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In most regards, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a major upgrade over its predecessor, the Nintendo Switch. It's equipped with more powerful hardware, its Joy-Con 2 controllers have interesting and helpful new functions, and of course, it's got new exclusive games. However, in the current climate of gradually rising costs related to gaming, any potential console purchase should be approached with a critical eye. While the Switch 2 is a capable system, it's definitely not perfect, with some annoying hiccups like confusing Game-Key Cards and lagging backward compatibility in spots.

If you purchased a Switch 2 with the express purpose of upgrading from a Switch, it's a mostly sound investment, especially since it's the only way you can access games like "Donkey Kong Bananza" or "Mario Kart World." However, upgrading to a Switch 2 should come with the understanding that you might be trading out whatever annoyances you have with the Switch for new ones, and there are a few common gripes you should be aware of ahead of time.

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Back in 2021, Nintendo released an updated version of the original Switch with a larger body and an improved display that used OLED technology, aptly named the Switch OLED. Prior to the release of the Switch 2, there was something of an assumption among players that this improved OLED format would carry over into the new console by default. Sadly, it did not — the Switch 2 returned to an LCD screen. A nicer, bigger LCD screen than the original Switch's, yes, but still just an LCD screen.

Compared to the Switch OLED, which has a 7-inch OLED screen, the Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch LCD screen. LCD screens are generally inferior to OLED screens, with the latter possessing stronger color and black and white contrast creating richer, more detailed pictures compared to the former's less-accurate, backlight-powered colors. Additionally, while the Switch 2's built-in display purports to be capable of 1080p resolution, games intended for 720p resolution may end up looking blurry on the larger screen since they're just being scaled up. Admittedly, all of this is only a concern if you're playing undocked — if you're only using a Switch 2 docked and connected to your TV, it's less of a problem.

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Like its predecessor, the Switch 2 can play both digital games downloaded from the Nintendo eShop and physical games in the form of cartridges. Physical cartridges are nice for hardware preservation purposes, not to mention displaying your collection. However, with the release of the Switch 2, Nintendo also introduced the concept of Game-Key Cards, adding a layer of complication.

In a nutshell, a Game-Key Card is a physical cartridge that you purchase in a store like you normally would. However, the cartridge doesn't contain the game — rather, inserting a Game-Key Card into your Switch 2 prompts the console to download the digital game from the eShop. It's essentially a game key redeem code with extra steps, and in the event your internet is unavailable, it's completely useless. In fairness, physical game copies that utilize this format are clearly marked as such, so there's at least less of a chance of getting a Game-Key Card rather than a regular cartridge by mistake. But for some games, the Game-Key Card version is the only version available, which means getting an actual physical copy simply isn't an option.

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The Switch 2 is fully backward compatible with games released on the original Switch, both physical cartridges and digital downloads from the eShop. The vast majority of these games will run on the Switch 2 just fine, with performance either consistent with the Switch's performance, or in some cases, slightly improved thanks to the Switch 2's higher specs. However, this isn't true for all games.

Some Switch games may not perform properly due to support and compatibility issues. Nintendo has been running tests and improvements on every game in the eShop catalog, so you can check ahead of time if a game is known to have issues by either looking at a game's eShop page or searching its title on the compatibility status search engine. Even if a Switch game's performance is consistent with the Switch 2, it may still not function if it requires the specific features of the original Joy-Cons that the Joy-Con 2 controllers lack. Games like "WarioWare: Move It" and "Ring Fit Adventure," for example, require the IR motion camera in the Joy-Con R controller in order to play. You can play them if you still have your old Joy-Cons, but that's assuming you had a Switch before you had a Switch 2.

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Speaking of Joy-Cons, if you had a Switch before your Switch 2, you could keep using your Joy-Con controllers or original Pro Controller with the Switch 2 by syncing them with the console in addition to your Joy-Con 2s and Pro Controller 2 (if you have one), assuming they haven't already reached the end of their lifespan. However, this backward-compatible sync has its own quirks.

For one thing, you can't plug Joy-Cons into a Switch 2, as the console lacks its predecessor's connecting side rails. This means you would need to either purchase a separate Joy-Con charging dock or keep your old Switch around to keep them charged up. Additionally, while you can use both Joy-Cons and a Pro Controller with your Switch 2 when it's already on, neither controller is capable of waking the console from sleep mode. Only Joy-Con 2 controllers or a Pro Controller 2 can remotely wake the console, which can be annoying if you're seated far from your TV. Some miscellaneous accessories are incompatible with the Switch 2, including the original Switch dock, its original AC adapter and HDMI cable, and microSD cards.

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When the original Switch launched, it was a brand-new concept: a portable game console that you could also plug into your TV for more comfortable, higher-resolution gaming. However, in the intervening years leading up to the launch of the Switch 2, many other tech companies and manufacturers have taken their own swings at the same concept, which means that compared to its predecessor, the Switch 2 is sitting in a much more saturated market.

It is very possible that the Switch 2 isn't the ideal multifunction game console for you. In addition to one of the new power players on the scene, the Steam Deck, there are numerous other gaming handhelds like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally or the Lenovo Legion Go S. Yes, going for the Switch 2 does mean you get access to Nintendo's exclusive games, plus ancillary functions like Switch Online's various retro game libraries. However, these other gaming handhelds give you the comparatively greater flexibility of PC platforms like Steam, not to mention potentially more powerful performance than what you'd get from the Switch 2.