Is the Switch 2 worth it?
Yes for Nintendo fans: the Switch 2 is £354.99 on Amazon UK, £65.00 under its £419.99 RRP. What it adds over the Switch and what a starter setup costs.
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Is the Nintendo Switch 2 worth it?
Yes, for anyone who wants Nintendo's new games: the Nintendo Switch 2 is the only console that plays Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza and Kirby Air Riders, and it costs £354.99 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), £65.00 below Nintendo's £419.99 RRP. It is a weaker buy for an existing Switch owner who mostly replays older games, because the Nintendo Switch 2 runs the same Switch game cards with sharper output rather than new content.
The handheld ranking is in Best gaming handheld UK 2026, and the games that justify the console are ranked in Best Switch 2 games UK 2026.
| Situation | Is it worth it? | Pick | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Nintendo console yet | Worth it | Nintendo Switch 2 | £354.99 |
| Owns a Switch, plays Nintendo's new releases | Worth it: the new games are Switch 2 only | Nintendo Switch 2 | £354.99 |
| Owns a Switch, mostly replays older games | Not urgent | Keep the Switch | £0 |
| First console for a child, tight budget | Original Switch instead | Nintendo Switch (Renewed) | £169.00 |
| Owns a big Steam library | A PC handheld fits better | ROG Xbox Ally | £449.00 |
What does the Switch 2 add over the original Switch?
The Nintendo Switch 2 adds a bigger 1080p screen at up to 120 Hz, 4K TV output and eight times the storage, and gives up 2.5 hours of rated battery at the top end. Every figure in Compare Electronic's upgrade table comes from Nintendo UK's own specification pages for the two consoles.
| Spec | Nintendo Switch 2 | Nintendo Switch | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 7.9-inch LCD, 1920x1080, HDR10, VRR up to 120 Hz | 6.2-inch LCD, 1280x720 | 2.25 times the pixels |
| TV output | Up to 3840x2160 at 60 fps; 120 fps at 1080p or 1440p | Up to 1920x1080 at 60 fps | 4K and 120 fps |
| Storage | 256 GB | 32 GB | 8 times as much |
| Card slot | microSD Express only, up to 2 TB | Standard microSD | Old cards cannot hold Switch 2 games |
| Battery | 5,220 mAh, approx. 2 to 6.5 hours | 4,310 mAh, approx. 4.5 to 9 hours | 2.5 hours less at the top end |
| Weight with controllers | Approx. 534 g | Approx. 398 g | 136 g heavier |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) | Newer standard |
| Game cards | Switch 2 and Switch | Switch only | Plays the old library |
| Amazon UK price | £354.99 | £248.00 | £106.99 more |
The screen and TV output are the visible gains. The Nintendo Switch 2 panel has 2.25 times the pixels of the Switch panel, and the dock outputs up to 4K at 60 fps or 120 fps at 1080p and 1440p in games that support it. Nintendo Switch 2 Editions, such as Pokémon Legends: Z-A, use that headroom for higher resolution and frame rates.
Battery and weight go the other way. Nintendo rates the Nintendo Switch 2 at approximately 2 to 6.5 hours against 4.5 to 9 hours for the Switch, and the new console weighs approximately 534 g with its Joy-Con 2 controllers attached, 136 g more.
How much does a Switch 2 starter setup cost?
A Nintendo Switch 2 starter setup of the console, Mario Kart World and a 256 GB microSD Express card costs £464.93 at Amazon UK prices at the time of writing (October 2026), or £529.93 at Nintendo's RRP. The Amazon UK console price saves £65.00, enough to cover Mario Kart World at £59.95 with £5.05 to spare.
| Item | Amazon UK price | At Nintendo RRP |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch 2 | £354.99 | £419.99 (Nintendo RRP) |
| Mario Kart World | £59.95 | £59.95 |
| SanDisk microSD Express 256GB | £49.99 | £49.99 |
| Starter setup total | £464.93 | £529.93 |
| Same setup with Donkey Kong Bananza (£49.99) | £454.97 | £519.97 |
| Same setup with Pokémon Legends: Z-A (£42.95) | £447.93 | £512.93 |
Bundles save nothing. Amazon UK lists the Switch 2 and Donkey Kong Bananza bundle at £404.98, exactly the £354.99 console plus the £49.99 Donkey Kong Bananza game card, and the Pokémon Legends: Z-A bundle at £397.94, exactly the console plus the £42.95 game. A bundle saves a step at checkout, not money.
The microSD Express card can wait for buyers of physical full game cards, since 256 GB holds Mario Kart World's 22.2 GB download eleven times. Buyers of large digital games need it sooner; the sizes are in Do I need a microSD Express card for Switch 2?.
Should a buyer get a Switch 2 or a cheaper Switch?
A buyer should get the Nintendo Switch 2 unless the budget stops at £250. The Nintendo Switch costs £248.00 on Amazon UK and the Nintendo Switch (Renewed) £169.00, £106.99 and £185.99 less than the Nintendo Switch 2. Both play the full Switch library but none of the Switch 2 exclusives, and both output 1080p at most to a TV.
Waiting is optional rather than necessary. The £354.99 Amazon UK price already sits £65.00 below the RRP; Black Friday prices are tracked in Nintendo Switch 2 Black Friday deals UK 2026, and the general rule is in Buy now or wait for Black Friday?. Buyers weighing a PC handheld should read Is the Steam Deck worth it?.
Which Switch should a buyer get?
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the pick, at £354.99 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), £65.00 below Nintendo's £419.99 RRP. The box includes the dock, two Joy-Con 2 controllers and 256 GB of storage, so it works as a home console and a handheld on day one.
Nintendo Switch 2 specifications (Nintendo UK)
- Screen: 7.9 inch LCD, 1920x1080, HDR10, VRR up to 120 Hz
- TV output: up to 3840x2160 at 60 fps; 120 fps at 1080p or 1440p
- Storage: 256 GB, microSD Express cards up to 2 TB
- Battery: 5220 mAh, approx. 2 to 6.5 hours
- Weight with Joy-Con 2: approx. 534 g
- Game cards: Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch
The weak points are battery and storage cost. The rated 2 to 6.5 hours trails the original Switch, and extra storage needs a microSD Express card such as the SanDisk microSD Express 256GB at £49.99. Accessories are priced in Best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories UK.
Nintendo Switch 2 - pros and cons
Where to buy
Check price
Three alternatives cover tighter budgets and PC games, at Amazon UK prices on 6 October 2026.
Also consider
Radar · 0-100 scores
- Switch 2
- Switch
- Switch (Renewed)
- ROG Xbox Ally
Verdict
The Nintendo Switch 2 is worth it for anyone who wants Nintendo's new games, and the Nintendo Switch 2 at £354.99 on Amazon UK is £65.00 below the £419.99 RRP. Existing Switch owners who only replay older games can wait. The full rankings are in Best gaming handheld UK 2026 and Best Switch 2 games UK 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Nintendo Switch 2 worth it in 2026?
Yes, for anyone who wants Nintendo's new games. The Nintendo Switch 2 is the only console that plays Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, adds 4K TV output and a 7.9-inch 1080p 120 Hz screen, and runs most original Switch game cards. It costs £354.99 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), £65.00 below Nintendo's £419.99 RRP.
How much is the Nintendo Switch 2 in the UK?
Nintendo's UK RRP for the Nintendo Switch 2 is £419.99 from 1 September 2026, up from £395.99, according to Nintendo UK. Amazon UK lists the Nintendo Switch 2 at £354.99 at the time of writing (October 2026), £65.00 below that RRP. A starter setup with Mario Kart World and a SanDisk microSD Express 256GB card costs £464.93 at Amazon UK prices.
Is the Switch 2 worth it if I already have a Switch?
Yes for an owner who plays Nintendo's new releases, because Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza and Kirby Air Riders run only on the Nintendo Switch 2. An owner who mostly plays older Switch games gains less: sharper TV output, but the same games. The Nintendo Switch 2 costs £106.99 more than a new Nintendo Switch on Amazon UK.
Does the Nintendo Switch 2 play original Switch games?
Yes. Nintendo UK states that both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch game cards fit the Nintendo Switch 2 game card slot, and Nintendo UK publishes a guide to moving data from an old Switch. Some Switch games have Nintendo Switch 2 Editions, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which add higher resolution, a smoother frame rate and HDR.
Is a Nintendo Switch 2 bundle cheaper than buying separately?
Not on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). The Switch 2 and Donkey Kong Bananza bundle costs £404.98, exactly the £354.99 console plus the £49.99 game. The Switch 2 and Pokémon Legends: Z-A bundle costs £397.94, exactly the console plus the £42.95 game. A bundle saves a step at checkout, not money.
What do I need to buy with a Nintendo Switch 2?
Nothing is essential on day one: the Nintendo Switch 2 box includes the dock, two Joy-Con 2 controllers and 256 GB of storage. Most buyers add one game and, later, a microSD Express card, because standard microSD cards cannot store Switch 2 games. The SanDisk microSD Express 256GB costs £49.99 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026).