After a January announcement that it would spend $80 billion on data center construction, Microsoft may already be adjusting its future plans. Sources told Bloomberg that Microsoft has delayed or slowed data center efforts in Indonesia, the UK, Australia, Illinois, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Some of the cases meant withdrawing from negotiations, while others have involved delays on planned construction projects, according to these insiders. These data centers would be central to Microsoft's efforts to develop more capabilities around artificial intelligence.

Despite the apparent shift in its approach, a Microsoft rep told Bloomberg that the company still plans to hold to its $80 billion spending budget on data centers during its 2025 fiscal year. Engadget has reached out for confirmation and will update if we receive comment from Microsoft. That was the figure laid out in a blog post attributed to Vice-Chair and President Brad Smith. The post, published days before President Trump's inauguration, included some ingratiating language for the new administration. "The country has a unique opportunity to pursue this vision and build on the foundational ideas set for AI policy during President Trump’s first term," it reads. "At Microsoft, we are excited to take part in this journey."

Microsoft's plans could have been influenced by looming tariffs, which had been threatened and were finally introduced this week by President Trump. The trade policy is likely to make large infrastructure plans more expensive and has already caused uncertainties on Wall Street. It could be that the company will still spend in the ballpark of $80 billion but will not be able to complete as many locations as it had previously calculated. Or it could be that in the months since presenting its forecast, Microsoft has already seen a reduction in expected demand. 

Traeger's only gas-powered grill is its Flatrock flat-top griddle. Besides this one model, everything else in the company's lineup runs on wood pellets. Since griddles continue to be insanely popular backyard cooking tools, Traeger is expanding its Flatrock line with a smaller, two-burner option. The Flatrock 2 Zone has all of the features from the larger version, which is now called the Flatrock 3 Zone, in a griddle that takes up less space on your deck, patio or porch. 

As the name suggests, the Flatrock 2 Zone has two separate cooking areas with precise heat control for each one. U-shaped burners consistently heat the entire cooking surface and an edge-to-edge, wind-blocking design helps keep the flame running smoothly without burnouts or flare-ups. Like the Flatrock 3 Zone, there are folding side shelves for resting tools and trays, plus the Pop-And-Lock (PAL) rail system allows you to add the snap-on accessories you need to complete your griddle setup. The EZ-Clean grease keg from other recent Traeger grills is here as well, making it easy to get rid of liquids and debris after cooking. 

Traeger

The main appeal of the Flatrock 2 Zone is that it's smaller than the original model. You'll still have the ability to make breakfasts, smash burgers, fajitas and more with the griddle's 468 square inches of cooking surface, but this new version will fit better in smaller outdoor spaces. It's also $200 cheaper at $700. Unfortunately, there's no word on availability just yet: Traeger says the Flatrock 2 Zone is coming "soon" to its website and retailers in the US and Canada. 

If you're looking for an alternative, Weber's Slate griddles are well-built and offer various options depending on the size and features you're after. Starting at $549, you can get the three-burner, 28-inch base model that comes on a basic cart similar to the company's gas grills. Even this smallest Weber option offers more cooking area than the Flatrock 2 Zone at 504 square inches. At the top end, there's a four-burner, 36-inch version that comes with an easy-to-read digital temperature gauge and enclosed storage for $999. What's more, Weber offers a 30-inch size in between those two, with various storage configurations and an the option to include that battery-powered temperature gauge. This one is 

Yesterday, we learned a lot about the Switch 2 we didn't know before, including the fact Nintendo that will offer a webcam alongside the new console. As far as accessories go, the $50 Switch 2 Camera looks boring, and judging from the footage the company shared on Wednesday, not particularly great at its intended purpose of, you know, capturing moving pictures. 

The good news? Nintendo is allowing third-party manufacturers to make their own webcams for the new console. Enter the Hori Piranha Plant Camera. 

Hori

Hori's Switch 2 camera has a couple of features you won't find on Nintendo's first-party offering. First, the pot the Piranha Plant sits in functions as both as a stand and USB extension for the device. The part of the Piranha that houses the webcam can detach from the pot, allowing you to, ahem, plant it directly on the top of the Switch 2. In that way, you can take your new buddy on the road. Want to trash talk your friends over video in GameChat while on a domestic flight? With the Piranha Plant and in-flight Wi-Fi, you can. 

Second, the Piranha Plant camera has a built-in privacy shutter. You can simply close its mouth to obscure the lens. If that's not clever, functional design, I don't know what is.

Hori

Hori has yet to list the Piranha Plant camera on its US website, but over in Germany, retailer Media Markt has the accessory priced at €40 or €20 less than the official Switch 2 Camera from Nintendo. Practical, stylish and affordable, what's not to love? 

YouTube is updating the video editor for Shorts to better compete with the likes of TikTok and Instagram Reels, and teasing some AI-powered features that are coming later this year that might make it stand out.

The new and improve editor will let users "make precise adjustments and edits to the timing of each clip with zooming and snapping," along with the usual option to rearrange and delete your footage. YouTube says you'll also be able to add music and timed text, and preview your video at any point while you're editing.

At some point in the future, the editor will gain the ability to automatically sync clips to a song. And "later this spring," YouTube says the editor will be able to create stickers from photos in your image gallery or with a built-in AI image generator. As part of this update, the process of using templates is also getting simplified. Creators of templates will now be automatically credited when anyone uses their work, and templates themselves can now include things like image overlays and filter effects.

YouTube is clearly trying to reach some kind of parity with the creative tools offered by TikTok and Instagram. TikTok's editing tools and the standalone CapCut video editor have long been the gold standard for creating videos on your phone. Given the uncertain future of TikTok in the US, making YouTube Shorts a more appealing alternative makes sense. It's also not the first time YouTube has drawn inspiration from TikTok. YouTube added a robotic, text-to-speech narration feature to Shorts, clearly inspired by TikTok's popular version, in 2024.

Verizon just revealed a new price lock policy that guarantees certain plans won’t go up in cost for three years. This is for both new and existing customers. It was announced the day after President Trump decided to tariff the entire world, which put markets into a tailspin. Verizon didn’t specifically mention this policy, but did say that the move was intended to give “predictability” to its customer base.

However, there are some caveats. Customers have to be enrolled in one of the company’s newer myPlan subscriptions to be eligible. Also, the guarantee only covers the base charge for the rate plan. It doesn’t do anything regarding those mysterious little fees that carriers use to raise prices on the down low. 

There’s also nothing in the fine print regarding autopay discounts, so those aren’t locked in. This could force a rate hike if Verizon decides alter the discount. Of course, the company will likely try to persuade consumers to increase the monthly bill of their own accord. This carrot usually takes the shape of a “free” phone.

To that end, Verizon announced it will be giving free phones to new and existing customers. This requires a suitable trade-in device and enrollment in a myPlan subscription. The three-year price lock also covers the company’s myHome 5G internet plans. Current myPlan members don’t have to do anything to start this price lock process. The enrollment is automatic.

This is just the latest promotion to lure customers to its myPlan subscriptions. The company recently started offering cheaper subscriptions for Netflix and Max to members. It did something similar for Google One AI Premium subscriptions. Verizon owns a minority stake in Engadget's parent company, but this didn't impact our coverage. 

This week's Nintendo Direct provided much more info about the Switch 2 but didn't go too deep into the nitty-gritty details of what powers the console. That left NVIDIA, the Mario maker's hardware partner on the console's processor and GPU, to fill in some blanks with a blog post published on Thursday — including the first confirmation that it uses Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) tech.

NVIDIA said the Switch 2's DLSS support helps to give the console "ten times" the graphical performance of the original Switch. The tech lets games render games in a lower resolution, then uses trained AI models and dedicated Tensor Cores to fill in detail.

Saying a system has ten times the graphics performance is likely a simplified marketing claim, and its graphical prowess could vary greatly depending on the title. The console has also yet to be scrutinized with extended real-world use. However, in Engadget's Sam Rutherford hands-on, he found that the system handled the new Switch 2 versions of Street Fighter 6, Cyberpunk 2077 and Civilization 7 well, with all running "really smooth."

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

In docked mode, the Switch 2 supports up to 60fps at 4K resolution or 120fps at 1440p or 1080p resolutions. In handheld mode, the 7.9-inch, 1080p screen supports a variable refresh rate (via G-Sync) of up to 120Hz.

"The new RT Cores bring real-time ray tracing, delivering lifelike lighting, reflections and shadows for more immersive worlds," NVIDIA explained. "Tensor Cores power AI-driven features like Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), boosting resolution for sharper details without sacrificing image quality. Tensor Cores also enable AI-powered face tracking and background removal in video chat use cases, enhancing social gaming and streaming."

For more on the new system, check out Engadget's Switch 2 hands-on and deep dive into everything we know about it.

Sarah Wynn-Williams, the former Facebook policy director behind a best-selling memoir about her time at the company, will testify at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing next week. The testimony will be Wynn-Williams’ first public remarks since Meta initiated emergency arbitration proceedings in an attempt to prevent her from promoting the book.

Wynn-Williams’ upcoming appearance at Congress was confirmed by Senator Josh Hawley, who said in a statement that she would testify about “allegations that Facebook cooperated with the Communist regime in China to build censorship tools, punish dissidents, and make American users’ data available for Chinese use.”

In her book, Careless People, Wynn-Williams recounts Meta executives’ interactions with world leaders and government officials as Facebook’s influence expanded globally in the early 2010s. Her account has resurfaced information about Facebook’s attempts to operate in China, and revealed new details about its overtures to Chinese government officials.

“We do not operate our services in China today. It is no secret we were once interested in doing so as part of Facebook’s effort to connect the world,” Meta spokesperson Dani Lever said in a statement. “This was widely reported beginning a decade ago. We ultimately opted not to go through with the ideas we'd explored, which Mark Zuckerberg announced in 2019."

Prior to her book’s publication, Wynn-Williams also filed whistleblower complaints with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice about alleged misconduct at the company. While the precise details of those complaints haven’t been made public, next week’s hearing will be a significant opportunity for her to speak publicly about what she witnessed.

The hearing, titled, “A Time for Truth: Oversight of Meta’s Foreign Relations and Representations to the United States Congress,” is scheduled for April 9, at 2:30pm ET.

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds are on sale via Amazon for just $179. This is a record-low price, as they normally cost $229. This deal is available for multiple colorways, including black, pink, beige and green.

These little cuties easily made our list of the best wireless earbuds. We admired the comfortable and secure fit and the addition of the Tensor chip to handle audio and ANC processing. They also offer a hands-free way to initiate Gemini AI.

However, the main reason we recommend these earbuds is that they sound great. They provide a good low-end, which is tough to do with earbuds, and crunchy highs. Google says it redesigned the entire audio system and it shows. We called out the “noticeable improvement” over the original Pixel Buds Pro earbuds in our official review.

There are plenty of nifty features to set these earbuds apart from the competition. They can detect conversations and automatically adjust audio accordingly. Find My Device support is also included. They offer spatial audio with certain apps. The buds get around eight hours of use per charge, but 30 hours when considering the included charging case. 

There are only two downsides here. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds are incredibly small, which is cool, that means making adjustments on their equally tiny touch panels can be difficult. Also, the original asking price of $229 is certainly high. This sale alleviates that particular issue.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

The original Switch started a revolution when it combined the portability of handhelds with the ability to play games on your TV at home like a traditional console. But with the Nintendo Switch 2, even though it's physically bigger, it feels like a sleeker, faster and more refined take on its predecessor — to the point that Nintendo should have called it the Super Switch (which apparently almost happened). And after getting a chance to try it out, I'm sold on its abilities, even with its significantly higher starting price of $450.

Editor's note: This hands-on focuses on our writer's experience with the new Nintendo Switch 2, covering the hardware, playing experience and changes from the original model. If you're looking for more info on Sam's impressions of individual games, start with his hands-on with Mario Kart World, which he calls a "perfect launch game for the Switch 2."

Design and display: No OLED, no problem

The Switch 2 has the same basic shape and layout as the original, including its signature detachable Joy-Con. But it looks more polished all around, thanks to tapered edges and slimmer bezels. Nintendo also increased the size of its joystick caps and the face buttons on the left controller, though the latter still doesn't feel quite like a traditional D-pad.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

That said, the biggest upgrade is its larger 7.9-inch 1080p LCD display, which now supports a 120Hz refresh rate with VRR and high dynamic range. Frankly, it's super bright and very colorful to the point where I don't really miss having an OLED screen. Now there's a fair bit of grumbling that Nintendo, despite the existence of the OLED Switch, didn't opt for a similar panel type on the Switch 2. But if you remember, that model didn't support HDR, so it's not like we're looking at a downgrade in display quality, though the super deep blacks you get from OLED screens would have been nice.

Also, the Switch 2 feels like it defies its dimensions because even though its display is larger than the 6.2-inch version on the base Switch, it doesn't feel that much bigger. It's only half an inch taller (4.5 inches) and a little over an inch wider (9.4 vs 10.7 inches). And while its weight has also increased to 1.18 pounds with its Joy-Con attached (up from 0.88 pounds), it never felt too heavy.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Elsewhere, there are a ton of quality-of-life upgrades, including a second USB-C port (though the one on the bottom is the only one that can do video out), a built-in mic and support for microSD Express cards. That last one is a big deal, because even though the cards are more expensive, they're also significantly faster than your standard fare and they should be a major boon to download speeds and load times. I admit the lack of analog shoulder buttons is a small downer, though Nintendo says it made that choice because analog buttons would introduce a tiny bit of input lag and it wanted to go with the more responsive solution.

Joy-Con features: Expanded detachables

During its livestream, Nintendo spent a lot of time talking about the C button on the right Joy-Con, which feels like a first-party solution that looks to recreate everything people like about Discord. But at Nintendo's hands-on experience, there weren't any chances to test out the console's new social features, so I wasn't able to dive deeper into that.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

That's ok, though, because I think the Joy-Con's new magnetic mounting system is the hidden star. Not only is there a larger button around back for popping them off, they now detach simply when you pull them left or right. There's no need to slide anything up or down first. Granted, this sounds like a small change, but it makes the whole process so much simpler and the Joy-con seem to be more securely attached as well.

Then there's the Joy-Con's ability to function as a mouse (for both the left and right controllers). I thought it was pretty gimmicky, until I played Metroid Prime 4: Beyond where I suddenly found myself favoring the mouse mode over standard gamepad controls. Everything feels a bit more precise and if you're a fan of shooters on PC, it's definitely worth trying out. The obvious limitation is that while you can use the Joy-Con on your leg, you really ought to have some sort of flat surface like a table, which may not be an option if your favorite place to game is on the couch.

Performance: Nintendo's move to next-gen tech

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Nintendo has kept relatively quiet regarding the Switch 2's processor and memory. But the company has said the system does support DLSS and hardware-based ray tracing. Now those features might not get used in every game, but it does seem to make it way easier for third-party developers to port their titles over to the company's upcoming console. When I played the new Switch 2 versions of Street Fighter 6, Cyberpunk 2077 and Civilization 7, they all ran really smooth. And without doing a straight-up side-by-side comparison next to a proper gaming PC, it was really hard to tell if the Switch 2 was cutting corners graphically, if it was even doing it at all. The only hiccup I noticed was rather long loading times in Civ, which isn't exactly uncommon for a Sid Meier game.

The flipside to this is if you told me that some of Nintendo's new first-party games like Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World were actually being run on an original Switch, I wouldn't have blinked. In some ways, Nintendo's ability to wring every last bit of performance out of its hardware and its habit of eschewing hyperrealism in favor of more stylized graphics has almost put a ceiling on the company's ability to really show off its chops. But when you pay attention, you'll really appreciate how delightfully satiny Mario Kart looks when it's running at 120 fps.

I still have questions about what's going on inside the Switch 2's new dock and how it's leveraging its increased performance to deliver 4K resolutions when connected to a TV. I also think it's a travesty that Nintendo is charging money for the Switch 2 Welcome Tour. It's barely a game, but it is a genuinely useful way to introduce the console's features to new owners and it really should be pre-installed on every system for free. It also remains to be seen how the Switch 2's battery life holds up. Nintendo says it has a larger power pack than the original Switch, but it also has increased performance and a larger screen, while the company claims runtimes may vary between two and six and half hours depending on the title. 

But all told, the Switch 2 is exactly what you want from a successor to Nintendo's legendary hybrid console. Aside from the price, that is, because in addition to the console starting at $450, almost all of its standard accessories cost more than before, too. From the Pro Controller, which now goes for $80 ($10 more than for the original Switch) or additional pairs of Joy-Con that cost $90 (another $10 hike). And that's before you factor in the cost of games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza that start at $80 and $70 as digital downloads (or $90 and $80 if you want physical carts).

Update, April 3 2025, 12:35PM ET: This story has been updated to include an Editor's Note pointing out where readers can find our hands-on impressions of Mario Kart World.

TikTok will reportedly face a fine of over €500 million ($553 million) for transferring Europeans' private data to China. Bloomberg said on Thursday that Ireland's data protection commission, which regulates TikTok owner ByteDance's EU operations, could dish out the penalty before the end of April.

The fine results from a four-year investigation of TikTok's data handling practices. The probe reportedly concluded that ByteDance broke Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws by transferring private user data to China to be accessed by engineers. The country is known for its widespread, high-tech surveillance.

"TikTok tells us that EU data is transferred to the U.S. and not to China, however we have understood that there is possibility that maintenance and AI engineers in China may be accessing data," former Irish Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon said in March 2021 when the probe began.

Ireland is taking the lead because, under the GDPR, the country where a company's European operations are located oversees compliance and enforcement. ByteDance's European headquarters are in Dublin. Bloomberg says the decision date and amount of the fine aren't yet finalized and could still change.

Of course, this isn't even ByteDance's biggest drama unfolding this week. The fate of TikTok's US operations hangs in the balance as it approaches an April 5 deadline to find a buyer or face a ban in America. The list of likely outcomes ranges from finding a buyer (Amazon has even thrown its hat in the ring) to its US investors rolling over their stakes into a new independent global company or the deadline passing with another deadline extension.

Engineers at Northwestern University have developed the world’s smallest pacemaker. It’s so small, as a matter of fact, that it fits inside the tip of a syringe. This means that it’s injectable, so patients could potentially avoid a painful surgery.

It safely dissolves into the bloodstream after a time, so it’s a temporary solution. It’s designed for folks who need heart help on a short-term basis, like newborn babies with congenital defects. However, it can work with hearts of all sizes.

It’s also powered by light, which is pretty darned cool. The pacemaker is paired with a wireless wearable device that mounts to a patient’s chest. When that small device detects an irregular heartbeat, it shines a light that activates the pacemaker. These light pulses can penetrate a patient’s skin, bones and muscles.

Even though the pacemaker is tiny, measuring one millimeter in thickness, it still delivers as much stimulation as a full-sized unit. The engineers published their findings in Nature and noted that the device works with both animal and human hearts. The team also reiterated that pediatric care is the primary use case here.

“About one percent of children are born with congenital heart defects,” said Northwestern experimental cardiologist Igor Efimov, who co-led the study. “The good news is that these children only need temporary pacing after a surgery. In about seven days or so, most patients’ hearts will self-repair. But those seven days are absolutely critical. Now, we can place this tiny pacemaker on a child’s heart and stimulate it with a soft, gentle, wearable device. And no additional surgery is necessary to remove it.”

The development of this medical device was co-led by John Rogers, which is a familiar name in biomedical circles. Rogers has been behind a number of astounding innovations throughout the years. He’s advanced technology that could eventually give us invisibility cloaks and health-tracking tattoos. He also built a thumbnail-sized UV sensor and a circuit that dissolves in the body. That last one eventually led to this innovative pacemaker.

Rogers imagines a world in which physicians inject a number of these pacemakers simultaneously, to enable sophisticated synchronization. This could help terminate arrhythmias, as different parts of the heart could be paced at unique rhythms.

“Because it’s so small, this pacemaker can be integrated with almost any kind of implantable device,” Rogers said. “Here, the tiny pacemakers can be activated as necessary to address complications that can occur during a patient’s recovery process.”

This versatility could eventually open up a diverse array of medical possibilities. The tech could be used to help nerves heal, treat wounds and block pain.

With Nintendo's April 2 Direct showcase over and done, we now know more about the Switch 2 than ever before, including its release date (June 5), price ($450!) and how to pre-order.

Thanks to Nintendo's January 16 teaser trailer, we've long known what the Switch 2 will look like, and that it will arrive in 2025 — over eight years after its predecessor. The Nintendo Switch 2 looks very similar to the original system, albeit with a larger display, magnetic Joy-Cons and a sleeker design. The company also reaffirmed that the upcoming console will be backwards compatible with Switch games.

Looking to catch up on everything we know about the Switch 2? Read on.

What are the key new features of the Nintendo Switch 2?

Display and dock

The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 1080p 7.9-inch display with a 120Hz refresh and HDR compatibility. It also supports up to 4K output at 120Hz (with variable refresh rates) when docked.

Joy-Con and Pro Controller

The new Joy-Con for Nintendo Switch 2 attaches magnetically with a button to release them. They have larger SL and SR buttons (the ones hidden when the Joy-Con are attached) to make playing multiplayer games on one Joy-Con more feasible. The analog sticks are no longer tiny nubs, and are closer in size to the ones you might find on a PS5 or Xbox controller. They have what Nintendo is calling “HD Rumble 2” built in, which seems to be a refinement of the original (and still very good) vibration function. Finally, each Joy-Con has an optical sensor that allows you to use it as a mouse, and a C button, which we’ll get to in a minute.

Nintendo

The new Pro Controller for the Nintendo Switch 2 comes with everything you’d expect based on the refreshed Joy-Con: Namely HD Rumble 2 and the C button. There are also remappable GL/GR buttons around the back and a standard audio jack for connecting a headset.

Both options come with Amiibo support built in. The Switch 2 comes with two Joy-Con as you’d expect, and additional pairs are priced at $90. The Pro Controller will cost $80.

The C button stands for “chat”

The new C button is a dedicated way to enter a chat session with friends. As well as the standard features you’d expect from voice chat, Nintendo has built a Discord-like video-sharing feature, which lets you show your gameplay to others and see other people’s screens while you’re playing. 

The chat function works with a mic built into the console, though headsets are also supported. Nintendo will also sell a $50 camera that plugs into the USB-C port on the top of the console, which will allow you to stream your face along with your game.

Nintendo

GameCube support

The Switch 2 will work with GameCube games via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. The three titles available at launch will be F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Soul Calibur II.

Improved specs

Perhaps the biggest feature, though, is one you can’t see: The Switch 2 has an all-new processor and GPU and significantly more storage (256GB vs 64GB in the Switch OLED), along with support for faster and more capacious microSD cards. This will obviously lead to better first-party games and upgraded Switch experiences, but more importantly it will mean multi-platform games that had to skip the original, underpowered Switch will be able to be ported over. With games like Cyberpunk 2077 coming to the Switch 2 at launch, it seems like far more ports will be feasible than on the original console.

Another major improvement comes in the form of networking — the Switch 2 supports WiFi 6, which will improve the original's often glacial download speeds. Similarly, the new dock sports an ethernet port for a rock-solid connection.

What's it like to play?

Nintendo gave the press a chance to check out the Switch 2 and a few of the games it highlighted. You can read our impressions of Mario Kart World as well as more general thoughts on how the Switch 2 feels in person. Right off the bat, Mario Kart World feels like an outstanding launch title, with more depth and better visuals than we've ever seen from a Mario Kart game. The core formula is intact, but there are a lot of new features and play styles to dig into. 

As for the Switch 2 hardware, it feels like a major step forward from the original Switch — it has grown up a lot and feels far more polished and refined. And while it may not have an OLED screen, the 7.9-inch LED display Nintendo did use is outstanding.

How much will the Nintendo Switch 2 cost?

The Nintendo Switch 2 will be available for $450 standalone, or for $500 with a bundled digital copy of the new Mario Kart game, Mario Kart World. That’s significantly more expensive than the original Switch, which launched at $300, and has remained at that price ever since. It’s also more expensive than the entry-level current-gen consoles from Sony and Microsoft.

The comparison looks a little better up against Valve’s Steam Deck, which costs $400 for the LCD model or $550 for the basic OLED model. The Steam Deck is more affordable than most PC handhelds.

When will the Nintendo Switch 2 come out?

June 5, 2025.

When do pre-orders open for Nintendo Switch 2?

Pre-orders begin on April 9, from a variety of retailers and Nintendo itself.

How long will the Switch 2's battery last?

Nintendo says that the Switch 2 will last between 2 and 6.5 hours. This is similar to the original Switch, which was rated for 2.5-6.5 hours, though later revisions upped that figure significantly. The company cautions that "this time is an estimate ... battery life will depend on the games you play and usage conditions."

When can I try the Nintendo Switch 2?

Nintendo is planning a worldwide roadshow to let gamers go hands-on with the console. These events start in New York and Paris on April 4-6, with others taking place throughout the following two months. 

Ticket registration for many of the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events has closed, but waitlists are available. However, given that Nintendo is taking a first come, first served approach, your chances of attending the roadshow if you don't already have a ticket (or unless you signed up for the waitlist immediately) seem very small at this point.

The full list of Nintendo Switch 2 Experience dates is as follows:

North America:

• New York, April 4-6, 2025

• Los Angeles, April 11-13, 2025

• Dallas, April 25-27, 2025

• Toronto, April 25-27, 2025

Europe:

• Paris, April 4-6, 2025

• London, April 11-13, 2025

• Milan, April 25-27, 2025

• Berlin, April 25-27, 2025

• Madrid, May 9-11, 2025

• Amsterdam, May 9-11, 2025

Oceania:

• Melbourne, May 10-11, 2025

Asia:

• Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27, 2025

• Seoul, May 31-June 1, 2025

• Hong Kong, To be announced

• Taipei, To be announced

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatible?

Nintendo confirmed in November 2024 that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible. It will also feature access to Nintendo Online, so users will be able to play all of those old retro titles.

In the initial Nintendo Switch 2 press release, Nintendo reiterated that physical and digital Switch games will work on the new system. However, it noted that "certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2." We now have more information on which games are working thanks to a guide Nintendo put together.

Nintendo

As of April 1, the vast majority of Switch 2 games are marked as compatible, but many popular games are said to have some issues. Nintendo has marked most of these as “under investigation,” suggesting a fix may be on the way in time for launch. Nintendo says it is manually testing every Switch game for compatibility.

Only one title is marked as incompatible: Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit. This was part of Nintendo’s Labo range of games that worked with Cardboard accessories, and is incompatible as the Switch 2 doesn’t physically fit in the VR headset.

Will old games be enhanced in any way?

The original Switch has, to put it mildly, struggled to run some of the late-generation software that's come down the pike. Could these games be enhanced to take advantage of the increased horsepower of the Switch 2? That’s unclear. In an “Ask the Developer” page on its site, Nintendo says that old games are working through a real-time translation system, which sounds similar to how Rosetta allows modern Macs to run old software. With that said, the new and old Switch are much closer in hardware than that.

In the same developer interview, it’s said that in its testing of old games for compatibility, there were some occasions “where loading times became faster, or game performance became more stable,” but we don’t have any detail beyond that.

As well as backward compatibility, Nintendo is also offering up premium ‘Switch 2 Edition” upgrades for a select few games, which have improved resolutions and frame rates, and (in some titles) some bonus features and content. What exactly that means will vary, but Nintendo did confirm that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will have 4K/60 and 1080p/120 options on the Switch 2.

In the case of the two mainline Zelda games, those will be free to Switch Online Expansion Pack members, while others will be paid upgrades. Games confirmed to have a Switch 2 Edition to date include:

• Super Mario Party Jamboree

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

• Kirby and the Forgotten Land

• Pokémon Legends: Z-A

• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Nintendo has not said how much the paid upgrades will cost.

What will the cartridges taste like?

You may remember that the original Switch cartridges taste absolutely awful. This was on purpose, to discourage folks from putting the games in their mouth. Will the successor follow suit and continue to dip cartridges in a foul-tasting bitter coating? Only time will tell.

What are the launch games?

We expect this list to change substantially over the coming weeks and months, but the titles currently confirmed to be available on day one follow:

• Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer

• Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster

• Cyberpunk 2077

• Deltarune

• Fast Fusion

• Fortnite

• Hitman: World of Assassination

• Hogwarts Legacy

• Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

• Mario Kart World

• Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

• Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S

• Split Fiction

• Street Fighter 6

• Survival Kids

• Yakuza 0: Director's Cut

That's everything we know about the Nintendo Switch 2 today. We'll update this article with any information we can gather directly from sources. Any changes made to the article after its initial publishing will be listed below.

Update, January 24, 2025, 12:36 PM ET: This story has been updated to include speculation about price, potential game enhancements and the taste of cartridges.

Update, February 5, 2025, 9:30AM ET: This story has been updated to note the time when the April 2 Nintendo Direct starts.

Update, February 24, 2025, 12:30 PM ET: This story has been updated to include speculation about storage and information about the new microSD Express standard.

Update, March 6, 2025, 2:30PM ET: This story has been updated to note recent FCC filings to indicate the presence of Wi-Fi 6 and NFC support.

Update, March 14, 2025, 12:15PM ET: This story has been updated to include pricing and sales speculation from analysts.

Update, March 20, 2025, 12:45PM ET: Updated to include a note about the Seattle Mariners new jersey patches featuring Nintendo and the Switch 2.

Update, March 27, 2025, 3:50PM ET: Updated to add details about the C button, Nintendo Today! and Virtual Game Cards.

Update, April 1, 2025, 10:16AM ET: Updated to add link to livestream and details on its length.

Update, April 2, 2025, 4:40PM ET: Added details from the April 2 Nintendo Direct event, including specifications, price, release date and launch titles.

Jeff Dunn contributed to this report.

Nintendo just held a livestream to drop more details on the forthcoming Switch 2 console. At the very end, it revealed a brand-new 3D platformer starring Donkey Kong. This is the first game of its type since Donkey Kong 64 hit the Nintendo 64 all the way back in 1999. It’s called Donkey Kong Bananza and launches exclusively for the Switch 2 on July 17, which is just over a month after the console hits store shelves.

It looks cool! Much of the environment is destructible, so DK can get in there and break stuff. It also features sidescrolling segments, sort of like how modern Mario 3D platformers dip into their 2D roots every once in a while. We got to try it out in our hands-on with the Switch 2, and while it looks fabulous, it also feels like the kind of game that would have looked great on the original Switch. With Nintendo's stylized graphics for titles like this, the impact of the Switch 2's upgrades doesn't quite hit the same way it might in other games. That's not a big knock, but just something to be aware of.

The whole thing has a funky and cartoonish vibe one would expect from our favorite gorilla. However, I didn’t hear one lick of the famous Donkey Kong rap during the trailer but the equally iconic "ooh banana" sound effect from DK64 does make a brief cameo.

The trailer does show DK climbing up the sides of mountains (getting his BOTW-era Link on) and rollicking through several locations. These include a forest and an ice region, among others. The footage also shows the meanest looking Kong I’ve ever seen.

Nintendo

We don’t know too much about this game beyond what the trailer shows, but we don’t have that long to wait. Once again, Donkey Kong Bananza comes out on July 17.

Update: April 3 2025, 10:10AM ET: Updated with a few impressions from our Switch 2 hands-on demo.

The most recent Nintendo Direct went into great detail on the new Switch 2, including when fans will be able to get their hands on the console. According to Nintendo's press release, pre-orders for the Switch 2 open up on April 9 in North America, and the console will be widely available on June 5. The starting price is a whopping $450, and in addition to Nintendo’s online store, you’ll be able to get the Switch 2 at participating retailers. We expect those to include Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart and others.

The $450 price tag is for the Switch 2 console alone, but Nintendo said it will also offer a bundle with the Switch 2 and a copy of the new Mario Kart World game, a Switch 2 exclusive, for $500.

There's some fine-print attached to pre-ordering directly from Nintendo. According to the pre-order page on Nintendo's site, you must be 18 years or older, sign in with your Nintendo account and register your interest in pre-ordering. Then, you'll be sent an invitation email when it's time to play your pre-order, and the invitation will be valid for 72 hours. And then there's this bit of info: "Invitation emails will be prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis to registrants who have purchased a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2025."

That seems to mean those who have paid for Switch Online in the recent past and those who have spent a good amount of time playing Switch games as of late will get first pick at buying a Switch 2. There's no telling if these same restrictions will apply if you want to pre-order from third-party retailers.

We knew from the teaser trailer for the Switch 2 that Nintendo's new hardware would be bigger and would have a new approach to the detachable Joy-Cons. The new Joy-Con 2 have a new C button, mouse controls and a built in gyroscope for tilt control. The console has a built-in mic to support a new feature called Game Chat that will let you communicate with friends in-game. The device is indeed a bit larger, with a 7.9-inch LCD screen that supports a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR and a 1080p resolution.

When docked, you'll be able to play at up to 4K on your TV, and Nintendo says it improved the consoles internal speakers as well. The new dock also has a built-in fan to keep the console cool and help maintain performance during long play sessions. The Switch 2 has dual USB-C ports for charging, and the base storage amount has increased to 256GB. The Switch 2's storage can be expanded like the previous model, but it will only work with newer microSD Express cards.

The Switch 2 has a number of accessories that you'll be able to purchase separately as well, including the new Switch 2 camera for $50, a new Switch 2 Pro controller for $80, an extra pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers for $90, a Joy-Con 2 charging grip for $35 and more.

Pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 starting April 9 from:

• Nintendo

• Amazon

• Walmart

• GameStop

• Best Buy

• Target

What do modern speakers need? Good sound quality? As little distortion as possible? Longevity? Well, yes. Plus, according to Bang & Olufsen, marble plinths. Bang & Olufsen is debuting a partnership with Italian marble and granite company Antolini at Milan Design Week. The Beosound Balance Natura speaker features a sculptural base from Antolini that the audio company says elevates the device to its optimal height. Apparently, the plinth isn't just there for aesthetic — it's a functional audio element.

Let's face it, though: You wouldn't buy a speaker with a marble stand unless you wanted that marble pedestal. And that is why they're making the model available with various Antolini stones. You can get it with natural quartz, as well as with petrified wood and fossilized wood, if you're looking for something with earthy colors. The options have different translucency and color depth, but one common feature is the anodized aluminum ring that serves as the transition between the plinth and the bottom of the speaker. 

In addition to the Natura version of the Beosound Balance speaker, Bang & Olufsen is also presenting a Beovision Theatre 55-inch TV and a pair of Beolab 28 speakers customized with Antolini's Amazon quartite at Milan Design Week. All the products it's showcasing during the event are made to order with prices available upon request, which says all you need to know about its price range, especially since the basic Beosound Balance isn't cheap to begin with and will set you back $3,300.

Mario Kart 8 and its Deluxe update have been around so long it's easy to forget that the game actually predates the Switch and can trace its origins way back to the Wii U. But every good run must come to an end, and with the forthcoming arrival of the Switch 2 on June 5, Mario Kart World is looking like the ideal launch partner.

Now there hasn't really ever been a bad Mario Kart game, but World feels like Nintendo has jammed nitrous into every corner and crevice. Even during my demo session where not all the characters were unlocked, I got the sense that its roster is massive. All the big names are there like Peach and Yoshi, but you also have baby versions of many of them alongside Toadette, Pauline, Nabbit and so much more. This feeling extends to a range of vehicles too, which includes standard karts in addition to stuff like jet skis and scooters.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

But more importantly, the world feels huge. Not only can you freely roam around tracks as they seamlessly connect from one to another, there are also little details like weather effects and day/night shifts that make things feel more alive. And there's also a seemingly huge range of tracks to choose from, organized into several Grand Prix circuits.

The most fun I had, though, was when I got a chance to play the Knockout Tour mode, which is like Mario Kart meets F-Zero 99. In this setting, you have 24 people in a single race that progresses across multiple tracks. Every few laps, the last four places get eliminated, so it's your job to dodge shells and use every last mushroom boost, shortcut and power slide to stay at the front of the pack. It's a non-stop frenzy that just keeps going and, though I don't have the same reaction speed I did when I was younger, this old-head still got first place. And even after a win, I just wanted more. (For the record, Nintendo's photography policy required me to have a person in the frame, so a friendly staff member stood in my place, but here's my receipt.)

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

I also need to call out that Mario Kart World has a 120 fps mode and it's damn good. Racing has never looked this smooth on any Nintendo console and this game might be the best first-party showcase of the Switch 2's upgraded display and performance.

That said, the best part is that I'm sure I missed some features because I didn't even have a chance to try out the outfit customization Nintendo teased in World's trailer. And I was so focused on winning that I didn't fully explore the expanded list of tricks like grinding on rails and hopping off vertical walls.

Granted, it's a bummer that Nintendo has raised the price of many Switch 2 games, particularly with Mario Kart World coming in at $80 for a digital copy or $90 for a physical cart. But that can be largely avoided by purchasing the Switch 2 bundle that comes with the game, which effectively brings its price back down to $50. So if you are planning on getting a Switch 2 at launch, opting for this combo feels like a no-brainer.

Following recent tests, Amazon is finally ready to launch its Project Kuiper space internet project in a bid to rival Elon Musk's Starlink, the company announced. The first batch of 27 satellites on the KA-01 (Kuiper Atlas 1) mission are set to launch into low earth orbit (LEO) aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on April 9th next week from Cape Canaveral if conditions allow. Amazon hopes to start offering the high-speed internet service "later this year," it said.  

Amazon's network will eventually comprise 3,200 satellites launched from partners including ULA, Arianespace, Blue Origin and even SpaceX. Much like that company's Starlink, Project Kuiper's service will cover the entire planet when completed. It will work with a dish as small as seven inches that will deliver speeds up to 100Mbps, smaller than Starlink's Mini, or up to 1Gbps with larger dishes. The company said the cost of terminals will be under $400. 

The satellites will cruise at 17,000 mph at 392 miles above earth, circling the planet in about 90 minutes. They'll use a dialectic mirror film coating that's supposed to scatter light and make them less visible to ground-based astronomers, Amazon said. SpaceX's constellation currently uses over 7,000 satellites, so the Project Kuiper and Starlink fleet will use over 10,000 LEO satellites once Amazon's network is complete. 

Amazon

Amazon launched two test satellites in October 2023 and proclaimed its early tests a success, with the pair sending and retrieving data at speeds of up to 100 gigabits per second. Later in December, it bolstered the network with a network of high-speed laser cross-links that promise further speed boosts. The company claims its mesh network can move data about 30 percent faster than terrestrial fiber optic cables. 

Project Kuiper’s first launch will be the heaviest payload yet for the Atlas V, which will fly in its most powerful configuration. The rocket will include five solid rocket boosters in addition to the main booster, and a payload fairing 77 feet high and 16.4 feet wide.

Despite past successful tests, the mission isn't without risk. "We’ve done extensive testing on the ground to prepare for this first mission, but there are some things you can only learn in flight, and this will be the first time we’ve flown our final satellite design and the first time we’ve deployed so many satellites at once," Project Kuiper vice president Rajeev Badyal wrote. "No matter how the mission unfolds, this is just the start of our journey, and we have all the pieces in place to learn and adapt as we prepare to launch again and again over the coming years."

After years of lagging behind rivals when it comes to video capture (and then suddenly buying cinema camera manufacturer RED), Nikon is pushing new boundaries in that area. Its latest salvo is the $1,699 24-megapixel full-frame Z5 II, perhaps the cheapest mirrorless camera so far to support internal RAW video. It also offers improved autofocus with new AI powers, cleaner images and enhanced image stabilization. 

The Z5 II is a wholesale remake of the original Z5 and that starts with video. While still limited to 4K 30 fps and cropped 4K 60 fps, it can now capture those formats internally using the company's 12-bit N-RAW format with N-log, along with 10-bit H.265 and 8-bit H.264. Interestingly, it will record in N-RAW to SDXC UHS-II cards, since the camera lacks high-speed CFexpress slots. That likely means you'll need to buy very fast (and expensive) cards and that the N-RAW video will be highly compressed. Still, it's a feature available on no other camera in this price range. 

Nikon

Nikon is also promising much-improved autofocus bolstered by a new image-processing engine and tech borrowed from its high-end Z9 and Z8 models. The Z5 II can now lock onto subjects more quickly, particularly human eyes, faces and bodies, and works in lower light down to -10 EV, compared to -3 EV before. Meanwhile, the AI system can detect up to nine subject types ranging from animals (including a Bird Detection mode) to bicycles. When working in Auto-Area AF, these subjects can be detected, focused on, and tracked automatically. 

Native ISOs have been boosted to 100-64000 (50-204,800 in expanded modes), up from a maximum 51,200 before. That should improve noise levels across the ISO ranges, the company said. However, resolution is still limited to 24 megapixels. 

Nikon

In-body stabilization has been boosted to 7.5 stops with supported lenses, way up from five stops on the Z5. That's paired with electronic stabilization designed to keep handheld video steady. 

The Z5 II's viewfinder still offers a decent 3.69-million dots of resolution, but brightness has been boosted to 3,000 nits with 13 levels of brightness control. And it now comes with a 1.7-million-dot vari-angle display that's a big improvement from the previous model's tilt-only screen. The body now has a deeper grip to improve handling and comes with a one-touch Picture Control button for previewing and switching between color profiles in real time, matching a recent trend started by Fujifilm's X100 VI.

Other features including dual SD UHS-II card slots, 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks, camera to cloud connectivity via Nikon's Imaging Cloud and a new weather-proof build "on par with the Z6 III," according to Nikon. 

The Z5 II looks to be an impressive hybrid full-frame camera for the money and rivals Sony and Canon don't really have anything in the same price range that can match it. However, it also comes at a price $300 higher than the Z5 was at launch. Still, it could tempt filmmakers and others away from similarly priced crop sensor cameras from the likes of Fujifilm and Sony. The Z5 II is now on pre-order for $1,699 (body only) or $1,999 with a 24-50mm f/4-6.3 kit lens. 

Smartwatches do more than just track your steps and deliver phone alerts to your wrist. The best smartwatches go even further, giving you the ability to pay for a cup of coffee, take calls and connect to apps like Spotify all without whipping out your smartphone.

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you already know all of the benefits of a smartwatch. You’re ready to invest, or upgrade from an aging accessory, but we wouldn’t blame you if you if you didn’t know where to start. There are dozens of smartwatches available now, including GPS running watches, fitness trackers that look like smartwatches and multi-purpose devices. Plus, you’ll want to consider factors like durability, battery life and operating system before you spend a lot of money on a new wearable. We’ve tested and reviewed most major smartwatches available today and these are our top picks.

Table of contents

• Best smartwatches

• Stylish smartwatches: Fossil and more

• Factors to consider before buying a smartwatch

• Other smartwatches our experts tested

• Smartwatch FAQs

Best smartwatches of 2025

Stylish smartwatches: Fossil and more

Fossil

Yes, there are still companies out there trying to make “fashionable” hybrid smartwatches. Back when wearables were novel and generally ugly, brands like Fossil, Michael Kors and Skagen found their niche in stylish smartwatches that took cues from analog timepieces. You also have the option to pick up a “hybrid” smartwatch from companies like Withings and Garmin – these devices look like classic wrist watches but incorporate some limited functionality like activity tracking and heart rate monitoring. They remain good options if you prefer that look, but thankfully, wearables made by Apple, Samsung, Fitbit and others have gotten much more attractive over the past few years.

Ultimately, the only thing you can’t change after you buy a smartwatch is its case design. If you’re not into the Apple Watch’s squared-off corners, all of Samsung’s smartwatches have round cases that look a little more like a traditional watch. Most wearables are offered in a choice of colors and you can pay extra for premium materials like stainless steel for extra durability. Once you decide on a case, your band options are endless – there are dozens of first- and third-party watch straps available for most major smartwatches, and for both larger and smaller wrists, allowing you to change up your look whenever you please.

Factors to consider before buying a smartwatch

Compatibility

Apple Watches only work with iPhones, while Wear OS devices play nice with both iOS and Android phones. Smartwatches made by Samsung, Garmin, Fitbit and others are also compatible with Android and iOS, but you’ll need to install a companion app on your smartphone.

The smartwatch OS will also dictate the type and number of third-party apps you’ll have access to. Many of these aren’t useful, though, making this factor a fairly minor one in the grand scheme of things.

Price

The best smartwatches generally cost between $300 and $400. Compared to budget smartwatches, which cost between $100 and $250, these pricier devices have advanced operating systems, communications, music and fitness features. They also often include perks like onboard GPS tracking, music storage and NFC, AMOLED displays, and long battery life, things that budget devices generally don’t have.

Some companies make specialized fitness watches: Those can easily run north of $500, and we’d only recommend them to serious athletes. Luxury smartwatches from brands like TAG Heuer and Hublot can also reach sky-high prices, but we wouldn’t endorse any of them. These devices can cost more than $1,000, and you’re usually paying for little more than a brand name and some needlessly exotic selection of build materials.

Battery life

Battery life remains one of our biggest complaints about smartwatches, but there’s hope as of late. You can expect two full days from Apple Watches and most Wear OS devices. Watches using the Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor support extended battery modes that promise up to five days of battery life on a charge — if you’re willing to shut off most features aside from, you know, displaying the time. Other models can last five to seven days, but they usually have fewer features and lower-quality displays. Meanwhile, some fitness watches can last weeks on a single charge. If long battery life is a priority for you, it’s worth checking out the watch’s specs beforehand to see what the manufacturer estimates.

Communication

Any smartwatch worth considering delivers call, text and app notifications to your wrist. Call and text alerts are self explanatory, but if those mean a lot to you, consider a watch with LTE. They’re more expensive than their WiFi-only counterparts, but cellular connectivity allows the smartwatch to take and receive phone calls, and do the same with text messages, without your device nearby. As far as app alerts go, getting them delivered to your wrist will let you glance down to the watch face and see if you absolutely need to check your phone right now.

Fitness tracking

Activity tracking is a big reason why people turn to smartwatches. An all-purpose timepiece should function as a fitness tracker, logging your steps, calories and workouts, and most of today’s wearables have a heart rate monitor as well.

Many smartwatches' fitness features include a built-in GPS, which is useful for tracking distance for runs and bike rides. Swimmers will want something water resistant, and thankfully most all-purpose devices now can withstand at least a dunk in the pool. Some smartwatches from companies like Garmin are more fitness focused than others and tend to offer more advanced features like heart-rate-variance tracking, recovery time estimation, onboard maps and more.

Health tracking on smartwatches has also seen advances over the years. Both Apple and Fitbit devices can estimate blood oxygen levels and measure ECGs. But the more affordable the smartwatch, the less likely it is that it has these kinds of advanced health tracking features; if collecting those kinds of wellness metrics is important to you, you’ll have to pay for the privilege.

Music

Your watch can not only track your morning runs but also play music while you’re exercising. Many smartwatches let you save your music locally, so you can connect wireless earbuds via Bluetooth and listen to tunes without bringing your phone. Those that don’t have onboard storage for music usually have on-watch music controls, so you can control playback without whipping out your phone. And if your watch has LTE, local saving isn’t required — you’ll be able to stream music directly from the watch to your paired earbuds.

Displays

Most wearables have touchscreens and we recommend getting one that has a full-color touchscreen. Some flagships like the Apple Watch have LTPO displays, which stands for low-temperature polycrystalline oxide. These panels have faster response times and are more power efficient, resulting in a smoother experience when one interacts with the touchscreen and, in some cases, longer battery lives.

You won’t see significant gains with the latter, though, because the extra battery essentially gets used up when these devices have always-on displays, as most flagship wearables do today. Some smartwatches have this feature on by default while others let you enable it via tweaked settings. This smart feature allows you to glance down at your watch to check the time, health stats or any other information you’ve set it to show on its watchface without lifting your wrist. This will no doubt affect your device’s battery life, but thankfully most always-on modes dim the display’s brightness so it’s not running at its peak unnecessarily. Cheaper devices won’t have this feature; instead, their touchscreens will automatically turn off to conserve battery life and you’ll have to intentionally check your watch to turn on the display again.

NFC

Many new smartwatches have NFC, letting you pay for things without your wallet using contactless payments. After saving your credit or debit card information, you can hold your smartwatch up to an NFC reader to pay for a cup of coffee on your way home from a run. Keep in mind that different watches use different payment systems: Apple Watches use Apple Pay, Wear OS devices use Google Pay, Samsung devices use Samsung Pay and so forth.

Apple Pay is one of the most popular NFC payment systems, with support for multiple banks and credit cards in 72 different countries, while Samsung and Google Pay work in fewer regions. It’s also important to note that both NFC payment support varies by device as well for both Samsung and Google’s systems.

Other smartwatches our experts tested

Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is probably overkill for most people, but it has a ton of extra features like extra waterproofing to track diving, an even more accurate GPS and the biggest battery of any Apple Watch to date. Apple designed it for the most rugged among us, but for your average person, it likely has more features than they'd ever need. If you’re particularly clumsy, however, its high level of durability could be a great reason to consider the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE is less feature-rich than the flagship model, but it will probably suffice for most people. We actually regard the Watch SE as the best smartwatch option for first-time buyers, or people on stricter budgets. You’ll get all the core Apple Watch features as well as things like fall and crash detection, noise monitoring and Emergency SOS, but you’ll have to do without more advanced hardware perks like an always-on display, a blood oxygen sensor, an ECG monitor and a skin temperature sensor.

Garmin Forerunner 745

Garmin watches in general can be great options for the most active among us. The Garmin Forerunner 745 is an excellent GPS running watch for serious athletes or those who prize battery life above all else. When we tested it, we found it to provide accurate distance tracking, a killer 16-hour battery life with GPS turned on (up to seven days without it) and support for onboard music storage and Garmin Pay.

Smartwatch FAQs

Is there a difference between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker?

While smartwatches and fitness trackers share some similarities, they’re designed for slightly different purposes.

A fitness tracker is primarily focused on health and activity tracking. It keeps tabs on your steps, heart rate, sleep and workouts, and some even offer advanced metrics like blood oxygen levels and stress tracking. Fitness trackers are generally more compact, have longer battery life and are built with activity in mind.

A smartwatch, on the other hand, is like a mini smartphone on your wrist. It offers fitness tracking features, but also lets you do things like reply to texts, take calls, use apps and control smart home devices. Many smartwatches support voice assistants, mobile payments and even LTE connectivity, so you can leave your phone behind in some cases.

If you mainly want health and activity tracking with long battery life, a fitness tracker is the way to go. If you want a more connected experience with extra features, a smartwatch is the better choice.

How long do smartwatches last?

How long a smartwatch lasts mostly depends on two things: battery life and overall durability.

Smartwatch battery life varies a lot depending on the brand, features and how you use it. Basic models with e-ink displays or monochrome screens can last a week or more, while full-featured smartwatches like the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch usually need a charge every day or two. If you're using features like always-on display, GPS tracking or LTE connectivity, expect the battery to drain faster.

Physically, a good smartwatch should last several years before you need to upgrade. Premium models with scratch-resistant glass, water resistance and strong build materials tend to hold up well over time. However, software support matters too — brands like Apple and Samsung typically provide updates for at least a few years, while some budget smartwatches may not get long-term software support.

You can expect to charge most smartwatches daily or every few days, and if you take care of them, they should last 3-5 years before an upgrade is necessary.

How much should you spend on a smartwatch?

How much you should spend on a smartwatch depends on what features you need and how often you plan to use it.

If you just want the basics — step tracking, notifications, heart rate monitoring and basic fitness tracking — you can find some solid budget-friendly options from brands like Amazfit, Fitbit and some Wear OS models. These usually have decent battery life but may lack premium features like LTE, advanced health tracking or third-party apps.

In the mid-range smartwatch price bracket, you’ll find popular models like the Apple Watch SE and Fitbit Versa series. These offer a good mix of fitness tracking, smart features and design quality. You’ll get better build materials, more accurate sensors and app support, but battery life might still be limited to a day or two.

High-end smartwatches like the Apple Watch Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Garmin Fenix/Epix series offer advanced health tracking, rugged designs, LTE connectivity and longer software support. These are great for serious athletes, outdoor adventurers, or anyone who wants the latest and greatest features.

If you just want a simple smartwatch for notifications and fitness tracking, a budget or mid-range model will do the job. But if you want a premium feel, advanced health tracking or LTE connectivity, it’s worth spending a bit more. For most people, $200 - $350 hits the best balance of features and value.

Do all smartwatches have GPS?

Not all smartwatches have built-in GPS. Some rely on your phone’s GPS, while others have it built-in for independent tracking.

High-end and fitness-focused smartwatches, like the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch and Garmin models have their own built-in GPS. This means they can track your runs, walks, bike rides and hikes without needing to be connected to your phone. It’s a must-have for serious athletes or anyone who wants accurate location tracking without carrying a phone.

Some budget and mid-range smartwatches (like some Fitbit and Amazfit models) don’t have built-in GPS but can use your phone’s GPS when connected via Bluetooth. This works fine if you usually carry your phone while working out, but it’s less convenient if you prefer to leave it behind.

Some very basic or budget smartwatches skip GPS entirely and rely solely on step tracking or motion sensors. These are fine for casual users who don’t need location tracking.

Can you leave your phone at home and still use a smartwatch?

Yes, but it depends on the smartwatch and what you want to do without your phone.

If your smartwatch has LTE or cellular connectivity , you can make calls, send texts, stream music, use maps and even access apps without your phone nearby. However, you’ll need a separate data plan from your carrier, which usually comes with an extra monthly cost.

Even without LTE, some smartwatches can still do plenty on their own, including track workouts and GPS routes (if they have built-in GPS), play music offline (if they support downloads from Spotify or Apple Music), may contactless payments with features like Apple Pay and Google Wallet and control smart home devices.

If going phone-free is important to you, look for a smartwatch with LTE and built-in GPS for the best experience.

Can a smartwatch make calls without a phone?

Yes, a smartwatch can make calls without a phone — but only if it has the right features.

Some smartwatches have built-in LTE connectivity, meaning they can work independently from your phone. You can make and receive calls, send texts, stream music and use apps as long as you have a mobile data plan for the watch. However, you’ll need to pay for a separate cellular plan and battery life drains faster when using LTE.

If your smartwatch doesn’t have LTE, it can still make calls, but only when connected to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It essentially acts as a remote speaker and microphone for your phone’s calls. Watches like the standard Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch (Wi-Fi versions) can do this. However, if your phone isn’t nearby or connected to Wi-Fi, calling won’t work.

Some fitness-focused smartwatches (like certain Garmin, Fitbit and Amazfit models) don’t have a built-in speaker or microphone, so they can’t make or receive calls at all — only show notifications.

If calling without a phone is a must, make sure to choose an LTE model with a built-in mic and speaker.

What's the difference between an Android and Apple smartwatch?

The biggest difference between Android and Apple smartwatches comes down to compatibility, features and ecosystem integration.

Apple smartwatches (Apple Watch) only work with iPhones. If you have an Android phone, you can’t use an Apple Watch at all. Android smartwatches (Wear OS, Samsung Galaxy, Garmin etc.) mostly work with Android phones, but some also support iPhones with limited features. If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the best choice. If you have an Android phone, go for a Wear OS or Samsung Galaxy Watch.

Apple Watch (watchOS) has the best app support with seamless integration into Apple’s ecosystem (iMessage, FaceTime, Apple Pay, Apple Fitness+, Siri etc.). Android smartwatches offer more variety, with access to Google services (Google Assistant, Google Wallet and Google Maps), and some support Amazon Alexa or Samsung’s Bixby.

In terms of design, Apple Watch has a single design but comes in different sizes and materials. It’s sleek, but your only real customization comes from bands and watch faces. Android smartwatches, on the other hand, come in tons of styles and brands (Samsung, Google Pixel Watch, Garmin, Fossil etc.), meaning you can pick a round watch, a rugged design or a luxury-looking model.

If battery life is important to you, the Apple Watch lasts about a day or two per charge, depending on usage and model. Many Android smartwatches (especially Garmin, Amazfit or Mobvoi TicWatch) last multiple days or even weeks on a single charge.

Georgie Peru contributed to this report.

TikTok may be back online and in app stores, but its future in the United States is still far from certain. President Donald Trump’s executive order delaying enforcement of the ban was only a temporary reprieve for the company and the clock is once again running out on a potential ban.

While ByteDance was once resistant to the idea of selling TikTok’s US business, that seems to have changed since Trump took office. A ByteDance investor said early this year that striking a deal to keep TikTok in the US is “in everybody's interest." Officials in China also suggested they were “open” to a deal, according to The Wall Street Journal.

A number of people and companies have signaled some interest in TikTok. Trump himself has said he would like to see a “bidding war” for the app and that the US government should own a stake in the company. What an eventual deal may look like, though, is unclear. These are the offers we currently know about. On March 9, Trump said the administration was "dealing with four different groups" on a potential deal, though he didn't name names. 

Trump’s executive order gave the company 75 days to come to an agreement, though he has recently said he would "probably" extend the deadline if a deal isn't reached by April 5.

Oracle + new US investors

NPR reported in January that Oracle was working with Trump Administration officials on “a plan to save TikTok that involves tapping software company Oracle and a group of outside investors to effectively take control of the app's global operations.” Under this arrangement, ByteDance “would retain a minority stake in the company” but Oracle would oversee “the app's algorithm, data collection and software updates.”

Recent reports suggest that a new investors, including Silicon Valley heavyweight Andreesen Horowitz, would join TikTok's existing US investors to form a new entity. It could be called "TikTok America," according to a report in The Information. This option is likely appealing because it wouldn't require a new owner to attempt to re-architect the app's algorithm and because TikTok has an existing partnership with Oracle. The cloud company already hosts TikTok’s US user data and the company was a key part of TikTok’s original negotiations to remain operational in the US under a plan called Project Texas. (Those negotiations abruptly fell apart in 2022.)

Trump also previously signed off on a deal for Oracle and Walmart to acquire a 20 percent stake in TikTok in 2020, when the president tried to ban the app during his first term. That deal never materialized.

Microsoft

Microsoft is reportedly also interested in playing a role in TikTok’s future, according to the same NPR story, which said Microsoft was among the “other potential investors” involved in the talks with Oracle. Trump seemingly confirmed this. When asked directly if Microsoft was interested in buying TikTok, Trump responded “I would say yes.”

As with Oracle, this isn’t the first time Microsoft has attempted to acquire the social media company. Microsoft was in talks to buy TikTok in 2020 and take over its US business, but the deal abruptly fell apart. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella later described it as “the strangest thing I’ve ever sort of worked on.”

Perplexity AI 

Just before TikTok briefly went offline, Perplexity AI threw its hat into the ring, offering a deal to ByteDance that “would “create a new entity combining Perplexity, TikTok US and New Capital Partners.”

Since then, Perplexity has tweaked its proposal. The company put out a detailed plan outlining how it would rebuild the app's core recommendation algorithm, integrate shortform videos into its search engine and bring a Community Notes-like fact checking feature to the service. 

Project Liberty

Another set of investors that’s proposed a bid to buy TikTok is a group known as Project Liberty. Led by investor Frank McCourt, it includes Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank fame. The group initially came forward before the ban took effect.

In March, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian announced that he was joining the Project Liberty bid to acquire TikTok's assets. "I'd love to see an app where users actually own their data and where creators have real control," he wrote in a short post on X that hinted at a potential tie-in with... the blockchain. "Imagine bringing all those users seamlessly onchain..." An accompanying video referenced the possibility of "decentralized distribution," but didn't offer details.

O’Leary previously told CNBC that deals involving a government stake may not comply with the law. “That 50/50 deal, I would love to work with Trump on, so would every other potential buyer ... But the problem with some of these ideas is they are inconsistent with the ruling of the Supreme Court,” he said. “I would love to do a deal, if the law provided for it, but I don’t have the luxury of breaching the order of Congress.” Later, he said that the deal "changes by the hour," writing on X that "it's clear to me now that we're going to have to do a dance between the original owners, the founders of ByteDance itself, and interpreting the law of what Congress and Supreme Court has upheld."

MrBeast

YouTuber MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, joked on X about buying TikTok ahead of the initial ban. He later said that “so many billionaires” had reached out to him about making an offer that he was going to try to actually pull it off.

At least one group has already confirmed his involvement, along with other “high-net-worth individuals” looking to make an “all-cash offer.” That group, led by employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley also reportedly includes Roblox CEO David Baszucki. According to Bloomberg, together they have put together “significantly” more than $20 billion for a bid, though it’s not clear how seriously their offer is being considered. Bloomberg noted that there’s also a possibility that MrBeast may attach himself to other bids.

Amazon

Amazon reportedly made a last-ditch bid to buy TikTok, according to reports in The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. The online retailer reportedly approached Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about the offer, which doesn't seem to be under serious consideration. Amazon declined to comment on the reports.

AppLovin

Another company to make a last-minute offer is AppLovin, a Silicon Valley company that makes software for app developers. The Wall Street Journal reported that the firm also has backing from Steve Wynn, a casino mogul and Trump donor. "AppLovin’s pitch to the Trump administration, which would be funded by Wynn, was that it could solve national security concerns and unleash economic growth as a job creator," The WSJ reported.

OnlyFans CEO Tim Stokely

Yet another eleventh hour bid for TikTok reportedly comes from OnlyFans CEO Tim Stokely. Reuters reports that Stokely (via a startup he runs called Zoop) partnered with the Hbar Foundation, a cryptocurrency firm, to bid on TikTok. 

"Our bid for TikTok isn't just about changing ownership, it's about creating a new paradigm where both creators and their communities benefit directly from the value they generate," one of Zoop's executives told the publication.

What’s next?

So where does all this leave TikTok? For now, the company is still in limbo. Even if a tentative deal is announced ahead of the April 5 deadline, ByteDance and Chinese officials would also need to sign off on any agreement in order for it to move forward.

Update, March 10, 2025, 6:55PM ET: This story has been updated to add new statements from President Trump, as well as to add details about Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian joining the Project Liberty bid.

Update, April 2, 2025, 6:47PM ET: This story has been updated with new information regarding proposals involving Oracle and Perplexity AI. It's also been updated to reflect reported bids from Amazon, AppLovin and OnlyFans CEO Tim Stokely.

The Switch 2 is bigger, more powerful and more expensive than the original Switch, but the tech specs for the new console reveal at least one key way it's worse: The Switch 2's battery life is shorter.

Nintendo says that battery life on the Switch 2 varies depending on the game you play, but that it estimates the console should last approximately "2 – 6.5 hours." That's notably shorter than the battery life you'll get out of a current Switch or Switch OLED, based on the company's support page. Nintendo estimates that a Switch OLED "with a serial number that starts with 'XT'" should last around "4.5 to 9 hours." Non-OLED Switch consoles "with a serial number that starts with 'XK'" are expected to last the same amount of time. Even the original Switch, which has "a serial number that starts with 'XA'," gets a minimum of 2.5 hours of battery life. Apparently, the extra power of the Switch 2 comes with a price.

Nintendo's tech specs confirm a few other notable details. The Switch 2 supports Wi-Fi 6, which should mean you'll get faster internet speeds when the console isn't docked and connected over ethernet. Based on Nintendo's guarantee that the console "supports 120 fps when 1920x1080/2560x1440 resolutions are selected," it seems like the Switch 2 won't support HDMI 2.1.

As far as controllers are concerned, Amiibo support remains, but if you have special place in your heart for the Wii-esque motion controls you could use on the original Switch, it looks like you're out of luck on the Switch 2. Neither the left or right Joy-Con 2 controllers have an IR sensor, one of the ways Nintendo tracked motion on the Wii and Switch. That doesn't mean you can't use motion controls on the Switch 2, just that Nintendo isn't using IR to make them work. (At least in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, it seems like "mouse control" fills the role motion controls used to on older games.) 

Do any of these changes dramatically alter the calculus on whether the Switch 2 is worth buying? Maybe not, but it is interesting to see some of the compromises and decisions Nintendo made to offer what is effectively "the Switch, but better."

At last, we have the critical info millions of gamers have awaited for years: the Nintendo Switch 2 release date, price and other details about the new system. The console will arrive on June 5 and it costs $450. Pre-orders will open on April 9, so you have a week to break open your piggy bank.

The June release date confirms the long-standing rumors that had percolated since Nintendo first revealed the details of the new console in January. As suspected, it dovetails with the series of roadshow events Nintendo is holding around the globe to let folks try the Switch 2 for the first time. Those wrap up in early June.

It's been reported that Nintendo wanted to have as many units of the console ready to sell out of the gate as possible to mitigate shortages. The Switch 2 is likely to be in high demand, even though Nintendo plans to keep releasing new games for the original Switch (which has sold more than 150 million units) into at least 2026. Still, if the demand is robust enough and reports that Nintendo has between 6 million and 8 million units ready to go hold true, the company is poised to smash sales records with the Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 hardware

Nintendo says it redesigned the system from the ground up. As expected, the Nintendo Switch 2 is larger than its predecessor. It measures 7.9 inches, compared with 6.2 inches for the original system, though no thicker than the previous console. The Switch 2 has around double the pixel density of the original Switch, Nintendo says, as it has a 1080p display. In docked mode, you'll be able to play at up to 4K on your TV.

There's some great news for frame rate appreciators, as the system will support up to 120Hz gameplay on its own screen. There's HDR support too. Sadly, it's an LCD display rather than an OLED.

Nintendo says it improved the speakers to deliver clearer audio, while you'll be able to enjoy 3D audio in select games through compatible surround sound systems or headphones. There's a built-in mic with voice cancelling tech too (more on that in a moment). Some other hardware features had already been revealed, including the multi-angled kickstand and dual USB-C ports, either of which can be used for charging. 

Gratefully, Nintendo has given the Switch 2's internal storage a serious upgrade. At 256GB, it has eight times the built-in storage of the Switch. That was a necessary change, as many games already weighed in at over 32GB and required a microSD card to install locally. 

To add more storage, you'll need a microSD Express card, which supports higher-speed data transfers. Regular microSD cards won't be supported. As for the physical game cards, they're the same size and shape as the ones for the Nintendo Switch. 

As is usually the case, Nintendo isn't saying much about the processor or graphics processing hardware. The company simply notes that the "Nintendo Switch 2 has significantly improved CPU and GPU performance over Nintendo Switch, resulting in faster processing speed and enabling new visually advanced gameplay. It also makes it possible to achieve more detailed graphics and faster loading times."

Unfortunately, battery performance isn't anything to write home about. Nintendo says the Switch 2 will get between 2 and 6.5 hours of playtime, depending of course on what games you're using and if you're using online features. Speaking of online, the Switch 2 has been upgraded to Wi-Fi 6.

The new dock has a built-in fan to keep the console cool and maintain stable performance. That's something that might come in handy if you're playing, say, Elden Ring on the Switch 2 — which is something you'll actually be able to do.

Nintendo is promising a swatch of new accessibility features on the Switch 2. These include the option to change the font size, a speech-to-text function in GameChat (which we'll get to momentarily) and a screen reader.

To help you get to grips with all of the new features of this console, you'll be able to check out tech demos, minigames and more in Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. This will be a day-one paid launch title for the system.

Joy-Con 2

The rumors were true, the Joy-Con 2 includes a mouse control feature. Each controller can be used as a mouse, so you can maybe expect more strategy games (oh hi, Civilization VII) and even first-person shooters — Nintendo is adding this feature just in time for Microsoft to start bringing Call of Duty games to its systems. A new 3 vs. 3 sports game called Drag x Drive, which will arrive this summer, uses the mouse controls of both Joy-Cons.

The controllers attach to the main unit magnetically. To detach them, you need to press release buttons on the rear. The control sticks are larger, as are the SL and SR buttons. The latter are made of steel, and these are what the magnets built into the system attach to, seemingly electromagnetically.

It is not yet clear if the Joy-Cons from the Switch will be compatible with the Switch 2 or, if so, how they'd attach. So if you have a large collection of Joy-Cons, they may soon be gathering dust.

Elsewhere, a new Pro controller with rear, assignable buttons will also be available. It has an audio jack and, like the Joy-Con 2, it has a C button. About that...

C button and GameChat

The much-discussed new C button on the right Joy-Con 2 (and the new Pro controller) can control a new feature called GameChat. For one thing, it can activate voice chat with up to 12 people. 

The microphone that's built into the main Switch 2 unit can pick up your voice from across a room when the console is in docked mode, Nintendo says. Through GameChat, the option to share your gameplay with up to four friends, so you can all see what each other is doing (though these friend streams seemed to be running at a low frame rate in Nintendo's Switch 2 Direct).

A camera accessory will allow you to jump into video chat with up to four buds. You can choose to superimpose your camera feed over your gameplay. The camera will be available on the Switch 2 launch day.

GameChat will require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription in the long run, but access will be free until March 31, 2026. Parents and guardians can set GameChat restrictions through the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app. The company says it has safety features in place for GameChat.

Nintendo Switch 2 games

Of course, Nintendo unveiled several Switch 2 games, including Mario Kart World, the new title it teased in the console's announcement video. That will be a Switch 2 launch title. Expect more details about that during a dedicated Direct on April 17.

I'm very excited about Donkey Kong Bananza, a 3D platformer that will hit Switch 2 on July 17. A Donkey Kong game with destructible environments just feels right. On top of that, Kirby Air Riders, a racing game from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai, is coming later this year.

A wave of major third-party games are coming to Switch 2 on launch day, including Cyberpunk 2077, Split Fiction, Hitman World of Assassination and Street Fighter 6. Also coming to Switch 2 at some point are Hades II, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Borderlands 4, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition (an ironically very funny name for a game that's being ported to a lass-powerful console), EA Sports FC, Project 007 and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4.

We got an update on a little game called Hollow Knight: Silksong, which now has a 2025 release window. Grand Theft Auto 6 better watch its back. 

In a major surprise, Nintendo revealed a brand new FromSoftware game that's coming exclusively to the Switch 2 in 2026. It's called The Duskbloods and it looks very much like a spiritual successor to Bloodborne.

Meanwhile, the Switch 2 version of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack will include a library of GameCube games, such as F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and SoulCalibur II. A version of the GameCube controller will soon be available. And yes, it has a C button for GameChat.

In addition, several first-party Switch games will be enhanced on the Switch 2 — but only if you shell out for a paid upgrade. These include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Party Jamboree and Kirby and the Forgotten Land, as well as the upcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Transitioning from the Switch

Players will be able to carry over most of their purchased Switch games, Nintendo Switch Online memberships and so on to the new console thanks to the Switch 2's backward compatibility. A new system that will also be available on the upcoming hybrid aims to make it easier for people to lend digital Switch games to friends and family but, as is so often the case with Nintendo, the company made things more complicated than they ought to be.

Thankfully, Nintendo is looking to make it easy to transition from a Switch to a Switch 2. You'll be able to transfer your games, save data and so on directly to the new console.

A GameShare feature will allow people to play the same Switch 2 game locally on multiple systems without having to purchase it more than once. That's a really nice quality of life upgrade for families and friends who like to play games together. Switch 2 owners can invite those using a Switch to play GameShare titles with them too. On the downside, GameShare will only be available for select games, including Super Mario Odyssey for those who really want to play as Kappy on their own device. Naturally, it'll also work on some Switch 2-exclusive games

After months of anticipation and years of speculation, Nintendo is finally spilling all the beans about the Switch 2. In a Nintendo Direct presentation, the company is filling in questions we've had about the console since it was first officially revealed in a short teaser this past January.

Switch 2 launch date and pricing

We finally know when the console will be available: June 5, 2025. It'll cost $450 at launch, and pre-orders start on April 9.

Switch 2 hardware

The Switch 2 console has the same thickness but has a much larger display — 7.9 inches at a 1080p resolution, versus the 6.2-inch 720p screen on the old console. And it runs at up to 120fps. It is an LCD display, rather than OLED, but it supports HDR at least. 

As expected, the new Joy-Con controllers attach magnetically and have much bigger SL and SR buttons for when you're playing on a single Joy-Con controller. The sticks are also bigger, and each Joy-Con can be used as a mouse on compatible games. 

The built-in stand looks much better than the ones on older Switch systems, and there are two USB-C ports on the console as well. Nintendo also highlighted 3D audio when using compatible headphones, and the speakers on the console itself should be a lot better as well. The console has 256GB of storage, far surpassing the 32GB on the original model. The Switch 2 dock outputs at up to 4K with compatible games and the dock has a built-in fan to keep things cool when running at higher resolutions.

Switch 2 is using similar game cards to the original Switch, but Nintendo notes that they're faster; you'll have to use microSD Express cards for extra storage this time though. Standard microSD ones won't be compatible with the new hardware.

A new Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller will also be available with the C button to activate GameChat, and it also has GL and GR buttons on the back that you can assign to any specific actions. There's also a headphone jack, too.

One of the most important specs on a portable console is battery life — and unfortunately, the Switch 2 might not be great in that department. Nintendo's spec sheet says it is rated between 2 and 6.5 hours of gameplay, depending of course on the game. Even the original Switch promised a slightly better 2.5 to 6.5 hours of battery life. Either way, it's far beyond what the current Switch models offer. As for networking, the Switch 2 has been upgraded to Wi-Fi 6.

Voice and video chat

The first new feature Nintendo highlighted on its updated Joy-Con controllers was the C button. The C button lets you enter the new GameChat features. You can voice chat while playing using a built-in microphone, even when the console is docked. It's the first time that a Nintendo system has had voice chat, and you can also share your game screen with friends as you play as well. For example, in Mario Kart this gives you more of a feel like you're all playing connected to a TV even though you're remote, because you can see everything that your friends are doing as well. 

And the chat and screen-share features work even if you're all playing different games, so you can just get a group together to hang out while playing different titles. There's also a Switch 2 camera that enables video chat that'll show you on screen while you're playing. These features will require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, but Nintendo will offer it for free to everyone until March 31, 2026.

Mario Kart World

As expected, we're finally getting a new entry in the venerable Mario Kart series, Mario Kart World. It looks looks familiar while also showing off some wild new tricks, like skateboard-style grinds on rails and wall jumps. The courses also look much larger and wider than any we've ever seen before. For the first time, it looks like there's an open world connecting all the various courses, and weather and time of day will change.

Nintendo also says that you can go off-course and drive "virtually everywhere." And fitting those huge tracks, the Grand Prix will have 24 competitors in one race. Overall, it's a massive update which feels appropriate — the last Mario Kart game arrived way back in 2014 for the Wii U and was updated for the original Switch. It'll be out the same day as the Switch 2, June 5.

Other games coming to Switch 2

Nintendo ran down a handful of other games coming to the Switch 2, including Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, a new title called Drag x Drive that uses the Switch 2 mouse controls in what looks like an extreme wheelchair sporting event, Hades II, Street Fighter 6, Split Fiction, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 +4, Hitman: World of Assassination and Daemon x Machina.

Nintendo is also working on Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, which will be out this winter; it's being developed in with Koei Techmo games and will have the same combat-focused vibes as other Dynasty Warrior-style titles.

From Software is also releasing a new game exclusively for the Switch 2 called The Duskbloods in 2026. It feels a lot like Bloodbourne at first glance.

Perhaps the biggest first-party game to be revealed today besides Mario Kart World is a new 3D platformer starring Donkey Kong: Donkey Kong Bananza. It definitely has similar vibes to 3D Mario adventures, but in a totally new context.

There's a laundry list of games that were mentioned today; Nintendo has helpfully pulled them together in this press release.

Finally, Nintendo has announced that the Switch Online service will host another classic console, the GameCube. The initial game library includes The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, F-Zero GX and SOULCALIBUR II. For the first time on Nintendo's classic consoles through the Switch Online service, GameCube games will run at higher resolutions than the original titles.

Nintendo Switch 2 edition games

In addition to games expressly designed for the Switch 2, Nintendo will also be releasing a "Switch 2 edition" for selected titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Those titles will have improved resolutions and frame rates as well as new features that'll show up in a companion smartphone app. Nintendo didn't say how much these upgrades would cost yet.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is also getting a Switch 2 edition that adds an additional world to explore, while Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will have both a Switch and Switch 2 edition; the Switch 2 edition can run in 4K at 60fps or up to 120fps at a lower resolution.

In 2002, Microsoft launched Xbox Live with built-in voice chat as one of the main selling points of the then new service. Now, nearly 25 years later, Nintendo is finally giving its fans an easy way to talk to their friends online over a friendly match of Mario Kart World.

Considering some of the solutions Nintendo has offered in the past, GameChat is surprisingly elegant. A tap of the Switch 2's new C button, conveniently located below the Home button on the right Joy-Con, brings up a dedicated interface that allows you to quickly start screensharing, mute and unmute your mic and, if you decide to buy the optional Switch 2 Camera, enable video.

What's more, the Switch 2 has a built-in mic. We'll need to test the handheld to see how well the microphone performs in a noisy environment; Nintendo touted its noise-reduction features in today's introduction. But if nothing else, kudos to Nintendo for realizing it couldn't release a new console in 2025 without voice chat built-in and making that feature standard on all models.

However, if the demo Nintendo showed off today is any indication of the final product, the company has some work to do. Voice chat looks like it works well enough, with users allowed to invite up to 11 other people to join their conversation. That said, screen sharing and video chat look very rough. 

When everyone in the video started streaming their gameplay, it looked like the games were running at less than 30 frames per second, making it difficult to see how it would be possible to use the feature to guide a friend through a tricky section, like Nintendo suggested in the demo. Video chat was equally janky, with the footage from the Switch 2 Camera looking like something captured by a webcam from the mid-aughts. Moreover, if you want to see your friend's screen, there's an additional tradeoff. 

Nintendo showed off three different interface options, with two of them devoting a fair amount of screen space to tiles for your friends. I imagine this won't be a problem if you're playing on a TV, but even on the Switch 2's large 7.9-inch screen, the interface looks like it could get cramped fast.

To Nintendo's credit, the company has thought a lot about parental controls, with features that allow parents and guardians to decide who their kids can chat with online and if they can join a session with video. But the thing is none of GameChat’s capabilities are new. They've existed in apps like Discord for years, which begs the question why some of them look so rough this close to launch.

Nintendo has time between now and June 5 to polish GameChat, but in 2025, making a technically competent chat app shouldn't be so hard. Of course, I imagine most of the Switch 2's audience won't care if some of GameChat's features are half-baked. For the rest of us, the company plans to offer the feature for free until the end of March 2026. One would hope that's enough time for the company to catch up on two decades worth of progress in online gaming.

Sonos has given two of its audio products price cuts. The Era 100 smart speaker and Ray soundbar now retail for $199. The change offers new customers a $50 savings for the Era 100 and $80 on the Ray. Both speakers would frequently show up on sale, but Sonos has confirmed that this is a permanent pricing change for the products.

These items have been available for a few years, so the price drop might signal that a refresh is in store for both. When it debuted in 2023, the Era 100 was an upgrade on the Sonos One, bringing overhauled touch controls and even better audio quality to the same cylindrical form factor. At $200, it's now selling for what the Sonos One cost, making it a solid choice for a home speaker. The Ray came out in 2022, offering a solid home theater performance without the most high-end audio or accompanying high-end price tag.