Nintendo has confirmed the Switch 2 battery life, and it is what some fans did not want to hear. Despite the Switch 2 having a larger 5220mAh battery, so it should last more than the advertised 2 to 6.5 hours on a full charge. That’s less than the 4.5 to 9 hours you get from either the OLED or the refreshed standard Switch model.

Upgraded hardware costs money, so the reason is simple. The Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch, 1080p LCD and a more powerful processor, and both burn more power. Upgrades will surely increase visuals and performance at the cost of fast battery consumption. However, the charging time remains unchanged as the battery will take approximately three hours to charge under sleep mode.

Putting the Switch 2 into the same 2 to 8-hour range depending on the game as the Steam Deck brings the Switch 2 closer to that level of device. It could be an issue if you’re playing docked or near a charger, but it could also be a problem if you depend on that feature whilst travelling. So far, Nintendo has made no statement about looking to optimize power use or future models with better battery life, but with the handheld gaming market heating up, that could change for the better.

FAQs

What's the Switch 2's advertised battery life?

2/6.5 hours according to usage.

What is its relation to prior models?

It is shorter than the revised standard Switch models and the OLED model.

What's the charging time?

Around three hours in sleep mode.

When is the Switch 2 releasing?

June 5, 2025.