode
🔋 Handheld mode will be clocked down to preserve battery life and reduce heat
🤔 It should result in a greater disparity between docked and handheld mode
📆 The Nintendo Switch 2 is predicted to release in March 2025
A new Nintendo Switch 2 rumor suggests that the console will be significantly more powerful when in docked mode, as Nintendo is keen to maximize battery life when in handheld mode.
That might not sound too surprising, considering frame rates and resolutions were typically slightly higher when using the current Nintendo Switch in docked mode versus handheld, but the divide could be far greater this time around.
A conversation between the YouTube channel Moore’s Law is Dead and content creator The Phawx on the Broken Silicon podcast suggests that the Nintendo Switch 2 could match the Xbox Series S when it comes to ray tracing and that the console will be “clocked faster than we expect” in docked mode but “undocked it’s going to be clocked crazy low.”
The downclock when in handheld mode is to ensure the Nintendo Switch 2 can deliver exceptional battery life for players, which the company believes is one of the biggest complaints about its current console. The first model of the Switch, which launched in 2017, offered around 2.5 to six hours of battery life, but this was extended to 4.5 hours to nine hours with the release of new models in 2019.
The Switch OLED retained the new and improved battery life of the 2019 models, which is far superior to the likes of Valve’s Steam Deck, the Asus ROG Ally, and the PlayStation Portal battery life.
The lower clock speed in handheld mode should keep the console’s fan speed low and avoid overheating issues, but it means resolution and frame rate could take a big hit unless you’re playing docked.
That’s probably a compromise many are willing to make, as those who already desire the best performance possible when playing the best Switch games will play in docked mode. One of the biggest disappointments with the Nintendo Switch OLED was that it didn’t bring any improvements for docked players, and it seems like Nintendo doesn’t want to repeat that mistake.
The news comes shortly after a peripheral manufacturer claims the Switch 2 will be compatible with the existing Switch Pro Controller and Joy-Con, but it will use a new magnetic rail system so they won’t be able to attach to the console itself.
Expect more Nintendo Switch 2 leaks and rumors to appear in the coming months as we inch ever closer to a likely release date of March 2025.