The Nintendo Switch 2 feels remarkably up to date

On some levels, Nintendo now has the most advanced handheld gaming hardware

Nintendo is not known for existing on the bleeding edge of technology. In fact, most of its 21st-century success has been built around the opposite of that idea; the Wii and DS were both much less powerful than their competition, yet each proved to be more popular with a mainstream audience. The hybrid Switch, meanwhile, was impressive for a handheld machine when it was released, but when hooked up to a TV it was soundly outgunned by the PlayStation 4 — let alone the 5.

On paper, the Switch 2 doesn’t do much to change that. It’s still a less capable console than the PS5, even though it’s coming out more than four years later. But now that it’s finally in my hands, I’m struck by how up-to-date it feels. The gaming landscape has changed since the original Switch, with the handheld market growing in size and diversity — and you could make a case that on some levels, Nintendo now has the most advanced hardware.