Nintendo Switch 2 Battery Life, Charging Time, and Capacity Confirmed
In a nutshell
- Nintendo Switch 2 has a 5220mAh battery, which is higher than its predecessors’, but due to increased hardware demands, battery life is reduced to 2-6.5 hours.
- Charging time is confirmed at around 3 hours while the console is in sleep mode.
- Some factors affecting battery life include the larger 7.9-inch screen and the 1080p output.
Among the many other details we’ve learned from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, the new hardware’s battery life, charging time, and capacity have been confirmed.
According to Nintendo, the Switch 2 will have a 5220mAh lithium-ion battery, a much higher capacity than the original Switch 1 and Switch Lite, which had 4310mAh and 3570mAh, respectively.
Despite the increase in capacity, the estimated battery life has decreased to 2-6.5 hours. Compared to the Switch 1 run time of 4.5-9 hours and the Lite’s 3-7 hours, this should not be a surprise since the newer games’ requirements will naturally demand more from the console, and the battery life will largely depend on what game is being played.
Lastly, Nintendo has confirmed that it takes about 3 hours to charge the console fully while in sleep mode.
Some factors that would contribute to this would be the Switch 2’s larger 7.9-inch screen and its ability to output at 1080p with HDR support.
Nintendo Switch 2 Specifications
Check out the full Nintendo Switch 2 specs below:
| Size | Approx. 166mm x 272mm x 13.9mm (with Joy-Con 2 attached) The maximum thickness from the tip of the Control Sticks to the protruding parts of the ZL / ZR Buttons is 30.7mm. |
|---|---|
| Weight | Approx. 401g (With Joy-Con 2 controllers attached: approx. 534g) |
| Screen | Capacitive touch screen / 7.9 inch wide colour gamut LCD screen / 1920×1080 resolution / HDR10 support / VRR up to 120 Hz |
| CPU/GPU | Custom processor made by NVIDIA |
| System memory | 256 GB (UFS) You can increase your console’s storage with compatible microSD Express cards (sold separately). Please note: a portion of internal storage is reserved for use by the system. |
| Communication features | Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi 6) / Bluetooth In TV mode, it’s also possible to use a wired LAN connection. |
| Video output | Maximum resolution: 3840×2160, 60 fps Supports 120 fps when 1920×1080/2560×1440 resolutions are selected Please note: output via HDMI cable in TV mode. In tabletop mode and handheld mode, the maximum resolution is 1920×1080, which matches the screen resolution. Supports HDR10 |
| Audio output | Supports linear PCM 5.1ch Please note: output via HDMI cable in TV mode. Surround sound effect can be applied when outputting to headphones or to the built-in speaker (surround sound effect when outputting to the built-in speaker requires a system update). |
| Speakers | Stereo The independent enclosure structure provides natural, clear sound quality. |
| Microphone | Built-in microphone (monaural) Noise cancellation, echo cancellation and auto gain control provide a more comfortable voice chat experience. |
| Buttons | POWER Button / Volume buttons |
| USB ports | 2 USB Type-C ports The port on the bottom is used for charging or for connecting to the Nintendo Switch 2 dock. The port on the top is used to connect accessories or for charging. |
| Audio jack | 4 pole stereo 3.5mm mini plug (CTIA standard) Please note: Nintendo cannot guarantee functionality with all products. |
| Game card slot | Both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch game cards can be inserted. |
| microSD Express card slot | Compatible with microSD Express cards only (up to 2 TB) Please note: a system update via an internet connection is required to use microSD Express cards. microSD cards that are not of microSD Express standard can only be used to copy screenshots and videos from Nintendo Switch |
| Sensor | Accelerometer, gyroscope and mouse sensor located in each Joy-Con 2 controller. Brightness sensor located in console. |
| Operating environment | Temperature: 5 – 35°C / Humidity: 20 – 80% |
| Internal battery | Lithium ion battery / battery capacity 5220 mAh Please note: the internal battery cannot be removed. |
| Battery life | Approx. 2 – 6.5 hours Please note: this time is an estimate. The battery life will depend on the games you play and usage conditions. |
| Charging time | Approx. 3 hours Please note: this is the time taken to charge while the console is in sleep mode. |
What do you think of the battery life of the Switch 2?
