A teardown of the new Nintendo Switch 2 hardware revision has revealed a smaller battery and easier repairs.
Content creator Nintenduo has conducted a teardown of the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware revision, and has compared it to the original model. The updated console has been redesigned to comply with European battery regulations that will require many electronic devices to allow users to replace their batteries more easily. While the changes are relatively minor, the new model should prove more convenient to maintain over the long term.
The new battery inside the Nintendo Switch 2 revision has a capacity of 5,172mAh, 48mAh less than the launch model’s 5,220mAh battery. This is a reduction of less than 1%, indicating that battery life essentially remains unchanged. The new Switch 2 is also around 14g heavier when the Joy-Cons are attached, although the difference is unlikely to be noticeable during normal use.
The teardown reveals why replacing the battery has been made easier. The heat shield no longer covers the battery, eliminating the need to remove and later reapply thermal paste when accessing it. The battery itself looks different, with thicker insulating material compensating for the reduced heat-shield coverage. The Joy-Con rails have also been redesigned, with visible screws making the hardware easier to access, as opposed to the hidden screws beneath anti-tampering stickers in the original version.
For those looking to identify the new Nintendo Switch 2 mode, the box carries the OSM product code and the console’s serial number begins with ‘HLE.’ A third visual clue is the screwpost visible in the Joy-Con rail on the revision. The launch model has no visible screwpost in this location, as seen in the video thumbnail above.
The revised Nintendo Switch 2 is already being sold in Spain through retailers such as GAME, while sellers in the UK such as Argos have confirmed they will soon be receiving the updated hardware. However, buyers may not be able to choose which version of the console they receive.
