How To Make Sure You're Buying The New Nintendo Switch With ...

Skip to main contentThe VergeThe Verge logo.The Verge homepage

• The Verge homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo./
• Tech/
• Reviews/
• Science/
• Entertainment/
• AI/
• MoreMenuExpand

The VergeThe Verge logo.MenuExpand

• Entertainment/
• Gaming/
• Nintendo

How to make sure you’re buying the new Nintendo Switch with improved battery lifeHow to make sure you’re buying the new Nintendo Switch with improved battery life /

Red is what you want

By Chris Welch, a reviewer specializing in personal audio and home theater. Since 2011, he has published nearly 6,000 articles, from breaking news and reviews to useful how-tos.

Aug 12, 2019, 8:30 PM UTC

Share this story

Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

The new hardware revision of the Nintendo Switch is now making its way to retail stores. It features a newer, more efficient CPU than the original launch console, which results in significantly longer battery life ranging between 4.5 and nine hours. (The original Switch can last between 2.5 and 6.5 hours.)

Otherwise, the Nintendo Switch “v2” — not to be confused with the upcoming Switch Lite — hasn’t changed much: it’s got the same design and same screen. That means there’s no easy way to distinguish the new, longer-lasting model from the original unless you know where to look and what to look for.

Look at the box

The easiest way to spot the new Switch is its packaging. The box for the original hardware has a white background, but this time Nintendo went with red. So if you’re trying to hunt down a new unit at Best Buy, Walmart, Target, or someplace else, that’s the most obvious tell that you’ve found one.

Image: Nintendo

Another difference from the old packaging is that there’s no longer a hand placing the Switch into its dock. Instead, you’ll notice that one of the Joy-Con controllers is partially sticking out from the grip. And both the Joy-Con grip and TV have switched sides; on the previous box they were to the Switch’s left; now they’re to the right.

Check the serial number

If you’re buying a used Switch, there might not be any box to examine. So another way of verifying that it’s the newer hardware model is by glancing at the serial number. If it starts with XKW, that’s the new one. Anything else (such as XAW), and you’re holding an original-release Switch. The serial number can be found on the bottom of the Switch console.

Will I get the newer one if I order online?

Maybe, but there are no guarantees. Retailers still have plenty of inventory of the older Switch, and that’ll likely be true for some time. There’s nothing wrong with that model, so they’re going to keep selling it. If you want the more efficient processor and longer battery life, right now your best bet is heading to a local retail store.

Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.

CommentsMost PopularMost Popular

1. Amazon’s last-gen Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for 50 bucks right now

2. Uber and Lyft now required to pay Massachusetts rideshare drivers $32 an hour

3. Here comes a Meta Ray-Bans challenger with ChatGPT-4o and a camera

4. Fortnite’s Metallica concert showed how sprawling the game has become

5. What SCOTUS just did to broadband, the right to repair, the environment, and more

Verge Deals

/ Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox weekly.

Email (required)Sign upBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.From our sponsorAdvertiser Content From

More from Reviews

• 

  The OnePlus 12R is a $500 phone with flagship tendencies

• 

  Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds are its boldest, most unique earbuds yet

• 

  JBL Authentics 300 smart speaker review: two assistants at once

• 

  This iPod-like button could be a great smart home controller

• Advertiser Content From