The most premium-feeling handheld I have ever held

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“The most premium-feeling handheld I have ever held”

The Nintendo Switch 2 launched yesterday to a chorus of surprised voices singing a very different tune than expected. After months of online negativity surrounding pricing and ecosystem changes, early adopters are discovering something the critics apparently missed.

Those lucky enough to snag a console during the chaotic launch are sharing experiences that paint a drastically different picture. The premium feel, performance improvements, and overall quality have left many wondering if the pre-launch doom and gloom was just noise.

Sheer hardware quality silences the doubters

The transformation in public opinion has been nothing short of spectacular to witness. Players lucky enough to secure a Nintendo Switch 2 during yesterday’s chaotic launch are reporting experiences that make the pre-release negativity look absolutely ridiculous in hindsight.

According to early user reports, the hardware improvements aren’t just incremental upgrades that marketing teams love to oversell. These appear to be genuine quality-of-life changes that address every major complaint about the original Switch’s limitations.

Games that previously chugged along at inconsistent framerates are reportedly running buttery smooth, creating the kind of experience that makes you wonder why anyone tolerated the original’s technical shortcomings:

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The build quality feedback has been particularly striking. Multiple users are describing this as a dramatic shift from Nintendo‘s traditional approach, moving away from the “plastic toy” aesthetic that defined previous generations of hardware.

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Performance improvements are apparently most noticeable for anyone upgrading from launch-era hardware. The difference, apparently, isn’t subtle or something you need Digital Foundry analysis to appreciate. It’s immediately obvious the moment you boot up any demanding game:

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Even the biggest technical disasters are reportedly running like actual video games now. Pokémon Scarlet isn’t a slideshow anymore. Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t chug when you look at grass. Games that became memes for their awful performance are finally working as intended, proving that sometimes the hardware really was the limiting factor.

The pricing elephant refuses to leave the room

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While hardware enthusiasts are celebrating their shiny new toys, Nintendo has basically told everyone that gaming just got more expensive. The $449 console price was just the beginning. Games now cost $80. Accessories cost more. Everything costs more because the company decided it was time to stop pretending they’re the budget option.

The company is betting that its core audience will pay whatever they ask because the hardware improvements justify the price hikes. So far, that bet seems to be paying off, at least among the faithful who actually bought the thing.

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The fact that consoles are sitting on shelves tells a different story than the glowing reviews. While early adopters are happy with their purchases, plenty of people are clearly thinking twice about dropping nearly $500 on a handheld that plays the same games as their current Switch.

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Nintendo has basically created a luxury gaming tier that squeezes every penny out of their most dedicated fans while telling price-conscious consumers to kick rocks. The strategy works because they know their audience. These people will buy anything with a Nintendo logo, regardless of how much it costs or how little sense the pricing makes.

But here’s where things get really fun. The updated EULA now lets Nintendo brick your console if you mess around with it too much. So not only are you paying $80 for games and premium prices for accessories, but they can also kill your $449 investment if they don’t like how you use it.

Owning the hardware apparently doesn’t mean you actually own it anymore!

What’s your take on the Nintendo Switch 2’s early reception? Are the hardware improvements worth the premium pricing, or are they pricing out too many potential customers? Share your thoughts below.