Nintendo Switch 2 Hands-On: Digital Foundry Praises Hardware, Performance, and First-Party Showcase

At the highly anticipated Switch 2 Experience event in London, members of the acclaimed technical analysis team at Digital Foundry spent four hours exploring the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console.

Their hands-on impressions, detailed in a comprehensive Eurogamer feature, provide valuable insights into Nintendo's next-generation hardware, design philosophy, and the performance of both first- and third-party games.

The Nintendo Switch 2 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor with an innovative hybrid form factor.

Digital Foundry commends Nintendo for crafting a device that remains impressively slim—comparable to the original Switch—but boasts a larger overall footprint.

According to their report, the console feels less unwieldy than anticipated, offering gamers a balance between portability and screen real estate. A key point of discussion centers around the Switch 2’s upgraded LCD screen.

While Digital Foundry notes that it does not match the deep contrast of the Switch OLED display, they highlight its impressive brightness and color vibrancy.

Viewing angles are significantly improved, delivering a consistent experience even at extreme positions.

Notably, high dynamic range (HDR) makes a striking difference in supported titles, particularly with visually dynamic content like Cyberpunk 2077’s illuminated environments.

While the panel stops short of OLED-level performance, it represents a considerable step up from the original Switch’s display. The real star of the show remains Nintendo’s first-party lineup.

Mario Kart World emerges as a standout, running natively at 1440p resolution and maintaining a steady 60 frames per second.

Digital Foundry lauds the game’s enhanced visuals, including improved lighting, textures, and character animations—demonstrating the technical leap afforded by the new hardware.

Meanwhile, Metroid Prime: Beyond introduces a 120fps mode at 1080p, setting a new standard for fluid gameplay.

The analysis suggests that even at these elevated frame rates, visual fidelity remains strong, positioning the Switch 2 as a formidable platform for both competitiveness and spectacle. However, not every title excels uniformly.

Donkey Kong Bananza, while ambitious in scope and environmental interaction, exhibits variable performance, particularly on the map view where frame rates fluctuate between 30 and 60fps.

Despite targeting a solid 60fps, the inconsistencies are noted as an area for potential optimization. Third-party titles further illustrate the Switch 2’s capabilities and limitations.

Street Fighter 6, for example, reportedly holds a consistent 60fps at 1080p, with visual modifications on par with PlayStation 4 and Xbox Series S versions.

There is industry chatter surrounding possible higher-resolution textures, although Digital Foundry underscores the need for further direct capture analysis.

Meanwhile, Hogwarts Legacy operates at 30fps with impressive draw distances, and Yakuza 0 stands as a visual equal to its PS4 counterpart—both reinforcing the range of experiences the new console can deliver. In summary, Digital Foundry’s initial impressions are overwhelmingly positive.

The Nintendo Switch 2 represents a confident evolution of Nintendo’s hybrid hardware formula, delivering signature first-party experiences while adeptly managing "impossible ports" and high-profile third-party games.

Central to this progress is Nintendo’s ongoing partnership with Nvidia, which brings advanced features powered by the T239 processor—a chipset Digital Foundry anticipates will reveal more of its potential as developers gain further experience. As Nintendo continues to refine the console ahead of its full release, anticipation is building across the industry.

Digital Foundry’s technical deep dive suggests that the Switch 2 may set a new benchmark for hybrid gaming, offering players a compelling mix of portability, performance, and a diverse game library.

Keep following our dedicated Switch 2 coverage for further updates, hardware guides, and comprehensive insights into Nintendo’s next major chapter.

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