The battery life of the Switch 2 has notably decreased compared to its predecessor. Official data indicates that the Switch 2 can last between 2 to 6.5 hours on a single charge. As expected, more demanding games will drain the battery faster.
This is nearly half of what the previous generation console, the Switch, offers. For comparison, the Switch Lite has a battery life of 3-7 hours, while both the new version of the Switch and the Switch OLED version last between 4.5-9 hours. Even the original model of the Switch provides a battery life ranging from 2.5 to 6.5 hours.
The Switch Lite has a battery life of 3-7 hours.
– The new version of the Switch and Switch OLED have a battery life ranging from 4.5 to 9 hours.
– Even the original model had a battery life between 2.5 to 6.5 hours.
The disparity becomes even more pronounced when compared to Steam Deck’s battery life which ranges from 3 to 12 hours.
Nintendo held a closed-door press event in New York City attended by Koichi Kawamoto (producer from Nintendo’s Planning and Development Division), Takahiro Tonda (supervisor from Planning and Development Division), and Tetsuya Sasaki (technical supervisor from Technology Development Division). These three were instrumental in developing this new hardware: Nintendo Switch 2.
Addressing concerns about Switch 2’s battery life, Tetsuya Sasaki provided some insights.
He stated: “We understand that battery life is a significant concern for players. However, compared to its predecessor, Switch 2’s operating system and software are more ‘complex’ and ‘extensive.’ This means it supports more features and manages more computational modules simultaneously which increases its basic power consumption.
For instance:
– We’ve integrated advanced voice chat functionalities.
– Higher video output support (4K/high refresh rate).
– Joy-Con mouse mode switching.
– Multi-device Bluetooth management.
– Enhanced networking modules.
To handle these demands efficiently, we’ve increased battery capacity and restructured power distribution architecture to balance performance with battery longevity.
When we launched the original Switch, our estimates were based on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as a benchmark. This time around—given that games and usage scenarios are more varied—we will again provide reference data based on representative titles but please understand that actual battery life will vary depending on game type and usage patterns.”
In addition, the three developers addressed other questions, revealing that the official development of Switch 2 started in 2019, although actual development began even earlier. The Switch 2 will support DLSS and its GPU will feature real-time ray tracing.