Latest Articles (Page 62)

All the articles we've published, with the most recent first

Here's something that catches a lot of people off guard: you can't use regular microSD cards with the Switch 2. Those cards from your original Switch? Won't work for games. The Switch 2 uses a completely different type called microSD Express.

What's the Difference?

MicroSD Express is a much faster version of the standard format. Regular microSD cards top out around 100 to 170 MB/s. MicroSD Express cards hit up to 800 MB/s. The Switch 2 needs that speed to run modern games properly from external storage.

Where to Buy Them

Samsung, SanDisk, and GameStop all make Switch 2 compatible cards. They come in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB sizes. The bad news? They cost more than regular microSD cards. The technology is newer and not as widely produced yet.

Quick heads up: you'll need to do a system update the first time you insert one.

What Happens to My Old Card?

Got photos and videos on your old microSD card? You can import those to your Switch 2. Just insert the old card and there's an option to copy that media over to internal storage.

But that's all it's good for. You can't install games or save anything else to a regular microSD card. It's microSD Express or nothing.

Do You Actually Need Extra Storage?

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB built-in, which is way more than the original Switch had. For some people, that's plenty.

But games are getting huge. Some titles push past 90GB now. If you buy a lot of digital games, you'll probably want a microSD Express card eventually. Just budget for it. They're not cheap.

Read More

Good news and slightly annoying news: your old Joy-Cons do work with the Switch 2, but they won't attach to it. The new console switched to magnets for controller attachment, so your old Joy-Cons can only connect wirelessly.

They Work Fine, Just Differently

Pair your Joy-Cons through Bluetooth like any wireless controller, and they work great. Motion controls, HD Rumble, all the usual features. No problem there.

The annoying part? You can't charge them by snapping them onto the Switch 2. You'll need your old Switch, a charging grip, or a separate charging dock to juice them up.

Some Games Actually Need Your Old Joy-Cons

Here's a twist: for certain games, you have to use original Joy-Cons. The new Joy-Con 2 controllers are bigger and removed the IR sensor, which breaks compatibility with a handful of titles:

  • Ring Fit Adventure: The Ring-Con and Leg Strap were made for the original Joy-Con size
  • 1-2-Switch, WarioWare: Move It!, some Labo kits: These use the IR camera that Joy-Con 2 doesn't have

So don't get rid of your old Joy-Cons if you play any of these games. They're the only option.

Your Other Controllers Work Too

The Pro Controller and all those retro wireless controllers from Nintendo (NES, SNES, N64 ones) pair with Switch 2 just fine. Same with most third-party controllers. Everything connects wirelessly.

Bottom Line

Your Joy-Con investment isn't wasted. They work wirelessly, you just can't snap them on or charge them through the Switch 2. And for certain games, they're actually required.

Read More

Let's be honest: battery life on the Switch 2 is not amazing. Nintendo says 2 to 6.5 hours, and in real-world use, that's pretty accurate. What you get depends a lot on what you're playing.

What You'll Actually Get

Fire up Mario Kart World with the brightness cranked up? You're looking at around 2 hours before needing a charge. That's not great for a long flight or road trip.

But here's the thing: not every game hammers the battery equally. Playing the vanilla version of Breath of the Wild on Switch 2? You'll get over 3.5 hours. GameCube classics are even easier on the battery. Playing Wind Waker for three solid hours still left 40% battery remaining.

The short answer: demanding new games drain it fast, older or simpler games let you play much longer.

Why Is Battery Life Shorter Than the OLED?

You'd think a bigger battery would mean longer playtime, right? The Switch 2 has a 5,220 mAh battery compared to the OLED's 4,310 mAh. But the Switch 2's more powerful hardware just drinks more juice.

The OLED could last 4.5 to 9 hours. The Switch 2 maxes out around 6.5 hours with light games, and hits closer to 2 hours with heavy ones. That's the trade-off for better graphics and faster performance.

How To Make It Last Longer

A few tricks that actually help:

  • Drop the brightness to 50%. Sounds annoying, but it adds about 45 minutes
  • Turn on Airplane Mode if you don't need online features
  • Stick to less demanding games when you're away from a charger
  • Invest in a good USB-C power bank. This is almost essential for portable play now

Charging takes about 3 hours from empty when the Switch 2 is asleep. Both USB-C ports support charging, so you can power up from the top or bottom.

Read More

Good news if you're worried about your game collection: yes, the Nintendo Switch 2 plays almost all your old Switch games. You won't have to rebuy everything or say goodbye to your favorite titles.

Your Games Just Work

Pop your old cartridges right into the Switch 2. It has a slot that accepts original Switch game cards. Already gone digital? Just sign in with your Nintendo Account and your whole library shows up ready to play.

Nintendo says about 98.7% of Switch 1 games work on the new console. That's the vast majority of the entire library. The company uses a clever translation layer that makes old games think they're running on the original hardware.

A Few Games Have Issues

There's really only one game that flat-out won't work: Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit. Why? The Switch 2's bigger screen won't physically fit into the cardboard VR goggles. Fair enough.

Around 188 other games have some kind of issue. Maybe they crash at startup or have weird glitches. Games like Fortnite, Doom Eternal, and NBA 2K25 are on this list. But Nintendo and developers keep releasing patches, so this number keeps shrinking.

You can check compatibility for any specific game on Nintendo's official compatibility website.

The Nice Surprise: Games Run Better

Here's something cool: a lot of your old games actually run better on Switch 2. Faster loading, smoother frame rates, just an overall better experience thanks to the more powerful hardware.

Some games even got free upgrades. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet now look stunning at 4K/60fps on Switch 2, at no extra cost. For big titles like Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo released paid enhanced versions with serious graphical improvements.

What This Means For You

Don't stress about backward compatibility. Your game collection moves with you to the Switch 2. Most of your games will work on day one, and many will actually look and play better than before.

Read More
Previous PagePage 62 of 6496Next Page
📓 Latest Articles
ShopSavvy publishes many different kinds of articles regularly including deals, product reviews, best picks in popular categories, and answers about products.
Get ShopSavvy
ShopSavvy is totally free and works on all popular phones and browsers
Download ShopSavvy App

Compare prices for anything in real-time, set price alerts, watch for deals by keyword, and much more

Install ShopSavvy Browser Extension

Compare and track prices automatically while you shop online at thousands of websites.