Switch 2 size comparison: Nintendo’s latest up next to a whole lot of consoles

Nintendo’s Switch 2 is faster, more powerful, and all around better than its predecessor in just about every way. It’s also bigger than the OG Switch. But, like, how much bigger?

Okay, sure, we can check the specs and see that the Switch 2 is half an inch (12.7mm) taller and 1.2 inches (30.48mm) wider than the original — and it’s 0.22 pounds (99.79 grams) heavier. But don’t just bark numbers at me! Nah, man, get that nerd math out of here.

What about vibes-wise? How much bigger does it feel?

We already know the Switch 2 is a whole lot less colorful and fun-looking than the original, and it’s definitely not any more comfortable to use, either. So how does it compare to the more lively-looking Switches that came before it? And how about other boring black boxes that have brought us years of joyous games? Well, to show you, I got my Switch 2 out along with its direct progenitors and some of its other ilk from the world of video games, and I took a bunch of pictures.

First up, the most obvious comparison: the Switch 2, its Joy-Con 2 controllers, and its new dock versus its last-gen counterparts. Any Switch may seem compact compared to various PC handhelds flooding the market these days, especially a surfboard-like one that still hasn’t come out yet, but seeing the Switch 2 next to an original launch-day Switch from 2017 makes me wonder how we ever got on with that dainty original. The OLED edition may not have been any more powerful, but its slightly larger screen did make a huge difference. And now, the Switch 2 is even bigger than that. Despite not being all that comfortable in handheld mode, this feels like the right size for a Switch.

The Switch 2’s new stature may be a marked improvement, but Valve’s Steam Deck was bigger and comfier right out of the gate. It’s definitely not as travel-friendly as a Switch, but ultra-portability is for the Analogue Pockets and Anbernics of the world — which you can also get a small glimpse of here in these photos.

Long before the Switch 2, there was another console to bear the “2” sequel moniker — a console with a design that still sits comfortably in the S-tier of my own personal list of video game industrial design. So how does the Switch 2 compare to the PlayStation 2?

You’re also wondering why compare the Switch 2 to the PS2? Well, why not?

But, for good measure, I’ve also put the new Nintendo console up against the PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox Series X, and GameCube.

And now, everyone’s favorite (or most hated) part of classroom Jeopardy: the potpourri category. Here’s the Switch 2 next to a bunch of… stuff.

So, what do you think? Is the Switch 2’s new design and size a slam dunk? Does it overtake its forebears and rank well in your own personal tier list of game console design?

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge